Painting uni chassis undercarriages how is it done?

[conchan]

I‘d like to detail the undercarriage of the kits I build a bit more, but I can’t figure out how to do so. Many of the smaller places a brush won’t even fit.

I am referring to the kits that have the transmission, oil pan, driveshaft, etc. all molded in. 

What do you do to get the most detail out of a stock kit with just paint?

Stay safe and enjoy!

[Sandboarder]

Paint it with a brush. Then wash it with a thinned down black or dark brown. The wash colour will pool in the recesses and hide small imperfections in the paint.

 

Could also use dry brushing to pick out raise details. 

[conchan]

8 hours ago, Sandboarder said:

Paint it with a brush. Then wash it with a thinned down black or dark brown. The wash colour will pool in the recesses and hide small imperfections in the paint.

 

Could also use dry brushing to pick out raise details. 

Thanks for the information.

Please excuse my ignorance, but while I know what dry brushing is, I don’t know what a “wash” is or how to accomplish it. Would you mind explaining a bit more?

[misterNNL]

26 minutes ago, conchan said:

Thanks for the information.

Please excuse my ignorance, but while I know what dry brushing is, I don’t know what a “wash” is or how to accomplish it. Would you mind explaining a bit more?

To find out more about those techniques do a quick internet search. Surely some results will be available. Possibly other members here can post direct links to some useful sites.

[conchan]

49 minutes ago, misterNNL said:

To find out more about those techniques do a quick internet search. Surely some results will be available. Possibly other members here can post direct links to some useful sites.

Ok thanks.

[Sandboarder]

You can buy washes for weathering or make your own by really thinning your paint down. Will need to experiment but say 1:6 so 1 drop of paint and 6 drops of thinner. So when you apply the wash it only tints the parts but the colour will pool in the recesses. 
 

I only had a quick search but this one shows them making a blue wash with oil paints. Of course acrylics work great as well.
 

http://www.leagueofpainters.com/?p=929

[conchan]

1 hour ago, Sandboarder said:

You can buy washes for weathering or make your own by really thinning your paint down. Will need to experiment but say 1:6 so 1 drop of paint and 6 drops of thinner. So when you apply the wash it only tints the parts but the colour will pool in the recesses. 
 

I only had a quick search but this one shows them making a blue wash with oil paints. Of course acrylics work great as well.
 

http://www.leagueofpainters.com/?p=929

Thanks for the information and the link. I appreciate your effort on my behalf in finding a link.  I only managed to get written definitions in my search. 

Stay safe and enjoy!

[Misha]

Painting a uni-chassis requires a thoughtful plan for applying your paint colours in a particular order based on masking and type of paint being used. Using the Revell 57 Chev Snap kit chassis as an example, the main colour of the pan is a semi gloss black using Tamiya lacquer LP 5. By using a lacquer base you are able to apply enamels and acrylics over top with no damage to the base. The next step was to brush paint Chev Engine Orange with an Model Master enamel and Valejo acrylic steel for the gas tank. 
 

 

An easy way to mask complicated shapes with curves or uneven surfaces is to use Silly Putty. It is easily available, inexpensive and reusable. In this instance it was used to isolate the drive shaft and exhaust system and was airbrushed using a variety of metallic Alclad lacquers. 
 

 

Once dry a wash was applied to the engine and tranny to weather the assembly and Tamiya weathering pastels were applied to the mufflers and exhaust pipes to indicate heat staining. Dry brushing was used to bring out highlights such as the chassis bolts and suspension parts to bring them out in greater relief against the wash. 
 

 

With these basic steps a uni-chassis can be brought to life and improve the blob of plastic look. Hope this makes sense and offers some ideas.

Cheers Misha

[conchan]

29 minutes ago, Misha said:

Painting a uni-chassis requires a thoughtful plan for applying your paint colours in a particular order based on masking and type of paint being used.

Thank you very much for the detailed explanation! I really appreciate the effort you went through to explain things. 
Have a wonderful week. 
Stay safe and enjoy!