noob need advice!

[Kosmonaut]

well i'm new to the hobby and i just had a couple of questions

1. what is the best way to do headlights? are there any ways of makign them look extra realistic and clear?

2. What about windshield wipers? what do you do when these are moulded onto the windshield or some body panel?

3. what do you use for the mesh grille look seen on some tuner cars?

4. what is the best way to do a silverflake body color?

5. what is the best way to do realistic looking guages?

6. can you suggest some good modelling sites, with step by step build ups of models?

...thats all i can think of right now
thanks guys

[daggerlee]

1. what is the best way to do headlights? are there any ways of makign them look extra realistic and clear?

Clear coat them as soon as you open the kit to protect from scratching, and try using some polishing compound or wax sealant.

2. What about windshield wipers? what do you do when these are moulded onto the windshield or some body panel?

Paint them very very carefully with a very very small brush! Nothing you can really do, the wipers on my Z06 come that way too

3. what do you use for the mesh grille look seen on some tuner cars?

Tamiya's Rally cars come with fine wire mesh to replicate the look, the mesh can also be used to replicate carbon fiber

4. what is the best way to do a silverflake body color?

Any silver metallic paint will do fine, some good brands are Tamiya's X-11, Testors Metallizer Series, Alclad II, and SNJ

also, some companies sell little bags of EXTREMELY fine metal powder to mix into colors which will reproduce accurate to scale metal flaking

5. what is the best way to do realistic looking guages?

Most Tamiya kits come with gauge decals, for american kits I'd recommend drybrushing, that is dipping the brush into enamel paint, squeezing it dry with a napkin, then repeatedly brushing over the raised numbers until enough pigment covers the numbers.

6. can you suggest some good modelling sites, with step by step build ups of models?

Lau Bak's site has some nice buildups, also check the threads in the Car Gallery under "More Info", especially Guiddy and P-Man's (Warren)

Hope this helps! Don't get blinded too much by Jay's sign

[Jay!]

Originally posted by daggerlee
Don't get blinded too much by Jay's sign

You mean this one? :sun:



Also, for #2: windshield wipers...

If the plastic ones just don't do it for you, you can get photo-etched metal wiper sets that you actually fold up into their little arms and stuff. They look great!