I hope it's ok to ask about gundam customizing here. In the end it will help me do custom tfs. Either way, just last week decided to get into painting my gunpla(been gunpla-ing for about a year). I decided to start with some spray paints. I grabbed one of the kits that I would be OK with messing up. I bought these: Rustoleum Ultra Cover White and Gray Primer Krylon Sun Yellow, True Blue, Banner Red, Matte Finish, Brilliant Silver, Clear Gloss The fig I used was an old 144 HY-GOGG(not HGUC). I used the white primer and it was good. everything looked smooth and nice. Afterwards, I choose the color I was going to be using and applied it. Again, everything looked good. I loved the bright red it turned out. I let it dry and later applied a gloss coat as advised since I was going to try and panel line. Here is where I got snagged a bit. I gloss coated....how long should I have waited for the coat and was one pass to each piece good enough? The kit looked super shiny and bright colored as can be, but what is the time frame I should give it before going in with the marker or pen? I would have wanted to use the "lighter fluid" method, but I have not been able to find one damn bottle of lighter fluid. Anyway, I paneled the kit. My next question is, can i go in and detail in this step of the process? I went ahead and proceeded with it. After I was done, I put it on a shelf and went to bed. Woke up today and put the final top coat. Was I right in using the matte finish? I spayed it a bit farther than I did with the paint. Somehow it came out bad. After applying the coat, after letting it sit a while, I went to go check on it....it looked like someone had thrown dust on it. I touched it and it felt rough. What happened? I am just trying to get the steps clear. Like I said, I used a kit I would not miss so no biggie there. I'm doing and HG 100 Aegis Gundam next and would like to get the steps right. TLDR Version 1. Are the products I bought for painting ok? 2. How long in between spraying? Priming, how long to let it sit, Paint how long, gloss coat how long? 3. Final top coat: is matte not a good top coat? why did my kit feel rough and dusty? 4. How can I use the Brilliant Silver? Do parts need priming for it also? What is the correct way to apply it to a white part and to black part? Additional details: it is always hot here. there is some wind sometimes. I did the spraying from like 11am until about 6 which is when sun starts coming down. It can be just a tiny humid in the early morning, which is why I wait till midday. I'm sorry for babbling.
I think what you are describing is "orangepeeling" as us airbrushers call it. Normally you would thin out the paint more use a lower air pressure, but since you dont have that controll try painting closer to the object, so as not let the paint set before it reaches the plastic. temperature, Psi , and mixes ( of paint types) are what cause it, Thats why its always good to try to test a piece from beginning to end before starting a new project. good painting is PLANNING PLANNING PLANNING, SETUP SETUP SETUP, some knowledge then appllication and technique. Im not sure what rustoleum and Krylon use as a base or thinner but they might be incompatable, and probably differ per product of each brand.
well the primer and paint worked beautifully and was smooth. the primer was Rustoleum and the everything else is krylon. it was until the matte that my "project" got messed up. i noticed i didn't hear a "rattle" when shaking the matte spray. is that normal or perhaps i got a bad can?
It sounds like the coat was too light, or maybe the can was too far away from the part. Basicaly it sounds like what happened, and what I believe wheeljack was saying above, is the paint was too dry by the time it made it to the kit. When that happens, instead of a nice smooth surface, you get a rough surface as all the particles of paint dry seperately, instead of forming together. Try it again with the paintcan closer, or with a heavier coat.
To add to what everyone else has said, you mentioned there was no rattle in the can. It could be stuck, so shake it really good, because if your paint isn't properly mixed, it'll change the results of your coats.
would it be better to do each piece separately for the final coating? also, after i prime, how long should i wait before putting the paint? how long should the paint dry before the gloss coat for panel lining? is it ok to let the pieced alone for a like a day if i can't do work on them? i'm sorry for all the questions, but i really am trying to learn.
With the different coats, just follow the directions on the cans. Most paints have flash time, were you can put another coat over it. That's general within the first couple hrs, but if you miss that opening, you should wait at LEAST until the next day to even think about putting more paint on. If you don't, it'll mess with the paint you've already applied, you'll have to start over. Which trust me, involves more work than rushing it is worth..
well, it started to get cloudy here and i think it's going to rain, so i will have to resume probably next week. anyway, it's good that you told me that if i paint or prime i can wait until the next day. i though i would have to just hurry and apply the paint and stuff. two more questions, is matte the same as flat? and i had allready asked about painting some silver detailing, i should "prime" the piece first with black flat or black gloss?
ALWAYS prime, even for the silver. The primer is designed to be a layer of covering for the actual paint to grip. As for matt and flat, they're different, flat still has SOME shine to it, but matt has almost nothing in the way of a sheen. If you wanted a "factory finish" flat, or even a semi-gloss, would be the way to go.
awesome. i should use black primer if i want the silver to be shiny, right? or would just a flat black coat of paint before it work?
I've had this problem before the one that gives it white dusty appearance correct it is indeed from your top coat, you need to make sure you shake the spray cans vigorously for a good amount of time and spray about 20-30cm away from object in left to right motion in short bursts but do not stop in the middle even coats dry time for me has been around average 15min-30min
Very good advice here gang! This is also cool: http://xbox-360.wonderhowto.com/how-to/use-krylon-fusion-spray-paint-custom-paint-xbox-360-275722/
another tip I use is, Buy yourself a meduim sized food dehydrator cut away some of the stack pieces depending on what size pieces you are painting. I have an old white one but I see in the stores clear ones now that can help monitor the pieces. [/IMG] Then after each coat "bake" the pieces to help them dry it also adheres the primer to the plastic and the paint to the primer. It seems to help the detail of each piece to show through the paint. I use this method after each paint layer, and bake it on for maybe a day.. it also helps keep the dust off. Remeber the more patient you are the better the project will come out.
i'm just bummed i haven't been able to work on my kit. it's been raining and humind these past days and i'm hoping this week will have better weather in store.
when i prime the parts, i can let them set until the next day? if i'm using gloss paint, do i still need to apply a gloss coat before panel lining and detailing, correct?
Thats what I do, when I paint i pick days to primer then a day for 1st color then 3rd day 2nd color etc... so I havent had any issues with waitng a day or more even, now with that said, get a cabinet that closes tightly or put the parts in a plastic tupperwear type container to keep the dust off BUT also let the piece breath, so the salad type containers, that dont seal air tight. The point being is ; yes i let my parts sit BUT i have them protected from the elements and mostly dust. Using the dehydrator helps this, as they have filters to keep particles out but continiously circulate warm air about 95 degrees. ( multi settings, 95 is the one i use and its max temp) And yes to your second question, seal your base paint before adding panel lines or drywashing your figure. the idea is protect the paint you already have there then you can add detail and whathave you then you can seal it again. make sure you let it dry a while before drybrushing/drywashing or line detail work. If you want to wipe or rub or brush any type of paint onto a base color without effecting the base coat, then clear coat it first ( a couple coats, lightly wet sanding in between) then after that dries and sets, then work on it with detail work. Then clar coat it again to protect the finished product.
