My progress in modeling

[Ido]

Well its almost a year that I entered the modeling world, I must say that its a lot hard of what I thought however after ruining two models (hasegawa f-16 and hasegawa yf-19) at least I made some progress.

You can skip that and go to the questions if you want.

Now I can glue togheter a part, apply putty, sand it to a smooth surface, when I did the f-16 I couldn't get rid of a single seam.

I learned how to airbrush and keep the panel lines, this is a improvement within the yf-19 build up.

I learned how correctely apply decals after training and a lot of tutorials beetweens the two models build up.

I learned how correctely do an Enamel/oil wash painting the yf-19

The main problem now is find a clear coat that I like, I switched form Hobby colors to mr.color and I love them, but when It comes to use the gloss clear coat for the decals its a mess, I'm gonna to try other different clear coats before start a new model.( yes I know future floor polish but I don't like use acrylics.)

I have still to learn how to work with clear parts, do the final assembling, coating and weathering, I hope it will be not to hard.

I wanted to ask something to the more experienced modelers here.

1- How many models did you screwed up before complete a decent model kit?

2- Do you always put gloves on when you handle painted pieces? Each time I touch a gloss surface with bare hands its become sticky and the dirt glue on it damn, its normal or I have corrosive hands? And I use only lacquers based paints...

3- How do you clean copleted models when they get dusty

4- Its good if the next try will be an hasegawa vf-1 or you suggest something simplier to do?

[kazuki]

Hi Ido, hope these helps.

Ans 1) I did about eight 1:100 Gundams & four 1:144 Gundams. Then 3 Battroids before I reached this standard to do the Strike VF-1. (See pic). These are the kits which I did professionally. I also screwed up countless kits previously when I was much younger before I decided to go pro.

Ans2) No gloves. I only handle them when fully dried so there'll be no prints of any kind. Lacquer dries really fast so there's no worries for me. If you do leave prints, it means it's not dried yet or you could have sweaty palms. I always wash my hands with soap & dry them completely before touching the pieces. Maybe you'll like to elaborate more.

Ans3) I use a small duster that has very long soft bristles like the ones woman use to brush their makeup on their faces. The softness of the bristles will cause minimal harm. Or use the soft cloth that usually comes with a new pair of spectacles.

Ans4) It depends on what you want. If you want to learn preshading, I recommend you try it on a gundam since it has lots of space to work on. VF-1 is panel line crazy, not for preshade learning unless you're more experienced. (My strike is done with preshade)

Then again if you really like VF-1 & want to make it, then do so. Like I said, it depends on what you want. Since you feel you can do a decent kit, just do it. It is after all your own journey.

Good luck :-)

[kazuki]

Ido, I forgot to mention one thing.

I did quite a lot of kits to have today's skill because I started from Zero & learnt most of the stuff myself. 8 years ago, I had no Internet access & no one around me had even heard of mecha models.

But with today's modelling forums & hobby magazines, I believe the rate to improving modelling skills can be shortened by a lot lot lot. (Assuming you practise.) Screwed up a kit? Just pose some pics & help is on the way. Want to know what is the Wash method? Just check the threads.

Fact that you can do decals & all that stuff with only 2 plane kits is itself pretty remarkable.

Kudos

[Ido]

Hi Kazuki, thanks for the replies

Ans2) No gloves. I only handle them when fully dried so there'll be no prints of any kind. Lacquer dries really fast so there's no worries for me. If you do leave prints, it means it's not dried yet or you could have sweaty palms. I always wash my hands with soap & dry them completely before touching the pieces. Maybe you'll like to elaborate more.

I don't know where the problem is, it happens on the clear gloss, it feel sticky and I can see dirt sticked on the paint, must be the clear coat that sucks, I'll try others lacquers clear gloss, GSI and modeler's don't look good to me they always look somewhat pourous, mr.super clear flat rocks anyway,

Ans4) It depends on what you want. If you want to learn preshading, I recommend you try it on a gundam since it has lots of space to work on. VF-1 is panel line crazy, not for preshade learning unless you're more experienced. (My strike is done with preshade)

Ahh Preshading, I'll try that in the future, for the moment I will be glad just to finish a kit in a decent way.

Have you some bigger pic of that vf-1? It looks very nice.

[kanata67]

1: I started out with gaming minis, mostly D&D and warhammer. I did a couple hundred and was never really satisfied with my work even though I sold chess sets for ungodly ammounts of money and had a pice in a magazine... depends on how high your standards are. I learn something new each time [or at least remember something my hippie ass forgot ]. I find myself enjoying engineering toy mods more than painting the piece once it's completed so I have quite a number of mechs/valks awaiting a paint job. You learn some real cool detail techniques doing mini's but large flat surfaces screw with me

2: let paint dry before handling painted pieces. Sometimes paint doesn't dry the way it should because the "mold release agent" was not washed off with warm soapy water and the kit rinsed, and allowed to dry. Always "prep" your models completely to avoid issues. Primer also helps. You can get citadel spray primer in white or black... choose according for what your shading/pre-shading colors/techniqes will be.

3: compressed air. AIr blows dust and debris off quite nicely. Heck... I use a 200+ mph leaf blower to get the cat hair off my kitchen tile

4: paint a whole bunch of various cheap crap quickly and with complete disregard for style. A few "prectice" piece like that old jetfire thats been painted 7 times practicing color schemes and techniques is great. Make a chess set out of battle tech figs for detail; experience. Hell... paint the walls. The more you do something the better you get. I can earn praise from others for my painting of toys and minis but I can't paint a black cat in the dark on a moonless night in 2d to save my life

[kazuki]

Hi Ido...

Don't have many pics. Here're some of the better ones. btw, the strike VF-1 was one of the harder macross kit IMO.

[wm cheng]

Its fantastic to hear more people getting into modelling again - it really is a dying art. Don't be discouraged - you can get all sorts of help here and on the internet.

1- How many models did you screwed up before complete a decent model kit?

I've been building since I was 10yrs old - took a long hiatus during University, but still to this day (26yrs later), I have yet to complete a model I didn't screw up on! Eveyone one I've done, something goes wrong - and everytime I see them, I can pick out exactly what's wrong with each one of them. I've just come to the conclusion that I can't ever build a perfect model - its just how you deal with the mistakes that count.

2- Do you always put gloves on when you handle painted pieces?

Gloss pieces are also a problem for me. Humidity has a lot to do with how fast certain gloss-coats dry, and I'm always impatient, so I always end up touching it or playing with it before I should No I don't use gloves most of the time, although I am trying to when I do remember to. I try to time the painting of major surfaces at the end of the day or night, so I will let the model dry un-disturbed overnight. It is a common problem for most of us, the glossy clear coats are softer to begin with - but I haven't really had too much need for glossy coats - I usually decal on a semi-gloss surface, it wears better.

3- How do you clean copleted models when they get dusty

I'm lazy, I don't really clean them too much But a clean brush usually works.

4- Its good if the next try will be an hasegawa vf-1 or you suggest something simplier to do?

I'd experiment on cheaper easier to obtain models before starting on the Macross items - unless they are plentiful and cheap where you are. You can get experience from anything - but it should be worth your time and important to you. Don't just build to experiment. My biggest learning experiences are from mistakes on precious models where I have little choice but to repair my screw up. If you don't care about it, then its too easy to drop it when you screw up and miss a learning opportunity.

Good Luck!

[Ido]

Its fantastic to hear more people getting into modelling again - it really is a dying art.  Don't be discouraged - you can get all sorts of help here and on the internet.

Sorry to hear(read) something like this, modeleling is hard but I swear to never give up, even if sometimes its make me angry.

Eveyone one I've done, something goes wrong - and everytime I see them, I can pick out exactly what's wrong with each one of them.

Don't tell me, I get mad when something is wrong, especially with the paintjob.

Gloss pieces are also a problem for me.  Humidity has a lot to do with how fast certain gloss-coats dry, and I'm always impatient, so I always end up touching it or playing with it before I should    No I don't use gloves most of the time, although I am trying to when I do remember to.  I try to time the painting of major surfaces at the end of the day or night, so I will let the model dry un-disturbed overnight.  It is a common problem for most of us, the glossy clear coats are softer to begin with - but I haven't really had too much need for glossy coats - I usually decal on a semi-gloss surface, it wears better.

I use lacquer based paints also to avoid long drying time I dont' thing its a drying time problem but next time I'll let it dry 4 hrs as I have readed somewhere. I'm soooo impatient, sure modeling help me for self-improving.

Do you decal on semi-gloss surface?(future+ compound or what?) It doesn't make the decal film more visible (silvering)? or its a gloss overcoat that makes the decal film less visible too? On your models the decal looks so painted-on and you even use semi-gloss overcoat too if I remember right.

I'd experiment on cheaper easier to obtain models before starting on the Macross items - unless they are plentiful and cheap where you are.  You can get experience from anything - but it should be worth your time and important to you.  Don't just build to experiment.  My biggest learning experiences are from mistakes on precious models where I have little choice but to repair my screw up.  If you don't care about it, then its too easy to drop it when you screw up and miss a learning opportunity.

I prefer build something I care for, so I'm much more motivated to don't drop it, I give it up on the models when the errors seem really unfixable and don't even worth to try. The vf-1(not super or strike) However I made my mind to do it, normal vf-1 isn't that expensive anyways, I'm just waiting to find a clear coat I like.

[wm cheng]

Hey Ido,

Yes, I decal over a semi-gloss clear-coat. I usually trim the decal carrier film as close to the actual decal as possible - so you can't see the film. Secondly, I also use MicroSOL or MicroSET as a decal softener - which makes the decals much thinner and conform to tight curves or panel lines. You have to becareful with using this stuff as it make the decals extremely fragile. A good beginners thing to use is MicroSET (its less strong) and place the decals with water as you normally would getting it into the final position - then at the end, dab the edges of the decal with MicroSET from a brush - this helps to seal just the edges down onto the paint and helps to prevent silvering. Silvering only occurs on the carrier film, when its over a dark surface that has a flat finish on it - so avoid that.

Good Luck!

[armentage]

then at the end, dab the edges of the decal with MicroSET from a brush - this helps to seal just the edges down onto the paint and helps to prevent silvering.  Silvering only occurs on the carrier film, when its over a dark surface that has a flat finish on it - so avoid that.

Any chance you can post a picture or more detailed explanation of what this slivering is? I've heard about it often but never really understood what it means.

Do these MicroSOL/SET products help with making the decal film more transparent? I was dissapointed by my recent Bandai VF-2SS decals. The film is very visible on some of the larger decals.

I used a thin coat of future before applying the decals, and the film was immediately visible. A coat of Testor's spray-flat hid them a little, but you can still make them out if you look closely

[Ido]

then at the end, dab the edges of the decal with MicroSET from a brush - this helps to seal just the edges down onto the paint and helps to prevent silvering.  Silvering only occurs on the carrier film, when its over a dark surface that has a flat finish on it - so avoid that.

Any chance you can post a picture or more detailed explanation of what this slivering is? I've heard about it often but never really understood what it means.

Do these MicroSOL/SET products help with making the decal film more transparent? I was dissapointed by my recent Bandai VF-2SS decals. The film is very visible on some of the larger decals.

I used a thin coat of future before applying the decals, and the film was immediately visible. A coat of Testor's spray-flat hid them a little, but you can still make them out if you look closely

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I think that the vf-2ss decals are actually stickers, from what i know bandai don't use waterslide decals but stickers and dry transfer decal, my 1/100 variable vf-19 came with stickers as well.

Thanks for the info MW cheng, I'll try trim the decal film the next time, do you do that even with the smallest decal like the classic "no step" or "danger"?

I use Mr. mark setter until the decal is flat on the surface, its a pretty good product, for the latest imperfection I use mr. mark softer, they are both good products but the cap brush sucks bad, I suggest to use a good soft brush to who its gonna use them or you will probably ruin the decal. I have microsol as well but I use it just in the end.

[armentage]

I think that the vf-2ss decals are actually stickers, from what i know bandai don't use waterslide decals but stickers and dry transfer decal, my 1/100 variable vf-19 came with stickers as well.

The VF-2SS kit comes with a set of stickers AND water-slide decals.

[jadefalconguard]

Actually, this problem could be from older decals wich tend to yellow over time and/or the carrier is thicker hence more visible. You'll get to see it with experience which decals are troublesome and wich are good to use.

Microset/sol helps to soften the decals to conform better to the surface of the model (panellines, rivets ed.). Basicly, you can discard one with white vinagre as this is used to clean the surface, while the other softens up the decal (never seem to remember which one is for what )

hopes this helps;

G.

[wm cheng]

Silvering occurs when there are tiny bubbles that occur between the decal and the surface the decal lays on. When a flat finish is applied, the flat coat is actually microscopically full of ridges and bumps (thus scattering the light and elminating reflections which appear glossy). The clear (or yellowed if old) carrier film lays over this rough surface and air bubbles are formed beneath making the film stand out against a dark background.

MicroSET (vinegar like) softens the decals so that it may conform to irregularities in surface easier. MicroSOL (solvent like) almost melts the decals into the paint or surface irregularities (use with extreme caution - it can dessolve the decal to the point where you can't handle it without wreaking it). So these decal softeners can allow the decal to conform to rough surfaces thereby reducing the amount of bubbles beneath the carrier film.

I always trim as much as I can off the carrier film - even with the NO-STEP & DANGER, I trim as close to them as possible.

Future or any other gloss-coat merely smooths over the surface (when a surface its glossy - it reflects all the light back at the viewer, creating reflections) so the microscopic surface is smooth - providing a better surface for the decal to adhere to (less bubbles are trapped) As I said before, I only decal over a semi-gloss surface and it seems fine. However, keep in mind that if you decal on a light background, any silvering is harder to see than decalling over a dark background.

Decalling is a black art - you learn by feel & experience. Don't worry, take it slow. Generally the thinner the decal, the better - but also much harder to handle and takes a lot less decal softeners or solvents to apply.

[Ido]

Finally i got a bottle of glosscote lacquer, Its better then mr.color and modelers super clear, It airbrush fine and smooth with a nice gloss( i don't even polished it, to make mr.super clear gloss you must polish it, that's crazy), it doesn't even stinks as modelers super clear do.(and it stinks a lot!) Too bad GSI didn't a better product. I thinned it with some mr. color thinner, I wonder if it work better with testor lacquer thinner.

I'm gonna to try Floquil hi-gloss too I heard good things about it.

Now that I have a clear gloss that I like and got some x-acto blades ( I almost finished them) I'm gonna start with a Hasegawa vf-1, I plan to do a Kakizaki vf-1a, if I ruin it I can do an exploding vf-1 at least just kidding. Just want to do something different from the usual roy/max/hikaru vf-1.

I have the PE parts for the vf-1, I would like to use them at least to detail the cockpit, but for the time being I prefer doing the things as simple as possible.

I have also bought the testors clear parts cement, I hope its good.

Wait for my vf-1 build up topic, I have the new digital camera ready for a lot of pic. I will use a lot of gsi products, and I'll try the new Tamiya weathering set If you are interested.

[HWR MKII]

Whats the Tamiya weathering set i havnt heard of that one yet? Is it available in the UK? Or is it because im always looking at MIG pigments and artists pastels that i didnt bother to look at tamiya for a weathering set

[Ido]

Whats the Tamiya weathering set i havnt heard of that one yet? Is it available in the UK? Or is it because im always looking at MIG pigments and artists pastels that i didnt bother to look at tamiya for a weathering set

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Look here

I have the B set, I didn't try it a lot, the main difference that I noticed form pastels its that it will stay better on the surface then pastels, it looks like women makeup, I can't get pastels locally so Its simplier to me use this.

I buyed it from R10.

[HWR MKII]

Meh... for a Tamiya product im not impressed. I get better weahering on my tanks using the methods i already have. The tamiya sets lack texture. If you want any tips on my methods feel free to ask