Painting two colors/masking tape tips

[taaron76]

Hello,

I hope this is in the right section, if not, I apologize.

I'm getting ready to start masking my #44 Piedmont Terry LaBonte Chevy off to paint the white parts, but I don't have a lot of experience masking parts off and painting two different colors. I sanded the plastic down prior to applying primer, then sanded the primer and applied acrylic. Is there anything that you guys can think of that will help me make it successful?

I'm also looking for any tips when applying decals as well.

Thanks!

Tim

[W-31]

I like to use 3m fineline tape 1/8 , on real cars and models. Nice sharp edge and no bleed thru.

[Greg Pugh]

I spray a quick, light coat of clear in between color changes also. The clear will lock everything down so you don't have any bleeding.

[microwheel]

Blue is one of those colors that has a habit of bleeding through white, especially when white is painted over it.. You'll want to use a white primer over the blue before you apply your white top coat. Even if you applied a clear coat over the blue, you will still probably get blue shadowing through the white. The other issue you will run into, if you applied a clear acrylic over your blue base coat, is finding a primer that wont hurt the clear coat.

In the future, here is a good tip for you when doing two tone paint jobs, ALWAYS start with the lightest color first. Then mask off the areas that will be the next lightest color, and so on. Lighter colors dont work well over darker colors, but darker colors over lighter colors dont have very many issues.

Edited October 23, 2014 by microwheel

[Snake45]

Blue is one of those colors that has a habit of bleeding through white, especially when white is painted over it..

There are no colors that "bleed" through white, there's only white paint (or the primer under it) that's insufficiently opaque.

[microwheel]

There are no colors that "bleed" through white, there's only white paint (or the primer under it) that's insufficiently opaque.

Sorry I wasnt more precise with my wording. But in the very many years, (35 to be exact), that I have been modeling and with many types of paint.. And even working with my dad in his body shop painting real cars, white and shades of white, and yellows, tend to allow darker colors to shadow through them. Or is shadowing also the wrong choice of words?.. Either way, I would always paint lighter colors first when two toning. Unless the paint gods out there have changed the process.

[rsxse240]

Wicked colors and Createx (at hobby lobby) are acrylic and have a very opaque white. Not incredibly expensive, but I am glad my car doesn't run on model paint.

[taaron76]

Thanks everyone! I haven't cleared it yet because I wasn't sure if I should do that before or after decals are applied, or both? Anything particular to do before and after applying the decals? Should I wet sand before spraying the clear coat?

I did notice that it took a few more coats of white to cover the gray primer.

Does anyone make an acrylic primer to spray through an airbrush?

Sorry for all of the questions...

Tim

[microwheel]

Yes Testors makes a acrylic primer in their model masters acrylic line of paints. Most good hobby shops carry it. If your going to clear coat it, I would sand (be it wet or dry) after you clear coat. For stock cars, especially for the time period you are working on, the decals would be applied last. Now days Nascar owners print wrap their bodies instead of painting and decals, but back then they did paint and decal them. And some didn't do a very good job of the paint either, especially on the short track cars because they new they would get pretty beaten up.

[taaron76]

Is anyone using any decal solution sets when applying decals? I know Model Masters makes one and I used to use it a long time ago, but I figured I'd ask. Can you clear coats over the decals?

Tim

[rsxse240]

micro scale solvent and setting solutions are what I use.

[Snake45]

I use the Testor decal stuff (the world's most expensive white vinegar) as a wetting agent under the decals. Most of the time, that's all that's needed, they suck down real good. Be sure to wash all of it off after the decals are dry, because the stuff turns brown over time, and you don't want to clearcoat over it and have it do that. Don't ask me how I know this.

[microwheel]

Yes you can clear coat over the decals. however, just remember, the era stock car you are working on, on the real cars, the decals were apply after all painting, they didn't clear coat them. Just FYI if you want it to be authentic. Also, if you are using a set of decals that have some age to them, the glue backing on them tends to yellow over time and even though this isn't visible when you apply them, clear coating over fairly old decals will really make the glue yellowing show up. and if they are really bad, I've even had some curl on me along the edges when clear coated over. I'd show you a pic of a old monogram 70 boss 302 kit that I did a little while ago, if I get time to take one, where the decals did just that, needless to say I put the thing back in the box and set it aside, because I got so upset about it. I had just done a really nice paint job on it too. One day I'll strip it down, order some aftermarket decals, and redo it.

[taaron76]

I think I will just clear coat and then apply the decals, but they are pretty old. Thanks for all of the tips. You guys are great!

Tim