Beginners modeling

ET2SN · 01-31-18, 04:59 AM

One quick beginner's tip I meant to post but forgot:

Learn how to care for your tools.

We all have our favorite paint brush, tweezers, etc. and they stay favorites as long as we keep them clean and operating.

How-to vids and full builds on Youtube usually don't show this but its really important.

Let's say you just plunked down a lot of money for an air brush and compressor. Before you start chucking down paint, learn how to take the air brush apart, clean and lube the parts, and put it back together. The same goes for doing maint. on the compressor and its filters. Get in the habit of cleaning your tools as soon as you finish a painting session, it will save you a lot of wasted time later.

Paint brushes, even inexpensive ones, can last for years if you take care of them.

That includes the type of paint you use for brushing. You want to be certain your brush isn't contaminated by a certain type of paint or thinner before you start your detail painting with another type of paint.

Many of us use different types of paint for different effects (enamels, oils, lacquers, acrylics, water based, etc.) and its rare when these paint types get along without some some kind of chemical reaction- especially before they have fully cured.

Contamination is what almost always ruins paint jobs. You put down a nice coat of paint but notice later it curdled as it dried or it even starts to curdle as you're putting it down. Another sign of contamination is that nice flat shade of paint has dried as a mixture of gloss, satin flat, semi gloss, basically everything BUT flat.

Nine times out of ten, you're dealing with a contamination issue between different types of paint (some paints are just that delicate, even after they cure) or else there is still mold release on the bare plastic of the kit.

My last bit advise for new builders- none of us started out as masters.

You can watch vids of builds and painting until the cows come home. These guys make it look so easy!

Its anything but. You need to gain the experience before you dive into that $100+ plus kit. If you're new or coming back to the hobby after many years, buy some cheap kits and slam them together. If something doesn't work, buy another cheap one and try again.

It doesn't matter what genre (cars, planes, tanks, ships) of kits you buy, just make sure they're cheap. Use these kits to get the experience you'll need to build that masterpiece later on.

01-31-18, 04:59 AM	#7
ET2SN Ocean Warrior Join Date: Oct 2017 Posts: 2,652 Downloads: 60 Uploads: 0	One quick beginner's tip I meant to post but forgot: Learn how to care for your tools. We all have our favorite paint brush, tweezers, etc. and they stay favorites as long as we keep them clean and operating. How-to vids and full builds on Youtube usually don't show this but its really important. Let's say you just plunked down a lot of money for an air brush and compressor. Before you start chucking down paint, learn how to take the air brush apart, clean and lube the parts, and put it back together. The same goes for doing maint. on the compressor and its filters. Get in the habit of cleaning your tools as soon as you finish a painting session, it will save you a lot of wasted time later. Paint brushes, even inexpensive ones, can last for years if you take care of them. That includes the type of paint you use for brushing. You want to be certain your brush isn't contaminated by a certain type of paint or thinner before you start your detail painting with another type of paint. Many of us use different types of paint for different effects (enamels, oils, lacquers, acrylics, water based, etc.) and its rare when these paint types get along without some some kind of chemical reaction- especially before they have fully cured. Contamination is what almost always ruins paint jobs. You put down a nice coat of paint but notice later it curdled as it dried or it even starts to curdle as you're putting it down. Another sign of contamination is that nice flat shade of paint has dried as a mixture of gloss, satin flat, semi gloss, basically everything BUT flat. Nine times out of ten, you're dealing with a contamination issue between different types of paint (some paints are just that delicate, even after they cure) or else there is still mold release on the bare plastic of the kit. My last bit advise for new builders- none of us started out as masters. You can watch vids of builds and painting until the cows come home. These guys make it look so easy! Its anything but. You need to gain the experience before you dive into that $100+ plus kit. If you're new or coming back to the hobby after many years, buy some cheap kits and slam them together. If something doesn't work, buy another cheap one and try again. It doesn't matter what genre (cars, planes, tanks, ships) of kits you buy, just make sure they're cheap. Use these kits to get the experience you'll need to build that masterpiece later on.