Painting Reds or Yellows

ArcadeKidd · Post by **ArcadeKidd** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 2:47 am

Hi All,

Just wondering if anyone has a method of avoiding
the many needed coats when painting reds and
yellows?
Can you tint primers like is done with house paints?

Cheers,
AK

Lt. Z0mBe · Post by **Lt. Z0mBe** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 3:04 am

I don't think you really want to tint your primer. I know it is a pain in the rear painting reds and yellows, but the best advice I can offer you is to go with a very light primer.

For yellow, use a white primer. For red, use a very light grey primer. I shoot a lot of very light coats until it's just right. You'll see a transition in front of your eyes as it goes from a deep pink to a pale red. You could want the pinks if you're preshading, though. Keep that in mind.

I hope this helps.

Kenny

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 1:56 pm

Or if you want a truly eye searing red, go with a yellow base coat.

I've never had much of a coverage issue a/b Tamiya or Gunze reds or yellows, provided the base if light enough.

Romulan Spy · Post by **Romulan Spy** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 2:08 pm

I prime with white enamel. I build lots of WWII Luftwaffe aircraft, so I frequently deal with light, bright colors, especially pale blues, and reds and yellows. Even when a kit fits perfectly and doesn't require filler or excessive sanding, I've found that a bright white coat of Floquil Reefer White helps painting go a lot easier.

On this Bf-109 I began painting with white; I then masked the tail band, then painted the blue. The yellow and red areas came out nice and bright with only a couple of thin airbrushed coats.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/ ... C_0134.jpg

On this Mustang, I painted the invasion stripes and the yellow/red checkerboard nose. Again, a bright undercoat of Reefer White made the bright colors "pop".

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/ ... C_0155.jpg

I recommend Floquil enamel, but any flat white enamel would do the trick.

ArcadeKidd · Post by **ArcadeKidd** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 3:59 pm

Thanks All!

I'd been doing the light primers like
everyone else, I was just hoping that
I was missing out on a secret for some
of the deeper reds/yellows.

I'd be curious to see a pic of that
eye searing red with the yellow basecoat!

Cheers,
AK

Post by **TER-OR** » Sun Jul 19, 2009 9:33 pm

Also, airbrush semi-gloss rather than gloss - or paint gloss over a flat primer coat. Yellow and red are tricky, that's for sure.

seam-filler · Post by **seam-filler** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 12:13 am

Kylwell wrote:Or if you want a truly eye searing red, go with a yellow base coat.

I've never had much of a coverage issue a/b Tamiya or Gunze reds or yellows, provided the base if light enough.

Ditto - professional car painters use yellow under red. Some use black under yellow for an intense yellow. However, these won't get around the number of coats you have to use - it just intensifies the final finish colour.