Few Questions

Okay, I have done one model before (a Revell GTO, 1960s maybe, anyway it was poorly done), but am currently working on a AMT 1970 1/2 Camaro. I just have some quick questions about painting. Do you guys paint every little piece before you start on assembly or do you paint the pieces as you go through the assembly. And if you have a spray can for every color or an airbrush, is it okay to paint every piece with it. Finally, I am using a styrene cement (I think. It is clear in a glass bottle, with a brush, and water-like consitancy) for every piece, is that okay?

P.S. Sorry for all the questions but I have one more. The paint that I am using runs whenever the glue touches it, is it the glue or the paint that is the problem?

lots of model cement melts the two pieces of plastic you are joining together. if it touches paint, it won't always adhere the pieces together very well and it almost will mar the paint. your best bet is to scratch off a little bit of the paint where you want to attach the pieces before you actually use the glue. remember, ALWAYS use a tiny amount of glue, or the excess will smush out the sides and wreck your paintjob!

your problem with the paint running is that styrene glue is made to bond plastic to plastic only(correct me if i'm wrong) and it "melts" the two parts together, forming a very strong bond. to fix this you are supposed to remove all the paint, chrome, whatever, from the part(s) you are gluing. i personally brush paint all the little parts like the seats, dash, engine, etc..., but spray paint the body, exterior parts, chassis, etc.... some people airbrush the stuff. i'm sure it's ok to use the same airbrush for every color, but you have to make sure you clean it out very well before you switch colors. i guess you would use acrylic paint to airbrush, since(i'm pretty sure...) acrylic paint is waterbased and you can just run water through your airbrush to clean it out.