I am currently working on a 1/72 Hasegawa Valk form Macross, I really want to make sure a nice oil wash is down so that the panel lines are nicely accented...Here is my problem; W/ the all the coats that will be put down on this model I am afraid the panel lines will get filled, for example there is the;
Primer
color
Future(for decals)
Future(to level out decals)
then the oil wash for the panel lines
So I was thinking to eliminate a step to mix some future in w/ my base color, so that I have either a gloss or semi-gloss color that the decals can lay down on.
Anyone had any experience w/ this? What kinda of ratio would I want to use? I am using tamyia paints as well if that makes a diff.
Thanks,
Ashton
Semi-Gloss paint w/ Future??
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RedFinger,
Not a direct answer but I thought I'd share. I use Model Master Flat enamels, by Testors. They are a flat but very fine pigments and of course you can control how smooth a finish you get while airbrushing. I never gloss coat before decaling, on anything. I brush a bit of MicrSol on the area, lay my decal, then come back over it again with a coat of MicroSol. Usually, that's it. Sometimes if it hasn't snuggled or when silvering does occur I just come back over it again with MicroSol.
I do that specificaly to avoid all those layers of paint/finishes. Noone (not even IPMS) has ever thought less of my decals for the result- of course, they don't even know. I will admit though if you get a really thick oldstyle decal it's less effective. But who wants to use those decals anyway? Sometimes on those I'll 'stipple' them down with a thick stiff paint brush and work the decal (well softened up with MicroSol) down into the surface.
Maybe I've just been lucky all these years, maybe it's the 'practice'. But I've never liked the idea of so many coats to obscure details.
I'm sure you'll get better answers but someday you might give this a try.
Good Luck!
Not a direct answer but I thought I'd share. I use Model Master Flat enamels, by Testors. They are a flat but very fine pigments and of course you can control how smooth a finish you get while airbrushing. I never gloss coat before decaling, on anything. I brush a bit of MicrSol on the area, lay my decal, then come back over it again with a coat of MicroSol. Usually, that's it. Sometimes if it hasn't snuggled or when silvering does occur I just come back over it again with MicroSol.
I do that specificaly to avoid all those layers of paint/finishes. Noone (not even IPMS) has ever thought less of my decals for the result- of course, they don't even know. I will admit though if you get a really thick oldstyle decal it's less effective. But who wants to use those decals anyway? Sometimes on those I'll 'stipple' them down with a thick stiff paint brush and work the decal (well softened up with MicroSol) down into the surface.
Maybe I've just been lucky all these years, maybe it's the 'practice'. But I've never liked the idea of so many coats to obscure details.
I'm sure you'll get better answers but someday you might give this a try.
Good Luck!
Duck Dodgers of the 24th and a half century!
I'd eliminate the primer. Styrene kits don't really need primer unless you've done a ton of filling of seams, and even then I usually don't prime unless it's dark plastic and the base coat is a light color. Primer is made to fill scratches, so it's a good bet it'll fill panel lines as well.
Go ahead and put your base colors down, then float the decals on with future instead of coating the whole model. Basically, put future down with a brush where you want the decals, then apply the decal onto that wet future. If you need to move the decal, use water to get it to float if you didn't apply enough future. Quickly and carefully brush out the excess future from under the decal. Let it dry, then fix any trapped bubbles (if any). Then airbrush on two or three coats of future in prep for your oil wash and to level out the decals. Do the wash, let it dry, then give it your choice of a sealer. I've found that you don't have to put a thick coat of future on to level out decals if your final coat will be a flat coat. I've had some decals that had really bad edges showing that after a flat coat looked perfect. I guess the flat coat is hiding the edges or something, but it works.
Of course, since you're using acrylics you could just use gloss paints to begin with and decal directly onto the paint, and even do the oil wash if you don't rub too hard, skipping the future until the end. I don't know about adding future to tamiya paints to make them glossy, but I have made washes by doing it and they turned out great. Do a quick test on a scrap part and see if it works, it might just save you a step.
Erin
<*>
Go ahead and put your base colors down, then float the decals on with future instead of coating the whole model. Basically, put future down with a brush where you want the decals, then apply the decal onto that wet future. If you need to move the decal, use water to get it to float if you didn't apply enough future. Quickly and carefully brush out the excess future from under the decal. Let it dry, then fix any trapped bubbles (if any). Then airbrush on two or three coats of future in prep for your oil wash and to level out the decals. Do the wash, let it dry, then give it your choice of a sealer. I've found that you don't have to put a thick coat of future on to level out decals if your final coat will be a flat coat. I've had some decals that had really bad edges showing that after a flat coat looked perfect. I guess the flat coat is hiding the edges or something, but it works.
Of course, since you're using acrylics you could just use gloss paints to begin with and decal directly onto the paint, and even do the oil wash if you don't rub too hard, skipping the future until the end. I don't know about adding future to tamiya paints to make them glossy, but I have made washes by doing it and they turned out great. Do a quick test on a scrap part and see if it works, it might just save you a step.
Erin
<*>
How about a nice cup of STFU?
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use a watercolor wash for panel lines and you won't risk screwing up the paint. Oils are fine, I still use them, but I'm using transparent watercolors even more often these days.
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Terry Miesle
Never trust anyone who says they don't have a hobby.
Quando Omni Flunkus Moratati