All the right coats . . . in all the right order?

[Smudgeboy]

OK, first new topic on the forum proper, forgive me if I'm re-treading old ground.

 

When I used to do modelling (very badly) in my early teens, I chucked Airfix kits together, slapped some enamel paint straight from the tin on to the kit, whopped on some decals and stood back and admired my handiwork. Fair to say the work wasn't particularly 'handi' but at 13, I wasn't overly bothered. Now, 40 years later, and getting back into it, I have the wonderful world of t'interweb . . . to show me just how wrong I was doing it! Colour me humbled.

 

Now I'm happy to learn slowly, so the Airfix 1/48 scale Spitfire Vb I've cobbled together has been a useful trainer/practice kit. I know I've done a few things right, like painting the fiddly little bits while on the sprue, doing lots of practice fittings, not over-doing it with the glue etc. And I know I've repeated a few rookie mistakes - some ham-fisted work on the cockpit construction led me struggling to get the fuselage and wings tightly together (I think it was mainly from trying to glue painted edges together). However, I've got it to the stage where it is all together, and with a few coats of enamel and some judicious use of masking, it's reasonably painted (though I say so myself) and not TOO full of brush marks etc.

 

So now, I have to add the decals and 'finish' it - and this is where I'm a little bamboozled, about what to use, where, why - and in what order.

 

I've read so many different things about clear coats, Kleer (and alternatives), Micro-Sol and Micro-set (I have bought bottles of those last two) and matt, satin and gloss varnishes, and what to put on before the decals, and after the decals, and where to sand down and where not to, that my head is spinning. 

 

I know there's no DEFINITIVE answer, but would anyone be so kind as to provide a Dummies guide to post-painting finishing - including at what point I should have a go at 'weathering' and 'exhaust lines' etc - bearing in mind I am using brushes, not a spray gun.

 

Thanks in advance.  

[Black Knight]

Firstly; A gloss varnish coat, ideally all over, or at least in the greater area where the decals will go.

Decals settle better on the glossy surface with less chance of 'silvering'

Silvering is the outward appearance of airbubbles showing on or around the decal. Air is easier entrapped by a matt finish rather than a glossy one

Use any gloss varnish of your preference but not Humbrol enamel ones - they go yellow after a while

 

Secondly; Decals on top of the dry gloss surface.

Thirdly; Use Sol & Set to make the decals settle down over the curves and bumps. Sometimes repeated applications are needed to get the decals down nicely

Fourthly; When that lot is dry and nice I prefer another coat of gloss varnish

Fifthly; Then matt or semi-matt varnish to make the subject look the way it should

 

I don't do much 'weathering', when I do its after stage Four and before Five

 

There are other methods which others use and they'll be along to tell you of those

[Smudgeboy]

Thanks Black Night.

 

Do you recommend a particular make/brand of the varnishes?

[Black Knight]

I can't really.

For the gloss I use a concoction of Humbrol acrylic 35 and Klear* and sometimes a Vallejo polyurethane gloss, thinned with water or Klear*

For matt I use Humbrol acrylic 49 thinned with water and some Tamiya matting agent mixed in

 

Some on here say Windsor & Newton varnishes are the best to use

 

* not Klear but 'Astonish' - same stuff really

 

Just don't use the Humbrol enamel varnishes - they really do turn yellow after a short time

[Greenshirt]

A good rule, not a law so it can be ignored at times, is to use a different medium for weathering, than what was used for painting. 

 

IOW, if painting with enamels, weather with acrylics. If painting with acrylics, weather with oils. Water colors can be used with either. 

 

An exception, is when using a varnish, such as Klear/Future that is effectively a clear resin.  This type of product, when allowed to fully cure in 48-72 hours, is rock hard and rarely reacts with either water based or oil based weathering media. Not all varnishes are like this so care is needed to know which are which. 

 

I would not recommend using a solvent based acrylic such as Tamiya for weathering as when thinned heavily it will usually react with just about any varnish and or paint, even enamels. Drybrushing yes/ok, but not washes. My experience was harsh, model binned.