Painting strategy for 1/72 Mk2 Viper

karim · Post by **karim** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 7:01 pm

I've been working hard to get a nice, shiny surface on my Mk2 Viper, and I'm ready to paint.

What's the best strategy for painting this bugger?

I'm particularly curious about handling the dark gray recessed greebly areas right next to the bright white hull. These areas are very small... I'm not exactly comfortable masking them.

If the Hull color was anything other than white, I'd do the recessed areas first, then freehand the hull... but with the white...

How have others handled this?

tonyG2 · Post by **tonyG2** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 7:46 pm

Not tried this on the Viper but when I've had similar issues, I've given the model a white undercoat and then used a thinned down dark mix (usually an acryllic) in the recesses and wiped up any overspill onto the white with alcohol. Repeat until the denity of the recessed area is correct.

Then fill the recessed area with a rubber solution masking compund. Repaoint you white and do your main detailing. Peel out the aet masking material and you should have pristine hull with dark greebly area.

karim · Post by **karim** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 7:52 pm

Thought of that... though with the viper, the dark area is flat dark gray, not darkened white... its really two seperate solid colors.

I guess I'll try some liquid latex as a masking.

Bar · Post by **Bar** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 3:49 pm

Is it going to be "as first built", or will it have a more realistic heavily weathered look?
If so, it will all look fine eventually.
Bar.

Post by **LindaSmile** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 3:51 pm

karim wrote:I guess I'll try some liquid latex as a masking.

Funny you should mention that. I just added some liquid masking stuff to our next supplies order.

Linda

karim · Post by **karim** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 4:04 pm

Bar wrote:Is it going to be "as first built", or will it have a more realistic heavily weathered look?
If so, it will all look fine eventually.
Bar.

Nope. This one is going to be pristine.

Bar · Post by **Bar** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 4:26 pm

Low-tack tape around the exterior of the greeblie are will work fine, and a fine mist of a different colour will do the trick.
It's all subjective, though, and no technique will work on every model.
Let us know what you decide to do.
Bar.

Post by **TER-OR** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 8:54 pm

I hand-painted with REaper paints. Of course, I do this all the time on miniatures so...

big-dog · Post by **big-dog** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 7:09 am

I could get liquid mask at WalMart in Canada, didn't bring any with me last time I was there, they can get real antsy about transporting chemicals accross the border. Can't get it here, something about kids sniffing it cause of the ammonia. What, kids never heard of Windex?

Marco Scheloske · Post by **Marco Scheloske** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 8:40 am

I hand-painted mine in thoese areas too: First I sprayed bright white, then a gloss clear, then I painted the grey areas with acrylic colors - that way I could use simply some q-tip dipped in water to remove overpaint, and if all else fails a quick polishing with the tip of a toothpick does the trick.

Post by **TER-OR** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 8:57 pm

I did learn how to use Parafilm while watching Tom Grossman at Wonderfest. That's better than liquid mask, which often pulls the paint beneath.

There's a liquid latex product you can get which is much less aggressive than the liquid mask.

Slide · Post by **Slide** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 11:52 am

i usually only use liquid-masks on canopy parts and/or to make sure there are no leakable areas on a masked section (the seamse between tape strips).

what liquid-masks pull paint? all of them? or just specicfic brabds? I've never put it directly on a painted surface (purposely) before...

Bar · Post by **Bar** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 12:21 pm

I use cheapo brand latex as a masking agent.
I have used it for years, and it has never taken away paint. Ever.
It goes on easy, and rubs off even easier.
All the paint effects on this one were done with it.
Bar.
Bar.

bluesman · Post by **bluesman** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 3:34 pm

Karim

I was looking at my little viper and wondering the same thing...although I am going to weather mine.

I wonder if doing somthing similar to doing cockpits would work...stuff the area with a damp tissue, paint then remove.

nurturer · Post by **nurturer** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 8:44 pm

I used Tamiya white primer right out of the can. It actually went on glossy, with no over spray.

P.W.Roice · Post by **P.W.Roice** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 1:52 am

I would use a wash of some sort. An acrylic wash over testors glosscoat is what I used here: http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a221/ ... G_3767.jpg
This was the last time I used an acrylic wash. I have recently converted to mineral spirt and oil paint washes only. I apply them over an acrylic base coat, but I would imagine that if the thinner used for the wash is mild enough you could apply it over gloss laquer.
But getting back to your question, I think a wash would be a good idea for a smalish subject like a 1/72 scale viper. Keeps with the spirt of Battle Star models from years past too.

Post by **TER-OR** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:32 pm

If you're weathering, don't paint it white to start, but tone the white with gray. Or use the light gray as a base, and overpaint with thin white where required.

bluesman · Post by **bluesman** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 3:52 am

I'm even wondering if the thing should be a light grey for scale effect.

Marco Scheloske · Post by **Marco Scheloske** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 4:29 am

bluesman wrote:I'm even wondering if the thing should be a light grey for scale effect.

But IMHO things become lighter when using scale effects, not darker - so a light grey should become white, but not white should become light grey.