Complete Painting Guide

[Dave]

Okay so you've come to learn about painting or get a few tips about the subject. Well here are a few tips and techniques to help get you started. If you have some tips or techniques you'd like to add, please do so. If you find a tip you think others would be interested in somewhere else on this forum please post it here with credit to the original person of course. Also make sure you include a title of the post to make searching easier. The idea here is to make a complete guide to painting so we can all use it for future reference. If you have a question and you can't find the answer here, please post it in the regular area. Someone will answer it there. Once it's been answered, we'll move that tip here. Please do not post questions here.
Thank you and enjoy!

Originally posted by PIG:
1. Cobwebs: I’ve seen cobwebs no lacquers as well as acrylics. The common causes I’ve heard are paint too thick, pressure too high, paint built up on tip assembly, and static build-up. I thin my paints, regardless of make, to the consistency I need for good control. I also adjust my air pressure to match my paint so that I get a good consistent paint spray, and I try to keep my brush spotless. This leaves static. I have a cheap spray bottle I use filled with tap water. I mist a light coat or two of water onto the outside of the body to eliminate the static build-up. Whether or not it works, I don’t have cobwebs any more. If you do get cobwebs, Dave’s advice is the best I’ve found.

2. Fades: Fades aren’t as tough as people think they are. Just keep the coats light, allow good drying time between coats, and take your time. Putting a sheet of plain white paper on the outside of the body will help create a contrast to see how light your coats are and let you know how your fades will turn out.

3. Air Pressure: This is a common point of contention between painters. The best painter I know sprays detail lines on RC bodies at 60 psi using a gravity fed brush. Others like to drop the pressure down to 12-15 psi, depending on paint and brush type. Bottom line, practice with each color to see what works best…keep notes. Proper thinning helps. Air pressure is always related to thinning, see thinning below.

4. Thinning: I thin my paints, regardless of make, to match the control I want. The general consistency I go for is milk, and I adjust further from there. People always want to know what to thin acrylics with. I recommend rubbing alcohol (isopropyl type found at most grocery stores and pharmacies). It has a lower surface tension than water so it’ll spray smoother, dry faster, and is less likely to bead on lexan and be pushed around by the spray. For siphon feed brushes, surface tension of your suspension medium can make or break you. You can also use Windex, and the blue dye will not interact with your paints. In fact, it makes whites come out a bit brighter and whiter. Using alcohol to thin will help with doing detail work where the brush is closer to the lexan, the paint is less likely to be moved about because it dries faster. I recommend thinning with alcohol over Windex to lessen the chance of foam forming when back flushing the brush to clear it.

5. Siphon vs. Gravity Feed: Some will say that gravity fed gives you better control and finer detail and siphon is only good for large area coverage. I know of a few painters who create jaw dropping art on a shell and use nothing but a siphon feed brush. It’s all about personal preference and practice. Use what you have, and practice at it, then practice some more. You’ll only improve through use and practice.

6. Acrylic or Lacquer: This is another personal preference. Lacquers spray very nice…in general, much better than acrylics. But, using proper techniques and practice, acrylics will spray just as well as lacquers. Acrylics won’t give you the light headedness like lacquers and are considered a bit more home friendly. It all comes down to personal preference and practice. It’s the “run what ya’ brung” principle, use what you have and practice using it.

7. Notes: I strongly recommend beginner and intermediate painters take copious notes. They only take a second to write and pay huge dividends. I keep a large binder for my notes. I write down what paint I used, how much it was thinned, the air pressure, spray pattern, and rate it from 1-10 on control (10 being best). This lets me dial in everything much quicker next time I use that particular paint.

I also keep a color chart made of transparency sheets. I took a transparency sheet, sprayed one side with a nice even coat of paint. Once dry, I section off the sheet into 8 equal sized squares. Using low-tack masking tape, I mask off each section. Next, I spray a different color in each square to back my original color. On the front, I mark what primary color was used and mark the backing color in each square. It’s a handy little tool to have when designing to see what effects and colors you want t use.

8. Safety: This is a topic that’s rarely, if ever, broached. Safety takes precedence over every phase of painting. When you’re spraying, you’re releasing paint pigments into the air. These can collect in your lungs and build up quickly. Paint particulates from the paint we use are non-biodegradable, so the body can’t break it down. Instead, the body covers those paint particles with scar tissue (not a good thing). This leads to decreased air capacity in your lungs (a really bad thing). So, protect your lungs. Get a good respirator. Those cheap disposable cotton masks work for Jack and crap…and Jack just left town. Spend the money on a good quality respirator. You can find them using the sales associate at your favorite home improvement or hardware store. You only have two lungs and they’re supposed to last you a lifetime.

Get a good set of goggles to protect your eyes. The first time you notice paint specks on the lenses, the goggles have paid for themselves. Like your lungs, you only have two of them and they have to last you a lifetime.

[Pig]

Thanks Dave! You've inflated my ego enough to add a bit more to it.

The biggest difference between most pro painters and beginner is the depth in the paint job (or lack of). The right shadows and fades really make a paint job stick out and give it that 3D effect. I know of 3 painters who've truly mastered a 3D effect, and they've done it through diligence, hard work, and lots and lots of practice. They do this using drop shadows!

Drop shadows: These are the basic art principle that light on an object will create a shadow. The size of the shadow is dependant on light angle, intensity, relativity to the object (how close it is), and relativity to the background. Always keep this in mind when doing drop shadows.

The principle of creating drop shadows is easy, actually doing it consistently is tough. Tweak your brush and paint consistency to the control necessary to achieve a very fine line. Next, draw a fine line along the edge of your graphic on the graphic side not the bare lexan side. The overspray will create a tight drop shadow.

Quite often, beginning painters will try to put drop shadows around their entire graphic. This is not necessary and often leads to disappointment. Instead, figure out where your light source is and imagine where your shadows will fall. This is where your drop shadows should be created and no where else. It creates a 3D effect of your graphic floating on the body.

Take the drop shadow principle one step further. If you see some of the great RC painters when they create long sweeping graphics such as Celtic style flames, you'll notice the drop shadows fall away from the graphic. This can be done freehand (if you're really good) or you can do this a safer way and achieve great results. Pick up a pack of french curves from your local stationary store (Staples has them for 3 bucks). Use the curves as a paint shield to bring the shadows off the graphic. Your focus for spraying is on the curve and the overspray creates your shadows again.

To see examples, look at works by Roly, Charlie Barnes and Adrcracing. You'll see these principles mastered in jaw dropping works.

(Tips were collected over the past year from Charlie Barnes (http://www.cfxpaintworks.com/modules.php?name=Forums) and Adrcracing (http://www.adrcracing.com/))

[Pig]

(was going to add this to the previous post, but decided to do it here for ease of searching key words)

Paint bleeds happen. You try and lay a good stripe or graphic after 20 minutes of frustration and repositoning only to peal it up and find out paint bled under it. For most, they just spray over it forever making the paint bleed a part of the body and hope that some creative sticker work will cover it up. That doesn't have to be the case.

If you're not spraying chrome over it, you can use a scalpel bladed hobby knife to carefully scrape away the offending bleed. Take your time and go very very very slow. You'll eventually remove the paint bleed. Don't gouge or cut away the bleed, scrape it instead very lightly till it's gone. Once gone, spray over it. As long as you're not laying chrome over it, it won't show up.

If the paint is still somewhat soft, you can use a wooden toothpick. The round ones work best. Just use the point to push away the paint. Once again, go very very very slow. The toothpick won't gouge or score the lexan. Depending how light you go, you can almost get away with spraying chrome over it without it showing through.

If you get paint bleeds under you window masks, you still have some options to save the body without worrying that your windshield will look foggy. First, try a q-tip with some rubbing alcohol. This works even with lacquer paints, although not as well. Don't shove on the q-tip, just move it in very small increments till the paint is removed. Windex also works well here. There is no guarantee that it'll work. Bolink Body Wash is a product that is supposed to remove paint without clouding lexan. Use a q-tip and be gentle. Eventually, it'll come up with some patience.

If these tips don't work, there's always the well placed and creative use of stickers and decals.

[nitroracerx7]

I like your idea about repairing bleeding -like along stripes, graphics, and such- using a toothpick. I'm no expert..or even remotely close! Beginning student if anything...I hope my tricks will still be welcome here. Try this 'trick' sometime? I have it found a very good -similar- idea to use bamboo skewers, found at the grocery store for about a dollar per several hundred or so. The tips can be shaped to best be used as an 'eraser' by rubbing the factory made sharp tip on 220 grit sandpaper, to make it more rounded, as to cover a larger area and have more surface fibers exposed to 'sweep' your error away. Keep it kind of like a pencil point to help maintain easy control. I've also found them more useful if you drill a -small handle size- wooden dowel to snugly accept them. I keep an assortment of pre shaped 'skewers' on hand for both painting fine detail, not possible with an airbrush, or for the too often erasing of an error. They will have more..and more uses as you keep them around your work bench...you'll see...ô¿ô=
I too have also found rubbing alcohol to be a great body saver if you end up with a 'wreck in progress'...ô¿ô= Yes..I've frantically sprayed 91% rubbing alcohol into shop towels and scrubbed as much as the entire front third -hood and fenders- of a body gone terribly wrong. :eek: It may still not be the Belle of the Ball..but better...and most important, useable without -too much- embarrassment. Thanks for sharing your great tips and tricks here! I hope to improve my skill from your knowledge and experience shared.
Thanks again,
nitroracerx7

[Dave]

To clean your airbrush between colors and when done, use a plastic squeeze bottle filled with the appropriate cleaner/thinner to flush your airbrush.
Insert the tapered tip into your airbrush pickup, turn over your airbrush. Spray you airbrush at full blast and at the sametime squeeze the bottle. The pressure will flush the paint out of your airbrush. It's easier and quicker than attaching a bottle with a siphon tube and spraying it.

You can get the bottles at beauty supply stores (or art stores). They are the ones used to apply hair coloring and come in different sizes. Plus they're cheap.

As an alternative you could use refillable ketchup or mustard bottles, but I personally think they are a bit too large.

[BlazinB4]

I hate painting losi bodies for one reason.... they dont have overspray film! Once youve finished a really technical paintjob, you cant just peel the stuff up and presto... the body is clean. One thing ive found that works well and isnt too messy is to apply some fingernail polish to a rag and wipe the body off. the perminate marker will come straight off with no hastle.

a way to get your body super shiney for raceday: believe it or not, pledge furnature cleaner and a rag will do the trick. scrub the body down and the lexan looks like it is brand new.

ill probably think of more next time i start painting... which is probably tonight.

[nitroracerx7]

When I run into a body with no overspray film...I paint the outside with liquid mask -after washing it of course-... :cool:
nx7

[Pig]

For bodies that don't have overspray film, I took a tip from Charlie Barnes and covered the outside with cling wrap. Mist the outside, lay on the cling wrap, and using your finger squeeze the excess moisture out till the cling wrap is snug against the lexan. Glad Press and Seal also works great.

I recommend against using nail polish remover. Acetone will disintegrate polycarbonate. Instead, just use plain rubbing alcohol to wipe down the body. If you have smooth spots afterwards from the sharpie, a little Pledge furniture polish and your back to looking brand new.

Tired of having nitro exhaust cause dirt build up that might be a bit tough to get off? Pledge furniture polish the body prior to running. It'll put a nice thin protective coat over the lexan and keep it looking floor room shiny. It also makes cleaning up nitro exhaust a bit easier.

[Dave]

You can use Trinity Body Blast to clean the outside of the body after painting. It will remove the permanent marker and any over spray. It even removes lacquer based overspray. And it polishes up the body nice and clean.

[BlazinB4]

yup, buggy blast works too. i prefer finger nail polish remover only because its cheaper. motorspray works really well for if you scuff your TC body against a board or another car and get the black stuff on the body. motorspray works really well for removing that.

[Dave]

This was posted in another thread. Remember if you post a tip that is helpful in another thread, please post it here as well. We want to try to keep this list growing. That way if someone has a question or problem, they can look here for the answer first. :D
Thanks, enjoy!

Another thread of mine kind of turned ino a paint tips thread. I know the editors run a similar thread but if you are a amature and you feel like posting some tips or have a question myself or somebody else might be of help with , have at it.
The following are some tips I have for someone who is just beginning to paint there own bodies with a airbrush.

GET A SHORT HOBBICO EXACTO KNIFE!!!! These will make cutting masking inside any scale body much easier and is almost 100% necessary for 1/18 scale
.
Draw your design with a wet erase ( overhead projector) pen if your drawing skills are not the greatest. It comes off with a damp towel. Remember your xacto knife cut will be much more precise than your drawing. Its ok if your flames are not perfect, as long as you make adjustments while cutting.

The airbrush use is really the last of your worries. Its all in the masking. If you cant get a nice tight design with cans, a airbrush is not going to advance your cause. When you start here are a few tips..

Dont try to mask super complex designs right off.

If you are using liquid masking make sure you use 3 heavy coats, or 5-6 light coats. Masking that is too thin will be almost impossible to remove.

If airbrushing stick to Faskolors or createx, dont try to use Fancy paint like chrome or color change untill you have mastered using less sensitive paint

What do I mean by less sensitive paint? Chrome is very likley to peel up when you remove masking, I usually have to go back and cut the window masking lines so the chrome does not lift. Color change requires a good eye for coverage and will look spotty if you dont get proper coverage.

Paint for friends or for auction.
I did not get decent at airbrushing by painting 1 body a month or year.
Even a "hack" paint job will sell for the cost of the body. Paint a body, auction it off. You will most likley get enough money to buy another body and paint. If you are lucky you might even get enough to buy a Iwata airbrush! I like the HP-C and Ecipse airbrushes myself.

Use Faskoat or Createx Matte coat to finish your painted body. NEVER back Faskolor or createx with spray can white or silver. There is a good chance your paint will crack if backed with spray cans.

Some people have trouble with "misting" Overspray clinging to undesireable parts of the body, making smudges or poor fades. A light coat of Createx matte coat or faskoat BEFORE you spray your color will solve this problem as well as provide a much tougher paint job when it is cured.
Stan www.1stPlaceRace.com

[Pig]

Wanting to buy an airbrush but not sure what to get? The basics you need are a compressor, a moisture trap, an airbrush, paint, and a lot of patience.

Compressors are a common question, and many uninformed go out and toss money at a hobby compressors. While they work, most will have a tendancy to pulse air and cause frustration. I recommend a good quality tank compressor between 3 and 5 gallons. You'll find a thousand and one uses for these compressors and the 3 to 5 gallon size is perfect to move around the house. Also, most in this size range will have the right size nozzle to adapt to most airbrush hoses.

Moisture traps are a necessity. When you compress air you'll also cause moisture to condense. In a compressor, this can come through your airbrush and cause all sorts of problems. So, get a good moisture trap, and consider it a necessity.

Airbrushes are simply tools. It's the person holding them that creates the works of art, not the brush. Always remember this!! There are some great painters out there who stick with the cheaper brushes and succeed. If you're starting out, cheaper brushes may be the ticket for you, but they also present more problems. It's generally true with brushes, you get what you pay for. Many cheap airbrushes will only let the painter grow to a point. Typically, it's best to get a brush that's more capable than the painter. This will allow room for growth. There are a number of makers out there who make great brushes, but remember, you usually get what you pay for. If you pay 15 bucks for a cheap brush, don't expect miracles.

Almost any paint can be shot through an airbrush. It's a matter of thinning and air pressure. If you look through this thread, you'll see some more comments on thinning and air pressure. If you find paint that's partial to spraying, it'll take some of the guess work out of it.

Patience is the most demanding part of painting. Always remember that you'll make mistakes. They are an integral part of painting. The difference between great painters and beginners is how they recover from mistakes. Keep an open mind, have patience, and you'll succeed. Practice will reduce the chances of making mistakes.

If you have the patience and desire to succeed, you'll discover something about airbrushing. It's addictive!! Give in to the addiction, join the painted side...Luke, I am your father...

[Pig]

Want to try a different design or effect instead of the drawer liner to make cf? Take a trip through your local Home Depot and Michael's craft store. Drywall tape and other forms of low tack patch tape can provide an instant mask no one else has seen. Look through the fabric section of Michael's and pick up some mesh or even different sytles of lace to use as masking. You'll get more effects with ease using simple items found in the most unusual areas. Don't be pigeon holed into using vinyl or liquid masking, look around and you'll be surprised at what you can find.

[team3six]

Got a question, how can I replicate a marble look? I am thinking I should use a sponge but slightly drag and swirl it inside the body with paint on the sponge, let it dry and then place my base over that!?

[civicwil]

Team3six, Check out cfxpaintworks.com they have a great how to on marblizing.

[PyroMike]

3six just go to http://www.cfxpaintworks.com/ for all of the paint how to's there are, and will be some news here shourtly. :rolleyes: All of the big name are on there (just to name a few) like TK, ADRC, Mike Czech, Extremepaint, Pig (as his sig. says), and of course Charlie Barnes. (I know I left out some, but you get the idea ;) )

[PyroMike]

When you first set up your airbrushing site you will need an, airbrush, air compressor, paint, respirator, moister trap, hobby knife (#11 blade works fine), a well vented room or place to spray, masking tape or liquid mask (not important if making a one color shell), something to clean your brush and thin your paints. If you get those things your first painting experience will be a little better, and more enjoyable.
This was a question asked by someone else; I am used to using the Testors cans to paint. Is painting with the cans similar to using an airbrush?
It’s pretty much the same thing as painting with the cans, but you will have better control over the paint, and you will get better performance out of your brush. Also the paint will flow better out the brush. The gravity feed brush will give you a smother paint flow out of the brush for even more control (also great for fin details), over the bottom feed.


If you notice, most of this info ties back into what someone else all ready posted.

[DriftIsTheWayRS4]

Marble look - spray a coat of whatever color you desire, take either a natural sponge or some celephane / plastic wrap crumpled into a ball and tap, tap , tap the body to take some of the paint off. after your satisfied spray down whatever other color you would like. makes crazy effects!

[aus jd 2703]

just a quick tip,
dont clean createx or faskolor up with laquer thinners it turns built up paint into sludge and is harder to clean use createx airbrush cleaner windex or warm water let soak for 20 min but never over night (have not tested that to see what happens but soaking cannot be good for o rings or the airbrushes crome finish).
i just bent a needle trying to clean my brush so invest in some airbrush cleaning brushes.
lol my costly mistakes so far

[davecnitrors4]

just a quick tip,
dont clean createx or faskolor up with laquer thinners it turns built up paint into sludge and is harder to clean use createx airbrush cleaner windex or warm water let soak for 20 min but never over night (have not tested that to see what happens but soaking cannot be good for o rings or the airbrushes crome finish).
i just bent a needle trying to clean my brush so invest in some airbrush cleaning brushes.
lol my costly mistakes so far

The sludge effect happens with full strength isopropol alcohol too. Denatured alcohol or hot water, then Createx cleaner is the way to go, fer sure.

[CannibalChrist]

If you get paint bleeds under you window masks, you still have some options to save the body without worrying that your windshield will look foggy. First, try a q-tip with some rubbing alcohol.
i didnt hav any rubbing alchol on me so i tried nail polish remover this how ever tended to cloud up and eat away at the lexan (lucky for m it was behined a light decal so its all good) next i tested on some scrap plastic with paint using a paint thinner and a q-tip applicater to rub it in this worked amazingly well and the paint just rubbed off into the qtip didt ruin the lexan or anything by far this is the best way to fix bleeding as well the paint thinner helped to get rid of the cloud cuased by the nail polish remover.

[Klexis]

Thank you for the tips! I am going to do the painting job for my car to save money. That was really helpful.