Painting Cockpits

[Stratto]

I am sorry if this has been covered before. I would like to ask painting with acrylics when doing cockpits trying to paint as much as possible by airbrush but I still need to brush paint.

 

the problem is a lot paints like Vallejo Model Air don’t brush well. I have used some Vallejo Model Colour and find the paint thicker. 
 

so what paint is best for brush painting on some kits where the paint will not stick to the plastic. I have a paint shaker that mixes the paint and also I have a paint battery stick but does not work with bottles like Vallejo.

i have not primed as I see other people manage without priming. Any thoughts appreciated.

[Stephen]

Vallejo Model Colour is superb for brush painting but it will simply not adhere to bare plastic properly. If you put primer down you'll have no problems as Model Colour has to go down on a primed surface. I don't know what paints you're airbrushing but I like acrylics and lacquers, for example if I was painting the cockpit of a modern jet I'd prime the parts with Halfords Primer then spray the appropriate Tamiya grey base colour then hand brush the detail with Vallejo Model Colour thinned with good old Scottish tap water. Alternatively I would skip the primer and spray the Tamiya grey directly on to the plastic then detail paint. You've made a good choice with Model Colour but due to it's qualities it has to go down on to a primed or previously painted surface rather than bare plastic. 

[Stratto]

Ah ok so if I was to paint an ejection seat then paint it with a base colour I use Vallejo Model Air for airbrushing then I can use Model Colour over the base coat with the multiple colours of the ejection seat. I also use Tamiya paints but prefer Vallejo to avoid any nasty pigments flying around for my faithful friend who in in my profile picture.

I do use a spray booth for airbrushing but this is a whole different topic. Thanks Stephen, I will give that a go.

[flyboy2610]

Make sure to clean the plastic with soap and water, then leave it to air dry. Wearing disposable latex gloves, give the model a coat of primer. The first coat should be barely misted on, the second a bit heavier, the third a bit heavier yet. Allow the primer to cure for at least 24 hours. This is what really lets it get a grip on the plastic. Then brush paint it. Vallejo Model Color is a bit thicker, and probably best for brush painting, but I brush paint Model Air as well. It's a bit thinner, so will need at least two coats, but it's entirely doable.

[Paul Lucas]

For cleaning plastic prior to applying paint, try wiping the surface down with a tissue dipped in Methylated Spirits (the purple stuff). If there is a lot of raised moulded detail on a surface such as a cockpit interior, instrument panel or ejection seat, use a stiff brush. The Methylated Spirits will remove most types of grease from the surface and evaporates away in seconds leaving a clean dry surface almost instantly.

Edited April 10 by Paul Lucas
Correcting punctuation.

[Troy Smith]

On 09/04/2024 at 21:01, Stratto said:

Ah ok so if I was to paint an ejection seat then paint it with a base colour I use Vallejo Model Air for airbrushing then I can use Model Colour over the base coat with the multiple colours of the ejection seat. I also use Tamiya paints but prefer Vallejo

No acrylic really wants to stick to plastic, but you spread it about to make a film that coats the surface.    They tend to be a bit fragile,  because while they touch dry fast, they take days to fully cure.  I brush the outside,  and have no real problem, the occasional little scratch it about it.

 

The green is Vallejo Model Color, the grey is Tamiya.  They are specific  mixes, hence the little bottles.

20240206_202232 by losethekibble, on Flickr

 

I didn't bother cleaning the plastic, or using a primer.   What you do need to do with Model Color is get it to flow, and this usually requires thinning.   A brief digression, plain water due to it's molecular structure is quite 'thick'  due to hydrogen bonding,  this is what causes surface tension.   

You can reduce this by using a flow improver,   I have a specific Windsor and Newton one,  but at a push a tiny amount of washing up liquid will likely gives a similar result.

I make a mix with a syringe,  you want 3-5% flow improver,  a graduated syringe makes this easy.  I also use de-ionised water, mostly as I bought some years ago when I was intending to airbrush,  I don't know if it make much difference to tap water,  but I have it so I use it.

 

Draw up water, draw up flow improver, shake.

Add Model Color to a pallette, add water/FI mix a drop at a time until like full fat milk and paint away.  This also works for Tamiya that it commonly said you can't brush.  Tamiya uses an alcohol as the main solvent, it's 'hotter; than water and on it own causes the wet paint to drag up the applied paint, using the water/FI mix reduces the 'hotness' and it then brushes no problem.

  For larger areas, use a small flat brush.

If it won't brush out easily to a flat coat, it's too thick,  as a comparison Vallejo Model Air is a bit thin to brush, but you can brush it. 

For small areas of colour, like switches and control knobs, neat Model Color.

 

 

Tamiya does tend to stick better than Vallejo, so you can use that as a base coat,  I'd be careful about applying Tamiya over Vallejo,  but the uppers on the Hurricane I used Tamiya grey and Vallejo green, and had to over paint in places.

 

 

As with anything new, test on something first.

 

For washes I use artist oils diluted with lighter fuel, it makes the thinnest, most seeking wash possible.   I have applied this direct over Vallejo, and only if I scrub the wash hard will it damage the Vallejo.

 

You only use a tiny amount of lighter fuel as well,  so odour and fumes are minimal.  

 

Oil wash over neat Vallejo was how I did this,  though I had used Mr Surfacer, but that was over the paint resistant polythene the figure is moulded in.

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235072084-132-airfix-paratrooper-officer/

 

And this how this figure was done, the wash really makes detail 'pop'  which will help on a seat.

 

 

As with anything, try out on scrap until you are happy with the result.  

 

HTH

[Stratto]

Excellent tips I am learning all the time.it’s certainly a lot different when I used enamel paints brush painting. 

[Giorgio N]

Personally I use Vallejo's a lot in painting cockpits, both the Model Air and the Model Colour. Of course I prime before painting: for larger areas I use a spray primer (Tamiya or Mr. Surfacer). For smaller details I either groupe a number of parts together and use the same spray cans or alternatively I use.. Vallejo's primer, that can be brushed easily and sticks well to plastic.
Vallejo's primers are also available in a number of colours, something that can be of help when painting a cockpit. Their black primer for example is perfect as a base for those ejections seats that are mostly painted in black. They have a number of grey primers including a German Panzer Grey one that is very similar to RLM 66 and in any case, being a very dark grey colour, suits well black or dark grey cockpits. They even have a silver coloured primer.

 

Once primed, I love these colours because of how quickly they dry, allowing me to add a lot of details in a short time.

[Stratto]

Thanks Giorgio N I do have primer but some prime and others don’t but it seems like a very good idea and like you say you can paint a few in one go and leave to dry for 24 hours. Also can I ask is it best to seal the acrylic paint with gloss varnish before detailing or dry brushing. I seem to be getting varying results and I think I have set the bar quite high so not to ruin the model but I may need to just go for it as I am reluctant at times to do things without watching or posting. Time to try out some suggestions. This is what I like about this forum people are really helpful.

[KingCobra]

I don't like Vallejo's primer, as it tends to come off in stripes too easily if touched or just being looked at the wrong way. I take the regular Model Air colors to prime. Works fine with me. I usually don't clean the sprues before airbrushing at all. 

[flyboy2610]

Vallejo primer has always worked well for me. I wash the model with soap and water, or wipe it down well with 91% IPA. Prime the model, and leave it for a minimum of 24 hours, 48 is more normal. That lets the primer CURE, not just DRY. Then paint over it. If you don't let it cure, you're going to have issues.

[Giorgio N]

23 hours ago, Stratto said:

Thanks Giorgio N I do have primer but some prime and others don’t but it seems like a very good idea and like you say you can paint a few in one go and leave to dry for 24 hours. Also can I ask is it best to seal the acrylic paint with gloss varnish before detailing or dry brushing. I seem to be getting varying results and I think I have set the bar quite high so not to ruin the model but I may need to just go for it as I am reluctant at times to do things without watching or posting. Time to try out some suggestions. This is what I like about this forum people are really helpful.

 

Gloss varnish.... it really depends on what you're going to do over the paint. If you're applying a wash then yes, it could be useful to have a gloss coat over the paint. This because on matt paints the wash can be harder to remove and leave excessive residues. Said that, if I'm using a wash applied very carefully I often do not add a gloss coat.

At the same time if I have to apply decals in areas of the cockpit then of course it's best to have a gloss coat, followed by decals, whatever wash or other effect required and then a final matt or semimatt coat.

Have to add that often I paint the cockpit in a semigloss or gloss paint by adding some clear gloss to the base paint. This mostly when I airbrush the main cockpit colour,

Regarding drybrushing, I generally don't bother with a gloss coat before this, you can drybrush over Vallejos with no problem. I generally do this using the same paints, if I find the result excessive (and sometime I do apply too much paint while drybrushing), I just cover with a thin coat of the original colour to blend everything in.