Some newbie questions about paint..

[Armornv]

First off, I apologize profusely if this has been beat like a dead horse. I did do some searches and really couldn't find exactly what I was looking for.

So... I am by most accounts an armor builder. 1/35 scale tanks and military vehicles. Matte finished, rust streaked, bent sheet metal and camo. With that said, I have built models from pretty much all genres. It's been longer for a car model build than anything else and I've really got an urge to dive back into some. Only this time, I want to actually put forth the effort to do it right.

I am 99.9999% acrylics only. I can't think of anything lately that I've had to use anything else. With tanks.... you spray your color__ future it__decal it____matte coat it___done. That's a basic run down, there are other steps involved for weathering and finishing.

With car models... I don't really have a clue lol. I know there is no "right way" just like every other type of modeling but what are the general rules of thumb in this world?

Do most of you primer the body before laying down your color(s)?

Do you need to smooth/sand the color coat before clearing?

Do you sand/wet sand in between clear coats?

Anything else I need to watch out for?

As for paint, like I said, I'm comfortable shooting acrylics through my airbrush, but the majority of my paint is Vallejo and the colors are, for the most part, not "ideal" colors for cars.

Is it common to use acrylic for car models? From reading it looks as though some people are using Tamiya(which I've never been a big fan of)

Are there any other acrylic brands that have a nice wide range of colors for cars? Opaques, pearls, metallics? I don't want to end painting everything solid red, or black, or green.... You get the idea.

If acrylics are ok to use, what is the best option for clear coats? For that matter, what's the best option for clear over enamel or laquer?

Perhaps I'm over-thinking all of this.....

I've looked at Createx and they seem to have a decent range but it kinda looks as though they are designed for custom automotive painting on 1:1 cars...

and they appear to have different types of paint. wicked colors, auto-air, auto

Sorry for rambling so much on my first post. It will probably seem completely incoherent to everyone but me.

If there is anything anyone cane do to straighten me out, I will be forever in your debt. I just really want to do it right this time....

Thanks folks!

Clint

[W-409]

First off, Welcome, Clint!

I haven't used much Acrylics so I don't have experiences of them . But the basic way that I paint is that after prepping the body I shoot primer (Straight from a Spray Can). Once that's dry, I do a light sanding to the body before the color coats. All color coats are painted at the same time, I mean that I don't let it dry between the color coats. Some people do, but both ways seem to work. Then decals and then clear coat, and again those clear coats are sprayed just like regular color coats.

After that I polish the models and it gives pretty good results.

Do most of you primer the body before laying down your color(s)?

I always do. The primer shows all flaws that need to be taken care of before paint and it gives a good surface for the paint where to stick.

Do you need to smooth/sand the color coat before clearing?

No.

Do you sand/wet sand in between clear coats?

No.

Anything else I need to watch out for?

I recommend the polishing after painting... It gives a great shine and smoothness to the paint. And it's not as hard as I thought before trying it, you need to watch out that you don't polish through the paint.

There might be some guys thinking that what I do is way wrong. But I can tell you that this way works, at least for me.

[Agent G]

Welcome Clint!

My painting process for automobiles is identical to Niko's.

I use Plastikote T 235 Sandable Gray primer, is my go to primer. I buy it at Car Quest shops here in Nevada. It's what I use on armor models as well. It covers PE as good as any other paint I have tried.

A few things that matter when using enamel and laquer on cars. HUMIDITY. I cannot stress this enough. I lived in St Louis my entire life until I retired and moved to the desert.

Air pressure. I dial up the AP when painting a car body. You are looking for a nice wide spray pattern. No more tight squiggly camo lines or panel fading. One color multiple coats.

I use Tamiya almost exclusively for armor but I just started using some Lifecolor sets. Vallejo is my choice for brush painting details and figures.

I will use any or all of these in a car build as well.

G

[Armornv]

Thanks for the info so far guys! Love that shade of blue by the way Niko. Looks great on that car. It sounds like there nothing terribly complicated about the process overall. Prime---check/fix imperfections---smooth out----color---decals--clear---shine!

It also sounds like there you can use just about any type of model paint to do it with. The trick is simply finding the color you want.

I'll keep looking and reading but I'd still like to hear from others just to get an idea of what/how they do things.

Any preference for brands of clear? What about polishing? Any particular brands work better than the other? I know detail master has a polishing kit and I'm sure there are other companies that make them.

Sorry to ask sooo many questions... I just like to be prepared. I think the end results are far better when you go into something well informed...

[Foxer]

I build a lot of cars I've owned so I use auto touch up paint and end up with lacquers most of the time. I use Plastikote T 235 Sandable Gray primer to protect the plastic and also for all the bodywork I end up doing. There are a couple companies that supply OEM Auto colors in small quantities for models. Enamel modeling paint is also very good, especially if thinned with lacquer thinner so it dries fast.

Personally, I like Testors One Coat Wet Look Clear Lacquer as the final clear coat and shine.

Painting is one area I don't particularly like so I use spray cans whenever possible and use paints that make it simple.

[Chillyb1]

. It will probably seem completely incoherent to everyone but me.

Clint

Well, not completely incoherent. I want to respond to this but am too tired at the moment to give you a comprehensive answer. So, a partial response now and a more complete edited version with illustrations later.

First, I think very few automobile modelers use acrylics for bodies. I'm sure it can be done but I can't think of a single post championing acrylics in that capacity. That said, I use lacquers almost exclusively for bodies: either Tamiya's TS series or some Plasti-kote or DupliColor automotive lacquers. I use Tamiya TS paints for almost everything else as well. Testors/Model Master metalizers are essential, in my opinion, for simulations of various metal finishes. I love Tamiya acrylics for interiors and for weathering.

I prime everything. For bodies I use Tamiya's primers in either gray or white. For small parts I like to use Color Place gray or flat white primers because they are only about a dollar a can and they go on in really light coats. I HATE the T 235 primer mentioned above twice already: for me it goes on way too heavily and you have to sand way too much after it dries.

The process I use from body prep to final polish is mostly as above. I play it by ear and sometimes skip this or that step. I don't feel it is necessary to do everything every time, though some modelers are more comfortable with that.

I prefer Tamiya's TS 13 clear but it has become a rare commodity. I've used Tamiya X 22 clear acrylic with good results but need to experiment more with it before it becomes a regular thing for me. And some paints require neither clear nor polish.

[W-409]

Any preference for brands of clear? What about polishing? Any particular brands work better than the other? I know detail master has a polishing kit and I'm sure there are other companies that make them.

I can't help with the clear-brands since I live here in Finland and I'm using a "Hobby Spray Paints" (Or what should I call them anyway...) called Maston, but I don't know what stuff is available in the States. I've heard many guys using the Tamiya, which should be good. I have one bottle of that stuff too, but haven't tried it yet.

For polishing kit, I use this:

Again, it was easy to find here in Finland, which is why I bought it. But it works really well. Though there are more and I guess that there are better ones also.

Oh and BTW Thanks for the comments regarding the paint on that Hudson!

Edited October 23, 2013 by W-409

[charlie8575]

Welcome, Clint.

One of the first questions I want to ask is what do you plan on building? That will dictate a lot of the types of paint and finishes. If you like factory-fresh, the car needs to look as close as you can get it to that. Used car or a little shop-worn, or REALLY worn- well, it needs to look like that, and you guys that do armour have a major advantage in that department with your subjects.

Do most of you primer the body before laying down your color(s)?

Absolutely. I also like Plasti-Kote T-series sandable primer, which comes in grey, white and oxide red. All of them have their place, depending on the color you're doing.

Do you need to smooth/sand the color coat before clearing?

Personal preference. Generally, I do to make sure the surface is smooth. Try a polishing kit to level out everything, you might not even need clear.

Do you sand/wet sand in between clear coats?

I very rarely use clear; but when I do, if I need to sand, go no coarser than about 1500-2000 grit, and even that might be a bit rough.

Anything else I need to watch out for?

Try not to sand metallics, perals, micas, etc. That can "muddy them" and really scramble the metalflake. If you need to,I can guarantee you'll be clear-coating it. Some guys I know clear, sand that, and then clear again.

With regard to paint, MCW and ScaleFinishes both make OE-type paint. MCW does lacquer and is a good product. ScaleFinishes is enamel, and it also a good product. The lacquer will dry much quicker, though. As noted above, humidity with lacquer and enamel is the enemy.

I use lacquers, enamels and acrylics. It depends on what color I need, what I have on-hand and what I'm looking for from the paint application. I have heard of acrylics used for the bodies and plan to try it sometime, but lacquer and enamel are far, far more common.

Charlie Larkin

[Armornv]

Even more great info! Thanks guys and keep it coming!

Charlie, to answer your question, most of what I will probably be doing is custom stuff. I might occasionally do a factory fresh job but for me, it's the custom work that I like. Seeing what can be done with a car(model) to make it your own.

And it looks like I may be out of luck on using acrylics, but we'll see. I may try one just to see how it turns out.

Thanks guys,

Clint

[LoneWolf15]

Being that you are going the custom route ... Check out Jaquards line of Pearl X pearl powders , you can come up with some wild color combinations . By changing up your base colors or shooting over metallics an pearls , you can create subtle color changes that occur when moving the eye a few inches to the left or right of the model .

[Armornv]

Thanks for that Don. Never really messed around pearls(or candies for that matter) but I will definitely want to try them at some point.

[LoneWolf15]

Clint ,

Very easy to use , a small amount mixed into your clear can produce stunning results !

[High octane]

Welcome Clint!

My painting process for automobiles is identical to Niko's.

I use Plastikote T 235 Sandable Gray primer, is my go to primer. I buy it at Car Quest shops here in Nevada. It's what I use on armor models as well. It covers PE as good as any other paint I have tried.

A few things that matter when using enamel and laquer on cars. HUMIDITY. I cannot stress this enough. I lived in St Louis my entire life until I retired and moved to the desert.

Air pressure. I dial up the AP when painting a car body. You are looking for a nice wide spray pattern. No more tight squiggly camo lines or panel fading. One color multiple coats.

I use Tamiya almost exclusively for armor but I just started using some Lifecolor sets. Vallejo is my choice for brush painting details and figures.

I will use any or all of these in a car build as well.

G

I only use grey primer if the color coats are to be black or silver. White primer will give your color coats a truer color as the grey primer darkens them a tad.

[Agent G]

Good point Nick.

G