How do I paint my models? (Is this the right way?)

[conchan]

Hello all,

I am trying to paint the body of my first model in a very long time. 40 years ago I just rattle caned the model directly, but I’d like to try something a little more sophisticated now. Still going to use a Tamiya spray can until I feel confident enough to get an air brush.
My plan is: remove excess flash; wash/dry the model; prime the body; spray a light covering first coat; spray a second light coat; spray a light coat of the body color; let dry; sand lightly with 400 paper; spray a second light coat; sand lightly with 800 paper; spray a light clear coat; sand lightly with 1000 paper; spray another light clear coat; sand lightly with 2000 then polish using Tamiya polishing compound (coarse, fine and finish).  
I will let the model dry between coats.

Am I on the right path or have I gone of into Lala land?

Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Stay safe and enjoy.

[Sandboarder]

Everyone is different and I’m sure I’ll enjoy reading the comments you’ll get.

 

I personally paint my cars body’s like this. All with rattle cans

-clean up any mold lines etc with 1000 sanding sticks.

-primer with Mr Hobby 1500 finish

-a light coat of colour, followed by a medium coat 

-spray my clear coats

-polish with 2000-4000 grits

-use Tamiya polishing compounds

 

I will not sand a metallic colour and if I need to sand the colour before clear it’s with 2000 to remove the imperfection. 
 

My paint jobs never look like glass but pass for clean scale jobs. 

Edited January 23, 2022 by Sandboarder

[espo]

I was going to suggest doing it much the way Sandborder is suggesting. I would stay with the finer grit sanding to minimize any sanding marks showing up in the paint finish. 

[1972coronet]

In my opinion, painting the body --the process involved-- is subjective. Some kits' bodies are virtually perfect out of the box (AMT's 1964 Nova Station Wagon for example) , whereas others implore the builder to massage and to fix / repair issues (sink marques, flash, parting lines, etc.) .

For a perfect body (e.g., the aforementioned Nova Wagon), one may just paint over the bare plastic depending upon which paint is used (I recognise that you prefer Tamiya's excellent line of aerosols-- as do I) . I did just that on the Nova which I built about a year ago (see images).

For a body which is going to receive a colour change (i.e., going from a moulded-in-black-plastic body to , say, white) , and doesn't otherwise require body work before painting, Tamiya's Fine Primer is all that's needed. No wet sanding required (I actually recommend against wet sanding Tamiya's aerosol primers, as the finish is perfect as-is for colour coats).

If filler is called for (sink marques, gap-filling / blending), I simply spray filler-primer only on the areas where body work is performed. 

Certainly, "thin" paints (metallics and pearls primarily) require either a base colour (silver, gold, brass, copper) or an appropriately-tinted primer (grey for some colours, red for others, and white for light colours.

Personally, I despise colour sanding , and will avoid engaging in it unless it's necessary(i.e., "orange peel" finish; lint/ boogers/ random hairs covered in paint). 

Here's the Nova Wagon I'd built last year. Its colour is Tamiya Champagne Gold Metallic over the bare plastic. Clear is the (now-defunct) Testors Gloss Clear Lacquer. That's it. 

[conchan]

Thanks for the informative answer.

The wagon build looks great.

stay safe and enjoy! 

[Mike 1017]

These Speed Shapes are the best to practice on. I have only seen black and white ones They are as big as a model car. I got a bunch of them from Amazon.