Jump to content
 

My first go at painting a model - comments are welcome.


Recommended Posts

  • RMweb Premium

Hello everyone,

 

I'm been meaning for a while to try my hand at painting a model and finally I worked up the nerve to do it. My test subject was an old Mainline GWR 56xx loco. My plan is to paint it in wartime black. I am not going to strip the old paint off since it has been suggested that it is not necessary to do so. I do not think any primer would be necessary either since black is a base colour in itself.

 

The below pictures are the model before painting started and the painting in progress. Please note that this is as far as I have gone so far.

 

Any comments, suggestions, criticisms, etc are always appreciated.

post-15485-0-37855300-1468613484_thumb.jpg

post-15485-0-26331400-1468613492_thumb.jpg

post-15485-0-55162300-1468613498_thumb.jpg

post-15485-0-83771400-1468613504_thumb.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites

It's always worth preparing any surface that you are going to paint on, either by rubbing down, or priming with a can of spray primer.

 

This will help smooth out any imperfections in the underlying finish and show up any blemishes.

 

The more time you spend on preparation, the better the overall finish.

 

Like the original GWR bleeding through...

 

Why not try a can of Matt or semi Matt spray paint, you can get beautiful results quickly and easily :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

It's always worth preparing any surface that you are going to paint on, either by rubbing down, or priming with a can of spray primer.

 

This will help smooth out any imperfections in the underlying finish and show up any blemishes.

 

The more time you spend on preparation, the better the overall finish.

 

Like the original GWR bleeding through...

 

Why not try a can of Matt or semi Matt spray paint, you can get beautiful results quickly and easily :)

 

Wouldn't it just go away with a second coat?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Wouldn't it just go away with a second coat?

You might well find it will make marks or blemishes etc even worse :(

 

The golden rule to remember is preparation is everything, the better the perp....the better the finish.

 

Great results can be achieved with spray cans, especially for all over black :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

One thing of note is as you are doing this as wartime black livery it would have been applied reasonably quickly and roughly plus with some weathering it still has the potential to look good. Dont feel down or put off, we all start by learning and it takes practice and lots of mistakes to get to the professional look. My first attempts looked like Id used a plasterers trowel.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Everyone has to start somewhere and so far that looks quite good. Have to agree that removing the GW logos would have helped - something simple as oven cleaner would do it successfully.

Think you're brave brush painting Tamiya, not noted for it's brushability. Is it gloss or matt ?  If spraying is an issue then if you haven't got  one a "flatty" brush is useful.

 

Isn't there some saying about every long journey starting with a single step?

 

Stu

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

It's always worth preparing any surface that you are going to paint on, either by rubbing down, or priming with a can of spray primer.

 

This will help smooth out any imperfections in the underlying finish and show up any blemishes.

 

The more time you spend on preparation, the better the overall finish.

 

Like the original GWR bleeding through...

 

Why not try a can of Matt or semi Matt spray paint, you can get beautiful results quickly and easily :)

What about rubbing the model in 70% IPA before starting?

Link to post
Share on other sites

The factory printed decals can be removed in numerous ways from rubbing off with t-cut, carefully scraping with a scalpel, white spirit etc. A good wash down with fairy liquid and you're good to go. As others have said the prep is the key part

Thankfully we never stop learning and this forum will provide plenty of hints and tips

I for one think that it's a pretty good first attempt especially considering its brush painted

Link to post
Share on other sites

As has been said above we all have to start somewhere and it is great that you have taken the plunge, it is always best to have a nice smooth clean base and a primer gives the top coat something to grip and you will be able to achieve a nice finish using thin coats which will allow the detail to look sharper and more visible, great stuff keep on practising and trying out techniques, have fun.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

The golden rule to remember is preparation is everything, the better the perp....the better the finish.

 

Failing to prepare

is

preparing to fail

Link to post
Share on other sites

What about rubbing the model in 70% IPA before starting?

Yes you could do, or you could give the model a scrub with an old scrubbing brush and something like Cif etc.

 

This will provide a good key for anything that you do on Top.

 

Good start so far, but maybe worth trying on the other side of the model if you haven't painted it yet.

 

Let us know how you get on......

Link to post
Share on other sites

I would ask the question of what effect is being aimed at? If this is for a wartime utility repaint - simply to keep the rust off - and then to reflect subsequent wear and tear at wartime levels of upkeep, you are going about it the right way. The former lettering showing through well worn overpaint is a nice effect if you can achieve it. Photographs will repay study to show what sort of exterior condition locos could be in.

Link to post
Share on other sites

This is one I bought on eBay that had been brush painted from green to black. Close up you can see the brush marks, although I can't see them in the photo. From normal viewing distances you can't see them in real life. So it's worth persevering.

 

Have you thought of painting something simpler or less important first, to get some practice?

 

post-7091-0-57021100-1468657928.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites

A very good start, photos can make blemishes stand out more than they do in real live, is the GWR that bad ? As a war time quick rush job might have left traces ? Over to people that were their or have the info.

But the main mistake with black locos is to have the smokebox the same black as the body. Please look at the real thing or pictures, the smokebox is all ways a heat resistant flat paint. As the paint goes straight on to hot metal of the smokebox, the boiler paint has the luxury of going on cladding not directly onto the boiler I the paint is Never a simi matt pure black, it all ways has a greyish tint, your loco will look better for it being done this way

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Wish I had a photo of them, but at Monument Lane c1960 there were a couple of Midland 0-6-0s where the edges of  LMS numbering was clearly visible as a step line in the painwork.

Similarly in a couple of old photos I've seen Big Four lettering peering through quickly-applied BR paint, so GWR showing through strikes me as probably good rather than bad.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Similarly in a couple of old photos I've seen Big Four lettering peering through quickly-applied BR paint, so GWR showing through strikes me as probably good rather than bad.

Trouble is with the BR examples is we are talking war time ie still GWR not a BR slap dash paint job, not that it proberly makes much difference

But with the amount of rivet counting going on on forums best to find out!

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Everyone has to start somewhere and so far that looks quite good. Have to agree that removing the GW logos would have helped - something simple as oven cleaner would do it successfully.

Think you're brave brush painting Tamiya, not noted for it's brushability. Is it gloss or matt ?  If spraying is an issue then if you haven't got  one a "flatty" brush is useful.

 

Isn't there some saying about every long journey starting with a single step?

 

Stu

 

XF-1 Flat Black. If Tamiya is a terrible paint, why do all the railway stores carry it?

Link to post
Share on other sites

XF-1 Flat Black. If Tamiya is a terrible paint, why do all the railway stores carry it?

Tamiya is not a terrible paint...it is actually a very good paint. But its formulation makes it better for spraying out of an airbrush rather than using a paintbrush....it tends to leave brushmarks.

Regular Vallejo is a good brush paint and I have had very good results using both ModelMaster and Humbrol enamels with paintbrushes...but I tend to stick with acrylics now. The WarGames line of paints do well with brushes also.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Tamiya is not a terrible paint...it is actually a very good paint. But its formulation makes it better for spraying out of an airbrush rather than using a paintbrush....it tends to leave brushmarks.

Regular Vallejo is a good brush paint and I have had very good results using both ModelMaster and Humbrol enamels with paintbrushes...but I tend to stick with acrylics now. The WarGames line of paints do well with brushes also.

 

What about Humbrol Acrylics?

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Very good, just remember to give them a really good stir first.

I made a home made stirrer using a cheap whizzy coffee frother from a pound shop.

Works brilliantly.

Sorry, have to disagree, worst paints I've ever come across and not in the same league as Vallejo or Lifecolour acrylics.

I have to say I'm somewhat confused. Go to Halfords and buy a can of grey primer and a can of Matt or satin black. Simples.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Sorry, have to disagree, worst paints I've ever come across and not in the same league as Vallejo or Lifecolour acrylics.

Agree, Humbrol acrylics aren't very good. Personally I'm quite happy with Revell acrylics provided they get a good stir - and for any paint that's usually twice as long as you think.

Vallejo/Lifecolour/Gunze are all very good but availability ?

 

Spraying - may not be an option for all.

 

Stu

Link to post
Share on other sites

I have spray painted many items of rolling stock but never locos.  My criterion is if I am content with it, that's all I worry about and personally I couldn't compete with some of the work shown on here  and elsewhere so am happy with my efforts.

 

Brian..

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...