how do you guys do detail painting?

Hi i was just wondering how you paint small parts with an irregular shape such as dashboards and engine bits? do you paint over all of it and then jus scratch the paint off the bits that arent meant to be painted. This is where i mess up most of my models because i struggle to keep paint off objects around where i am meant to be painting so it looks untidy. Thanks for your help.

Hi i was just wondering how you paint small parts with an irregular shape such as dashboards and engine bits? do you paint over all of it and then jus scratch the paint off the bits that arent meant to be painted. This is where i mess up most of my models because i struggle to keep paint off objects around where i am meant to be painting so it looks untidy. Thanks for your help.

The answer to this question depends on the specific situation, but here's a general idea. If it is something that you're spray painting, then you've gotta mask the piece. If you're brush painting you can either mask, or be very careful :rolleyes: You're correct that you can scatch the paint off the bits where you don't mean to have paint - a sharpened toothpick is excellent for this. I frequently dip it in some Windex, which makes it easier to rub unwanted paint off the piece. Just be cautious, because it can be very difficult to scrape one layer of paint off of another - without removing both.

However, if you have a specific part that you have some questions about, post pics, or a good description. The more descriptive you are in asking questions, the more descriptive everyone else can be in answering them.

For detail painting, practice is the key. You just need to learn to keep your hand steady. If you have unwanted paint on the surface, you can scratch it off or cover it up. But the best scenario is of course not to screw up.

Winston

You'll find that most of us paint everything. A dashboard molded in black would end up getting painted black, then detail painted, but this isn't a hold-fast rule. The trick to detail painting is a good set of brushes, and loading them with paint. You want enough paint on the brush that it flows off and you don't have to brush over the spot twice, and enough but not too much to have good control over the paint application. For things like knobs, buttons and the like, I use a toothpick (and often shape the tip with my knife) dipped in paint, touched on paper to get any excess off, then touched on the knob or button. Detail painting takes patience, and lots of practice. It will get a lot better over time.

You'll find that most of us paint everything. A dashboard molded in black would end up getting painted black, then detail painted, but this isn't a hold-fast rule. The trick to detail painting is a good set of brushes, and loading them with paint. You want enough paint on the brush that it flows off and you don't have to brush over the spot twice, and enough but not too much to have good control over the paint application. For things like knobs, buttons and the like, I use a toothpick (and often shape the tip with my knife) dipped in paint, touched on paper to get any excess off, then touched on the knob or button. Detail painting takes patience, and lots of practice. It will get a lot better over time.

what type of brushes shall i get? On the ferrari 360 spider tamiya kit the dashboard has the radio and the circular air vents to go round i find them difficult, is there a type of brush with a thin and rigid point?

I just get them from my hobby store - the ones that look the right size and look the nicest and that I can afford. Looking at my brushes, they are mostly Testors (with the wooden handles, not the plastics!) and PollyScale brushes between 5/0 and 1/0. Someone else here might be able to tell you specifically.

I posted a thread similar to this one a few months ago cause i wanted to paint the emblems on some of my cars. I dont have a steady hand and was looking for thin markers, like the gundam markers, to do small detail. Unfortunately the only silver color i could use for the emblems was the bottled paint, so i had no choice but to use brushes. The silver markers would fade when i applied them over dark colors.

What i did was buy a size 5/0 brush. There might be another brush one size smaller but at 1:40 a.m. my mind isnt working properly. Cover areas you dont want painted with masking tape. I tried the Tamiya tape but didnt work well in some small irregular areas. I used regular tape (to wrap gifts) but i first stuck it on my hand to lose some of the tape's adhesive. That worked better and didnt leave adhesive behind when i peeled it off. Magnifying glasses will help you see what you're painting much better. Sharpened toothpicks will also help dot stuff but i've found them not usefull when i need to do brush stroking, ill stick to brushes for that job. Just like Willimo said, rub the brush or toothpick on a piece of paper to get excess paint off. I've dip my brush in paint, then remove it on the paper, and did it over a few more times to get the desired amount of paint on my brush. I dotted paint on if i couldnt brush it on.

Like i said, i dont have steady hands so i placed my model somewhere where it wouldn't move, held the wrist of the hand i paint with, relaxed myself, and took my sweet time. It took me like a bit over 2 hours just to paint the thunder bolt, nissan sign, and key lock of the trunk of my S15 Silvia. It's a bi**h but it came out pretty nicely for it being my first time doing that kind of detail.

For the dashboard, i painted the whole thing a brown fabric color and then went over the vents and radio with black paint. The smaller things were done with an untra fine tipped black marker. Good thing about the marker was if i made a mistake i could quickly remove it with my fingers and the marker paint would come off leaving no sign of my mistakes. Good luck and give yourself time.

Theres actually a size 10/0 which is even smaller. Thats the one i actually use. i just found it right now. There might be a 12/0 or 15/0 that might be the smallest brush you can get.