Painting

For best results it is advisable to use a primer as this will stick to the plastic and give a uniform coat of paint and cover up any imperfections that may have occurred during the gluing stage It also allows your base colour a good foundation...

There are various techniques for adding these fine lines to your model. I always give my model a coat of gloss varnish before adding the wash. One method is the pin wash: take a pin, dip it into your wash and run the pin down the panel line....

Enamel paint is solvent based, so trying to wash in water will not work, you need to use white spirit. It is advisable to clean your brush as soon as you have finished painting as the brush will start to hardenand don’t leave them soaking in a...

This would depend on what you are painting as paint brushes come in various shapes and sizes. I would say for detailing you should a small brush, the exact size will depend on what you are painting. If for example you are painting a face, I would...

Paint comes in many types of pots, cans and eye dropper bottles. You should shake paint for at least two minutes but longer is better. When you read the back of an aerosol can it recommends at least two minutes. If you are using pots of paint...

These are two very different paints, some people prefer to use enamel as it is hard wearing usually with a glossy finish, but not always. Others prefer acrylic as it is a lot more forgiving should you make a mistake. Some modellers may use both...

This depends on how often you use your paint brushes! Every time you finish using your paint brush whether you are using enamel or acrylic paint, clean your paint brush with thinners or white spirit for enamel, and with water for acrylic. Always...

This very much depends on the project you are working on. For painting the base coat I would say no it is not necessary as the paint should be of the correct consistency to paint straight on when using a brush, as long as you have given it a good...

Always store paint in a cool dry place, or room temperature, do not leave in direct sunlight especially aerosols. When you read the back of an aerosol can it will give you advice on storing and this is the just same for any form of paint...

If you are using small pots of game paint, it is fine to give it a good stir and use straight from the pot. However a palette is ideal for paints that come in eyedropper bottles as it allows you to give the paint a bit of a stir as well as the...

Don't forget that there are different thinners for different paints, you will need a solvent based thinner for enamel and a water based one for acrylic. Most paint manufacturers supply a thinner as part of their range and each is specific to...

Both methods have their pros and cons. It takes a little practice to get proficient in using an airbrush but once mastered is a great way of painting especially for large areas, weathering and varnishing, with time and technique there is very...