Painting AHHHH

[tc2k]

Well, my current shell is well and truly gone and really needs binning. Im looking at getting a new shell for my B4 and painting it up but would like a few opinions and help.

1) Which shell
There are a few out there for the B4, Trinity Killer Bee, JConcepts Scoopless, Proline Crowd Pleazer and Associated Interceptor. Which would be the best in your view

2) Colours
What colours really look good and which are no go's. Im looking for a simple paint scheme that has no more than 3 colours

3) Design
Im going to be masking it out and using spray cans so nothing too complicated but does anyone have any simple designs that aren't too hard to do and dont require an airbrush

4) Equipment
What brand paint is the best (e.g. holds the best and comes out well, must be spray can) and which masking tape.

Now I know its a lot but any advice is welcome. Ive looked at terrys nice tutorial on his website and will try and follow it to the best f my ability and then just spray where he would airbrush and do details etc

Thanks

[jimmy]

Tamiya spray is good, and tamiya masking tape is the best.

[Spencer Mulcahy]

I have just got the croud pleazer and in my personal opinion I think it is the best looking shell for the B4 wheather my opinion means anything I dont know.

[Col]

Originally Posted by tc2k

1) Which shell
There are a few out there for the B4, Trinity Killer Bee, JConcepts Scoopless, Proline Crowd Pleazer and Associated Interceptor. Which would be the best in your view

You've not included the JConcepts WITH scoops. This is my favourate shell as it retains all the better features of the B4 shell, while adding the new and improved features of the JConcepts one (and you can cut out the scoops if it's gettin' a bit warm...)

[BenG]

I like Fastrax cans of paint, they are cheap, and very good.

For masking tape, I have tried em all, and tamiya is the best (and most expensive)

And most LHS carry a certain line of craft knifes that are what the surgeoons use, only they arent steralised, and they are sooo godd for cutting masking tape.

I have been doing cans for 4 yars now, and am just awaiting my airbrush and compressor today, so I'l llet you know how I get on with it.

[tc2k]

Does anyone have any pictures of rattle can jobs just to show me how good some can be?

[DCM]

Originally Posted by Spencer Mulcahy

I have just got the croud pleazer and in my personal opinion I think it is the best looking shell for the B4 wheather my opinion means anything I dont know.

That is an equal first with the Trinity Killer Bee, but you try gettin gthe Trinity shell!!!

As for masking tape, I find the Blue masking tape B+Q do is very good indeed, but all tape is crap if it isn't stuck to the shell right. And never NEVER rely on the edge of a peice of tape, as it can great bleed, always end a masked space with a cut peice of tape.

[LiamD]

Originally Posted by tc2k

Well, my current shell is well and truly gone and really needs binning. Im looking at getting a new shell for my B4 and painting it up but would like a few opinions and help.

1) Which shell
There are a few out there for the B4, Trinity Killer Bee, JConcepts Scoopless, Proline Crowd Pleazer and Associated Interceptor. Which would be the best in your view

2) Colours
What colours really look good and which are no go's. Im looking for a simple paint scheme that has no more than 3 colours

3) Design
Im going to be masking it out and using spray cans so nothing too complicated but does anyone have any simple designs that aren't too hard to do and dont require an airbrush

4) Equipment
What brand paint is the best (e.g. holds the best and comes out well, must be spray can) and which masking tape.

Now I know its a lot but any advice is welcome. Ive looked at terrys nice tutorial on his website and will try and follow it to the best f my ability and then just spray where he would airbrush and do details etc

Thanks

Why not just give it to Adam Walker-Catchfire, he charges less than 3 tins of paint, masking tape and knife.

[tc2k]

Originally Posted by DCM

And never NEVER rely on the edge of a peice of tape, as it can great bleed, always end a masked space with a cut peice of tape.

I got my shell and due to being off this week I decided to spray and mask it myself to keep me sane. What do you mean by a cut piece etc. How do i mask an edge so it wont bleed.

[jimmy]

I used to lay my masking tape on a shiney surface (I used a book or something) and using a ruler cut down the length with a scalpel.. then use the CUT edge as the masking edge.

That is how I did it. I use vinyl now for most masked edges. If I do get a bleed then unless I am spraying chrome Its usually fixable without any real trace - just scrape it off. I am SUPER SUPER fussy about stuff like this - if you see an error on one of my shells then I would cry (and probably did).

[tc2k]

Ha poor you. I get what you mean now, A bit of extra insurance to keep it extra sealed. I got some of the tamiya masking tape so hopefully it'll work better than the bog standard stuff I used on my last shell.

[DCM]

The blue stuff from B+Q is far more economical for me, and I found, easier to work with than the Tamiya tape.

Like Jim said, the edge of a design should always be a cut edge, as a roll of tape, it edge gathers dust and never sticks to the shell right, and bleeds.

[Col]

Hey Ash.
This is my B4 proline shell that I painted last year using Tamiya spray cans. The flames are purchased from a vinyl kit (touring car) and made to fit. Was really simple to do and I think it's quite effective

[tc2k]

Col, how did you get the flames to have 2 different colour shades?

[DCM]

If you are using cans, you can shade the spray with a bit of card, or just feather the paint up, carefuly, it is a the same process as doing an airbrush fade, just the spray tins, it is controlling the volume of paint coming out.

[Col]

Originally Posted by tc2k

Col, how did you get the flames to have 2 different colour shades?

Just like DCM says: Put the masks on first, painted the entire shell blue, removed masks then carefully painted the red on from quite a close distance and just sprayed it at the botton (or "hottest") part of the flame mask. Then just sprayed over everything in yellow. This was my first ever shell paint and is [b]SO[/b[ much better than my current XX4 shell.

This is the proline shell for the B4. It was picked simply because it's quite boring... no scoops or evil corners that make the masking realy hard so no bleeds or anything. Would a picture of the underside help you out at all?

[tc2k]

Its alright col, ive got all the flames masked out and just need to tidy up any frayed ends. Ill get a picture of it all masked up and Ill be spraying it tommorow afternoon.

[tc2k]

Well heres the masked shell with the final coat of Gun Metal spray gone on. So far it looks like theres no bleeding but we'll have to wait till I peel the masking off the see if thats right. Ill post final pictures later.

[DCM]

hope thats a bright colour going on the front!!! looking good.

[BenG]

looks good, cant wait to see pics