Finish Coating Your Model - Primarily Aircraft

[Oberleutnant]

Hi gentleman,

 

Fairly new to the forum and am just getting towards the finishing stages of my Eduard BF109 G 1/48.

 

This is the first model I have attempted as an adult - the last being probably 15 years ago!

 

I want a mat finish but my local shop has suggested an initial finishing coat of clear gloss then finish with clear mat after weathering. 

 

The stages of finishing the plane I am just not sure about and could do with some help please.

 

Is it the following?

 

- finish formal painting.

- apply clear coat gloss.

- apply mottling 

- apply clear mat coat

- weathering

- clear mat coat

- decals

- final clear mat coat

 

I'm sure that's too many coats but I really don't know the order of finishing the model.

 

Could anyone help me please?

 

Would be much appreciated.

[Parabat]

Greetings Herr Oberst.

This is what I would do, I'm sure there are a million different ways to do this.

This is a short method, others might throw in degreasing, washing, sanding/wet glass papering, etc.

1. Paint the model, making sure not to mix and match enamel and acrylics (same applies to clear coats, ie if your paint is enamel, use and enamel clear coat)

2. Gloss clear coat. This gives a really smooth surface for decals to conform to and avoids silvering to a great degree. 

3. Clear matt or gloss coat to seal it all in.

4. Weathering - differnt methods work differently on different surfaces, ie using a graphite or pastel weathering technique might be trickier on gloss.

5. Seal in again with final gloss or matt coat, dependant on final effect you are after. 

Final bits (antennae wires, canopy unmasking etc etc) and you are done! 

 

[Graham Boak]

That's too many coats for me too.  I'd finish painting, including most if not all weathering.  Then gloss varnish of your choice, apply transfers, apply matt/satin varnish.  Then any additional weathering can be added as appropriate.

 

The prime purpose of the gloss coat is to provide a smooth surface for the transfers to fit without silvering - which is caused by the capture of small air bubbles on the matt surface of the paint.

 

It may be necessary  to have a more subtle approach if you are using different powders for weathering rather than paint, but that seems a bit advanced for how you describe yourself.

[Oberleutnant]

@Parabat @Graham Boak

 

Thank you gents - much appreciated.

 

Getting back into the hobby it has amazed me the amount that actually goes into completing a model - in particular painting and finishing.

 

As a kid I would usually not bother painting - just built them, be it planes, ships and armour.

 

I might paint 1 in 5 and that would be just 1 coat of enamel - that's it.

 

I'm now using Vallejo acrylic's and trying to put as much into each stage as I can using a brush.

 

So as far as painting I have no prior knowledge and I have found it quite daunting with a crazy amount of mistakes made!

 

Clear coat I will be using is Humbrol 150ml Spray Varnish No. 49 Acrylic Varnish Matt and Humbrol AD6035 150ml Spray Varnish No. 35 Acrylic Varnish Gloss.

 

What do you guys use?

 

Have heard mixed reviews of the matt coat by Humbrol.

 

 

 

[Parabat]

I tend to use enamels as that's what I am comfortable using. I prefer to use Alclad clear coats as I find the Humbrol clears either yellow(gloss) or can be a bit chalky (matt). Others may not have these issues, but I find the Alclad works very well for me with none of the aforementioned issues. 

I have not used the spray tins though.

[Stalker6Recon]

On 5/29/2018 at 8:24 PM, Oberleutnant said:

This is the first model I have attempted as an adult - the last being probably 15 years ago! 

I know that I am late to the party, but your story pretty much matches mine, except you need to double the time to thirty years. Back when I was young, I would build my kits using mostly testors enamals and some low cost badger airbrush. I had pretty good results for the era, even won a few modelling competitions, but nothing like the amount of effort that these guru's put in these days. I have been reading so much about glues, paints, thinners, washes, acrylics, enamals, pigments, chalk, pastels, dot weathering, floor wax..... Its mind blowing!

 

Today, modelling is much closer to a fine art than ever before, only our art is intended to fly at mach 1.8, or roll over cars and put depleted uranium thru other car smashers, or fire 16in HE rounds 22 miles into a warzone.

 

Anyway, I hope you got the painting/effects sorted and that you are still modelling to this day!

 

Anthony

[Oberleutnant]

On 4/7/2019 at 7:39 PM, Stalker6Recon said:

I know that I am late to the party, but your story pretty much matches mine, except you need to double the time to thirty years. Back when I was young, I would build my kits using mostly testors enamals and some low cost badger airbrush. I had pretty good results for the era, even won a few modelling competitions, but nothing like the amount of effort that these guru's put in these days. I have been reading so much about glues, paints, thinners, washes, acrylics, enamals, pigments, chalk, pastels, dot weathering, floor wax..... Its mind blowing!

 

Today, modelling is much closer to a fine art than ever before, only our art is intended to fly at mach 1.8, or roll over cars and put depleted uranium thru other car smashers, or fire 16in HE rounds 22 miles into a warzone.

 

Anyway, I hope you got the painting/effects sorted and that you are still modelling to this day!

 

Anthony

Thanks mate.

 

Yeah I'm on to my second! A Spitfire Mk. IXc by Revell which is a bit of a pig in terms of fitting but I'm getting there.

 

How about you?

[Vicarage Vee]

On ‎5‎/‎29‎/‎2018 at 2:12 PM, Oberleutnant said:

Clear coat I will be using is Humbrol 150ml Spray Varnish No. 49 Acrylic Varnish Matt and Humbrol AD6035 150ml Spray Varnish No. 35 Acrylic Varnish Gloss. 

 

Have heard mixed reviews of the matt coat by Humbrol.

 

 

 

My only experience of Humbrol acrylic varnish was with the AD6035.  It was on a previously Humbrol enamel painted kit that had sat awaiting suitable decals for over a decade, so very unlikely to be anything to do with not having cured.  The varnish had a horrid pink tinge.  I have avoided their varnishes ever since.

[Oberleutnant]

21 hours ago, Vicarage Vee said:

My only experience of Humbrol acrylic varnish was with the AD6035.  It was on a previously Humbrol enamel painted kit that had sat awaiting suitable decals for over a decade, so very unlikely to be anything to do with not having cured.  The varnish had a horrid pink tinge.  I have avoided their varnishes ever since.

Hi Mate,

 

I have some experience with their varnish now and am becoming more competent with it.

 

I have found if you paint multiple layers of paint without letting it cure then the Humbrol gloss varnish will create a weird sort of icicle look.

 

I've only had this once and I made it work and its not noticeable/ if you do see it it looks like its got icicles on it. Look alright!

 

Also found if you don't put a consistent spray across the model it can be blotchy with what looks like drip marks - that's just me technique though.

 

I'm quite content with it now though and think I know how to get the best out of it - the actual finish is really nice.

 

I tentatively recommend it.

 

I've sprayed in the winter in only a few degrees on my door step and its been fine.

 

[Coors54]

Hi there, just came across this thread and thought I would add to the discussion.

 

As said earlier there are as many ways to paint as there are modellers, I tend to use only a brush or even rattle cans to finish my aircraft but I generally make 1/32 scale and above.

 

I mix paint types between acrylics and enamel and so far have not suffered any catastrophes. I finish painting the camouflage completely (some weathering in the cockpit, wheel wells etc) then apply a good coat of what was Future with a wide flat brush. This is usually glossy enough to allow decal application. I have used the newer "milky" sort and it dries perfectly clear, be aware it will darken some colours but not enough to make a big difference IMHO.

 

Once the decals are on I then apply weathering and wear, if using pastels I wait until a matt coat is on.  The Future coat protects against enamel pin washes etc and general handling.

 

Once I am happy with weathering I apply a light coat of Games Workshop Purity Seal Matt spray, this is great stuff in my opinion. Dead easy to find on the High Street and easy to use.

 

A light coat gives a sheen to the model, great for early Luftwaffe schemes, heavier build up of coats goes much matter

 

Using the spray can help get rid of any brush marks but if there were any heavy ones I would have given them a light sand or buff before applying the Future.

 

As with anything practice makes the job easier and less daunting, don't expect perfection straight off and try to see the progress with each model - it will be there. Enjoy what you make and don't keep comparing with others, Van Gogh wasn't a genius straight off the bat (well, he might have been.....) 

 

I hate to plug another site here but this is my 1/32 F-4J(UK) painted as described - https://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?/topic/65658-132-f-4juk-phantom-tiger-squadron/&tab=comments#comment-859939 

 

This was brush painted with Xtracolour & Humbrol enamel with acrylic used in the wheel wells and air brake bays,

 

Dave

[Stalker6Recon]

7 hours ago, Coors54 said:

This was brush painted

Another stunning build, love the subject as well. I gather the panel just aft of the radome (if my terminology is correct) is the panel mentioned as replaced. Very cool. Brush painting I had though was impossible, especially on big kits. But then this is the new age where acrylics seem to reign at the moment, so I figured that maybe water based paints would lay down better, no brush strokes. But no, you did that in enamel!

 

The last model I built, if my memory is accurate, would have been an F-18 back in the late 80's. At this time, I knew only about modeling from my front door to the local hobby shop. The only real paint available in the colors I required, FS, were testors enamels in tiny little jars with a knack for falling over. Nasty to paint with, worse to clean up after. I never heard of things like paint leveler, retarder and flow improve. Still not sure which is which, but I am learning, maybe too much too fast.

 

Anyway, you have once again thrown everything I thought I knew about model building, out the window. Now I doubt I will be taking up brush painting any time soon, I have this compressor and nice airbrush, but I won't ever doubt the possibilities anymore. That is a beautiful aircraft. You are also selling me on the idea of the big birds. With my fumbly fingers and waning eyesight, this just might be my future. I have been looking around, I had considered the big stuff as cost prohibitive, but I am finding that it is pretty much the same is 35, even some 48 scale stuff. I found one website with dozens and dozens of big birds, many are less than 100 dollars, and some of the WWII birds and a few modern jets are less than 50 dollars. I never thought that was possible. My guess, it will be the aftermarket items that really cause the costs to skyrocket. Resin cockpits in 32 scale, are not cheap by any measure.

 

Sorry for the long winded reply, just gobsmacked yet again.

 

Anthony

 

PS. You wrote that you weather after placing decals, but you did not mention if you seal them in before doing so. Is that a typo, or do you just use the future base for both decals and weathering at the same time? I would be terrified that my freshly installed decals would be ruined if a layer of sealing wasn't applied before doing a wash.

[Coors54]

Hi Anthony, thanks for your kind words. Re reading my description in the cold light of morning does throw up a couple of points and in answer to your question, no I don't coat the decals before weathering and (so far) have never had a problem. Giving the decals a quick brush over with Future would provide insurance though, some folks use it to bed their decals down anyway.

 

 I have a compressor and airbrush but we have a love/hate relationship, I hate the whole mixing/cleaning/masking palaver, my modelling time is precious and I don't like spending it doing those tasks. I love the effects you can get with an airbrush but I have realised that I will never win competitions or model professionally so I don't lose sleep over not using it. I post pictures occasionally on here or LSP but otherwise my builds go into boxes in the loft. My pleasure is in the build and finishing.

 

 I used to be a 1/48 only guy but as you have commented age and failing eyesight made me move to larger scales a few years ago. I sold my stash and reinvested in 1/32 & 1/24 but my head has been turned again by 1/12 scale race cars and I have a yen for a battleship, now that will be a challenge of tiny brass etch!

 

Good luck with your journey into the hobby, just enjoy it, even the frustrations and failures, every day is a school day.

 

Dave

[Stalker6Recon]

9 hours ago, Coors54 said:

frustrations and failure

I have no big issue with that, since I was a kid, I always found a way to get pleasure from my builds. If it goes sideways, well that bird is just going to have to suffer a crash and burn, only now I can film it, to enjoy over and over again!

 

So even though I want to be as good as I can, I also know that without failures, you don't ever get to fully enjoy success!

 

Cheers,

 

Anthony