There is surprisingly very little paint in the whole thing. The model comes with different colored parts and I just sanded them lightly to get rid of the plasticky, shiny, toy like look and to give it some texture. India ink was used for dark washings and seam lines. Pastels and dry brushing along with some Dremel induce damage of the hull also included. It was all sealed in a clear matte coat. Scale is 1/48, so yes its small but full of details.