Some beginner questions on painting

One thing to remember about wooden sailing ships - wood rots when exposed to the elements, so most ships were painted to preserve them.  Hulls were usually painted black, and underwater surfaces were sheeted in copper plate to prevent fouling (growth of marine crustacians).  Upper surfaces were painted in "bright work" colors of reds, yellows, whites, & blues depending on the owner or captians tastes & budgets.  Standing rigging (ropes that hold the masts in place) were tarred to prevent rot.  Running rigging (the ropes used to move the sails) were left natural and replaced as required.  Decks were often the only thing wood that were not painted, but were cleaned daily.  Deck planks were never butted together, but spaced a small amount apart and the seems "caulked" with twine dipped in pitch or tar.  British Ships were mostly made of red or white oak with some pine, so wood color would be mostly "whitish" not yellowish.

If you are going to brush paint, go to the local art supply store and invest in a couple of very good quality brushes.  You'll need one flat brush about 1/4" to 1/2" in width, and one of two round brushes that will hold a point well.  I would recommend a #1 or #3 and a 000 (3 ought) for detail work.  Since you've invested in good quality, treat them like the quality tools they are, and clean them immediately after use, never let them sit in the paint, load them halfway (never dunk them all the way to the ferrul), and store them with the points up.

HTH,

Reid

I ordinarily use Testors dullcoat over enamels, but another option is polyurethane varnish- a clearcoat that comes in gloss, dull, and semigloss. It is generally safe over enamels.

Gable

 I assume I will need some small, empty jar for the mixing and some kind of measuring tool to transport paint from the original jars, so I know how many parts of the different colors I used? (might be totally obvious to you how to do it, I'm just checking ;))

I actually work out most of my color mixes with single drops dripped off the handle end of a paint brush--not exactly highly scientific, but it works.. Once I've got the proportions worked out, I use a regular plastic drinking straw marked off with a sharpie in 1/4 or 1/2 inch increments to move the paint from the bottle. (If you're switching colors, a quick scissors-snip gives you a nice clean end to work with.) For the mixing itself, I use those 3 oz. plastic refill bathroom cups, something like 100 for $2.00, and popsicle-type sticks (or an old pocket-sized screwdriver) to stir.

If you're doing a big or long-lasting project you'll want some empty bottles to save your paint mixes in for later touch-ups. Most of the model paint companies have some version of those, but they'll be cheaper at a craft store.

Thank you gregbale and Don Stauffer for the kind advice,

@greg it's about the same as the dark areas that appear on a banana peel if you bruise it. I assume I will need some small, empty jar for the mixing and some kind of measuring tool to transport paint from the original jars, so I know how many parts of the different colors I used? (might be totally obvious to you how to do it, I'm just checking ;)) Hmm I think I'll try the drybrush technique as well...

@Don Stauffer I'll be brush painting gor now. I don't have high hopes since I am a beginner but there is only one way to learn, eh? Is there any brand of dull coat you recommend for humbrol enamel?

I got a humbrol enamel thinner haha, let's hope it works!

Edit: here is a picture of the only part I painted all those years ago... I used the exact colors the manual instructed and it looks a little odd doesn't it? The dark is no 10 and the light is no 74

i4qYom7e  <-link

/Gable

No need for the black, but a primer is a good idea.  Krylon makes a good primer.

A protective finish (clear coat) is a good idea.  Most ships are pretty dull finish, so a dullcoat as a final coat works well.  Good brush painting is a real art.  I'd suggest practicing on spare plastic.  Consider spray cans if you don't want to brush paint.  

Clean brushes thoroughly in thinner.  What thinner to use depends on type of paint.  For enamel you need turpentine or "mineral spirits".  I'd suggest staying away from stuff labeled just "paint thinner."  They make and market real junk these days, so stick to specific bottles or cans of turpentine or mineral spirits.

Gable

It's a Mayflower model from Airfix. One thing that strikes me as odd is that the instruction manual suggests painting the hull with Humbrol No 10. Isn't this a verybdark color for a ship to have? Do you have any advice for getting a more realistic wood color?

I haven't used Humbrol paints for a while, so I'm not sure how dark it is, but there are several possibilities.

You're the one in charge here, so if you think it's too dark, feel free to lighten it up a bit. Mix some of the brown with white, tan, gray, or even yellow, until you get a color that suits you. Mixing paint colors by eye is a very useful (and necessary) skill, and not all that difficult. Just start with small amounts until you find the mix you like, then try it with the larger amounts you'll need--this will save wasting a lot of paint if you "overdo" a color change. (It's also a good idea to actually paint sample squares of your colors, then let them dry, before you mix larger amounts. Dry paint colors can often look quite different than wet ones. And a color sample on a notecard can be held up against your model, or against other painted colors, to give you an idea how your color scheme is shaping up.)

The other alternative would be to paint the hull the darker color, then, when dry, go back over it with a "drybrushed" highlight of a slightly lightened version of that color. (Drybrushing is pretty much what it sounds like--dip the brush in the paint, then brush it against a paper towel until most of the paint is gone. Very lightly brushing the "dry" brush against the painted surface will highlight stuff like molded plank and wood grain detail, and help the surface look more natural and weathered. Enamels are perfect for drybrushing.)

Whichever way you go, good luck, and have fun. And if you have a camera, feel free to show the results, good or bad. We love to help.

Cheers

Thank you for the advice and the welcome!

It's a Mayflower model from Airfix. One thing that strikes me as odd is that the instruction manual suggests painting the hull with Humbrol No 10. Isn't this a verybdark color for a ship to have? Do you have any advice for getting a more realistic wood color?

I'll go to a hobby shop and try to find an appropriate thinner then, and I assume they'll know what type of varnish I need as well.

Thanks

/Gable

Welcome to the forums! I think you'll have a good time here.

To add to randypandy's reply:

Enamels can be quite long-lasting, Humbrol enamels are generally of good quality, and if the bottles were sealed, they may well still be usable. Try stirring them very thoroughly, then paint a test brushful on a bit of scrap plastic or a hidden area on a model part. If the paint seems to be holding together and covering well, if there are no flakes or pigment globs, they should be okay. Stir frequently while painting to keep it well mixed.

You don't necessarily need to prime at all. It is a very good idea, however, to get in the habit of thoroughly washing all your sprues of  plastic parts before you start building. This will help remove oils and mold-release agents, and give the paint a better surface to grab onto. (Dish soap, water and a soft brush or old toothbrush will do fine. If you work in the sink, put a strainer in the drain. You will drop small parts at some point.)

Any more questions, just ask.

What kind of ship model?

welcome aboard!!!

1.you usually use a black base if you want the overall color to be more darker. you honestly don't need to do

it.

2. when they say vanish, they actually mean a clear coat.

3.after each color use, wash the brush in thinner. same thing in between colors.