How do you paint the windows on a model kit?

[XEON8]

Hey guys,

I'm new here (1st post for me I think), so if this is in the wrong section I apologise.

So I have my Porsche 911 GT2 kit (Tamiya) sitting here waiting to be put together after finishing painting it all. I just need to paint the windows and then I am done as far as painting is concerned. No window masks have been included in the kit so I have to paint them free-hand. I made sure I have black acrylic paint, so I can just wash it off with water if ever I stuff up. Do you guys have any tips for me before I go off and do it (and probably fail)?

Thanks guys

P.S. I will be doing a WIP for this model too!

[Macio4ever]

Welcome to the forum!

I think that freehand painting = fail.

I will suggest to mask window with Tamiya masking tape, some strips of tape or Aizu Micron masking tape. Make sure that tape sticks well.

Paint window (using AB) with Semi or matt black (I use Tamiya X-18) on low pressure and try not to cover it in one go. Few thin layers.

When painted take the tape off - don't leave it! You should do it when paint is not fully dry so when pulling off tape you will get nice edge.

That's my technique.

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Unless my kit comes with pre-cut window masks, I don't paint the inner window trim black. The last kit I built that had window masks that were outlined but not cut...didn't bother with the hassle.

I use a black chisel-tip Sharpie marker. Because of the shape of the tip, it's easy for the marker to take a "set" along the window edge and I draw it back and forth a few times to make it fully black-when it's finished, nobody could tell what medium was used to make them black. I find it pretty easy to freehand a clean, sharp edge w/the marker, far easier than trying to freehand w/a paintbrush. Mistakes can be polished away. This is not only fairly easy to master, it takes a fraction of the time vs. masking/spraying/unmasking, cleanup...why bother with all that In fact, I'll bet the masks could be used with the markers instead of paint. Again...major time saving vs. setting up the airbrush to paint, or the potential disasters if one is using spray cans.

[ffreak]

I have tried both methods mentioned above and do find the marker less time consuming. However I don't have steady enough hand anymore to use that method with confidence. I sometimes revert back to my previous method of using Tamiya or 3M fine line tape and masking off the lines in one direction and painting them on. Then as stated, remove the tape before completely dry. Then waiting till that paint is good and dry before taping off the other direction, otherwise the tape will smear the previous paint. I also use testors enamel brush paint because when I use acrylic, it bleeds through the white glue in spots when glued in, which the enamel doesn't. It takes a few applications of the paint to get good coverage also. So, yeah, more trouble than a marker. But each has it's own rewards.

[The Yes Man]

Originally Posted by ZoomZoomMX-5

Unless my kit comes with pre-cut window masks, I don't paint the inner window trim black. The last kit I built that had window masks that were outlined but not cut...didn't bother with the hassle.

I use a black chisel-tip Sharpie marker. Because of the shape of the tip, it's easy for the marker to take a "set" along the window edge and I draw it back and forth a few times to make it fully black-when it's finished, nobody could tell what medium was used to make them black. I find it pretty easy to freehand a clean, sharp edge w/the marker, far easier than trying to freehand w/a paintbrush. Mistakes can be polished away. This is not only fairly easy to master, it takes a fraction of the time vs. masking/spraying/unmasking, cleanup...why bother with all that In fact, I'll bet the masks could be used with the markers instead of paint. Again...major time saving vs. setting up the airbrush to paint, or the potential disasters if one is using spray cans.

I struggle to get a good coverage with sharpies. I find that after I have covered an area once I have to go over it again and it removes some of the first layer and I never seem to get a good coverage with no lines visible.

I ended up going back to painting, maybe I should give it another try.

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Originally Posted by The Yes Man

I struggle to get a good coverage with sharpies. I find that after I have covered an area once I have to go over it again and it removes some of the first layer and I never seem to get a good coverage with no lines visible.

I ended up going back to painting, maybe I should give it another try.

You have to make several passes, and it doesn't have to be perfect. While the Sharpie work under light before putting the glass in the model might not look all that great, once inside is all that matters. Unless there's a light inside your model, the areas from outside will look solid black, regardless whether the Sharpie ink doesn't look so hot before the part is installed. The surface finish of the Sharpie is kind of glossy and it won't look as clean as airbrushed paint, but viewed through the opposite side of the glass, that doesn't matter. Test it out on a model, what you think might not look great will likely look great when installed inside the body.

[Nissanmotorsport]

Look overhere, a tutorial to make windowmasks:

http://www.briansmodelcars.com/tutorials/tutorial/42

[The Yes Man]

Originally Posted by ZoomZoomMX-5

You have to make several passes, and it doesn't have to be perfect. While the Sharpie work under light before putting the glass in the model might not look all that great, once inside is all that matters. Unless there's a light inside your model, the areas from outside will look solid black, regardless whether the Sharpie ink doesn't look so hot before the part is installed. The surface finish of the Sharpie is kind of glossy and it won't look as clean as airbrushed paint, but viewed through the opposite side of the glass, that doesn't matter. Test it out on a model, what you think might not look great will likely look great when installed inside the body.

Thanks, ill give it another crack then.

[AmazonSprite]

I'm with ZoomZoomMX-5 on this, and can confirm that what doesn't look great inside can still look fantastic from the other side of the glass. However I use a Tamiya paint marker for the larger areas, and a fine gundam marker for the sharply defined edges. So much better & easier than masking & spraying.