Dullcote, Glosscote or nothing at all

[Leander65]

Once upon a time, I loved building models, but I was young and foolish.  So I would just build them as fast as possible and not worry about things like the right colors of paint etc.  In retrospect, I’ve regretted this although this hobby did give me great joy when I was young.  So I don’t regret it that much. 

 

I started with models again as a hobby when I was stuck at home during Pandemic lockdowns.  I’ve focused on building a number of American and British fighters from what my dad always called “THE WAR”.  I’m painting by hand, not airbrush.  I’ve gotten sufficient competent for me at assembling and painting the models although the canopies still unnerve me.  So I have an essentially completed P-40, P-47, P-51 (two), Corsair, Spitfire and Hurricane.  And a B25 because that was a great example of the type of problem solving.  

 

And, now, I face the question of what to do after they look good enough painted (at least to me !) but without decals.  I bought Testors Glosscote and Dullcote, which seems to be a potential next step.  I don’t like the look of the first plane I’ve used clearcote on — not too shiny, more that it’s a little yellowish.  

 

Is the “cote” a necessary next step?  Or can I go right to decals?  Or should I try a different clearcote or Dullcote from Testors?  Or perhaps the problem is that I should “thin” it before painting it on (not using airbrush)?   

 

I will not be offended by any comments that you might have and will contemplate them all carefully.  

Edited May 7, 2022 by Leander65
Typo

[Jeff G]

I'll give my experience and take from it what you will - typically, to make sure the decals last a long time, I do a gloss coat over the whole aircraft. Then, I apply the decals. THEN, I apply a second gloss coat to "seal them in". Now they will never peel. After all that, I do a dull coat, because I think they look silly being extremely shiny. Yes aircraft have a sheen, but...y'know. You could also consider the dull coat "weathering" since it's been around dust and dirt, etc.

 

Long story short (too late): Gloss coat, decals, gloss coat, dull coat. 

 

All this being said, I'm also still experimenting with how much is necessary, etc. 

[Seawinder]

I'm with Jeff G in being in favor of gloss-coat, decals, final clear-coat (whether flat, semi-matte, gloss, or whatever in between you want to achieve), although I know there are good modelers who eschew the pre-decal gloss-coat. However, IMHO there are better options than the Testors products, at least one of which has a distinct yellowish hue. Gunze makes really good clear coats in both aqueous acrylics and acrylic lacquers. There are also good products from Tamiya, Vallejo, and others that have no yellowish tint.

[dnl42]

I clear-coat after decals, primarily to protect the decals but also to even out the sheen. I use Microscale Industries Micro Flat and Micro Satin, and Mr Color C46 Gloss Clear

 

I don't usually gloss coat before decals because Mr Color paints lay down so very smooth, they don't need a gloss coat in my experience.

[PattheCat]

I airbrush Tamiya and Gunze acrylics and I din't use a gloss coat before decals (most Gunze paints are semi-glossy, so decalling works rather well straight on).

But I decided to give it a go after a decal setting solution damaged paint. I would never go back.

After a gloss coat decals slide easier into place with less risk of shredding,, no more fingerprints, kit ready for weathering (best apply some gloss over the decals before weathering).

 

I just used Alclad Aqua gloss ALC 600 (Alclad or Mig branded) for the first time and I am very happy with it but I airbrush it and don't know if it works with the hairy stick.

Tamiya gloss was my choice before but it alters the look of Vallejo water based metal colors.

 

I also apply an overall final sealing/protective coat after decals and weathering (flat or semi-gloss, Tamiya or Gunze acrylics and I intend to try Winsor&Newton Galeria acrylic).

 

My way, but you've got to find which products and techniques suit you best. Trial and error is the way to go but a gloss before applying decals is the safe option.

 

Wish you much pleasure back at the hobby.

[RJP]

A couple of points with respect to surface finish.

 

Shiny is nice but too shiny can be too much.  The shine ought to decrease with apparent distance, just like colours can be muted for scale, so a model ought to have a sheen - a soft shine - rather than a sparkle.  (The idea of scale colour has its adherents and detractors - wear armour if you venture into that discussion!)  The shinier the surface the easier it is to see any slight imperfection - they'll jump right out at you.

 

 

Don't assume that the surface sheen on the real thing is uniform.  Different sheens can show up even on camouflaged machines.  The insignia sometimes can be seen in pre-war gloss but the rest of the airframe is in brand new matt paints.  So where possible model from a picture paying attention to what you see rather than what you assume.

 

I have noticed that covering a mix of gloss and matt paints or decals does not always give the uniform finish I want.  It's tempting to go for heavy coats but beware buildups of varnishes that can go white on you if you are using matt.  And too much gloss tends in my hands to look like a glazed doughnut.

 

[Farmer matt]

Part of the reason for the initial gloss coat is that decals do not like to adhere to matt, and can also suffer 'silvering'when applied to a less than smooth finish, which will often show up the carrier varnish coat of the decal. As most models will have decals dotted about here and there all over, it is easier to over-all gloss the entire model.

However, if you only had an isolated decal to fix, you could just gloss that area first, but then you risk that area always standing out.

The coating after decals is essential, if only to protect the decal from damage, both immediate and longterm. Again, because of layout etc it is often simpler to coat the entire model, and the same caveat applies to just coating an isolated piece, it will stand out.

You will find what techniques work for you, and what brands etc you prefer with time. Many of these things are personal preference and it is what you feel comfortable with that will likely give you the best result.

Matt

[Leander65]

Thanks for the information.  It seem very helpful.  

[Space Ranger]

You do NOT need to use a gloss coat. The surface that you apply decals to should be smooth, but does not have to be shiny. If you use matt paints, you can smooth the surface after the paint is dry by gently polishing it with a micro-fiber cloth, a piece of worn denim, or even a paper coffee filter.

 

For the best decal application tutorial ever, see here:

 

 

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

I agree with that. I still use a clear coat sometimes as a final seal-in, but I only use them as intermediate steps if I need a chemical barrier now. Polishing is, in my personal opinion, the better way to smooth a paint finish for decals with less build up of coats which is seldom desireable.