AFV Painting.

[DestroidsRage]

I have always loved modelling. I used to model a lot, but I started to realise I absolutely sucked at /painting/.

I used to buy the Testors "beginners pack" that came with a plastic holder, a good number of Testors paints, and crappy white handled brush. And this is what I used to paint my models. And it didnt work too well at all. In fact, I have never succesfully painted a model. Ever. I could never paint a straight line, or anything like that.

Modelling is a sport of true men. It annoys me that I cant do it. Sometimes frustration overcommes me.. Sometimes my techniques of gluing ends up with glue all over the model and I end up scrapping it.. And today I say enough. I wish to become a "decent modeller".

I want to buy an Airfix MK-1 Tank kit, paint it in Sand Brown, with the typical 'white red white' indication on the front. Like this:

http://www.landships.freeservers.com/mk4new_4.jpg

Although Im sure mine will look inferior, I just want it to look ok.

So... Can you reccomend me a good set of Paints, Primers, a few good brushes, and any masking tape I might need? I would like to buy all the "painting and modelling essentials" I need. Nothing fancy... At the moment i dont need to make proffessional grade models. Just stuff I can be happy with myself for. Eventually I want to model all the Destroids, and other Macross models.

Thanks in advance! Cause Im really not sure which primers and brushes I'll need. Or a good line of paints.

-BEN-MAN-

[Grayson72]

I wish I could post a link to my how-to building my 1/72 Defender kit on the old boards. I tried to make it look like a weathered walking tank instead of a robot and had a lot of good tips in there. I must say my models didn't start to come out how I always wanted them to until I got an airbrush.

I will say I like brushing flat enamels and spraying acrylics, go to an art store and buy yourself some good brushes. A really fine one, a medium size one and a large one for doing larger surfaces the finer the feathered edge the better. I know those cheap white Testors brushes and you'd have better luck painting with your toothbrush. The other thing to keep in mind is it's usually better to apply several thin even coats instead of one heavy thick one. Flat enamels dry fast too so you can't overwork the paint. Get it on as best you can then leave it alone.

There's tons of modelling advice about building armour vehicles on the web as well, try google and do a search. Oh and find yourself a good hobby shop, hopefully one that specializes in plastic models. I drive 30 minutes each way to get to the one I shop at.

Edited November 21, 2003 by Grayson72

[Mechmaster]

I started out building AFVs before I discovered Sci-Fi and then anime models. What sort of glue are you using? If you're using the tube type I would recommend that you try the liquid types that come in bottles, I haven't bought tube glue since I first tried liquid cement. Just dry fit the parts and touch a brush loaded with liquid glue to the seam and let capillary action draw the glue down the joint. Less mess and less softening of the plastic than with icky sticky tube glue.

An airbrush can be useful but I admit to doing most of my models with normal brushes and I'm happy with the results, as long as the paint isn't applied too thickly and the brush is decent quality and doesn't shed bristles there shouldn't be a problem. I mainly use Humbrol enamels with a normal brush, Tamiya acrylics I always airbrush as they dry too fast for decent results with a normal brush.

If you really want to paint straight lines you need masking tape. For those stripes on the front of the tank run a strip of tape down the hull where the white meets the brown, making sure it is pressed tight into any angles and panel lines and paint the whole forward area white. Remove the tape as soon as you are done painting, if you wait til the paint is dry it will give a raised edge and also risks tearing some of the paint away. Once the white is thoroughly dry use two strips of tape to mask the area for the red, painting the red over the white will make it appear brighter.

AFVs are quite forgiving when it comes to painting because you can add weathering and hide any flaws beneath mud and dirt.

[DestroidsRage]

Thank you very much for your reccomendations! I plan to follow up on this post and go purchase my new painting supplies the very next time I get the opportunity to go near a hobby shop!

Thank ya for the tips!

-BEN-MAN-

[wm cheng]

Hey there, great to hear another modelling entering the fray!!

Keep it up, key is practice - don't be discouraged! I personally find Tamiya paints best, and I have tried them all! Additionally, acrylics are easier to clean up (water or windex) and don't smell like enamels often do. You can start off with white, black, blue, yellow, red, gun metal, metallic grey and such basic colours. From the basics, you could mix most of what you need. I often mix colours - as you build more, you will start to realise which colours you use more often and start to buy those (white is always needed in quantity) . I usually use watercolour brushes to paint with, they are more expensive than some synthetic testors like brushes, but the end results speak for themselves. Again, I also use Tamiya masking tape for the the stuff that will site against a painted surface - the low tack nature of this tape will save you hours of headache when you find the cheaper stuff rips and pulls the previous layer off from underneath. I often use the cheap masking tape (after I remove some of its tack on my jeans) to cover large areas but I still use the good stuff for the edges.

I find that using the right tools and spending that little extra really enhances your modelling experience and reduces potential frustrations (which I think is worth the extra money). Plus instead of spending your energies fixing mistakes or poor molds, you can spend it adding to the model and making look better!

Good luck and welcome to modelling.