Finishing Steps (paintbrush and airbrush)

[whitfield]

Hey everyone,

I was wondering if you guys could kindly chime in on the steps that you take to finish your model (once it's been built). I've been using a paintbrush to do my finishing (will probably move onto an airbrush). I've had some general confusion about when to use pastels, clearcoat, etc..The steps that I follow are located below.

1) basecoat
2) primary coat
3) drybrushing (if needed)
4) Clearcoat Future floor wax (2 coats normally)
5) Decals (if needed)
6) Clearcoat future floor wax---1 coat over decals
6) Clearcoat floquil---1 coat
7) Wash (if required)
8) pastels (over clearcoats) for affects

I'm also wondering (with an airbrush) if you can move steps 7&8 BEFORE step 4---i.e. would you cover up wash and pastels underneith the clear coats?

[Kylwell]

I usually wash over the decals then seal it with a matte coat.

Guess my usual finishing would follow this:

1) Prime, if needed
2) Color coat(s)
3) Gloss coat
4) Decals
5) Wash
6) Flat coat
7) Pastels, chips etc
8) Sealer coat
9) Highlight with white pastels

[bhop]

For me:

For something with matte finish

Prime
Base color
Shade color (if shading)
gloss if decals are applied
matte
weathering
matte

For gloss finish - using lacquer

Prime
light mist coat of color - let it dry for a half hour plus
medium coat (same color) - dry for half hour or so
6-8 wet coats - cure for a few days
decals
3-4 clear lacquer coats
cure for a few days
polish and wax

[whitfield]

Wow, that's pretty helpful. So Kylwell, what exactly do you use for the finishing coat? Future or something else?

[Mr. Badwrench]

Pretty much what Kylwell said, but sometimes I add a step or two. After priming, add preshading. Then on to the color coats. Also, on the final dull coat, I use MM clear flat lacquer. Most of the time I'll add a little gob of white oil paint to the lacquer, especially over the top surfaces, to represent sun fading.

For this I did something a little different:
1: primer
2: metallizer coat, buffed
3: salt
4: zinc chromate "primer"
5: more salt
6: color coats, four of 'em
7: rub off the salt
8: Future
9: decals
10: chip the decals
11: more future
12: post shade / fade
13: oil wash
14: final dull coat, with oil mixed in

You can see the faded upper surfaces, which was achieved in both step 12 and 14.