Tail-Lights - Paint inside or out?

Hi guys,

Should tail-lights be painted on the inside of the clear plastic or outside?

So far I have started including 'foil' as backing which provides more reflection on red/amber tail-lights - I also noted that you need to leave a gap rather than sticking the foil straight onto the back of the tail-light!

What I find confusing is that in some instruction manuals (Tamiya) they specifically tell you to paint the Clear Red/Amber on the inside of the tail light.... and sometimes in other manuals they don't even mention which side should be painted!

What do you do? ... my guess is its probably safer to stick to the inside?

I prefer painting the outside, it's more realist on my taste to the tinted plastic used for lights.
You may avoid the "plastic cover" look of inside painted lights if painting the outside, but I can't swear some painted on the inside would never be acceptable...
Most of reference builders paint the outside.
Try both solution, chose what seems better to you.

I prefer to paint the inside using Alclad clear lacquers. They dry much faster than Tamiya clear colours. Use bare metal foil for the silver reflector part of the light but place it in the recess where the light fits, not onto the back of the actual lens. I find this gives a more realistic look.

I always paint the inside of the lights, i think it comes out better. Plus can't see brush strokes if using a brush. A lot of people prefer inside because the color comes out better.

I prefer painting the inside as well. I actually use sharpies to detail my lights most of the time and it works pretty well.

Usually the inside, to avoid brush stroke traces and to protect it on the long term.

I prefer inside too, I never tried outside before and I would like to see some. I stick the bare metal to the body.

Paint? That's so 20th century. I've had awesome results using a red fine tip Sharpie. Also yellow & orange mixed for amber, black for the surround if necessary. It dries almost immediately, it dries with no discernible film thickness, and it's translucent (black isn't, but sometimes needs 2-3 coats, and sometimes you need 2 coats of red for full coverage). Painting lenses w/paint seems so "dark ages" by comparison. I do the inner surface, and around the edges, and do the foiling or silver paint on the car body behind the lense.

Paint? That's so 20th century. I've had awesome results using a red fine tip Sharpie. Also yellow & orange mixed for amber, black for the surround if necessary. It dries almost immediately, it dries with no discernible film thickness, and it's translucent (black isn't, but sometimes needs 2-3 coats, and sometimes you need 2 coats of red for full coverage). Painting lenses w/paint seems so "dark ages" by comparison. I do the inner surface, and around the edges, and do the foiling or silver paint on the car body behind the lense.

You write specifically what pen or marker Sharpie do you use? Thanks

Thanks for the replies guys...

Sharpie does sound interesting, as others have mentioned please can you provide us with a link - clear colors.

Finally, do any of you 'polish' the exterior of the lights (front clears included) to ensure a good shine..... polish? a layer of micro-gloss? or do you just leave them as it?

I prefer painting the outside, it's more realist on my taste to the tinted plastic used for lights.
You may avoid the "plastic cover" look of inside painted lights if painting the outside, but I can't swear some painted on the inside would never be acceptable...
Most of reference builders paint the outside.
Try both solution, chose what seems better to you.

I'll be using acrylic paint so I guess I could try one tailight on the outside and the other on the inside and then compare them. Whichever one I reject I can just clean the paint off I guess.

Thanks for the replies guys...

Sharpie does sound interesting, as others have mentioned please can you provide us with a link - clear colors.

Finally, do any of you 'polish' the exterior of the lights (front clears included) to ensure a good shine..... polish? a layer of micro-gloss? or do you just leave them as it?

try dipping the entire part in Pledge with Future Shine Floor Finish

I'm a paint on the outsider.

Actually, I tend to paint on both sides because I find this reduces the effect of having a thick clear plastic part/edge and makes the part a little deeper in colour.
This is also dependent on the part/car as well but generally, paint on the outside.

Sharpies are by far the best method I have found to date. Clear paints always left brush lines and never got uniform results. And, there's no way I'd go to the trouble to air brush such small parts. Sharpies leave no marks and cover very uniformly ... use one and you'll never go back to paint.

These are just the common Sharpies you'll find in about any store on the planet. Other brands I can't speak for. I try to use one as wide as possible for the light.

As far as inside or outside, it depends on the light in question.

I'm not at home so I can't just take a photo of the Sharpies. They're just the same old color Sharpies you see everywhere, they're nearly universal. Their inks are translucent, except for black or the silver or gold paint versions (also quite handy for your toolbox).

I use the colored Sharpies w/the fine bullet tip, pretty much the standard Sharpie. I have larger chisel tip black Sharpies for doing the black inner window masks. It's almost painfully easy with a little practice. It's so much better than dealing with paint for the black masking or for tinting any of the clear lenses. If people want to use paint, that's fine w/me. I like using techniques that give great results w/the least time/effort possible, so I can get onto the next one. My taillights done w/a red Sharpie are better than the ones I used to paint. I used to hate using Tamiya clear red w/a brush because it never covered on the first try, pooled in corners, & is slow to dry. I certainly didn't like spraying them because I'd have to mix the paint, spray, clean everything up, wait for it to dry...we're talking exponentially more labor & time than popping the cap off & using a red Sharpie & reinstalling the cap....that gives better results and dries in a minute and looks as good as the parts that are molded in clear red. I know I'm sold...

I always do both sides, this gives the closest look to the real thing, and you get a deep red/orange transparent color, in the outside a thin coat and in the inside a heavier coat.

And the bare metal never stick it to the back of the tail light, when possible stick it to the body or the parts that hold the tail light.

I always do both sides, this gives the closest look to the real thing, and you get a deep red/orange transparent color, in the outside a thin coat and in the inside a heavier coat.

And the bare metal never stick it to the back of the tail light, when possible stick it to the body or the parts that hold the tail light.

Thanks for this tip I will try it out - I can see how both sides would make it more realistic.