Tamiya 1/48 P-38 Lightning

[BigGreg]

WOW that is a fantastic color modulation like leopard spots.. love it... i'm really looking forward to see the next episode... ;-) :-)

[Guest]

Thanks Greg. I've done a quick test on the other drop tank and the effect looks OK, so fingers crossed.

Gary, not sure I'd be able to get a straighter line with a brush if I'm honest, plus it must give quite a hard edge. And I'd have to switch paints as brushing that much lacquer would be asking for trouble. I'll stick with the AB and just keep practicing :smiling3:

[Guest]

So, it's back to being busy at work which is a nice change, so after painting 20 cars today I thought I'd come home and relax - with a bit more painting!

Really happy with the underside. It's to my taste anyway. Subtle, but with enough variation to not be a slab of solid colour. I know some would go much heavier but I'm pleased with the look. More work to come obviously with washes and I'll try again with oils, but a good foundation I think. Once finished I also mixed a lighter shade and speckled on a few dots in random areas.

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[JR]

Looks good Andy.

[topgazza]

I like that effect Andy. Almost a shame to weather it. Nice panel lines

[stillp]

20 cars in a day? You don't hang about Andy!
Pete

[topgazza]

They're all crap. He sprays them with a Hozelock garden hose and a foot pump. Gets the volume done though :flushed:

[Guest]

Thanks chaps. Still a ways to go but a good start I think.

Yes Pete, they call me an animal, hopefully they mean that in a good way lol . I'd done 14 by lunchtime but the other guys doing the bodywork side couldn't keep up so only manage 6 in the afternoon.

Gary, I guess you've seen my work before :smiling5:

[Steven000]

Nice effect Andy :thumb2:

[topgazza]

I'm not saying his company uses child labour.......but

[topgazza]

Andy, can you run through what you did after applying the panel line pre spray please ? That is such a good finish and no real sign of the pre spray...overspray

[BigGreg]

WOW those rivets... those panels... WONDERFUL and the paintjob... WOW.... keep it coming..

[Guest]

Sure Gary.

If I start back at the primer, that's Mr Surfacer 1500, thinned about 50/50 with their Mr Levelling Thinner (a slow thinner that can be used in many other types of paint with great results)
Mr Color flat white was then blown through the template, that was thinned maybe 1:4 paint : MLT.
Then the lines were redone with Mr Surfacer, again well thinned, around 1:4.

This was silky smooth, you really don't get overspray or dry spray with MLT, but just in case I gave it a rub over with a soft cloth.

Mr Color Neutral Gray was then thinned at least 1:4, maybe even thinner (I do it by eye rather than measuring), and misted on over the top of all the pre-shading. Building up in thin transparent coats and letting it dry in between, until I had the look I was after. It's very easy to add one coat too many and bury all the previous work, which is what I normally do, but I took it more slowly this time.

I then put a few drops of white into what was left in the cup and turned the pressure right down on the airbrush until I got the kind of speckles I wanted. The pressure is so low that you have to kind of pump the trigger to get anything at all to come out.

Then finally a tip I picked up from Barry W. I emptied the cup, put pure MLT into the dregs that were left, and misted it over the top. This reactivates the paint and kind of "melts" the surface, smoothing everything out even more.

Hope that's enough detail for you. The magic sauce for me is the lacquer paints, I just can't seem to get on with water based acrylics. Many have great success with them, but I struggle.

And thanks Greg! Glad you are liking it so much.

[topgazza]

Thanks Andy, good technique.

I'm struggling to get tips on mottling and I'll probably use the AB when I get round to it and create tiny blobs or small shapes. I have my old trusty 1/72 Hurricane to practice on mind you. Already primed. Never thought of black as a primer before, it defies logic from a car perspective. But the effect is excellent here. I just love those panel lines to bits. So neat and thats the way I prefer them. Interesting aboy lacquer as well

[Guest]

Panel lines and rivets should hopefully stand out more once there's a wash on there. I'm going to try Richard's (rtfoe) technique of watercolour paints for that.

But it's one reason I started using black primer for most things - anywhere you can't quite get to with paint just looks dark, like a natural shadow. By misting the Neutral Gray on it didn't reach into the depths of those lines and details. If I'd have put in on wet it would have filled them up.