Modelling tips

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Discussion

dr_gn

16,130 posts

183 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
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jmorgan said:
Panel lines, if that is the right term. The edges in the moulding being brought out, any pointers there?


Just started again after fits and starts over the last few years.
I just asked the same question (specifically for cars) over at Britmodeller:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showt...

jmorgan

36,010 posts

283 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
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Ah, got it. Ta. OK, for another day but you use a different wash base to your paint on the model then wipe off. Use a clear coat over your paint if you think you need to.

Handy link as well.

Edit, ended up here after your pointers.
http://www.florymodels.co.uk/weathering-wash/

dr_gn

16,130 posts

183 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
quotequote all
jmorgan said:
Ah, got it. Ta. OK, for another day but you use a different wash base to your paint on the model then wipe off. Use a clear coat over your paint if you think you need to.

Handy link as well.

Edit, ended up here after your pointers.
http://www.florymodels.co.uk/weathering-wash/
That's more or less it.

The Promodeller washes are easy to use and low risk becasue you can remove them with water. they are however quite 'chalky' and seem to leave a coarser residue than enamel washes.

probedb

824 posts

218 months

Saturday 31st December 2011
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What's the best way to fill gaps? I tend to paint as much as I can before I actually build the model but always get in a mess with the humbrol filler stuff. It never seems to go where I want it.

I used to build 1/72 aircraft when I was a kid and got back into it recently but started with 1/48 since I actually have my own money to spend now smile

The_Jackal

4,854 posts

196 months

Sunday 1st January 2012
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Super Glue, Milliput, Squadron putty or Mr Surfacer.
After a while you will end up with all of those lol

jmorgan

36,010 posts

283 months

Sunday 1st January 2012
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I only have two at the moment but still learning.

I have filler and a putty, one humbrol and one revel and both act differently. The revel "plasto" seems to do the job better.

Orfski to look up what the jackal mentioned.

Eric Mc

121,680 posts

264 months

Sunday 1st January 2012
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I use a multitude of different gap fillers. Which one to use usually depends on the size of the gap to be filled.

For very narrow gaps, standard Tippex works quite well.

For more serious gaps, I tend to use Humbrol putty or Squadron/Signal Green Stuff. Green Stuff is better but does attack plastic so you need to be careful where you apply it.

Thick and thin superglues can also be used to fill in gaps and have the advantage of drying very quickly so can be rubbed down after about ten minutes.

Recently I started using the Mr Surfacer range of liquid fillers and they are pretty good.

dr_gn

16,130 posts

183 months

Sunday 1st January 2012
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Eric Mc said:
I use a multitude of different gap fillers. Which one to use usually depends on the size of the gap to be filled.

For very narrow gaps, standard Tippex works quite well.

For more serious gaps, I tend to use Humbrol putty or Squadron/Signal Green Stuff. Green Stuff is better but does attack plastic so you need to be careful where you apply it.

Thick and thin superglues can also be used to fill in gaps and have the advantage of drying very quickly so can be rubbed down after about ten minutes.

Recently I started using the Mr Surfacer range of liquid fillers and they are pretty good.
The problem with all those is that they'll either damage the plastic, or you'll probably damage it while removing any excess. I found Green Stuff dries far too quickly and is incredibly messy to use. I only use Milliput these days: it's water soluble so you can mix it to any consistency, and for gaps you can wipe all the excess off with a damp glasses cleaning cloth so there's no sanding to do later.

I sometimes use Mr.Surfacer, but it does shrink a lot, so you need a few coats, and then have to sand or scrape it back. Should you need to strip paint off a model becasue of a mishap, the stripping process will also remove the Mr.surfacer, so you're back to square one when you come to repaint.

probedb

824 posts

218 months

Saturday 7th January 2012
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Thanks guys, I'll give them a go smile

Alex@POD

6,121 posts

214 months

Monday 9th April 2012
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A couple of questions about dry brushing if I may:
I have watched tutorial videos on youtube, which all showed the technique as weathering. How do I use it only to highlight detail? Thinking about the matt black underneath of a car, I don't want it to look like it haw been dragged for miles, as I like my models to look factory fresh...

Also, which color do I need to use? Thinking also about a matt aluminium engine block, which will benefit from more detail...



The_Jackal

4,854 posts

196 months

Monday 9th April 2012
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I have used a mid to dark grey on a black underside. Just gives enough of a variation for some depth.

dr_gn

16,130 posts

183 months

Monday 9th April 2012
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Alex@POD said:
A couple of questions about dry brushing if I may:
I have watched tutorial videos on youtube, which all showed the technique as weathering. How do I use it only to highlight detail? Thinking about the matt black underneath of a car, I don't want it to look like it haw been dragged for miles, as I like my models to look factory fresh...

Also, which color do I need to use? Thinking also about a matt aluminium engine block, which will benefit from more detail...
For a start, don't use paint, especially not acrylic - it dries too fast. Use Tamiya Weathering Master pastels. Just use a contrasting shade, say a medium grey if its over black, and use the supplied brush to lightly dust the surface. Don't overdo it though. The highlighted detail will immediately become more defined. Then overcoat with a satin varnish to seal it in.

Alex@POD

6,121 posts

214 months

Tuesday 10th April 2012
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Thanks, I'll get some weathering supplies during the week.

Can you explain what a dark wash is in simple terms? I have seen it mentioned a fair bit, but I haven't found anywhere that describes what it is and how it's done... Or even the desired effect!

dr_gn

16,130 posts

183 months

Tuesday 10th April 2012
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Alex@POD said:
Thanks, I'll get some weathering supplies during the week.

Can you explain what a dark wash is in simple terms? I have seen it mentioned a fair bit, but I haven't found anywhere that describes what it is and how it's done... Or even the desired effect!
It's a method of defining surface detail more clearly. Basically you run a very thin line of dark (or light) paint into whatever detail you want to show up (panel lines or around the bases of raised details), allow to dry and wipe off the excess.

Ideally you apply it to a gloss surface so that it doesn't soak into and stain the surrounding paint.

If you're using enamel as the wash, you have to apply it over acrylic and vice versa.

It's very easy to overdo it (as with the F-5 example here IMO), but this at least shows the principle:

http://www.scalespot.com/reference/panellines/pane...

Alex@POD

6,121 posts

214 months

Thursday 12th April 2012
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Thanks, that is a good tutorial. I'll have to try that on one of my next models...

dr_gn

16,130 posts

183 months

Thursday 12th April 2012
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Alex@POD said:
Thanks, that is a good tutorial. I'll have to try that on one of my next models...
A lot of people seem to treat the wash as a "brush-on, wipe-off and that's it" process. It's not: you can spend hours removing the excess wash and locally re-applying it until you're happy. I use a glasses cleaning cloth very lightly damped with thinners to remove the majority of the wash, then if necessary a wide brush very lightly coated with thinners to remove any ingrained wash adjacent to the larger surface features before wiping over with the cloth again.

Less is definitely more with washes - I sometimes look at mine and wonder if it made any difference at all, but comparing before and after images suggests there definitely is a residual layer around details even if you think you removed every last bit of it.

Alex@POD

6,121 posts

214 months

Thursday 12th April 2012
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Next question to seal in how much I'm taking on, what's the best way to cut body panels cleanly? I'm thinking of opening the doors and bootlid. I'm thinking of running a scalpel down the panel lines until it goes through, is there a better way?

steveo3002

10,479 posts

173 months

Monday 23rd April 2012
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Alex@POD said:
Next question to seal in how much I'm taking on, what's the best way to cut body panels cleanly? I'm thinking of opening the doors and bootlid. I'm thinking of running a scalpel down the panel lines until it goes through, is there a better way?
look at the "bare foil scriber" it shaves off a hair width strip in each pass , very handy tool to have around , nice to clean primer out of gaps etc too or deepen details

probedb

824 posts

218 months

Friday 27th April 2012
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Another quick question re undercoating? What sort of sprays do people recommend? I'm using Humbrol (etc) acrylics on standard plastic model planes.

jmorgan

36,010 posts

283 months

Friday 27th April 2012
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Still learning here but reading that people use the halfords in a tin stuff. Tried it on one I am doing now, I had a can of grey primer already. Not convinced but not completed it yet, nor painted it. Might be surprised.