airbrush practice

EZSnapes wrote:

I think that it's important not to use card stock, paper, or similar material to practice.  These kinds of surfaces are absorbent and don't react the same way that a hard surface such as plastic does.

yep, that is why I use Evergreen plastic... another place to practice washes is the underside of your armor... I mean, no one should be tipping the kit over once finished!

I keep an old ruined fuselage available that I try out new techniques on or for practice (including applying washes, etc).  Once the test bed is completely painted over I clean it off with oven cleaner and its ready for more.

I think that it's important not to use card stock, paper, or similar material to practice.  These kinds of surfaces are absorbent and don't react the same way that a hard surface such as plastic does.

I actually "practice" on a styrene sheet as well as priming large ship hulls. As long as you use light grey primer, you can cover up any errors with darkey grey or hull red.

jwb wrote:

I liked using plastic gallon milk jugs. Big, wide surface, and a convenient handle. Best method for getting them: Buy 1 gallon milk Buy 1 package Oreos Poor gallon of milk in a REALLY big glass Dip Oreos in milk and then eat them Repeat with additional packages of Oreos if required  While you eat, paint the milk jug Worked pretty well. Certainly an incentive to practice.

haha! I think I'll go around the street asking for emty milk jugs

jwb wrote:

I liked using plastic gallon milk jugs. Big, wide surface, and a convenient handle. Best method for getting them: Buy 1 gallon milk Buy 1 package Oreos Poor gallon of milk in a REALLY big glass Dip Oreos in milk and then eat them Repeat with additional packages of Oreos if required  While you eat, paint the milk jug Worked pretty well. Certainly an incentive to practice.

I gained 10 lbs. reading!

I wanted to post my P-35 test hulk.....but it was rejected for 'objectionable content'

That'll prolly happen to my builds too.

qmiester wrote:

I've got several old kits that for one reason or another (missing parts, inaccuracies etc) aren't going to get built (old Lindberg kits work great).  It goes against my grain to throw them away unbuilt so I turn them into what I call "paint hulks"  I simply take 10 minutes to assemble one when I need it - usually not much more than the fuselage & horizontal surfaces.  I keep 2 or 3 of them around to test the airbrush, try new techniques I read about, test a new paint mix and yes, to practice with.  Had a friend who bought Snap-Tite kits for the same purpose.

Great idea too, Jon!  I'm gonna try that one out as well.

A while back, someone here posted an idea about using those cheap $1.00 children's coloring books for AB practice.  The paper will soak up the paint differently, but trying to color inside the lines with an AB takes some finesse.  Perhaps I just like playing with kid's stuff.

I liked using plastic gallon milk jugs. Big, wide surface, and a convenient handle. Best method for getting them:

• Buy 1 gallon milk
• Buy 1 package Oreos
• Poor gallon of milk in a REALLY big glass
• Dip Oreos in milk and then eat them
• Repeat with additional packages of Oreos if required 
• While you eat, paint the milk jug

Worked pretty well. Certainly an incentive to practice.

I've got several old kits that for one reason or another (missing parts, inaccuracies etc) aren't going to get built (old Lindberg kits work great).  It goes against my grain to throw them away unbuilt so I turn them into what I call "paint hulks"  I simply take 10 minutes to assemble one when I need it - usually not much more than the fuselage & horizontal surfaces.  I keep 2 or 3 of them around to test the airbrush, try new techniques I read about, test a new paint mix and yes, to practice with.  Had a friend who bought Snap-Tite kits for the same purpose.