Paint creep

[mossiepilot]

Hi guys,

Don't know if this has been asked before - had a quick look round before I posted - I'm finishing up my 1:72 Stuka and I hit a bit of a problem. I'm brush painting and following the advice of you good guys I thinned my humbrol enamals to the consistancy of milk and did a couple of coats, but I'm finding that the thin paint "creeps" between bits that are close together, such as the elevators and the rudder. Am I making the paint too thin or is it something else.

Any help please.

Tony

[Ian M]

I am no brush painting expert, but I think that the "milky thin" paint will not be that good with a brush. When thinning paint for a brush finish, I would go for just enough thinners to get the paint to flow out; not drag or leave brush marks, but still be thick enough to do the job in one or two coats.

The Guy we really need to jump in here is one of our hairy stick master painters.....

Oh Ron! Where are are you......

Ian M

[spanner570]

Good advise from Ian, Tony.

I think your paint might be indeed a bit on the thin side. To get close to the right consistancy try this trick my late father taught me.....

Get a bit of scrap flat plastic and scribe a groove on it the same depth as your model 'joints' then mix your paint until it's just thin enough to not go down the groove.

Personally, it doesn't bother me if it does run 'cos when the paint is dry, I just go over the offending run with the correct colour with a thin brush, 000 for instance. It will never be noticed.

One thing to be careful of is if you try and be too fiddly or too thick with the initial coat you will spoil the continuity of the paint flow and leave marks.

I hope this is of some help but I really wouldn't be too bothered with runs in grooves, as I have written, they are easily rectified.

I'm sure you know, but to anyone else reading this, I can't stress the need when brush painting to keep the paint flowing thus retaining a 'wet' edge. So work quickly with as big a brush as you can manage!

Cheers,

Ron

[mossiepilot]

Thanks Ron.

I'll try that, still a bit wary, lack of confidence I suppose, when painting the outside, or doing any sort of painting to the plane.

I've looked at the skilled work on display on this site and I want to do my best.

Practice makes perfect and builds confidence they say.

Thanks again.

Tony

[spanner570]

No problem, glad to be of some help....

Just remember though, there is only one way to gain confidence, that's to have a go...again and again.

Try your best of course, but remember some of the blokes on here have been painting models for a fair time and to try and copy their work only leads to frustration....That's why I have never read books or watched d.v.d.'s on model building.....I would have given up long ago if I had!

Take your time, your skill and confidence will improve with each build, but get stuck in. If it does go tits up just re-prime and start again! Most of all have fun....

Here endeth yet another sermon from the mount!!lol

Please put cash (no cheques) in the bowl as you leave, thanks.

Ron

[mossiepilot]

Cheers Ron.

I'll go back to just doing - like when I was a kid.

Tony

[spanner570]

Thing is Tony, when we were winkies we had supreme confidence, probably borne of ignorance and just went for it!

Now we are older, perhaps we are not so confident of our own abilities and tend to balk at things that once upon a time we would have taken in our stride....

So perhaps your suggestion holds some merit for us all!!

Cheers,

Ron