I need help painting my model

[AmateurModelBuilder]

I have just recently gotten my first model, bregante by mini mamoli, and I need help painting it. I havent built it yet but I just want to buy all equipment I need at the same time. So I was just wondering, do I use a primer before painting with acryllic paint and what wood varnishes do you reccomend? Also do I put the varnish before I paint the model, or after its been painted? If anyone can give me answers I would be most grateful.

[Thukydides]

Hi @AmateurModelBuilder, welcome to the forums.

 

Your question is a very broad one and there is no way I can answer it in a post, but what I would suggest is the following:

1. Start a build log, this is a great way to get help as you go along.
2. Look for build logs of others who have done your kit and read them all.
3. Search in this section of the forum for specific questions regarding painting. Navigate to here and then in the top right corner there is a search function. Search for the topic in question for example you could search "primer" and you will find lots of posts on the subject.

A quick summary of what you might want to think about with regard to painting is below:

 

In general when it comes specifically to painting you first need to seal the wood in some way. This can be accomplished through some sort of sanding sealer or by using an acrylic primer. After you prime you need to sand and then add another smooth coat and then sand again and so on. If you want to achieve a look a bit like on the box you will need some masking tape (I use tamiya). As a general rule I use a little bit of acrylic varnish to seal the gap when painting wood as otherwise sometimes it runs down the grain. If you use a sanding sealer this step may not be necessary.

 

For painting use thinned acrylic paint designed for miniature painting or artist grade acrylics (don't use cheap paint). My rule of thumb is two thin coats, though depending on the colour you may need a third. Always make sure you let the previous coat fully dry before adding the next and sand as necessary.

 

Take your time, model making is a marathon not a sprint. Treat each step as its own project, I have never regretted taking more time on something, but have frequently regretted rushing.

Edited March 21 by Thukydides

[Dr PR]

Seal the wood before painting! Water based paints like acrylics raise the wood fibers and leave a "fuzzy" surface.

 

A good sealer is shellac. You can paint over it with any paint. It dries quickly.

 

Sand smooth with fine sand paper. Brush off sanding dust and grit and apply a second coat of sealer. Sand again and then finish with #0000 steel wool.

 

BUT

 

You must clean the surface after using steel wool - the tiny particles can rust and discolor the finish. I brush the hull first, and then rub down with a clean dry rag. I also have a 1 inch (25 mm) "U" magnet to pick up steel wool lint from the model surface and work bench.

 

You can also use the fine steel wool on a coat of thoroughly dried paint to produce a "satin" finish.

 

Some instructions say acrylic paints dry in an hour or less. They will change from "wet" as you paint to "dry" that is no longer runny, but it will still be soft and easily damaged. It may take a day or two for the acrylic material to harden, and a week or more to attain full hardness. It is OK to apply a second thin coat over an initial thin coat when the first coat is "dry," but wait a day or two before sanding.

[Bob Cleek]

As said, the answer to "How do I paint my model?" is far too complicated to answer comprehensively in just a single forum post. We haven't even gotten past whether you've chosen wisely in wanting to use water-based acrylics rather than oil-based enamels. (Each has its own pluses and minuses.) Painting is one of the more demanding skills a ship modeler must acquire and in as much as it is one of those things that people think they know all they need to about, it's one which frequently brings one to unexpected grief if not done properly. Perhaps the first thing one must realize is that any paint job on a scale model must itself also be to the same scale as the model. In the scales we encounter in ship modeling, this means that the paint jobs have to be as near to perfect as possible.

 

I would urge you to get a copy of the second volume of the Nautical Research Guild's book, Ship Modeler's Shop Notes, which has a chapter on how to paint ship models that is as good a treatment of the subject as I've ever seen. The rest of the book is full of similarly excellent trick of the trade. While you are at it, you might as well buy Volume I of the same publication. Once you see one of them, you'll want the other for sure.   Used copies can sometimes be found on eBay, but a new copy can easily be obtained for a reasonable price from the NRG directly. See: Ship Modeler's Shop Notes, and Vol. 2 – Nautical Research Guild (thenrgstore.org) and Ship Modeler's Shop Notes, Vol. I – Nautical Research Guild (thenrgstore.org) 

[Wawona59]

Hi amateurmodelbuilder  that looks like a good first project.  Look at some of the build logs on MSW for solid hull model ships.  There are many to choose from but off the top of my head a recommend Clipper Ship Red Jacket by John Ruy.  His build log will give you a good idea of what is involved in building a solid hull kit.  When you begin building your model, start a build log and include some photographs of your progress.  You don't have to write a novel; just enough to describe what you are doing.  This is also a good time to ask questions.  You will ALWAYS get a response with positive comments and suggestions.

 

Now, for your question about painting.

In my opinion, surface preparation is the key to a good final painted finish.    Also, don't feel like you have to paint he whole model after you've built it.  You will get better results if you paint sub-assemblies before you install them on the model.  For example:  1.  paint the cabins, hatches and deck furniture before installing them on the deck. 2.  Paint the bulwarks and waterways before planking the deck, etc.

 

Surface preparation:  Surface preparation is the key to a good final finish.  Take your time.  Sand the hull down to 220 grit.  Some modelers may even go further to 280 or 320 grit.  Shellac is a good sealer.  It comes in spray cans, premixed brush on and flakes that you can make your own.  I've even used spray can automotive primer with good results.  I've found the primer fills in tiny scratches or small imperfections.  If needed, (if your sanding exposed bare wood) add another light mist coat of primer.  You can use #0000 steel wool for this step.  As mentioned earlier by Dr. PR, steel wool can leave steel particles.  You can also use sanding pads "Scotch Brite" that you can find in the paint/finishing department of any well stocked hardware store.

 

Painting:  Your model can be painted by either spray painting or brush painting.  I prefer brush painting with acrylic paints.  That's just my choice.

 

Spray painting:  Unless you already have the equipment, don't go out and purchase an airbrush and compressor at this stage.  You don't need it.  Spray painting can be accomplished with "rattle can" paint that you can get at the hardware store or hobby shop.  Try to use "rattle can" paint formulated specifically for modeling.  Good model paint brands are Tamiya, and Mr. Color.  These are lacquer based, dry quickly and are less likely to run.  However, the fumes are bothersome, especially to other family members in the house.  You can also use hardware store spray paints like Krylon or Rustoleum.  Be careful, these are thicker and tend to build up faster which can cause runs.. 

 

Brush painting:  This is my preferred method using acrylic paints.  The downside is that it takes longer with more care.  The upside is that I can paint my models in the house without the stink or noisy compressor.  The key to a good brushed finish is high quality paint and high quality brushes.   I prefer Tamiya and Mission Models acrylic bottled paints.  I find the pigment for these is ground finer than other brands.  On occasion, I've also used artist's acrylics in a tube, such as Windsor & Newton.  I thin them with 91% isopropyl alcohol in a small plastic condiment container with a plastic snap on lid. (like the ones you can get at your local drive-thru). The mixed paint is usable for several days so you don't have to do all of the painting in one session if you mixed a custom color.  For brushes, stay away from the bargain brushes from who knows where.  You will most likely be disappointed and the bristles occasionally fall out and stick in your paint job.  Get the best quality brushes you can afford.  I prefer natural hair brushes although there are some synthetic bristle brushes that are reasonably good as well.  With proper care, natural hair brushes can last for years. For starters, you can get by with a1/2" or 1/4" flat brush for large areas and a flat 1/8" brush for smaller areas.  You will also need a couple of small round brushes for detail painting.

 

I apologize for this long response.  I didn't intend to make this a treatise and kind of got carried away.  Hopefully, there are some tidbits here that you can use.

 

Oh, and by the way, WELCOME TO MODEL SHIP WORLD.

 

[Bob Cleek]

On 3/22/2024 at 1:44 PM, Wawona59 said:

For brushes, stay away from the bargain brushes from who knows where.  You will most likely be disappointed and the bristles occasionally fall out and stick in your paint job.  Get the best quality brushes you can afford.  I prefer natural hair brushes although there are some synthetic bristle brushes that are reasonably good as well.  With proper care, natural hair brushes can last for years. For starters, you can get by with a1/2" or 1/4" flat brush for large areas and a flat 1/8" brush for smaller areas.  You will also need a couple of small round brushes for detail painting.

From your post, it's clear you are an experienced and quite competent painter, so I'm intrigued by your preference for natural bristle brushes, given your preference for water-based acrylic paints. I have always been under the impression that only synthetic brushes should be used for applying water-based coatings because water will soak into natural bristles and cause them to soften, thereby ruining the intended "snap" of the brush as well as it's shape when the water-soaked bristles swelled. This was a particularly hard and fast rule with high quality natural bristle brushes, which are quite expensive. Natural bristle brushes were only to be used with oil-based paints. My cousins were third generation commercial painters and they used to keep their high-quality Chinese boar bristle brushes under lock and key at the shop. Those were only issued to the union master painters who knew the difference and could be trusted not to use them for applying latex paint! How do your expensive sable hair brushes stand up to use in water compared to a similar grade of synthetic bristle brush? Do you notice any difference?

[Knocklouder]

23 hours ago, Bob Cleek said:

 Natural bristle brushes were only to be used with oil-based paints. 

This is true. But after you use the natural bristles brushes  in oil paint for awhile , you clean it with  paint thiner then when clean and dryed, use it in latex paint or water base . Never go back to oil with that brush, it is now a water brush. 

 I being doing this  for 47 years. I love synthetic  brushes but  for clear coats I prefer  natural  bristles  brushes, I get less brush marks lol less not none lol.    You will get all kinds of advice  about painting  and their  is some great advice here MSW  lol.

 

Good luck on your journey.  !!

Bob M .

Edited March 24 by Knocklouder
Typos

[Thukydides]

On 3/23/2024 at 7:11 PM, Bob Cleek said:

How do your expensive sable hair brushes stand up to use in water compared to a similar grade of synthetic bristle brush? Do you notice any difference?

I use sable brushes with acrylic paint and have some I have been using for years and they are still fine. I do know people who prefer synthetic, but I much prefer the natural hair brushes. I fine they keep their point better which is really what is most important when painting scale models.

 

That being said I would recommend a beginner start with relatively cheap synthetic brushes as there is no point in spending money on brushes you will inevitably ruin through lack of care. Once you know what you are doing you can invest in more expensive ones. I still use cheap walmart synthetic brushes for tasks which don’t require precision to block in colours etc…

 

Most important thing with brushes is learning to take care of them, invest in some brush soap and don’t ever let the paint rise more than half way up the brush. Rinse them frequently and take care not to damage the point.

[vaddoc]

Lots and lots of info on MSW, some dedicated threads as well, a wealth of info.

Test on scrap wood, not the model!

I would however suggest to buy good brushes straight away - System 3 if still around are great

 

Modern paints are so good that with a bit of practice and attention you ll have excellent results

 

Vaddoc

[SiriusVoyager]

I will add my two cents from my short experience as a beginner. 
 

I have found that shellac is a great all purpose varnish. It is easy to use and is alcohol based so it can be used inside the house without noxious vapors. It can be painted on and provides a hard protective shell. I use very fine sand paper to finish it. It can also be removed with alcohol if you make a mistake. I would definitely varnish after painting is completed as acrylic paint scratches easily.  As far as painting, I have painted wood models without priming or sealing. The water in the paint raises the grain but it can be sanded down. After a coat or two the paint will have sealed the wood. Of course a thin layer of sealer or shellac will prevent that and I prefer the sealant coat. Normal hardware store masking tape will cause some bleeding in places where the model isn’t perfectly flat. Specialized modeling masking tape is thin and will handle curves better than normal masking tape.