Painting Info and Help

Hello im new here. I will be spending alot of time here. I can see already lol.

Sisne most of you guys here are very knowledge about airbrushing/painting. I just purchased my airbrush about 3 days ago been practicing with it. Ok. I am building a 1999 Mustang Cobra Revell plastic model car kit. I painted the lower portion red and the top I am wanting to paint the upper half black. Well I put regular white masking tape over the red to protect it from the black paint. Aftering letting it dry overnight I peeled the tape off and it took off alot of the red paint. Is there any kind of trick or special tape I can use to prevent the tape riping off my paint? The red paint was about 2 days worth of drying. I am gonna have to repaint the model car just wandering if someone can suggest something I can do to prevent the paint from coming off. Also im new to all this airbrushing thing. Do I need to use any kind of thinner? What is the thinner used for? I use Acrylic Paints from Walmart. I got a cheap-o airbrush from walmart to try out and play with till I learn a little more and I will buy a better one. Thanks for any info !

1. useing primer will help the paint to stick
2. using tamiya masking tape will help a lot
3. removing the tape before paint fully dry will give you better result
4. acrylic paint (mainly testor) are very fragile, use enamel or lacquer if you plan to use tape.
5. Thinner is used to clean your airbrush and thin the paint (acrylic might be ready to airbrush, but other paint need thinner to be airbrushed) If you don't know what thinner is, maybe you didn't even cleaned your airbrush, and those cheap airbrush don't like eavy stuff, so maybe you airbrush is already dead :( You need to fully clean your airbrush everytime you use it with proper thinner
6. a cheap airbrush will not give you many fun :( if you want to learn and having fun, a good airbrush is way better than the cheapo airbrush that use air can (that will cost you even more than a spray paint can anyway and give you really bad paintjob compared to spraycan) a good airbrush cost 50$ (price of a ferrari enzo is some ripoff store !)

thanks for the reply. Where could I pick up some of that Tamiya masking tape? I have some Primer that came in this paint kit that I bought that has tons of colors. I bought a cheap airbrush to see if I'll be any good at it. In the next week or 2 is when I will step up. But for now im pleased with this cheap one.

also do I put on the primer 1st? Let it dry then shoot on the color? I dont know crap about painting lol.

Wow.. we are starting way behind.

Look the FAQ first
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=63623

thanks for the info. That FAQ gives me a better understanding on things. It doesnt say but can automotive primer be used? Or should I stick to model car primer only? Does brand matter?

yes automotive primer can do. prand like DUplicolor are very good
just try on a scrap part before cos some of those primer are very harmfull for plastic. Also, try to not get orange primer, it's just too hard to hind this color with paint

PLEASE SEARCH...This has been discussed many many times. Masking is a very tricking thing to get perfect.