Scale Model Shop

**PaulinKendal** · 04 January 2023, 22:58

Although I'm on Pause with the building of this diorama, I'm not stopping thinking about it.

The diorama centres on a big old characterful tree, with the three protagonists in a triangle around it.

I'm thinking of trying for an ancient tree with a big gnarly trunk, but a severely reduced canopy. That way I get the character of a really big old tree, without it completely swamping the whole diorama.

Something like this - but with a bit more foliage.

The model will be about 12" high.

**PaulinKendal** · 22 January 2023, 14:12

OK, so I've returned to Hlin and her troublesome primer. After stripping off the acrylic primer, I've just tried again, this time with Mr. Finishing Surfacer 1500. And it's not gone on right. Again, I've got some blotchy, blobby areas. So she's getting another strip down to the resin.

Can I have some advice on priming with lacquer?

Should I thin it? Multiple coats? Airbrush pressure? Anything, really, that might help with another new learning curve.

**PaulinKendal** · 22 January 2023, 14:16

Here's the effect - this is on the other figure, Kyra, which I haven't (yet) started stripping.

**PaulinKendal** · 22 January 2023, 18:28

Well, I've already discovered I should've thinned it right down - much more than acrylics. Makes sense to me!

**Tim Marlow** · 22 January 2023, 19:54

That’s dried before it hit Paul. Been there a few times

Dilute it down (the old milk adage works well) and use about 15psi. First coat very thin, subsequent coats a bit thicker so it covers.

**PaulinKendal** · 22 January 2023, 20:04

Thanks Tim. What time gap between coats? (Discovering it strips off with lacquer thinner very easily).

**Tim Marlow** · 22 January 2023, 20:16

In my experience a couple of minutes, really once the shine goes. It gets touch dry really quickly. Once primed I always leave overnight before painting though……

**PaulinKendal** · 22 January 2023, 20:20

Helpful as ever, Tim. Thanks very much.

**PaulinKendal** · 23 January 2023, 21:41

It was over a month ago now that I started struggling with the primer coats on these two figures. Since then I've stripped them back twice, and re-primed them three times!

Third time lucky, I guess. Thanks to great advice once again from Tim Marlow - thats a smooth enough finish for me. I can see myself using lacquer primer more often...

**PaulinKendal** · 28 January 2023, 19:43

I'm enjoying painting this little one.

A tiny green gemstone at her throat.

Fabric effect shamelessly stolen from Roman Lappat's painting of the same figure.