Handbrushing camoflage on Eduard 1/72 spifire

[pockets]

Any tips on handbrushing camo at 1/72 , ive already painted on the dark green so am painting the pattern with ocean gray over the green base coat , would people use  diy masks or free hand ?

[colin]

May have been easier to have done it the the other way around, grey then green. Start with the lighter colour then darker in that order.

If you have a steady hand free hand would be quicker

[Troy Smith]

31 minutes ago, pockets said:

Any tips on handbrushing camo at 1/72 , ive already painted on the dark green so am painting the pattern with ocean gray over the green base coat , would people use  diy masks or free hand ?

Freehand.  Masking with brushpainting is tricky, and only occasionally needed, eg straight lines and canopies, as you tend to get ridges of paint.

 

You may find it easier to pencil in the demarcation lines first  as well, a retracting pencil is good for this.

 

 Usually you do the lighter colour first though. 

 

the pattern was specified, though there are noted factory variations

 

thee is an official factory diagram in this.  

https://boxartden.com/reference/gallery/index.php/Camouflage-Markings/Supermarine-Spitfire

 

 

 

 

 

[pockets]

ok thanks , thought that after  I applied the green , oh well . should I future it before applying the pattern overpaint  incase of mistakes ? the pencil sounds like a good call , the kit comes with reference images for different  patterns .

[Troy Smith]

1 minute ago, pockets said:

ok thanks , thought that after  I applied the green , oh well . should I future it before applying the pattern overpaint  incase of mistakes ?

It depends on how comfortable you are with brushing, and what kind of paint you are using.  if it all new, try on scrap first, old kit, toy, even a plastic container or bottle, so you get used to curved surfaces.  pencil in the lines, and the practice working up to them and filling in.    You can just touch up the green or wipe the excess off with a cotton bud, and the touch up later.

 

outline each side and then fill in,  if using acylic look to keep a wet edge, and two/three  thin coats are better than a thick one, the edges will likely not need the same amount of coats, as they dry quicker.   Which is why I say practice if you are unsure,  so you get a feel for working the paint and how to get it to flow they way you want, as I say getting the right consistency will really help this as well.   

 

I use a small flat brush for acylics,aout 6m wide,  works a lot better than a normal brush

 

thinking about you might want to use tape for fuselage upper lower demarcation,  as that is straight

 

One chap who is really good at brushpainting is @PlaStix, have a look at some of his work.

1 minute ago, pockets said:

the pencil sounds like a good call , the kit comes with reference images for different  patterns .

Just though you might find the whole booklet useful.  

[pockets]

Yes , thanks for the tips . Iv'e already done some practice on sprue spares for doing washes  over pledge  future, I'm using tamiyas flat acrylics for paint and thinning with their thinners averaging four coat to get desired finish , have done the underside already and masked the wings and upper/ lower demarcation , Iv'e made life difficult for myself by  applying the darker colour first, but hopefully  the ocean grey will cover ok with a few coats , its quite tricky  to handbrush the camo this scale but will take  my time , wonder if its worth adding some flat white to the grey as it'll darken  slightly being applied over  the green , what do you think? Thanks for the reference guide ,will have a good look tomoz .

Edited April 8, 2022 by pockets

[Troy Smith]

22 hours ago, pockets said:

I'm using tamiyas flat acrylics for paint and thinning with their thinners averaging four coat to get desired finish

Check that won't cause the Dark Green to lift. Note, you can thin Tamiya acrylics happily with water (i use de-ionised, as I have some) and a tiny amount about 5% flow improver ( i get a 1 ml syringe, suck up 0.95 ml water, and 0.05ml flow improver, and shake)  add some paint to a palette, and water/FI mix a drop at a time until the paint flows smoothly.  

Tamiya thinners is a bit 'hotter' as in contains alcohol solvents. 

22 hours ago, pockets said:

wonder if its worth adding some flat white to the grey as it'll darken  slightly being applied over  the green , what do you think?

I don't think it will once you have a good paint coverage.

One point, the yellow leading edges.   Yellow is a sod to brush.  You will need an undercoat,   unless you have decals?  (or a scheme not needing the yellow leading edges) 

 

HTH

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

On 4/8/2022 at 6:08 PM, Troy Smith said:

I use a small flat brush for acylics,aout 6m wide,  works a lot better than a normal brush

Troy if 6 Meter’s is small to you than Id hate to see what a big brush is ? 😉

Edited April 10, 2022 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[pockets]

I've trialed a flat brush , do u use It on edge as the squarness flat on seems impossible to keep within the curves even twisting as you progress.

 

[Troy Smith]

24 minutes ago, pockets said:

I've trialed a flat brush , do u use It on edge as the squarness flat on seems impossible to keep within the curves even twisting as you progress.

 

Good question.  I keep it flat and use the side, twisting the brush as needed I think,  it's not something I think about, just do automatically...   it's what ever is comfortable and works for you, and gets a result you are happy with....  

 

I did this with a flat brush.   This is after being kleered, oil washed and flat coated BTW.

 

6 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Troy if 6 Meter’s is small to you than Id hate to see what a big brush is ?

indeed....  amazing the difference a missing m can make.....

It's actually 7mm at the ferrule.

[pockets]

Here's  a few snaps of the progress , I masked in the end , then feathered any ridges on edges of camo pattern with some elastic sanding film . Came out ok , Futured at the moment for decals and panel  line wash and weathering.