Highs and lows

[mnwildpunk]

I know what you do in 1:1 doesn't always translate to models. I learned in 1:1 to use glazing putty and sanding it down or something similar to that to find your high and low spots on your body. Now you masters of the hobby I ask you how do you accomplish this in 1:25? I've thought about taking a market and covering the panel I'm looking to smooth then sanding does this sound like a good idea or is there a better way to do it?

[Ace-Garageguy]

I think with sufficient practice and looking at your work very critically with a sharp pair of eyes, and feeling for flaws with your fingertips, no tracer or guide-coat is necessary. I've found model car bodywork to be pretty much identical to big-car bodywork, just smaller.

I'm assuming what you mean by using "glazing putty and sanding it down or something similar to that to find your high and low spots", you're referring to the different color of the glazing putty on a 1:1 to tell you where your low spots are. Though that works well in 1:1, in my own experience on models, which may be different from others, I haven't found that to work especially well because ALL the filler is usually glazing-putty, and all the same color.

Teaching your eyes to really see your bodywork, and your fingers to really feel it should do the trick. And on 1:1s, I can usually FEEL wavy bodywork that any kind of a tracer or guide-coat wouldn't show up.

Edited May 25, 2013 by Ace-Garageguy

[Harry P.]

Most people shot a thin coat of primer, then sand. Works the same way as the glazing putty to show you where the dips and high spots are.

[Guest]

I always spray a light coat of whiter primer over my gray primer. It immediately shows any low spots when I begin sanding. Something that helps me a great deal before the primer stage is to do my sanding outside on a sunny day. The sun really makes sub par body work show easily.

[mnwildpunk]

That is exactly like I mean ace

[azers]

I do my model painting and body and prep the same way i do my 1:1. Prep and prime, then i guide coat and sand to find low spots. I fix those and keep priming and sanding till i can paint. Then i paint and clear then polish.