Best tips for brush painting?

[Guest]

So having not built or painted model for over 20 years, I was never really good at it. Maybe I rushed too much and didn't take my time. I was young


So I've got my first kit and its a Airfix starter kit that came with 2 brushes and 6 little paint pots. I plan on painting the body this week and want to know the bet way I can avoid brush strokes, or can I avoid them?

[Guest]

Hi Paul.


As you are using the little paint pots,don't expect too much from them.


The best advice I can give is to have your brush slightly dampened with water and to paint 2 or 3 thin coats as opposed to 1 thick coat.


Hope this helps.

[Guest]

By not using the supplied paints! They're horrible, even when trying to airbrush. Using a hairy stick.. they're even worse!

[Guest]

As above don't expect too much from these pots and brushes get some decent stuff for your next one maybe


Roger

[Guest]

Cheers! I guess I'll just "do my best", this model really is to get the knack of putting stuff together anyway

[spanner570]

Paul, you'll still get acceptable, but not great results from those little tubs when brush painting.


However, I would think you will have inherited two fine pointed brushes with your starter kit. These will be perfect for detail work, but you will never get a smooth, mark free finish on a larger area with them. Get yourself a flat / chisel headed brush, size No.2, this is a good all round size. Don't get an expensive one, something around the £3.00 mark will do nicely.


Ralph is spot on, use two, three or even more, thinned coats of paint. The first (and poss. the second) will look bloody awful! Be patient, the subsequent coats will gradually remove all the marks, leaving the painted surface as smooth as a baby's bum......

[Guest]

Would you thin the acrylic out and layer it up????

[Robert1968]

Ron has it in a nutshell ( you can get a set of flat brushes from humbrol ( I think there's 4 in the pack of differant sizes around £4/£5 ) but with thin coats you can achieve very good results ( not too much pressure just glide thin coats on in the same direction). However the starter paints are not worth it ( most will put away in the bin or give to the kids


Happy painting


Regards


Robert

[Lee W]

I have set of these little pots...no not the best but they are ideal for small parts that need a lick of paint, this I have used them for, when I get time later I'll post a photo


Lee

[Guest]

I've ordered myself

[Guest]

If you're using matt colours the brush strokes won't really show anyway, its the gloss paints that really show any flaws up, as has been said thin coats is always best (even with airbrushing) good luck and have fun

[Guest]

Make sure you apply 3-4 thin coats, they should as thin as milk and apply them after the other has dried. But for god sake don't use the supplied paints!

[zuludog]

When I started making kits (and probably for you too) the choice for brushes was fairly limited. If you wanted a decent brush you had to get sable, and not much else


There were cheaper brushes, like squirrel or camel, but not usually as good


Now there are all sorts of synthetic and mixtures available, most of them pretty good and reasonably priced; you can still get sable if you want to.


Go to a large craft store like 'Range' or your local art shop. Have a browse round and get a few different types.


The paints in Airfix kits aren't very good. I'm still using enamels, but many other members of this forum use acrylics, and will advise you accordingly or look through previous posts in the painting forum


Click on the ad for the Scale Model Shop at the top of this page. They stock several different types of paint


Central Scotland? There must be a model show in Glasgow or Edinburgh sometime where you can talk to people face to face

[Guest]

I too have just got back in to the scale modelling malarky and I bought an Aifix "Dogfight Doubles" kit which came with two brushes and the the little paint pots.


You do have to give the pots a very good stir, even if it looks ok to use, as others have said, be prepared to put 2-3 thin coats on. The the first will look horrendous but persevere and it will end up looking fine, the matt colours came up ok but I'm not impressed with the metallics, they just look dull. The brushes I got are actually quite nice. Mine came with two little tubes of glue which can be messy. I squeezed some out and applied with cocktail sticks for better control.