Painting Fine Scripts

[peekay]

I'm detailing an X-EL 59 Chrysler and just polishing the body rather than painting it. So I can't use the "foil-before-paint" method on the fine New Yorker script, as I normally would. At 63 I can no longer see well enough or keep my hand steady enough to dry-brush the script nicely in silver, let alone foil it. So I came up with this idea:

Essentially, I mask the script with BMF. I apply a piece of foil to the script and burnish down well, as I normally would. Then, using a 4000 grit polishing cloth, I carefully sand until only the raised lettering is exposed - ie, the plastic shows through the foil. This might take a little while but resist the temptation to use a rougher grit. I then dry-brush the script silver, not worrying too much about accuracy. When the paint is dry I remove the foil. Tiny pieces, eg inside the letter "o", must be carefully removed with a sharpened toothpick.

You need to apply a big enough piece of foil to protect the surrounding area - polishing BMF makes a black mess than can be difficult to remove..

You need to burnish down carefully into all crevices or the paint will leak through. Dry-brush, don't apply more paint than necessary.

Try it on an old body first, as I did, but it worked first time.

[Mike Kucaba]

You could try a "tampo print " style of painting by applying an acrylic silver (or whatever color) to some soft rubber and tamp that on the script. Various art gum erasers as a medium to apply the paint to, and then to the model might work and of course some trial and error might be needed.

[Speedfreak]

good stuff, thanks for the post peekay.

[Bastardo]

Great tip, Peter! I'm sure this will come handy at some point =)

[PappyD340]

Thanks Peter for that handy tip!!

[futurattraction]

That's an excellent suggestion! Thanks...

[Danno]

Good alternative idea!

Thanks.