Hello everyone. I recently got into model building. Here's my attempt at a car model. I have some questions I hope you could help me with.

[CarModelNoob]

So I spray painted the body with gloss black paint however the result isn't what I expected it to be. It is only glossy in some areas and most other areas have no shine as you may see in the pictures. Is the problem with my spray paint or my surface preparation? Also from the close up second picture you can see these weird lines on the surface. I actually sanded them before paint however they are still present after. What are they and how could I get rid of them? Thank you! 

 

[Mixalz]

The lines almost appear to be mold lines ghosting through the paint but are in strange positions so maybe not....

I'd wager they could have been eliminated during surface prep.

As for the black, personally I've only ever done one black car and it was a true nightmare to get a halfway decent surface. The inconsistency in gloss is probably due to inconsistent paint thickness on your wet coats. If one area is too thin or is sprayed from too far you won't get good leveling of the paint and thus gloss. This is what prompted me to invest in an airbrush. 

 

Keep at it though and quality will improve. Looking good for a beginner.

Michael

[randyc]

Did you prime before paint?  The lines could be swirl marks from the molding process.  What kind of paint?  If not a model paint made for plastic, then without a primer or barrier, the swirls and sanding marks can sometimes show through the paint.  Black isn't bad, but can be tricky to get to lay down shiny.  If it is like a Duplicolor touch up paint, it may need a clearcat to really shine.   

So looks like maybe a combination of factors.  And you may need more paint on there.

[Ace-Garageguy]

What you have is called surface "crazing" caused by using a paint that has solvents in it that are too "hot" for plastic car models.

This isn't opinion. It's fact, based on many many years doing this stuff, and having (and overcoming) every problem you can have. I recognize the symptoms immediately.

A "hot" paint, like automotive "touchup" or others in spray cans not made specifically for models, requires a primer barrier coat to keep the solvents from eating into the bare plastic and causing the dull, etched surface you have here. This "crazing" also pulls up and makes noticeable the swirl-marks in the plastic left from the molding process.

If you want to avoid these problems, only use paints like Testors and Tamiya that are made specifically for models.

If you want to use other paints, there's WAY too much info to impart in one answer, but here are some threads dealing with part of the "hot" solvent problem.

Once you understand what you're doing and develop your skill, you can get results like this from Duplicolor rattlecan paint...

 

 

Edited September 27, 2017 by Ace-Garageguy