What is your usual recipe for painting bodies?

[mascari33]

Well, here is what works for me.  This is a narrative I put together for my nephew who had an interest and wanted to know how I did it.

1. Sand out (300-500 grit) any imperfections, sprue tabs and boogers.
2. Use spot putty or similar to even out low surfaces, then sand again as needed.
3. Wash in warm water with a little dish soap, rinse well and leave to dry (don’t wipe) for 24 hours.  (Use a dollar Store toothbrush to get in the nooks and crannies when washing.)
4. Put it on a stand and prime with actual primer, I like Rustoleum 2X Gray Primer
5. Sand again with 800-1000 grit max.
6. Wash in warm water with a little dish soap, rinse well and leave to dry (don’t wipe) for 24 hours.  (Use a dollar Store toothbrush to get in the nooks and crannies when washing.)
7. Repeat steps 1-6 as needed until the surface is smooth and consistent.
8. Paint desired color using light coats, less is more!!
9. NOTE: How much paint to spray can only be learned by practicing it.  Find other plastic items to hone your skills on.  Styrene food containers and covers were great items for me until I gathered "extra" model bodies to practice on.  

YOU COULD STOP RIGHT HERE AND CALL IT GOOD IF YOU LIKE.

OR-

9. Sand again with 1000-2000 wet/dry paper. Sand right at the sink with warm water running on it.  Fold the paper as needed and get in all the nooks and crannies. 
10. Rinse and let it dry (don’t wipe) for 24 hours.  Toothbrush again when rinsing.
11. Patiently paint another coat the desired color using light coats.  Coats being a paint and sand session.

STOP RIGHT HERE AND YOU SHOULD HAVE A GOOD SMOOTH SURFACE.

OR-

12. Sand again with 2000-3000 wet/dry paper.  Sanding at the sink with warm water running on it.

Fold the paper as needed and get in all the nooks and crannies.

13. Rinse and let it dry (don’t wipe) for 24 hours.  Toothbrush again when rinsing.
    
14. Now you are ready to shoot it with clear (adds shine, seals decals) OR add another color coat (then repeat 12 & 13) OR polish with polishing clothes (4000-12,000 grit).
15. If you chose to shoot clear, you then could repeat steps 12 & 13.
16. I have never done more than three color coats. 
17. Apply wax to protect it and keep the shine in it.
18. Dust proof display cases is worth EVERY dollar to protect your model and keep it looking great.

[Zoom Zoom]

22 hours ago, JollySipper said:

That green Porsche is gonna be nice! Such a pretty finish and color............. I'd say you have it down to an art!

Thanks! There's some major irony that I painted the Porsche Olive Green while complaining about a sorta/not sorta similar color Mazda is using in another thread here about ugly paint colors, specifically for their Miata. Somehow I accept the Porsche color while the Mazda Zircon Sand makes me barf when used on a Miata. Then again as a model builders we can paint any model, any color we desire. 

[Wickersham Humble]

I'm embarrassed by the rear shot of my '60 Merc Parklane; it was after foiling and waxing, and had flaws in both; looks much better now. Got a 2nd at IPMS Dragonlady show two years ago, anyhow.  Funny how those tiny photo representations look so good in my photos file, and then when enlarged on the upload... !!

Love Steven's Merc!  Amazing how much Mercury could change the body style using the same basic platform of '58-9 (note the roof; same).  Mine got the dash and package tray tuck n' rolled (with half-round plastic) to match the nifty stock seat covers, plus a '60 Plymouth steering wheel I'd saved from an annual JoHan kit -- which I still have.  

My main reason for getting into car models in Jr. Hi was because I knew I'd never be able to afford 1.) a really good car to customize, and B.) the tools and skills to do the work.  At that time I wanted to be a car stylist, and was in touch with Stother MacMinn at the Art Center School in L.A., but coming from a little rural high school that 'knew the value of art; they never offered one class (other than mechanical drawing, which I did for four semesters!) in any graphic art, period.  Strother advised me to take commercial art at a junior college , which I did, and realized I wasn't prolific enough to compete for a job in Detroit.   When I used him for a source much later in an article for 'Special Interest Autos' magazine, he complimented me on my choice, as all his students reported the styling/design studios were a rat-race!  Sooo, customizing annual kits -- and building hot-rod kits in the interim -- was how I could visualize how much better I would style the various models than the real designers.  Sixty years later, of course, I have reason to doubt that; but it was fun anyhow.  At least one product-design project for advertising art was a modified '62 Corvette I called 'The Panther'.  It had my personal favorite paint formula: base gold, with Ford Maroon (touch-up can from the parts department) with two coats of AMT Kandy Burgundy over all.  A fastback, with hidden headlights, wire wheels, etc.  Well, could have been worse!  Ah, nostalgia!  Wick