Painting Top Tips.

[andys]

Thought a thread of Top Tips would be good.
Although I've painted a few shells, I learn stuff all the time.
Who would have thought painting a bit of see through plastic was so complicated!

My Top Tips:

1-wash the shell in hot soapy water, really really well.

2-bin the paper based window masks, vinyl ones are ok though.

3-I apply my own computer cut vinyl window masks - then liquid mask the shell.

4-never, ever touch the inside of the shell, grease from your fingers will contaminate the surface....

5- (new one for me this week) SPRAY the liquid mask on, it goes on super smooth, 4 or 5 thin ish coats, leaving to dry clear inbetween.

6- use a new scalpel blade to cut design (drawn on outside of shell)

7-do not touch unmasked areas - EVER !!!!

8-use RCS body prep when unmasking new areas - its magic and eliminates static so you get nice fades

9-don't apply lots of paint at once - thin coats with drying inbetween

10-don't try and do everything in one sitting, letting areas dry overnight is good

11-never remove the overspray film until Everyting else is finished


Post your tips here - always keen to learn interesting techniques.

[Sk3tch]

Really great tips!

I think the one I live by is drag the knife blade at a steep angle and extend the points of the lines you draw. The angle of the line makes super straight cuts and extending lines especially at points makes them look extra sharp.

[MrMagoo]

Keep your airbrush as clean as you possible can...

I sharp scalpel is a must. New blade every time...

Keep the shell as clean as possible whilst painting...

Thin coats...

Don't be scared to experiment...

Accept that you'll never be totally happy with anythiing you paint, but that's what makes the next shell better than the last.

[coleman758]

Don't drop you scalpel.

TRUST ME

It hurts when you drop it and the blade goes halfway in the top of your leg!

[DCM]

Don't SCUFF the shell if you wash it properly there is no need (plus it dulls the finish)

Experiment with backing colours

[bigred5765]

don't throw away your old airbrush needles they make the best liquid mask picks
use plastic or wooden cocktail sticks to remove bleeds or for corrections they don't mark the shell
cut once or twice but always as lightly as possible scalpel marks on light colour always show up

[jonmiller]

Great thread guys, keep 'em coming!

[andys]

Originally Posted by coleman758

Don't drop you scalpel.

TRUST ME

It hurts when you drop it and the blade goes halfway in the top of your leg!

Done that one before

Always respect the scalpel. I was cutting a shell out the other day and inadvertently rested by thumb on the blade, when i looked down, the blade was in my thumb

[Moose]

-candy red can crash everything!!!
-liquid paint gets soft again when using some solvent based paint, cans are bad aswell for liquid mask.


andy s point 7: its not that bad if you clean it aferwads

[jonmiller]

yes, candy colours can bleed through other colours so should always be applied before other colours if possible..

[AndyG]

- Remove your pen lines on the outside of the shell before painting, otherwise errors can be obscured, and only seen once the overspray film is removed... then it's too late.

- Spray dark colours first !! (am I right that nobody has mentioned this?!?)

- Spray RCS chrome last

[andys]

When the sun is shining - like today, put your freshly liquid masked shell's inside a car, I put mind on the dash under the windscreen - the mask dries in no time because of the heat in the car / sun coming through the glass

[carborush]

10-don't try and do everything in one sitting, letting areas dry overnight is good

if the body can't be finished in one sitting, sometimes it is better to remove masks (that have paint on them) before letting it dry overnight
once the paint is hard, pulling away masks can cause the dry paint to tear from the body along with the mask.
using thin layers of paint and backing paint could prevent this, but not all the time.
other solution is to finish the paint in one sitting 'till 4 in the morning done that one more than once...

[andys]

Not a tip - more of a question this one...

Cutting tight / small curves in liquid mask ?

Any tips - I'm fine with straight lines and flowing curves - just small curves / semi circles and details on flames etc - any scalpel tips or do I continue to rotate the shell whilst dislocating my arm

[bigred5765]

Originally Posted by Andy's

Not a tip - more of a question this one...

Cutting tight / small curves in liquid mask ?

Any tips - I'm fine with straight lines and flowing curves - just small curves / semi circles and details on flames etc - any scalpel tips or do I continue to rotate the shell whilst dislocating my arm

use a round handled scalpel shorten it so it just rest between thumb and finger joint like a short pencil, and I find it easier to use a number 15 rounded blade roll the scalpel Handel through the curve

[andys]

Hi Carl.

Cheers for the tip - not tried the curved blades - I always use the straight type, i'll try a curved one for curves and see if it flows any better

[MrMagoo]

Andy's point 7 -

Halfords do some body prep wipes for degreasing panels. Awesome for giving things a quick wipe down if you do touch the shell whilst lifting mask!


JWC.

[Cammers]

I have been painting my shells for a while and I think there rubbish.
So my top tip is to get the experts to do it.

[jimarea51]

Hey...

Just thought i'd share these pics, New DARC convertion shell for Mr Northy...

Its my first atempt using LM, quite happy with the results, althought found it hard to cut the smaller radius'

Comments and advise welcome............

JIm

[Sk3tch]

Shilly and Jim. Try using a "swivel" blade knife for curves. I use it for rip and tare effects... It's like drawing with a pencil.