First model in say 15 years?

[ceecrb1]

Well here we go again!
Not done this a long long long time....
This first spitfire is really a "tester" and something I am doing to get myself going again, so certain corners have been cut as I want to concentrate more on learning newer skills (turning my airbrush to models, weathering etc).
This is also my first model EVER done with an airbrush! However I have been "playing" with a VERY expensive badger airbrush of my dad's for many many years... This model was done with a Chinese-cheepo.. the badger kit arrives here when my parents visit in their motorhome in may
This plane is just to hang in my sons room. my "good plane" arrives soon :-D
I used to just make "manual perfect" models using the paints I had at home, what little my parents bought me was what I had. This only meant my models wernt truly scale colored, rather than well done.

So.. For the next noob to come along, what have I learned so far?
I'm going waay to fast with the airbrush, letting too much paint out too fast so its lost all the preshading I did..
I also seriously under-estimated the drying time needed after using the airbrush and so managed to leave some finger prints and some marks from masking tape... I wasnt expecting instant... but I now know its faster than brushed on enamels but not THAT fast!
acrylics are SO much nicer than enamels!! no more horrible smell all through the house! wish I'd known that years ago!!
I am waiting for a soft "putty" to arrive to help blend the camo lines, so ignore the sharpness between colors...
I also see I need to buy some filler...

So whats next?
So when I see people staining the model with a very weak thinner-paint mix, can this be done with acrylics too or just enamels?


Any advice and/criticism will be well accepted!!

Meanwhile.. i'll crack on with the decals....


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[ShutterAce]

Ain't nothin' wrong with that.

The main thing to remember about "staining" or any other form of weathering is to use a different type of paint than the layer below it. This helps keep them from eating into each other.

 

[VanceCrozier]

Coming along nicely - welcome back!

 

[JMac]

Looks good to me. Wish my first models coming back into the hobby looked that good.

 

[Chris S]

Yip ..Looks good from where Im standing too ...very nice

Chris.

 

[ceecrb1]

Thanks for the comments!

I tried making a mix of standard thinners and some enamel paint and it didnt "mix"..
suggestions?
Other than tomorrow I drop by a shop and buy some stainer hehehe

 

[Myke]

15 years eh? Well welcome back to the hobby. Good looking bird you got going there too!

You can just thin your enamel paints with enamel thinner and mist the coat on your model. Keep it very light and you'll be fine. Build it up in layers, nice and slowly. It's good practice to put a protective clear layer in between the weathering layers though.

Good luck!

 

[glennonrp]

Good looking build so far, in my opinion! Keep up the good work!

 

[ceecrb1]

Ok, 2 steps forward, 1 step back...

I set myself to try doing a wash...
Did a lot of testing on the sprue where there was areas painted etc... found that anything oil based, instantly ate away the paint...
Eneded up with a really dilute water-acrylic mix.

Painted it on.... waited a while... then found it wouldnt fully rub off!!

I'm GUESSING its seeped into the texture of the painted surface?
So now it just looks like it has had the wash applied and not removed... I improved it by getting some 1000 grit and using some elbow-grease.

Should I have used some sort of sealer first?

Also I am finding that 3 days after painting the model, I am still leaving finger prints when handling.. not through normal "light touches" but if I need to hold it firmly to work on it in some way, it leaves prints..
same solution? a matt spray over it?
Notice the marks under the canopy glass on the fuselage...

Again, first time airbrushing a model and first time using acrylics! Always used humbrol enamels in the past in a "slap it on" method!

I'm not too upset... as long as there isnt any real damage done, its still more than good enough for its designed purpose... for the wee boy to enjoy seeing...
Tomorrow morning before work i´m going to stop by a shop on the way and just get their cheapest plane model.. just slap the wings and fuse together and use it as a paint testbed.....



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[Chris S]

Hi fella ,

You kind of answered your own question there ...Yes ..you need a sealer coat . If you are going to use enamels or oil paints for washes and weathering then you need to use an acrylic clearcoat to seal your paint A lot of use actually use Future / Johnsons Klear polish for this ,just spray it on through the AB ...no thinning required and wash the AB out with water
If you are trying to use acrylic paint for washes ....it does dry very quick and if you dont have a sealer coat on your paint ,you wont get the staining off .

Hope that helps a bit ....In saying all that ..The little Spit looks good

Chris.

 

[PANZERMAN]

Hey, ceecbr1, welcome back to the hobby!
The Spitfire looks great! I'm a big fan of piloted planes and I;m glad to see a model with a pilot
at the helm.
Keep up the good work, Congrats! Bill.

 

[amateurmodeler]

I feel your pain on the wash man, I made the same mistake the first time I did one and found out what others have said. That you need a top coat of clear and use different type of paint for wash. I have also tried pre made washes over clear and they work pretty good

 

[ceecrb1]

2nd attempt..
Academy 1/72 F18/A

This time I tried the "basic" panel lines using a propelling pencil... and honestly while quick and easy and cheap, its not a PERFECT result but it is by far better than not doing it!



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[the Baron]

Welcome back to modeling, ceecrb!

To the question about weathering, I'll second ShutterAce, I recommend using a different kind of paint (and its respective solvent) over the layer below, and sealing between coats is a good idea, too. So for example, I like to use Tamiya's rattlecan aircraft paint for my basic colors, like OD over gray on a USAAF bird. Those are enamels, so I'll use acrylics thinned with water over them to do panel line washes and other staining. For a sealer, I use Tester's DullCote (though there are hardware store matte varnishes that you could use, too), or Future, if it's time to apply the decals.