Simple question regarding acrylic painting revell model

[Guest]

I've just started doing a space shuttle model kit by revell and having awful problems with the paint not going on well. I decided to do something about it as the previous kit i did by airfix was just as bad. The instructions suggested washing the plastic in a mild detergent before construction. So i soaked the lot in a washing up bowl with warm water and fairy washing up liquid and then let the lot drip dry. It doesn't seem to have to have done much good, the paint still washes around on the plastic and doesn't seem to go on very well.

Has anyone got any tips on how to paint these plastic models?

[John]

Rather than just soaking try gently scrubbing with a small brush, a tooth brush should be fine, then rub it gently with a lint free towel, it sounds like you haven't got all the oil of the plastic

[stona]

What paints are you using? Some acrylic paints really don't brush well.

Steve

[spanner570]

As my mates on here know I only use a brush to paint my models and here is what I have found....

Over fairly large areas of plastic no matter what I did I found Tamiya acrylics to be nigh on useless.

The Bf109 I've just completed was painted with Vallejo Model Colour not Model Air. This acrylic paint is superb and gave an almost one coat cover.

Another thing I found, for larger areas it is best to use an acrylic primer first. I wouldn't paint on bare plastic no matter how much Fairy Liquid has been used.

This is just from my own experience and the conclusions I have drawn from them, other people will have a different take on this, I'm sure.

Ron

[Guest]

I'm with Ron. Best to prime the plastic with something first. Auto paint from Halfords or a model primer from your local Model shop.

Good luck

Tony B

[Guest]

Thanks for the replies. The paints I am using are revell paints the ones meant to be used for the space shuttle. I'm not very mobile having broke my leg (the reason why i'm doing these models in the first place) so getting to a shop is hard presumably i can get primer paints online? But yeah i could try brushing the plastic with soapy water i suppose, has anyone ever tried using sand paper over the plastic before painting does that help? A lot of painting on big smooth plain surfaces are needed on this model so i need to get something sorted. Thanks again.

[Guest]

If the shuttle is primarily black and white, or dark grey and white, it may be worth getting rattle cans such as the Humbrol ones and mask and spray it then just brush paint the detail parts.. I agree with the others though that priming is almost essential with acrylics. It is basically a water based (with a drop of alcohol and other chemicals) and being water based, it can pool on a shiny plastic surface. If you thin it down more and accept the pooling, the second thin coat will go on better, never ceases to amaze why this is so, but it is. Trouble is, if t isn't thin enough to build up very thin layers, you start to lose surface detail. This is why the rattle can primer is best. Humbrol, or similar, primer in rattle cans is available from most online model stores

[spanner570]

Thanks for the replies. The paints I am using are revell paints the ones meant to be used for the space shuttle. I'm not very mobile having broke my leg (the reason why i'm doing these models in the first place) so getting to a shop is hard presumably i can get primer paints online? But yeah i could try brushing the plastic with soapy water i suppose, has anyone ever tried using sand paper over the plastic before painting does that help? A lot of painting on big smooth plain surfaces are needed on this model so i need to get something sorted. Thanks again.

Again, this is from my own experience...Apart from removing the 'casting' marks, sand paper is a no no. two reasons:-

1.. the plastic will get too scratched and show through the painting.

2.. you can never get into every nook and cranny and if you try you end up gouging the plastic (see no.1).

Due to the large scale, the wings on my Bf109 where a big surface area and using an acrylic primer made the paint go on as smooth as a baby's bum.

As far as I'm concerned the only sure way with big areas is to prime first, no question.

Yes, you can get acrylic primer on line, go for the light grey.

As has been mentioned Halfords rattle can Acrylic grey primer is by all accounts very good stuff. A big tin is around £6 odd.

Ron

[Gern]

Hi there - welcome to the forum.

I wouldn't recommend sanding unless you're very good at it. You're going to lose an awful lot of surface detail if you're not extremely careful and it can be a long tedious job to get a good finish over the whole surface.

I'd go along with Ron and Tony here. Get yourself a primer. I always use Halfords' cellulose primer (they do grey, white and red so you can pick the one you think best. It does come in rather large cans, but it covers well so works out very cheap). I've not tried other primers, but this one's always worked for me. It sticks to the surface of the plastic very well and creates a nice matt surface which gives you a good 'key' for your colour coats. It's very quick and simple to use (it has to be for me to be able to use it!) and dries well enough for you to start your painting within an hour.

Gern

edit: Sorry to seem repetetive - the last couple of posts came in while I was writing this one and I didn't see them. Still, it's nice to see that great minds really do think alike! Not me of course - I'm just following the footsteps of the great minds!

[Guest]

Unfortunately i do not have a garage or 'man shed' to work in (YET) to do stuff like spray painting (suppose i could do it outside though). Thanks for the tips!

[Guest]

Ouch, that's gotta hurt. Nice day like today though and you'll be laughing. Outdoor spraying is fun 'cos the wind can blow allsorts (not licorice) into your nice smooth wet paint! I use my airbrush on the kitchen table with acrylics, newspaper and a cardboard box, as I too don't have a 'dad-cave'. Wouldn't fancy it with stinky spray paint though, the wife would hit the roof!

Any ideas anyone? Games workshop do a range of brush on 'Foundation' paint, that I have used to prime small bits from time to time. They do mail order online but I can't vouch for the finish on a large area.

Good luck

Tony B

[spanner570]

I've just had a blimp where I get my stuff from ( the Modeller.com) and they do the Tamiya grey surface primer..a 180ml rattle can for £6.53+p/p !!

Halfords do a grey spray on acrylic based primer for £6 and you get a huge 500ml tin......No contest, me thinks.

Tony (Yakface) uses this all the time and highly recommends it.

Ron

[Guest]

Here is what i do when using aerosol inside get a biggish box tip it on it's sidewith a hole for the vaccum cleaner hose put you kit inside the box turn on the hoover and spray i find it works a treat especially if you open the window as any residue is sucked into the hoover.

scott

[Guest]

spanner570 you mention that the primer is great for large areas. My question: would it not also be good for small areas? Say, figures for instance (crewmen). Or do you find that acrylics while not suited for adhering to plastic generally are less of a problem (not as noticeable) if you have less area to paint? And if I may--not too far off topic I trust, would and do you also recommend prime for smaller objects? Would not the use of primer tend to obscure fine detail in preparing really small objects for final painting? Not trying to split hairs here, just that I'm preparing my first project which is in 1/200 and has quite a number of crewmen and this feature of the crew is one major attractions for me in choosing this particular model so I'd like to get it right.

[spanner570]

spanner570 you mention that the primer is great for large areas. My question: would it not also be good for small areas? Say, figures for instance (crewmen). Or do you find that acrylics while not suited for adhering to plastic generally are less of a problem (not as noticeable) if you have less area to paint? And if I may--not too far off topic I trust, would and do you also recommend prime for smaller objects? Would not the use of primer tend to obscure fine detail in preparing really small objects for final painting? Not trying to split hairs here, just that I'm preparing my first project which is in 1/200 and has quite a number of crewmen and this feature of the crew is one major attractions for me in choosing this particular model so I'd like to get it right.

swellfella, I use it on small areas as well. Because it is an extremely thin layer of paint the primer doesn't hide any detail. In fact it brings out the small detail even better for the painter!

There are a lot of small figures of 1/72 which are made of a soft polystyrene which, as far as I am concerned are impossible to paint unless they are primed.

It is of course, fine to paint smaller objects made of the harder plastic without priming, provided they have been washed in soapy water to remove the release agent, but as I have stated priming small bits and figures brings out the detail , not hide it!

All this has come from my own experience and I hope it has been of some use to you. There are people on here who know far more than me about painting with acrylics and they may well have a different take on this.

Ron