Hi all,
Hopefully someone can point me in the right direction as I got some advice from my local model store that didn't seem to match what I was being told elsewhere.
I have some DPM n-scale structure kits that I want to paint. I do not have an airbrush and so will be hand-painting. What is the correct approach to painting these types of kits?
I presume I need a primer or undercoat? Should this be Enamel or Acrylic? The model shop said I needed Enamel and then to use Acrylic over the top as I can't put Acrylic on Acrylic? Is the primary the main color (eg: Red Brick Color) or would I prime with a grey or white and then paint the red-brick color on the top folowed by the detail (window sills etc) on top again?
What about a wash for brick work and mortar? The odel shop said I needed enamel again for this? But again, do I put a primer or undercoat on and then the wash over the top or is the wash the undercoat color?
I've looked at a number of videos but still not sure of the best approach and if I use Enamel or Acrylic paints.
Any advice would be appreciated. This is the first time I've looked to paint any models.
Cheers
Trevor
The only reason you might need a primer would be if you plan on painting the building a much different color than the color of the plastic, especially if painting light on dark. If a primer is needed I recommend a light gray color of shich several are available in rattle cans.
I recommend spraying on the primary brick color (and the primer, if needed) as you will find it difficult to brush paint evenly without brush marks. Even though I have an air brush (and know how to use it) I do most of my spray painting with rattle cans from hardware or auto parts stores. There are several dark red primers (not necessary as a primer--just good color and dead flat finish) available all of which work well for brick colors. Just be careful to spray lightly. Rattle cans put out a lot of paint. Hold the can at least a foot away from the model and make fairly quick passes, starting by pressing the button while the spray is not aimed at the model, then passing over it, then releasing the button.
Once you have a nice even base coat and let it dry at least overnight you can use a wash of a light colored acrylic paint for your mortar lines. I would not recommend solvent paints for this step as they can be difficult to wipe off. I don't thin mine much, slopping it on with a medium sized brush. After waiting three or four minutes I wipe it off with a slightly dampened rag. If it is too heavy I wet the rag a bit more and wipe again. If too light, repeat with the wash, rest, then wipe. Some people swear by Roberts' Brick Mortar. I find it a bit heavy for my taste but it's your railroad.
Then with a pretty tiny brush I hand paint the trim with acrylic paint. You could use enamel for this but the acrylic paints dry faster permitting painting multiple colors at one sitting.
On structures, I typically will use enamel spray paints wherever possible (usually from the home center), masking and re-spraying as needed for different colors. I like enamels for brushing as well, using those for smaller details. There are multiple ways to represent brick and mortar, including painting the mortar color first, and applying washes later. Experiment until you find a method you like. I often weather with acrylic washes and/or chalks.
Work in subassemblies wherever possible to minimize masking.
All of these structures were painted with hardware store spray cans, and weathered with combinations of washes and chalks. Hand-painting was done with enamels (like Testors Model Master) only where absolutely necessary.
Parts like downspouts, piping, windows, and so on are painted and applied separately if at all possible. Larger items like awnings, storage tanks, and lean-tos are built and painted as sub-assemblies if they are to be painted different colors from the main structure.
Rob Spangler
1st I wash the model with soap & water to clean any oils from mold release or handling. Then I use a spay grey primer I get at Hobby Lobby or Michael's with their coupon. The I use acrylic colors over the gray. To weather I dry brush acrylic paints, powders & chalk.
As you are seeing, there isn't just one way to paint your structures. In the end, I think you'll have to try a few things and see what works or is the easiest for you. You may end up with a few models you're not thrilled with, but that's all part of the learning process.
I will just mention a few things that I think are important. If you haven't worked much with acrylics, you'll find that some brands go on pretty thick. The trick is to try and not to go back over them with your brush unless absolutely necessary. Try to apply them as neatly as you can and then let them dry. You'll be surprised at how nice they level out as they dry. Others may be thinner, and require a second coat. If that's the case, let it dry and apply another coat. Don't try to put too much on the first time.
I've also found that with many acrylics, if you are painting trim and stray a little, you can often gently scrape off some mistakes with a toothpick or similar object after the paint starts to set up. Just nothing that is too sharp. I think it's easier to do than before it is completely dry.
I think the one thing I would avoid is using those little square bottles of enamel paint that Testors sells. Many of them are glossy and very difficult to apply smoothly with a brush. They do make some flat colors, but I would opt for their Model Master paints instead.
Hope these help a little.
Jim
As has been mentioned, after assembling the kit, wash it thoroughly using dish detergent and warm water, then rinse well and let air dry. This removes any mould release agent and any skin oils collected during assembly, allowing better paint adhesion.You need a primer only if the colour you choose is significantly different from that of the original plastic.I'd suggest using a spray can for the initial brick colour - some red primers might work well for that, and as a bonus, will have a flat finish. If you prefer buff-coloured brick or something else (I've found Floquil's Reefer Orange makes a great brick colour very close to that of local brick in my hometown, but it's not suitable for brushing on plastic, even if you're able to find it nowadays), you should be able to find something suitable in a spray can. However, it'll likely be a gloss finish, so, once it's completely cured (at least overnight, but several days for some paint - there should be no paint odour evident) then apply, again using a spray can, a clear flat finish and allow that to fully cure, too.This will make it easier to paint the detail work, like doors and window frames, etc., as it will more readily accept brushed-on paint than will a gloss finish, and it will also offer a better surface on which to add mortar effects.These can be done with a wash of thinned paint (I'd suggest acrylics) or by using a rag to apply pre-mixed drywall mud. Once the mud has dried - only takes a few minutes - use a clean rag to wipe away any excess, which will leave it only in the mortar lines and as a very thin film over the brick colour, muting it slightly.Once you're satisfied with the paint work and mortar, use a wide soft brush to apply some weathering. Acrylics work well for this, too, but choose suitable dirt-like colours (browns, greys, and/or black) and thin them quite heavily. If one coat of wash doesn't look like enough, it's easy to add another, and do it as many times as it takes.There's no reason to not use acrylics over acrylics - once the paint has fully cured, it's impervious to subsequent coats of the same stuff.
Here are a few DPM structures to be used as background flats or condensed buildings to fill-in scenes. Most are built from leftover parts found on the "used" table at my LHS.
These were mostly cast in an off-white plastic, but since I was doing a dozen-or-so, some with parts in other colours, all were airbrushed with Floquil grey primer.This one was then partially airbrushed with Floquil's Daylight Orange and some of the trim on the upper windows was brush-painted with custom-mixed Pollyscale, with the lower level still in primer, and more painting yet to be done:
Another one, a little more three-dimensional, and fully painted and ready for weathering:
Not sure on the colour of this one: it may be the same as the first or a slightly lightened version of it. I didn't use any drywall mortar, just a few washes of Pollyscale, mixed to whatever color I thought suitable:
Another, same as the previous one but definitely orange brick, and with different coloured washes:
This one's obviously not brick, but was cast in blue plastic. It was the first DPM kit I ever bought. I airbrushed it with Floquil Grey Primer, then followed up with Pollyscale Reefer White. Everything else was brush-painted using Pollyscale paints:
I weathered it with several washes of diluted India ink, and it'll get a little airbrushed weathering and some more signs before it goes on the layout:
This one's not a DPM kit, but shows the use of drywall mud as mortar. The brick was done with Reefer Orange (a darker orange than the ones shown above), the mortar applied, followed by several washes of well-thinned Pollyscale:
...and a closer view:
If you're going to be doing a lot of brush painting, good luck on finding suitable paints, as many are being offered as "airbrush ready" which means that they've been pre-thinned and are not well-suited to brushwork.Do get good quality brushes, and in sizes suitable to the work you want to do. Most of mine are artists' brushes, and were in the $10.00-$15.00 range - not the best, but good enough for this type of work. Take good care of them and they'll last for years. For cleaning brushes when using acrylic paints, I rinse them in methyl hydrate first, then again in lacquer thinner, and for all other types of paint, lacquer thinner only, and they're always stored brush-end up.
Wayne
If I want to change the color of the walls, for red brick color I use Krylon red primer, and other red primers to vary the color of the red brick. For a nice brown brick color, I use Krylon "Brown Boots". And for a more orange tone red brick, I use Krylon "Pimento" The primer is of course flat and the two colors mentioned come in satin....which loses the little bit of sheen it has as you apply dry wall mud for the mortar.
For wood structures, I use many Krylon flat or satin sheen colors.
I always use a good quality hobby paint and good quality fine brush to paint the trim. You'll find that using this combination allows the paint to sort of flow into the trim lines which makes it easier to stay within the boundaries of the trim.
Also keep in mind that if you are modeling one of those store front buildings set in a more modern era, the shop owners have painted over the brick many times. Many of those old buildings that still stand in small towns today look like a freshly painted dpm kit...with no mortar lines at all since they've been painted too.
Wayne's first picture of the yellow building actually looks quite realistic....like one of these buildings that has just received a fresh coat of paint over everything in the past few years. In the era that Wayne models, there are probably many more buildings that still have the moartar lines quite prominent, but in more modern times the mortar has become concealed by numerous paint jobs.
Vary the paint jobs on a row of buildings to have some look older with mortar lines and others that have had their brick and lentil's freshly painted....if you're modeling, say, post 1970.
- Douglas
I also use Krylon rattle-can spray paint from the hardware store. It's a lot more economical than paint from the LHS. I have a variety of browns, grays and rust tones, and I use them all so my buildings have variety. I find that for most structures, all I want is primer. That can be the first and last coat.
This is a Walthers Merchants' Row kit. The front wall is all one piece, so I did a lot of masking to let me paint different colors for different parts of the structure.
There is a bit of hand painting here, done with acrylic craft paints from an arts and crafts store.
I did the brick mortar on this building with thinned paints, but I've since decided that the best thing to use is drywall compound, spread over the wall and then wiped down so the brick faces are clear and the compound remains in the grooves.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I have found that with plastic, it is best to spray it first with a rattle can, after that you can even use craft store paints without a problem. Word of warning, beleive it or not, all craft store paints are not 100% compatable, didn't beleive it myself untill it happened to me.
Hi TrvLeyb
Well here are my thoughts starting with even pre coloured plastic kits should be painted plastic look is a big fail in the realisam stakes.
After washing the parts in soapy water and rinsing them in clean waterand drying.
Cut don't break the walls from the sprue and remove any flash
Any hobby paint oil or water base is OK to paint them but use one or the other I say that because once its dry I can never remember which one works over which one.
Take your walls and spray paint the inside flat black this is important if you later want to light the building and its going to be light colours.
Then when dry spray the out side in the base colour concider your structure colours if its a modern colour bond steel warehouse it may well be good to go to the local hardware and get a spray can of that colour.
look at the rest of the kit some parts are better painted before assembly you may not be able to get them all when its stuck together.
don't forget to remove paint from area to be glued it may not glue properly with the paint there after glueing you can touch up the area.
Washes are good for bringing out the details I use the Games Workshop ones mixed 50 50 with water to thin them even more.
leave your structure or other model to dry for a week in a clean dry dust free area you want it thourghly dry before washing depending on the base paint will depend on which bad result you get if it's not properly dry.
Once its washed ( this is for the thined GW one ) leave it for no less that 24 hours 48 hours is better before any dry brushing or or powder treatments take place
i recomend a light coat of a flat varnish to finish everything off.
fit as many windows as you can last so you don't have to mask them
oh! if it is a bath room window don't forget to make sure you spray the inside of that window with two coats of flat varnish or alternativly replace ot with translucent milk botle plastic that trick and just a basic paint job is enough to lift any building kit.
If it is suposed to be a new or freshly decorated building all that would be painted in the real world parts are best done in satin finish full gloss tends not to look right in a model situation it just looks wrong
large areas of white will always look very bright and I have not yet found a way to deal with that some one might have.
That should be enough to overload the brian for now.
if you are pushed for time just do a basic paint job on buildings at the back, and save the flash fancy all singing all dancing paint and other finish jobs for the buildings at the front where they can be seen to best advantage.
Now to state the obviouse take your time and do a neat best job you can of it as I said at the begining even just a neat basic paint job will improve the kit no end.
sorry if spelling is garbage at the moment waiting for eye surgery.
regards John