I am thinking it could be fun to get into custom painting some figures, so I have a fee questions. 1. How would i do big surface area painting? If i wanted to paint, for example, the door of bumblebee, or an entire leg, what is the best way to do it? I know a toothpick is best for small crevices, ect. And lastly, what is best for neat paints, so if i want to have a straight line going down, like a stripe, what is best for this. Thanks!
For larger areas, I'd suggest investing in an airbrush and air compressor. Used properly, you'll get even coverage and no brush marks. Then use a good quality brush for any detail painting needed. Match that up with some good masking tape. Tamiya puts out several widths of masking tape that works well.
/\What they said. Spray paints also work good, but can be unforgiving. Also: -Toothpicks suck. Invest in a good detail brush like a round 00 sable. -Prep-work is key. Lots to do before painting, like cleaning and priming. -Acrylics thinned with a small amount of distilled water are great for general work. Look for Vallejo, Reaper or Citadel brands. There are numerous tutorials here as well as across hobby boards online. I'd suggest reading up before diving in.
For straight lines, masking tape is obviously key. If you're putting it over a surface you've already painted, you'll want to be sure to give the paint time to cure before masking over it: I had an unfortunate incident where I peeled off the tape only to take off all of the paint including the primer. Another tip I've recently learned to avoid bleeding under the edge of the tape is to go over the edge of the tape with a clearcoat. That way, if anything bleeds under the tape, it's clear and it seals any of those gaps so that, when you paint, nothing goes under the tape.
Rubber cement works, too. When airbrushing, I put down a thin coat of rubber cement, then the tape over top of it. Use a cement eraser on the edge, and you have an air tight seal.
Just because I can't find the answer anywhere else on the boards, I have to ask; how does sealing work? Should it be done with every paint job? How much time is needed after painting before you seal? Etc.
Sealing offers an extremely thin protective coating over the paint. There are a few things that can be used as sealant, like clear coating and matte fixative. Sealing is usually a final step in the process after the paint has cured completely, but can be used during the painting process to protect an area while another area is being worked on. I sometimes multi-seal while airbrushing so overspray can be cleaned up easily.
