Such a noob.

[wolves]

How do I paint a zoid?

I sprayed Redler but I would really like to hand paint but the concept of brushes, washes, acrylic vs enamel, gundam markers etc is stressing me out and I have no idea where to begin.

I have an LB Iron Kong MK II (the little guy). I want to paint him like the Yeti version(white) but instead of green accents, I want metallic purple and with gold weapons. I also will need to do some serious panel lining in black.

I bought the Testor's enamel white spray but in gloss this time. I can spray his body parts on the trees themselves.

I have a tiny pot of metallic purple enamel paint and enamel thinner. Both Testor's brand.

I bought their gold as well but I don't know how "gold" it'll be.

Is this all I'd need to do my project? Panel line with sharpie or something else? Won't it eat at the paint job beneath it? So confused.
And if I do use the enamel paints, any brush recommendations? Because if I go cheaply, I'm scared the brush will fray and ruin the work.

Any suggestions on where to start will be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[Maethius]

If you are using airbrush (and a darned good ventilator) you should have some good results with Testor's. I tend to use their Model Master line and the Metalizers for airbrush. I've been playing with better washing techniques but the basic rule of thumb is this:

Enamel model paint = acrylic wash
Acrylic model paint = enamel wash

Otherwise you run the risk of eating away at your base coat. Some folks report great success lining with Gundam markers, but I've never heard a good sharpie story!

[Xehn]

I've done some panel-lining with mechanical pencil to good success. Easy to clean if you make a mistake, too, but it only really works well on mid-to-bright colors.

[wolves]

Ah okay thanks!

Is airbrushing an expensive thing to get into initially? Buying the equipment?

[Maethius]

I've actually seen a really good deal from Micro-Mark recently... they have an introductory kit. It's a bit pricey, but not for what you get! Testors starter airbrush set

[wolves]

Ah thanks! Is it possible to paint zoids with paint and hand brushes? And if yes, any brush recommendations? Because I can imagine the bristles making streaks.

[Snowflake]

It's not ideal or professional, but you can get perfectly good results with brushing. the actual bristle lines aren't usually visible since the paint is still liquid and evens itself out while it's settling to dry, but you'll still see a slightly uneven surface if you look closely. Keep in mind a lot of types of models don't come apart into different pieces (miniatures for example) so those people always use brushes and they're satisfied

[ped]

If you prefer to use a brush, you can use a mild retarder to mix with the paint. It actually slows drying time and gives the paint a chance to even out before drying. So the brush strokes effectivaly diappear. But be warned, it does take a while to dry so make sure your are is clean, otherwise, you might get dust sticking to the paint. One of my earliest customs was all completely hand painted.

Its also easy to use paint from the can. Depending on your area, craft paint (i prefer lacquer acrylics) may be available. Automitive spray paint acrylics can also work, but they usually finish thicker than craft paint so you have to test first before you use on the kits.

darth on,

ped
good luck.

[Maethius]

If you are considering hand painting it can work well on smaller parts and pieces with more detail, but large, expansive pieces can look streaky. I dislike the use of spray paint aside from a primer, but you might consider finding a spray for your base colors... go with flat, as it tends to preserve detail better and have an overall better finish. With that as your base coat, then turn to your hand paints for all the smaller and detail work, finishing, and weathering.

[Maethius]

Okay, double post, but this is work double posting about....

Micromark is having a sale... and that airbrush kit is currently $144.

[wolves]

Thank you everyone!

[theflamecrow]

Jun 11, 2012 5:01:10 GMT -5 ped said:

If you prefer to use a brush, you can use a mild retarder to mix with the paint. It actually slows drying time and gives the paint a chance to even out before drying. So the brush strokes effectivaly diappear. But be warned, it does take a while to dry so make sure your are is clean, otherwise, you might get dust sticking to the paint. One of my earliest customs was all completely hand painted.

Its also easy to use paint from the can. Depending on your area, craft paint (i prefer lacquer acrylics) may be available. Automitive spray paint acrylics can also work, but they usually finish thicker than craft paint so you have to test first before you use on the kits.

darth on,

ped
good luck.

I find it's easiest to paint with acrylics like Testors Model Master line etc. A little bit of water goes a long way to making it coat nicely. :3

Usually I try to keep my brush with a little bit of water on it, but I've been trying out different techniques.

[wolves]

Appreciate it Flame!

[theflamecrow]

I admit I haven't really painted much lately, but I try. XD

Enamal paints IMO are less easy to use, can't clean them with water, they take forever to dry and sometimes the finish just doesn't look very good brushed...

Just something else I thought to mention, I swear I forget something 99% of the time when I post. >.<

[Maethius]

I wonder if I should try switching to acrylics for my base coats... using airbrush should keep them nice and smooth. That might make my job of panel lining and weathering easier. Certainly it would make the process less toxic!