(Newswire.net — January 9, 2019) — There is nothing more fulfilling than whiling away a few hours on a rainy afternoon building and painting model cars. It requires focus and precision and can be incredibly therapeutic. But getting that perfect finish can be tricky.
Here are some hints and tips on how to make that model a perfect miniature replica of the car you know and love. First of all, choose your colours and products carefully. Making sure you are using good quality tools and products is key to getting the end result you want. Pick a good, well reviewed airbrush that is specialised for the job.
You also need to think carefully about your colours as this will affect the type of primer you need so when you buy model car paints, you will also need to buy the right colour primer. Usually it will mean a darker grey for darker colour paint jobs, and an off white or lighter base for lighter colours.
Try to opt for paints that are solvent based lacquer paints that are pre-thinned for use in an airbrush, it will make all the difference. You will also want a paint that has a fast drying time with no fading and excellent coverage, this will make it much easier to avoid flaws in the finish. For metallic paints, look for paints that contain metal flakes that are reduced to scale to give a sparkling effect. The smaller the flakes, the better for that true to scale replica.
Take some time to get used to your paints and equipment. It is best to practice with the airbrush before starting the actual painting of your model so you can get used to the different pressures, coverage and paint flows. Don’t forget to protect the area you are working on and wear a protective mask to prevent breathing in fumes.
Preparation is key for a quality finish.
First things first: you need to wash your model properly to remove any dust, grease or molding agents that will prevent good adhesion of the primer and paint. Cold soapy water should do the trick. Rinse and dry properly.
Next set your model on a stand or hanger. If you do not have one, a wire coat hanger can easily be bent to form a stand. You may need a little masking tape on the inside to steady it while you work – you don’t want it to accidentally fall off while painting and ruin the finish.
The first major step is to use a primer. Gravity Colors paints work best on top of a primer that seals the plastic and gives an even finish. A primer will also contain a microfill that will fill minute scratches for a smoother surface, but without distorting the details of the model.
Primer is best applied in thin layers to get a built up finish ready for painting. Allow it to dry completely before taping off special designs or decals that you want to paint in later. Then you can clean the remains of the primer from the airbrush, using acetone or nitrocellulose thinner to get it ready for the colour paint.
Now you are ready to start applying the colour.
With the model prepared and fully dried, and a cleaned airbrush, you should be ready to connect the colour paint to your airbrush. Start with a thin base coat applied as a mist across the model. Rotate the model carefully as you apply more coats of paint and remember to paint any of the separate parts.
During the last one or two coats, you can thicken the flow of paint by lowering the airbrush PSI, but take care with this, thicker paint has a higher chance of running which will ruin the finish.
Allow the paint to dry fully. This can take 24-48 hours, then you can examine it more closely to see if there are any missed areas that might need touching up by hand. At this point you can also remove any previously taped areas and hand paint the smaller details.
The finish at this stage should be semi gloss satin. You will need to add a clear coating for a high gloss finish. Then you can add any decal stickers. And that’s it. You can now sit back and admire your handy work and start planning which model you want to do next.