Don't know why, please help for my paint job

I recently painted a model with airbrush. But after i finish the car looks shiny but after i polish it, the body become flat. Why?

Is it a metallic paint that you`ve airbrushed? In that case you should top off the paint with clearcoat, and THEN polish it. Or ?..

Need more details as to what paint, what kind of paint, your prep, primer, so on and so forth.

Need more details as to what paint, what kind of paint, your prep, primer, so on and so forth.

I'm painting a Fujimi Supra 3.0GT Turbo as follow:

1 - Primier with Mr Hobby 1000 (White);
2 - Light sand with Tamiya sandpaper 1500 then 2000;
3 - Airbrush with Tamiya X-4:1 + X-14:2 + X-20 Thinner (Enamel Paint) several coat;

After painting the car become shinny but little sticky????

4 - Light sand again with Tamiya 2000 sandpaper again (under water until smoth;
5 - Then polish with Tamiya Polishing Compound (Fine);

After polish the car become flat colour instead of shinny.
Since this is the first time i am using this technic, i have ask some of my friends that did this before and did some research in this forum before painting. But still doesn't work for me. It is the problem of proportion of mixing color and thinner? Or something else?

Also the painting job is very easy to scrach it out.

One more question, i am trying to paint another model, this time is two color red and white. I'm planning to use Tamiya spray can, first white then red. How can i polish two color on the same body?

Thanks a lot

right....im not sure if the thinner you are using is the right type...or if you even need the thinner.

anyways you must apply a clear coat on the 2 tone then polish...other wise it will just smudge together.

sticky? the paint should be hard as a rock before polishing it out

Use Tamiya Acrylic thinner for acrylic paints.

If your paint is 'sticky' or you can still smell the paint. then you need to put it back in your dry box. this happened to me once before and it sounds like you just weren't patient enough. If you can scratch it easily when you rub it, that is also a sign of quick nerves. Furthermore, how many coats do you apply?

no matter how many colors you want to polish out...you can do so (see some of my models) as long as you WAIT for both of them to dry.

If your paint is 'sticky' or you can still smell the paint. then you need to put it back in your dry box. this happened to me once before and it sounds like you just weren't patient enough. If you can scratch it easily when you rub it, that is also a sign of quick nerves. Furthermore, how many coats do you apply?

no matter how many colors you want to polish out...you can do so (see some of my models) as long as you WAIT for both of them to dry.


I'm using Tamiya Enamel paint and thinner, and i have painted 5 to 6 thin coats and also wait for 2 to 3 weeks (inside dry box) before polishing. Seems i did everything in normal condition, so where is the problem?

Maybe u used too much thinner?