Seeking paint advice for Bluenose II

[Simon29]

Hi 

As a newbie. I am after some advice on types of paint.

What do you use on the wooden models.

Is it acrylic or oil based like humbrol.

Building my late father's model,taking time planking etc, but the video says sand and fill before painting. Thought a decent planked Hull wouldn't need painting.

Any way back to the question ebay paint would you suggest 

Many thanks 

Simon

[ccoyle]

4 minutes ago, Simon29 said:

Is it acrylic or oil based like humbrol.

 

Either will do. It largely depends on what you're used to working with. Personally, I use acrylics simply because they're cheaper, they clean up with water, and I don't use an airbrush.

[GGibson]

I am not a paint expert, but I have been using acrylic paint on my hand-brushed Bluenose. Goes on the wood well (after a white primer underneath) with a couple of coats on the hull, and the brushes clean up nicely with water and a drop of Dawn detergent. 

[ccoyle]

I should add that not all acrylic paints are created equally. I use cheap, craft store paints for my card models, and for that purpose the coarse pigments used in such paints are not an issue. For wooden models, I recommend that you use acrylics specifically formulated for models -- they have finer pigments and will thus produce smoother finishes.

[Bob Cleek]

2 hours ago, ccoyle said:

For wooden models, I recommend that you use acrylics specifically formulated for models -- they have finer pigments and will thus produce smoother finishes.

Excellent advice... to which I will add that any wood one intends to paint with water-based acrylics should be first sealed with shellac or thinned varnish or the equivalent and sanded lightly (so as not to remove the sealer down to bare wood again.) Application of water-based coatings onto bare wood is likely to cause the wood grain to raise. For a "model quality" finish, the surface must be perfectly smooth, and the paint applied in a thin coat, or preferably several thin coats, to obtain a proper finish. 

[hamilton]

I use artist acrylics on my models - there are many brands but I go with Golden. This brand is truly astonishing in terms of how long the pigment holds over time - I have bottles of this stuff that I use maybe once every two years and there is literally zero separation of the pigment, which is what you will normally find both with oils, as well as with cheaper acrylics. They're a bit more expensive, but if you want long-lasting paints and long-lasting results, a decent artist acrylic will be best.

hamilton

 

quick edit - the downside is that there tend to be less variety in tones and shades in artist acrylics as with modelling acrylics, since it's assumed that many artists will want to mix their own tones from base pigments. I have yet, for example, to find a good off the shelf yellow ochre or gun carriage red in the artist acrylic brand I use - obviously for many period ship modellers, these tones are not a matter of compromise....

h.

Edited October 30, 2023 by hamilton

[bigcreekdad]

I used a spray can red on the lower hull. My first use of it but I really liked the finish of it. Don't remember the brand, but I bought it at our local hobby store, so I'm thinking it was nothing exotic. The upper hull black was brushed on Vallejo Negro.

Edited November 16, 2023 by bigcreekdad

[MarcNS]

All good advice.  I have painted a couple of Bluenose models and would suggest that a really good paint choice is model shipways “hull copper red”.  It’s acrylic and a little thicker than other acrylic paints that I’ve used.  That and the slightly duller finish is more authentic. 

[ERS Rich]

All acrylic in my shop.  Airbrush is Paasche Talon, for large areas Iwata RG-3 mini sprayer.  Small compressor from Home Depot - 15 psi.  Paint: Vallejo Air or Tamiya.  Brush small details with Vallejo Model Color: Steam Era Set.  
 

Airbrushing is all about a clean brush and thinned paint + practice.  
 

Good luck.

[bigcreekdad]

😹ERS. You have built some beautiful ships. I'm humbled when I look at mine.

[vaddoc]

I d suggest experimenting with both. There are pros and cons.

 

Enamels have far, far better coverage and are far tougher. Their depth of colour is better. However, they require mineral spirits, make a bigger mess and because they take longer to dry, attract dust. Painting inside the house may (will) create problems with the admiral.

Acrylics are easier to use. I always tell myself next time I ll use enamels and end up using acrylics. Better range of colours as well.

Check the relevant thread on painting with acrylics. Lots of good info.

Seal the wood before painting. You can use shellac as Bob suggests but I find decoart multi purpose water based sealer superior and easier to use.

After painting you must put some form of varnish over your paint or it will easily get scratched. I am disappointed with water based and polyurethane varnishes - I ll go back to enamels. Or so I say myself...

[ERS Rich]

On 11/17/2023 at 10:30 AM, bigcreekdad said:

😹ERS. You have built some beautiful ships. I'm humbled when I look at mine.

Good Morning Sinon,

 

Thanks for the kind words.  Likewise, I’m humbled by the work of craftsman and artisans here on MSW.

 

See that you are getting started.  Think about several  things, tools/ techniques, finishing, and the project.  If you’ve never worked with wood, study how.  Plenty of Youtube videos out there - see Tom Lauria’s channel.

 

Gather the hand tools needed.  It can be chisels, files, and small saws.  Woodworking is measuring, marking, cutting to a line.  Start with hand tools, later if you are into it, step up to power tools.  Probably the most important skill for a woodworking beginner is being able to sharpen a chisel.

 

Likewise study wood finishing - sealing then color.  Consider shellac for sealing, it’s natural and dries quickly.  And it’s very forgiving, it’s sandable.  Start with paint brushes to apply paint, my suggestion is acrylics - and pay attention to thinning the paint, so it lays down nicely.  
 

Last is the kit.  Start with a very inexpensive and easy kit.  This is practice to develop the skills and techniques that work for you.  Once you have your technique down, move up to a more difficult kit.  The last thing you want to do is buy an expensive kit before you have developed your techniques.  That’s a setup to fail.

 

Start with an open boat.  The idea is to move through all the steps and finish the project in a reasonable amount of time.  Don’t worry necessary how it looks, it doesn’t need to be perfect.  Keep a log, for yourself, write down what does and doesn’t work.  This is the time to experiment and figure out what works for you.  There is usually more than one way to get a result.

 

One idea is to buy two of the same inexpensive kit to start and build them at the same time.  Experiment and perfect a step on the first, then do it again on the second.  
 

Avoid perfectionism and finish the project and enjoy the satisfaction of getting it done.

 

The open boat project lays the foundation of building a hull and paint.  Next is projects with a single mast, then two masts  - schooner rig, then square rig.

 

Best of luck and happy holidays.

 

-Rich