painting

[alecras234]

im painting a spitfire in 1/42 scale. im fairly happy with the camouflage area on the top but im focusing now on the underside. How do i paint a straight line where ive gone wrong by the rudder? do the wings just need an extra coat? http://s895.photobucket.com/user/alecra ... 0.jpg.html;

[BlohmWolf]

You could brush from the start of the wings and brush down in thin coats covering the whole underside in every coat. Looks like you might need 3 or 4 depending on how saturated and collected the colour looks.

[alecras234]

i gave this a thinnish layer of paint which im happy with the way it looks apart from hard lumps of paint here and there as you can see a lump of paint on the underside of the fuselage. do these lumps matter? Although i feel it could do with one more coat of paint, what do you think? http://s895.photobucket.com/user/alecra ... 1.jpg.html;

[Maketci]

Uppss! Paint coats too thick.
I will suggest a simple formula. With a syringe and : Total 10 units for paint, 60% synthetic thinner and 40% use Humbrol enamel paint. Ok ?

Regards,
Maketci.

[alecras234]

can you explain please?

[JohnRatzenberger]

First, I moved this topic as it is not a workbench thread.

Next, Maketci is telling you to thin your paint 40% paint, 60% thinner -- it looks way too thick.

The lumps mean it isn't well-stirred, or it means the edge of the tin/jar is crudded up with old paint and you are dragging your brush through it.

First, in the tin/jar, stir, stir, stir, using a lifting motion - work your way into the corners - do that until it is all nice and smooth, no globs.

You should pour enough paint into something separate, an old cup, lid, etc, and do your thinning there (and more stirring), not in the original jar.

Then paint out of there also, not the tin/jar. And do not pour the unused paint back in the tin/jar.

Clean the edge of the tin/jar just to be sure it seals tightly.

[alecras234]

i have small pots of humbrol acrylic paint, i do stir with a cocktail stick for a few minutes, then i dip my brush into the pot. how long do i need to stir?

[iggie]

Stirring with a cocktail stick will work but can take a while in my experience. I use an Ikea coffee frother, with the coiled spring removed from the shaped wire, a few seconds of stirring and the paint will be well mixed. I'm not sure where you are based, but the frother it's only a couple of pounds in the UK

[JohnRatzenberger]

i have small pots of humbrol acrylic paint, i do stir with a cocktail stick for a few minutes, then i dip my brush into the pot. how long do i need to stir?

I'd get something more sturdy than a cocktail stick - look for skewers, you can cut them into shorter sections.

You stir, reverse directions, dig into corners, until you get no more lumps or globs - remember stir with a lifting motion so you can see what comes up - when it drains cleanly off the stick it's probably OK.

Then follow what I said - don't paint from the pot. Get a small artists palette with a half-dozen cups in it.

[alecras234]

skewers as in kebab skewers? can you show me a picture of one, im not sure what you mean?

[JohnRatzenberger]

skewers as in kebab skewers? can you show me a picture of one, im not sure what you mean?

Yes, a kebab skewer is fine ... about 3-4mm in diameter.

[alecras234]

so do i stir the acrylic paint thats in the pot using a skewer for a feew minutes then pour some paint onto a plastic pallet and then add water to the paint to thin the paint?

[JohnRatzenberger]

Yes. You do not want to thin the original pot as it has effects on the paint, and if you keep thinning every time you use it, it just gets worse.

And you do not stir for a few minutes - you stir, stir, stir, with a lifting motion until the paint is thoroughly mixed -- 5 seconds, 5 minutes, 5 hours, whatever it takes. Do it to standard, not time.

[alecras234]

what do i do about the hard lumps of paint on the aircraft that im working on at the moment, shall i leave it and start another model?

[JohnRatzenberger]

If you are working in acrylics, you could use a mild thinner on a cotton bud and literally scrub them off, then repaint.