Hello from a returning novice

QuickSilver

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Aug 10, 2021
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Hello all. Getting back into scale modeling now as a middle aged adult after a long stretch of no modeling. The vast majority my builds were from my early teen years, all of them lost to time unfortunately. Mostly cars/trucks with the occasional aircraft thrown in. All sloppily hand painted and relatively terrible looking with thick paint and lots of visible brush strokes. Probably inhaled way too many enamel and cement vapors back then. My mom accused me on several occasions of getting high off glue fumes...she was probably right thinking back on it.

Picked the hobby back up again about 6 or 7 years ago long enough to build two cars, this time using spray paint for the bodies. Looked much better than the models from my youth but I was still never happy with the way they turned out. Now I've gotten the bug again and am going to attempt to step up my game and get some results that I can actually be happy with. I've gone with an airbrush setup this time around complete with paint booth and respirator. I've got zero experience with an airbrush so I picked up a nice selection of cheap acrylic craft paints to build my skills with before getting into the more expensive hobby grade paints. I've never done any weathering either so I'll be practicing that along side the airbrushing.

I'm a child of the 80's so Transformers and Voltron have a special place in my heart. I would really like to get into modeling more sci-fi type models, especially large weaponized robots. I picked up a couple of Gundam kits that I'm excited about trying to detail and weather after getting some practice under my belt. Looking forward to the journey and taking it a bit more seriously this time around.

Bill
 
Welcome back to the hobby, and welcome to the Herd, Bill! You've traveled the same path that I have and many others-built models as kids, turn to other things as young adults, then return years later.
I look forward to seeing your build!
Best regards,
Brad
 
Welcome back for round 3

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Gundam are a good way to start with the robots. There is a kit of the Lion Force Voltron out there, but I don't remember who makes it.

Welcome back to the hobby
 
welcome back to the hobby ...
Q - I think the Lion Force Voltron was produced by BanDai ... however can't find it
 
Thanks for the welcomes! Good to know regarding the Voltron kit, I'd love to model that at some point. I noticed a couple of Transformers kits at my local Hobby Lobby as well...who knew. I don't remember ever seeing those types of kits when I was younger otherwise I'm sure I would have been all over it. I haven't even really gotten started and I've already got a back catalog of models to build, lol.
 
Welcome to the forum and a little info on paint. Paint doesn't all spray the same and if you are learning with paints you aren't going to use, you may find yourself relearning when you switch to the model paints, which could lead to frustration. It only takes minimal drops of paint and thinner to practice. For example, Say you want to use Tamiya paint. 4 drops of paint to two drops of thinner, from an eye dropper, low pressure say 12 lbs, you'd be surprised how long you can spray and practice lines and dots and just how to manipulate the brush with just that small amount of paint. So if it takes you a whole bottle of paint to get to the, now I'm happy place, then you really haven't spent that much money to really learn what will work with the paints and thinner you intend to use. Enjoy learning the AB, and building again.
 
Good points to consider, thank you. I see what your saying about a little goes a long way. I airbrushed a few spoons last night and was surprised how little paint it took once I had it thinned out.
 
Welcome back. It is a common theme for many of us.
I too recently picked up again after 35 years.
Mainly getting set up for retirement but have started an AMT Millennium Falcon build that I'm documenting here AMT ERTL Millennium Falcon Build
Long slow process because that other thing called 'Work' gets in the way far too much :rolleyes:
Slowly but surely I'm getting there.

I too got an airbrush [no booth yet] and am learning lots from tutorials on YouTube [I watch them while I'm in boring work meetings]
 
Welcome back. It is a common theme for many of us.
I too recently picked up again after 35 years.
Mainly getting set up for retirement but have started an AMT Millennium Falcon build that I'm documenting here AMT ERTL Millennium Falcon Build
Long slow process because that other thing called 'Work' gets in the way far too much :rolleyes:
Slowly but surely I'm getting there.

I too got an airbrush [no booth yet] and am learning lots from tutorials on YouTube [I watch them while I'm in boring work meetings]
I read through your build thread and that is really coming along nicely with all the additional detail you've been able to add. The scratch built pieces and lighting are certainly several steps above what I've ever done with a model kit. I have that same nagging issue with work always getting in the way of my master plans.
 
I read through your build thread and that is really coming along nicely with all the additional detail you've been able to add. The scratch built pieces and lighting are certainly several steps above what I've ever done with a model kit. I have that same nagging issue with work always getting in the way of my master plans.
Thanks.
I said to myself not to get carried away with stuff on the build but got lost in it.
Now I find myself sneaking out to the garage where I'm set up just to get 5 minutes on it when I can.
 

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