Tail Light paining problems

Hey guys,

First time posting here although i have been a member for a while, I have just been enjoying all the excellent models on here. Im in the middle of building a Revell (Germany) Ferrari F50 (First model I have built in many years) and I am having problems painting the tailights. I have Clear REd paint but when i put it on the tailights it basically looks crap and as if there is no paint on the part at all, I have tried painting both inside and outside the clear part and yet is still looks like there is no paint getting on there. The best way i can describe it is, it looks like the end of a jar of strawberry jam, where u just have juices left, its that sort of consistency as the jam. Now I know you will all tell me to thin the paint, which is fair enough but I dont believe it will be dark enough on the part to look right. For anyone answering can you bare in mind i cant get hold of Tamiya paints in Ireland, my only choices seem to be Revell or Humbrol.

So can anyone either tell me how to paint tail lights or point me in the direction of a tutorial

Thanks a million
Dublinguy

PS I searched the boards for this already and couldnt find anything worthwhile

I use Testors Stop Light Red Metallic. I'm sure that its not that different than any of the other clear reds. Its a very thick paint, but I believe thicker is better for this application. I take the tail light and go around the edge with a black permanent marker for my first step. This adds a little realism (doesn't look good on all models though). Then you apply the clear red. I brush on a thin layer all over the back of the light. Be sure to leave certain areas clear, such as reverse lights, etc. You probably know that though. Hold it up to a light and make sure its evenly coated. Let it dry and do the other one the same way. (Also, never paint the front of the light. It looks way too unrealistic.) Now take your clear red and really lay it on. I take a big glop of clear red and place it right in the middle. Use your brush and spread it out to the edges and all (don't go over them though!). Hold the piece up to the light. You should see a little bit of light pass through, not too much. Go back and apply more paint to areas that are lighter until you are satisfied. Make them so they have uniform and level coats of paint. Don't be too conservative with the paint. It's all going to be behind the lens anyway. Hope this helps. :bandit:

Thanks jay yeah that helps a lot...Only problem is I did paint the outside of the tailight..in the immortal words of Homer D'OH!!!! anyway i can deal with that. At least now i know not to b a tight arse with clear paint colours to really lash it on after an initial coat.

Thanks again

Did you wash the part first? If you didn't the mold release rsedue on the part isn't letting your paint "bite" the surface and stay where you put it. Hopefully you are using a water based paint so you can wash it off and try again, and also it shrinks down better when dry.

The problem is you are probably brush painting and it just does not work well. These clear paints must be airbrushed with a good internal mix airbrush to get a uniform coating. Properly applied by airbrush it looks like a tinted part instead of a painted part. Use a fine tip and slowly build up the color.Look at the tailights on this Pug 206 they were done with Tamiya clear red.

make sure you stir your paints first..

if you are going to be brushing them on, make sure u do it with thin applications and build up the layers until it's uniform..

i do this using tamiya acrylic clear red and no probs.

I always brush paint mine with Tamiya Clear Red or Orange. If you flow it on in two coats it looks great. And while we're on the subject, TAMIYA, QUIT MOLDING THE TAIL LIGHTS IN RED OR ORANGE!!! LET ME HAVE THE OPTION OF GOING CLEAR OR PAINTING THEM!!! ANYBODY WITH ME???

TAMIYA, QUIT MOLDING THE TAIL LIGHTS IN RED OR ORANGE!!! LET ME HAVE THE OPTION OF GOING CLEAR OR PAINTING THEM!!! ANYBODY WITH ME???

Oh I'm with you alright! Talk about stupid timing...right when customizers are going with clear lenses Tamiya switches to colored ones...what the heck are they smoking???:bonghitte

Somebody from AMT must have gotten a job there;)

Tamiya was never about tuner cars, unless it proves profitable (converting their race 911 into a "road and club" version :) ) They're more about ease of assembly and part minimization these days, unfortunately (last time you saw an engine in a street Tamiya car?) :(

Originally posted by daggerlee
Tamiya was never about tuner cars, unless it proves profitable (converting their race 911 into a "road and club" version :) ) They're more about ease of assembly and part minimization these days, unfortunately (last time you saw an engine in a street Tamiya car?) :(

Tamiya has the most sophisticated and costly method of mold making. Their bodies always look fantastic and accurate. I had rather they spend the money in that area than sacrifice just for an engine that will be unseen 99% of the time. Sure, the race cars with the incredible high tech power plants need to be replicated, absolutely. I just hope they resist producing future kits with a toy like quality. It scared me when I saw the Opel Astra kit which has opening doors, a gimick we don't need IMHO. Hopefully they won't make the forthcoming Enzo with any door hinges involved. No, they haven't announced it, but they will.

Yeah, they pretty much have been the leader in mold department (they are the only company to fully use CAD). But that still doesn't change the fact that their philosophy right now is what it is.

i used 2 have tht same problem
brush paint the lights doing very thin coats, eventually after about 3 coats you'll get the tone your after. remember 2 let the paint dry between coats

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the replies, ill answer each seperately

Veyron :-
Yes I washed the parts off first, unfortunately its not a water based paint, virtually impossible to get them here in Ireland.

935k3 :-
Nice idea about the airbrush but i only have a single action external mix. Will have to stay with the brushing technique. By the way I am still drooling over that Pug, Im not a huge fan of them but my god that one is fantastic

djmr2 :-
I did stir the paint first as I always do. Im starting to get the impression that I have to build up layers of the clear paint.

martinu :-
thanks for that I will give it a try.

Now my only problem is how to get the paint i already put on off. Im not pushed if I cant as I am using the F50 to try out all these techniques Im reading about. So Im not sure the F50 will even see the light of day on these boards, certainly not against some fo the cars I have seen here.

Thanks again,
Dublinguy

If you used an enamel paint a turpentine type thinner will remove it without hurting the plastic except maybe a light foggging which could be polished out. Also you probably could polish away the paint. Thanks for the compliments on the Pug 206.

Originally posted by Dublinguy
Hey guys,

Thanks for all the replies, ill answer each seperately

Veyron :-
Yes I washed the parts off first, unfortunately its not a water based paint, virtually impossible to get them here in Ireland.

935k3 :-
Nice idea about the airbrush but i only have a single action external mix. Will have to stay with the brushing technique. By the way I am still drooling over that Pug, Im not a huge fan of them but my god that one is fantastic

djmr2 :-
I did stir the paint first as I always do. Im starting to get the impression that I have to build up layers of the clear paint.

martinu :-
thanks for that I will give it a try.

Now my only problem is how to get the paint i already put on off. Im not pushed if I cant as I am using the F50 to try out all these techniques Im reading about. So Im not sure the F50 will even see the light of day on these boards, certainly not against some fo the cars I have seen here.

Thanks again,
Dublinguy

Have fun trying all these techniques, you will find the one that fits your style soon. We want to see pictures when you are done, this board is not a contest to see who is best. You will be happier if you build YOUR models for YOU! You don't have to please us, I'm sure we will be impressed and inspired by your work.

Originally posted by Veyron


....We want to see pictures when you are done, this board is not a contest to see who is best. You will be happier if you build YOUR models for YOU! You don't have to please us, I'm sure we will be impressed and inspired by your work.

:D .... oh my sides are sore with laughter Veyron....I doubt very much you will be "Inspired" let alone impressed by my work...but if I am anyway proud of it I will show it. Could b a while though I get about two evenings a week to model and I still need to do the body which I am crapping myself at the thought of doing...but like I said we will see.

Thanks again lads for all the help

Hi, I am new to AF as if you dont already know that,I would just like to say to 935K3 that the tail lights on your PUG206 are beautiful a real
work of art............................................... ..........................HEMI.

Thanks HEMI,
They were airbrushed with Tamiya clear red on both sides with a Badger Crescendo airbrush then the black surrounds with black permanent marker. the bucket underneath is Bare Metal Foiled.

A little tip, at least for the Tamiya clears:

Don't shake your pots of Tamiya clear colors like Clear Red and Clear Orange. All you'll do is aerate the paint and fill it with bubbles that will end up in your paint job. :(

Originally posted by jay@af
A little tip, at least for the Tamiya clears:

Don't shake your pots of Tamiya clear colors like Clear Red and Clear Orange. All you'll do is aerate the paint and fill it with bubbles that will end up in your paint job. :(

Amen to that, Jay - I've learned it the hard way :rolleyes:

Originally posted by 935k3
The problem is you are probably brush painting and it just does not work well. These clear paints must be airbrushed with a good internal mix airbrush to get a uniform coating. Properly applied by airbrush it looks like a tinted part instead of a painted part. Use a fine tip and slowly build up the color.Look at the tailights on this Pug 206 they were done with Tamiya clear red.

I've seen your Pug on the other thread, man it's scary realistic!! :D :D Thanks for the advice though, will spray in the future! ;)

Originally posted by daggerlee
(last time you saw an engine in a street Tamiya car?) :(

About 5 minutes ago!!! :finger: :finger: :finger:

THIS CAR:

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/693727AMGS600plan.jpg

CLEARLY HAS AN ENGINE UNDER THE HOOD:

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/409396AMGS600engine.jpg

:D :D :D :D :D

BUT.... You're right daggerlee, the kit dates from 1994, so nearly 8 years old. Even rally cars are missing the engines :cry:

I've always brush-painted light lenses and never had a problem but it
does take a couple of layers to get the desired effect!

Dublinguy is there not a model shop in Ireland where you can get Tamiya acrylics? They're so much easier to use and clean up afterwards.
If not then couldn't you buy from a shop in England? or would this make them too expensive? I've heard that prices of imported goods over there are pretty bad due to import duties/taxes and the fact you use the dreaded euro!!
:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

How do you paint R34 tail lights? The orange ends up looking red and can't see a colour difference, luckily i was able to wipe the paint off with thinner. Any help be appreciated.

Originally posted by fatboyslim
I've always brush-painted light lenses and never had a problem but it
does take a couple of layers to get the desired effect!

Dublinguy is there not a model shop in Ireland where you can get Tamiya acrylics? They're so much easier to use and clean up afterwards.
If not then couldn't you buy from a shop in England? or would this make them too expensive? I've heard that prices of imported goods over there are pretty bad due to import duties/taxes and the fact you use the dreaded euro!!
:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Sorry for taking so long to get back to you fatboyslim. I cant seem to find any model shops in Ireland that do Tamiya colours fo any sort. The only shop I would bother buying from in Dublin seem to only do Humbrol. But to give them credit have a good stock of models from Tamiya to Fujimi to Hasegawa. So i cant fault them for that. No matter the currency the shipping would be to much from england for a couple of bottles of paint. Plus most have a minimum order of £STG30.

The English make me laugh about the Euro, you all seem to think you are going to get bent over by retailers if it came in but thats not the case. Here in Ireland comapnies have been fined for over pricing and the Government took a very dim view of anyone who tried to rip off the consumer. Everything still costs the same roughly. To give you an example you pay about £STG169 for a PS2 from Argos, thats €273, well over here i can pay €269 so it isnt that bad. Plus think of the benefits travelling abroad in Europe, you dont have to wrory about currency conversion or think about converting while you are away to figure out what you would pay at home for the same product. You are all to loyal to your Queens face on your money, you know u can still have it on the coins...LOL

Dublinguy

dublinguy,
For a country that 'claims' to have such national pride as Ireland, you sure rolled over to the Euro real quick. Have you ever considered that maybe England likes the pound because it is part of the country's identity, the minute every country uses the same currency, what makes them different?

Ray

Sorry dublinguy but I've got to agree with what freakray said!!
I'm not getting at you personally but every other country who signed up to the euro now wishes they hadn't as they now have no control over interest rates etc!!
And anyway what's wrong with the queen? The Americans would love to have a royal family just like us that's the reason the Canadians stayed part of the Commonwealth just so they can say to the yanks "we've got a queen and you haven't!" Oh except of course the Frenchies from Quebec who want a seperate republic (too fond of chopping peoples heads off if you ask me!)

Wow guys Wow, Firstly Fatboyslim, I was only joking about the loyalty to the Queen and all that, I have to admit I dont particularly like the woman but that is only my opinion. How many Irish people have you met and chatted too and gotten to know, cause if you knew us so well then you would realise I was only joking as that is the type of people we are, we like a joke and a laugh and dont take life to seriously, maybe thats why we are such a liked Nation. Not wanting to add fuel to the fire Fatboyslim but, unless you have gotten through a currency change and used the new currency for any length of time then I dont think you are really in a position to make a judgement call on what other people are thinking. The currency has only been around in usage for 9 months, the previous two years were it was legal tender it was difficult to tell exactly what was going wrong, but its like anything if its a major change it will take time to settle. With the attrocities in the US last year hasnt helped either

Freakray, a currency doesnt say who you are, the type of person does. As far as I am concerned money is only a material thing, I couldnt care less if we traded in Punts, Euros or bloody goats. A currency doesnt define who I am, I define who I am. I am a very proud Irish man always will be, I was born with Green White and Gold on my heart. So whether I am here at home or away I sing it loud and sing it proud. ALso we werent given the choice like the way England are. Ray I dont want to fall out with u as you have helped me so much BUT please get ur facts straight first.

Anyway, we are getting well of topic.

To everyone that helped with my question thanks again, ill let you know how i get on.

Dublinguy

Originally posted by CalsonicR34
How do you paint R34 tail lights? The orange ends up looking red and can't see a colour difference, luckily i was able to wipe the paint off with thinner. Any help be appreciated.

Anyone have a suggestion?

Wow. This thread sure turned political/nationalistic. Were we not just talking about the simpler things in life such as clear red model tail lights?
As for this comment:
The Americans would love to have a royal family just like us ...
No, wrong. We prefer large corrupt families to run the show over here. See Bush, Rockefeller, Ford, Walton, et al.

If I remember correctly, the Americans successfully kicked out the British because they didn't want to be run by a royal family......and how about them Kennedys?:D
I like painting tail lights and turn signals, it is one part of painting my models I really enjoy. I never thought about shaking the bottles either, let alone not shaking them, I usually stir....

WOW F**K ME!!
No worries Dublinguy I won't take it personally! And yes the Irish are a very friendly likeable nation of people I was in Dublin & Killarney 2 years ago (tracing family roots my great grandfather moved from there many years ago to work on the railways! one of the reasons my name is Shaun!)and loved every minute of it and only felt worried once but we went into a 'green' pub(you'll understand what I mean even if no-one else does!) and being English that's not a good idea!
There's nothing wrong with a bit of patriotism(please note I am not a royalist!) it's just shame here in England we're suppressed from doing it in case we upset the politically correct brigade!
Freakray if I remember correct it wasn't you septics who beat us, didn't you get the French to help you!

And yes as Jay said don't shake paints, stir them especially if brushing.

Sheeite I need to have a fag(note:a fag here isn't a gay person but a cigarette!):smoker2: :silly2:

My good man Shaun, may I correct you on one thing, I am ENGLISH!!!
I was born in Greenwich, which I do believe is still South East London, the millenium dome is built only a few miles from 'home'
Why do you think I was happy to defend the pound:)
I just threw in the kick out thing as a jibe....
Yeah, and gay means happy.....hehe....so have a gay fag :D
BTW.....I also lived in Africa at one stage...whaddaya say to that?

Ray

Originally posted by freakray
My good man Shaun, may I correct you on one thing, I am ENGLISH!!!
I was born in Greenwich, which I do believe is still South East London, the millenium dome is built only a few miles from 'home'
Why do you think I was happy to defend the pound:)
I just threw in the kick out thing as a jibe....
Yeah, and gay means happy.....hehe....so have a gay fag :D
BTW.....I also lived in Africa at one stage...whaddaya say to that?

Ray

I see you live in State College, I am down by Harrisburg,PA . I don't know if you like college football but you are in Nittany Lion country, I am sure it was pretty wild up there Saturday night after Penn State beat Nebraska 40-7, Go Lions.

Sorry Ray I thought you were a septic! (being a Londoner you'll know what septic means! even if your from the posh part!!)
What you doing in US then?
So is State College just that a college or is it some weird place name?

Africa... Zimbabwe/Rhodesia or Sth Africa?

Shaun,
In South Africa, I never got to visit Zim and I regret that, now there is nothing to visit....how one man can ruin a country....
State College is a town, it is the home of the Pennsylvania State University, kind of an ironic name for a town name, there are over 40,000 students here.....gets busy, my wife is a student at the Uni.

935k3
I was down near Harrisburg last week, in Camp Hill.....and then on to Gettysburg.....
College Football is the only football I follow, and Zack Mills is THE man, good riddance to Seneca!! I didn't go to the game, but I stayed in town and watched it with my Dad, it was awesome and amazing....over 109,000 at the game....you should've seen it around the stadium...we were there on Fri and there was already no parking.....it was wild....the whole day Sat and into Sun too....