Coloring of prefabricated models. Learning to paint without an airbrush

Paint models various equipment You can use a brush or an airbrush. Beginning modellers usually use the first method. Therefore, here we will talk about how to paint models with brushes. Painting is done after final assembly when absolutely all parts are installed. This process includes several steps.

Degreasing

In order to degrease the model, it is best to use gasoline or alcohol. Moisten cotton wool with one of these substances and wipe the model with it. You can also degrease the model liquid soap or detergent for dishes. After degreasing, all traces of the used grease solvent must be removed. In this case, if you used a soapy solution, you need to wash it off with a stream of water and leave to dry. Alcohol or gasoline does not need to be washed off - they themselves will evaporate after a while. After that, you can not touch the model with your hands.

Primary priming

The primer keeps the dried paint on the surface of the model. First, check if a primer is needed on this model. Apply primer to part of the sprue and let it dry. Then paint over the primer and at the same time on the other part of the sprue that was not primed. After the paint has dried, try scratching it with your fingernail. If there is no difference, no primer is needed.

Cover transparent areas with a protective coating. For this, masking tape is used. Remove it either after applying the last coat of paint, or after varnishing (if you do not want to varnish the transparent parts).

Now use a brush to apply the primer evenly over the entire model. If you plant a drop or a primer runs, do not try to remove this defect. Wait for it to dry and move on to the next step.

intermediate grinding

This step is needed to eliminate the irregularities of the primary priming. Sanding is done with very fine sandpaper. Now you can remove all streaks and "blots". In this case, it is possible that in some places you will completely erase the primer. This can be fixed in the next step.

Final priming

Now with a brush, achieve the maximum uniform distribution primers on the surface of the model. If you find that the sanding was defective, or if you made a mistake in the final priming, steps 3 and 4 should be repeated. People who understand how to properly paint models sometimes spend several cycles before they achieve the perfect surface.

Applying the base tone

Attention! Model paints must not be nitro enamel. They can corrode the plastic from which the model is made. Paints that are soluble in water or alcohol are best suited.

Examine the color scheme of the model. The main tone will be the color that occupies largest area. Moreover, if the main tone is light - silver, red, yellow, blue, etc., then for a start it would be better to paint the entire model with white paint. This will allow the main tone to look more vivid.

The main tone is applied in several thin layers. If you used acrylic paints for models, then after completing the application of the main tone, you should cover the model with a transparent varnish.

At this stage, grinding defects (gross marks) that were not visible after priming may appear. They are still removable: you can repeat sanding and, if necessary, priming. Then you need to use the paint again.

Applying camouflage

At this stage, any mistake can completely ruin appearance the whole model. Therefore, it requires the most careful approach. There are several ways to apply camouflage. All of them are based on the use of different masks. The most common masks are paper and tape. Experienced modellers who know how to properly paint models use their imagination to create masks. So, some of them use plasticine and other improvised means.

If the camouflage is multicolored, the first to be applied bright hues, then dark. In this case, each tone, as in the previous case, is applied in separate thin layers. When painting with acrylic paints, after the application of each of the tones is completed, the treated area is covered with a colorless varnish.

Applying decals

To give realism, you need to both paint the models and apply decals (transfer stickers) on them. Wet decals look the most natural. Their application is associated with the most difficulties. To begin, cut out the desired section of the decal, avoiding extra margins and sharp corners. For this, they are used nail scissors. A blade and a scalpel act as auxiliary means. In some cases (letters, numbers) it is not possible to cut the decal without margins.

The cut section should be dipped in water for a few seconds. After that, you need to hold it in the air for some time to soften the glue. While the adhesive is softening, cover the area where the decal will be placed with a layer of water. Lay the decal with the backing on the water and brush the film off the backing with a brush. You will have enough time to set the decal in the right place with a brush, match or tweezers. The main thing is that when positioning under the film there is always a layer of water. After the final installation, remove excess water with a tissue and press the decal with a dry cloth.

Sometimes it is more convenient to cut large decals into parts and join these parts one by one with each other on the surface of the model.

On some surfaces (for example, on the ribbed armor of German tanks), only a skilled watchmaker or jeweler can apply a “wet” decal. If you are having difficulty, it may be worth using a "dry" decal or applying the image with a thin brush.

final varnishing

Apply the last coat of varnish over the paint and decals. You may want to remove beforehand protective covering from transparent areas. If you do not want to cover them with varnish, remove the protection after it dries.

Now the model can be taken by hand. Sometimes it can be substituted under a stream of water from the tap to get rid of dust.

For some time now, prefabricated models of the Tiger tank have not come across in my hands. But I always wanted to assemble a kind of hybrid of this car - something similar to the appearance of a real car at the very end of the war. The tank, which is described in this article, is an early version of the "Tiger", which, over the course of a long service life, has undergone some modifications and passed through the hands of field repair teams.

As a basis, I used a prefabricated model of an early Tiger from Tamiya. Also, some parts from the kit of a later modification of this machine manufactured by Skybow were required for refinement. A few more parts used in the assembly came to this machine from the ABER photo-etched kit.

If the subject of the project is a well-known vehicle like the Tiger or Panther tanks, I try to find an interesting and unusual camouflage pattern for this model. The following photos describe in detail step by step creation my color scheme. Special attention in this model is given to imitation various effects- weather, rust, dirt, pigmentation and other “wesaring”.

1) As usual, painting started with priming the surface of the model (we also recommend another article about primers). For this I used Mr. Surfacer 1200.

2) Then it was applied base layer paints. Since the subsequent effects work will noticeably drown out this color, I tried to use as bright and thick paint as possible.

3) Now it's the turn of camouflage. To begin with, I mixed the green paint with the base color in a ratio of 3 to 1.

4) Now the sequence of brown stripes on the camouflage is the same ratio as above.

5) The commander's turret received a completely different camouflage markings. The turret could well have been changed by repairmen during the long service life of this Tiger tank. The same applies to the radio operator's hatch cover.

6) To confuse things even more, I decided to paint the barrel and the area where the storage box is usually located, in the usual grey colour German tanks - Dunkelgrau.

7) Before starting work on simulating the effects, a transparent protective layer glossy varnish. But right after that, I realized that I completely forgot about the decals.

8) After placing the decals in their places, I again applied a layer of glossy varnish.

9) Now I applied the filter.

10) After letting the filter dry, at this time I painted the tracks. Vallejo paints came in handy for this.

11) Let's move on to mixing different oil paints. In principle, this is the same technique as applying a wash, but it is precisely different colors. I also tried to get the surface highlighting effect.

12) The next step is painting the parts. Tools and spare tracks are covered with acrylic paints.

13) Now let's move on to simulating chips. For this I used Vallejo paints (Model Air Color) and a good brush like 10/0.

14) Enlarged photo - note chipping effects.

15) Then I applied another filter. The goal is to slightly dilute the chips. Various types of filters were used for the barrel, commander's cupola and cover.

16) At this stage, I again took up the tools. Now they are covered with oil paints.

17) The next step is to paint the stock tracks with rust-simulating pigments.

18) Here I applied a few more light washes, as I needed to soften the brightness of the camouflage a little more.

19) Now I'm busy applying weather effects with varnish. This technique was inspired by Adam Wilder. Very interesting way enhancing the contrast between different parts models. pay attention to matte surface covers of the commander's cupola in comparison with the glossy base of the cupola.

20) We proceed to applying the base to simulate the dust effect.

21) I applied several pigments from MIG to the surface, having mixed them with thinner beforehand. Then I applied some more spray.

22) After looking at the preliminary result, I realized that the model lacks a little more rust. In this case, oil-based paints were also used.

23) For spraying, I used an airbrush jet directed at a brush with a mixture of pigments and a matte varnish.

24) We pass to the front surface of the steel wheels.

Foreword
In general, I started writing this text even before I finally formed a more or less accurate opinion about the various paints and how to apply them to the model. Therefore, at first there will be a little verbiage, which is also desirable to read, since there is a little instructive in it.

So, at the end of 2013, having become interested in modeling, and realizing that I just don’t want to buy an airbrush yet, but I want (with a little masochism) to try to learn how to paint without it, I just went to the World of Models store, bought what there was, namely enamels "Tamiya". And then in "Stationery" I took chinese set of 10 brushes for 65 rubles, and set to work. Of course, before that, for a start, I tried to read something ... But it seemed to me that everything was so simple that it was not worth even bothering with collecting information on the issue of interest to me.
In short, I started to paint and I didn’t succeed. In a sense, absolutely.
This discouraged me. But not so much.

small digression
The fact is that in my childhood many people told me that I can draw, and I should definitely go to art school to study. But I didn't want to go to art. It was enough for me that I could draw a female figure with a simple pencil (simplified and without obvious naturalism), well, something else ... according to the mood ... The whole point here is that I only drew with a pencil. Simple. Because I've never been able to do anything with paint. And here life again pushed me with colors ...

Realizing that I was doing something wrong, I decided to read more.
And if you think that the Internet is filled to capacity with information about the technique of painting with a brush, then you are deeply mistaken.
Basically, all answers to questions from the series "how to learn to paint with a brush?" have one meaning - "what the hell is this for you, better buy an airbrush!". True, some interlocutors recalled legends about certain Masters of the brush, who painted with brushes better than with an airbrush, but this was usually the end of the matter.

Nevertheless, I got myself a notebook, where I began to write down all the interesting little things and subtleties of modeling, including about the methods and techniques of painting with a brush. Subtracted methods from different authors sometimes differed dramatically, and only then I realized that real painting with a brush is not just "painting with a brush"! This is a process with a lot of subtleties and nuances, and even somewhere - art.

And then one day, in search of a video of painting with a brush (by the way, absolutely unsuccessful), I came across a video of painting with an ordinary kitchen sponge. This inspired me. And it didn’t matter that the author of the video lesson was painting the tank! (by the way, I used to build airplanes, and this, as you understand, is a little different) It was a chance to start painting without having to suffer with the development of these sticks with a bunch of hair at the end (i.e. brushes)!

I want to say that another ambush awaited me on my way, which is better to say right away.
This ambush is IMPATIENCE.
Without waiting for the applied layer of paint to dry, I began to put the next layer, and immediately spoiled the previous one. And here it absolutely does not matter what to paint and how ... If you did not withstand the necessary time (for drying or polymerization) for a certain paint and application method, most likely you will have to start all over again.
Why do you think I'm writing this? Yes, in order to somehow occupy yourself while the next layer of paint dries on the model!

In general, after the first layer applied with a sponge, I liked it (sponge). Most importantly, there were no terrible stripes and hair left from her, like from a brush. But she had other flaws. The main drawback, which will interfere even when you get your hands full in stuffing paint with a sponge, is the great difficulty in painting over small cones and other places where the sponge simply does not crawl through. Well, and some "roughness" of the applied layer, even with well-diluted paint.
It was this "roughness" that prompted me to try using a softer and less "pumpy" sponge instead of a sponge (which women use to apply cosmetics). But he also turned out to have his drawbacks - he either immediately becomes clogged with paint and ceases to be a "sponge", or, under certain conditions, he begins to "stick" to the surface and drag already dried paint along with him. In this case, the result is terrible, especially if it happened on last layers or on exterior-important surfaces.

Having at the very beginning of my journey a very small assortment of types and manufacturers of paints, I tried to paint the first two models (LaGG-3 and R-39) "manually" (with a brush and sponge) with Tamiya enamels (TAMIYA). And although I still like these models, I confess that they are painted terribly.

Then I found and read a wonderful article "The ABC of Acrylic"(Walt Fink) Fine Scale Magazin 09 2001) after which he practiced painting with acrylic quite fruitfully different ways and with different diluents (The article itself can be read or downloaded at PDF format by this link). I used acrylic paints from the same Tamiya. Trainings were held on another "cat", which never became a model - on the "Hurricane" in the 48th scale from the notorious firm "ARK". All these experiments were described by me here in LJ in "Learning to paint without an airbrush. Acrylic "Tamiya" (TAMIYA). First experience." (link to PDF file).

But despite the experience gained, I again failed to paint the next model (Yak-1) normally.
Although I painted it in the most successful (judging by the experiments) way.

After that, I again sat down at the textbooks ... I began to search the Web for information about painting with a brush.
And the search was successful - a wonderful article was found "Ours to you with a brush", written by Maxim Bylkin and published in the magazine "M-Hobby" (link to PDF). And I was inspired again - here it is! Deciding to immediately try the recommendations received, I again went to buy paint (which I still had plenty of by this time). This time it was REVELL enamel. I started to paint another "cat" (P-40 "Tomahawk") in the way read in the article, and again nothing worked out for me.
No, something came out better than Tamiya enamels, but it was still bad ... Now I understand that Revell enamels take a very long time to dry (even a day for one layer will not be enough), and the main problems are me were because of this.

At the same time, I was building the Foca (FW-190A), which I tried to paint in the same way as the Tomahawk, but with Tamiya enamel.
After five coats of paint, I erased everything, and "after consulting with my comrades" I began to repaint the Foca with acrylic, trying to combine everything that I had read before in the painting style.
"And then I got flooded!" (from)
Although when painting, I continued to mow, but this no longer applied to the method of painting, but to my crooked hands.

Therefore, at this stage of my research, I was able to shout like Cat Matroskin - "It worked !!!" - and started honing my skills...

And now I’ll write what, in fact, all this was written for - my humble opinion on how to paint models without an airbrush. Moreover, this article deals exclusively with the application technology base color. Everything else - motling, obgading, aging and other perversions - is a completely different story...

So let's go!

Below I offer you a variant of the technology of painting the surface of the model using brushes, which I came up with a long trial and error described above, and which I use now.

I want to clarify right away what to apply base color I use exclusively Acrylic paints and varnishes of the company "Tamiya" ("Tamiya"). And as a diluent, I have chosen and still use ordinary vodka (the cheapest).

Separately, I want to say about the brushes ...
I use mostly flat, synthetic brushes. Their size, depending on the surface, ranges from No. 2 to No. 8. And for applying varnish - up to No. 16. I also note that it is better to buy brushes in specialized stores, since a cheap brush will ruin all your work, no matter how you tried. I buy brushes in the Leonardo store from Gamma (Gallery series), Mr.Painter and Colonsky sable. Or other good manufacturers.

Well, actually a bit of technology ...

1. I apply layers of acrylic on vodka with a fairly short interval - sometimes less than a minute.
This is possible due to the properties of the thinner - vodka evaporates quickly, and as soon as the paint stops shining, you can safely paint the next layer. Moreover, it is better to do this with a semi-dry brush and, as it were, shading the areas that have not yet dried up. Note: At the same time, the paint should be quite liquid - I mix at least (!) Three parts of vodka into one part of the paint. But more often I breed even thinner - 1:5. I do not count the layers and their number is determined visually by the quality of the resulting coating. If the paint is diluted quite liquidly and is transparent in itself (for example, white), then there can be 10-15 layers ... And if the paint is diluted a little thicker, and its hiding power is good (for example, silver), then there can be layers 2-3.

2. If the varnish with which the paint will be coated is also acrylic, then it is better to apply it (also with a brush) minimum in a day. Otherwise, there is a high probability of lubricating paint that has not yet dried completely. I dilute the varnish in the same way as the paint, but after application I don’t shade it, but let it dry on its own.

3. Felt the acrylic paint (which I sometimes do to determine the quality of the paint and correct some small defects coating) can be already somewhere in 15-20 minutes after applying the layer. I usually felt the surface somewhere in the middle of work, and, if necessary, at the end of painting.

ATTENTION!
1. Acrylic paint from "Tamiya" is washed off with soapy water ( !!! ) And very good! Therefore, before applying varnish (preferably enamel), no water procedures. Otherwise, you will have to paint everything again.
2. All of the above is written based on my personal experience and skills. And if something suddenly didn’t work out for you, you don’t need to assume that I deceived you somewhere.

GOOD LUCK!!!

P.S. You can see almost all of my works (painted exclusively with brushes) on the Karopka.ru project by going to my page here at this

You will need

• - model
• - paint (preferably enamel)
• - containers for dilution of paint (if required)
• - a set of brushes (cylinders with spray paint or airbrush)
• - spacious, ventilated, well-lit room
• - solvent and a small piece of cloth
• - oilcloth to cover the work surface

Instruction

Choose a coloring method. There are several of them: with a brush, or with an airbrush. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, and can be used by both experienced modellers and beginners.

The main advantage of painting with a brush is that the modeler's paraphernalia is quite cheap (although branded brushes, which usually cost). However, this method remains the most cost-effective compared to others. Another plus is simplicity. Having settled on this option, select the appropriate brush. Artistic ones with numbers 00, 01, 02 may be suitable, thick ones (03, 04, 06) are less commonly used to coat bulky parts with varnish, apply imitation of dirt, dust, etc. ("aging" of the model by applying traces of operation, i.e. smudges of dirt, road dust, rust, scratches, weathering). Before the process, it is desirable to wash the surface with detergent or sandpaper. The fact is that the paint practically does not fall on too smooth plastic. Therefore, you need to create a layer for which it will cling. Painting is usually carried out at least two times. It is necessary to keep the model or its parts in a previously prepared holder. It is better to dry the painted parts according to the instructions attached to the paint. Drying may take up to a day. Well varnished model.

Painting with spray paint cans also has a number of advantages and disadvantages. The first is that this method takes little time and is quite convenient, and drying can take about 20 minutes. The main negative point is the high consumption of paint. Also, the balloon in the process must be kept at a strictly defined distance from the model. Otherwise, the jet will not reach the surface (underpainted), or simply flood it, forming smudges.

Another way to implement the plan is to use an airbrush. This is a device that allows you to spray paint with a very fine jet under pressure. The size of the jet is adjustable. The range of its sizes is quite large. You can create either a cloud or almost a brush. And in any case, the paint will lie so evenly that the smallest errors on the surface will be visible, which, to some extent, refers to the disadvantages of this type of painting. This means that the modeler must prepare very carefully: deepen the cracks, putty and grind the joints. The high price of the equipment itself is also not the most pleasant moment. In this case, after each painting, it is necessary to disassemble and rinse the airbrush with a solvent, then dry it. The painting itself takes a minimum of time, and the preparatory and final (washing, equipment cleaning) stages take a significant part of it. In this way, this method suitable for non-lazy modellers.

Having chosen the most optimal option for you, you can proceed directly to work. The venue should be well ventilated, spacious enough and brightly lit. Keep solvent and a small piece of cloth handy to remove stains from hands, surrounding objects, and parts if necessary. Cover the surface to be painted with oilcloth or newspaper. It is advisable to have containers for diluting paint. After completing the process, leave the model to dry. And wash the brushes or airbrush parts thoroughly with a solvent.

In some models, the parts are already painted, but in most cases, the parts in the kit have a solid gray color, which needs to be painted by yourself.
It is worth noting that painting a prefabricated model is a rather painstaking task. But do difficulties scare us? Then let's get started!

What is required for painting prefabricated models 1 Paint Choosing paint for modeling is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. Water-soluble acrylic paints that can be brushed or airbrushed are great. Modeling paints are conveniently sold in kits that are specially matched to the color of a particular type of technique, for example, " Military equipment", "Ships", "Aviation", etc. There are also nitro paints, but this is an option for professional modelers who have more than one painted model behind them. In addition, it is worth considering that such paints have a very pungent odor. Attention.

2 Brushes Brushes will suit any, according to your taste, the main thing is that the pile is soft and does not leave marks. Although in some cases such traces can give a realistic texture to the model. For example, to convey the texture of wood on the boards of a ship, you can use a small diameter bristle. Instead of a brush, you can use an airbrush, but this is a tool rather for professionals.

In practice, you can achieve excellent results with a brush. Use several sizes of brushes, round and flat, so that you can easily paint large surfaces and small details. 3 Primer When painting models with acrylic paints, a primer is required, otherwise the paint will simply “roll” off the surface without painting it. In addition, with a primer it is easier to identify unforeseen irregularities on the surface, so that later they can be puttied, cleaned and primed again. It is not necessary to prime models for nitro-paint, but still it will not be superfluous to identify and eliminate irregularities. Be sure to choose a primer suitable for polystyrene, so as not to damage the model!

4 Lacquer Lacquer is an excellent protection of the finished model from all external factors. The model can not only be wiped from dust, but even completely “bathed” under the tap, without fear of wiping off paint or damaging something. For nitro paints, both nitro and acrylic varnish are suitable. But for acrylic paints Only acrylic lacquer should be used! Otherwise, the paint layer may swell.

7 Thinner In any work with acrylic it is worth keeping an acrylic thinner with you. It will help keep the brushes in their original state and erase the occasional paint drips.

For the model itself, you will need a model knife or paper cutter, wire cutters, sandpaper different grain sizes, a needle file will not be superfluous. You may need a one-component, designed for modeling, putty, a flat spatula for applying putty on bumps, and for very small models, you can use a flat screwdriver instead of a spatula.

A large number of varnishes, paints and primers are sold in aerosol cans. Paints do not need to be diluted; in general, this option is well suited for large models.

Preparation for work

Prepared and protected work surface and furniture around, you can start assembling the model. Carefully detach the parts from the sprues and carefully sand the cuts to smooth them out.
Carefully study the instructions and see which places you can paint over after gluing, and which ones you can’t. Based on this, some parts of the model can be immediately connected to each other. Apply glue pointwise with the very tip of a brush or a regular sewing needle, then press the glued parts tightly against each other and leave for a few minutes. The glue will dry completely in about a day.
If the model contains transparent parts, it is better to cover them with masking tape.

Do it any convenient way, for example, moistened in a degreaser cotton pad or a lint-free tissue. Do not touch the item with your hands! Degreasers, such as alcohol and gasoline, disappear on their own, and dishwashing detergents must be washed off under running water, after which the parts must dry thoroughly.

Let's start painting

First you need to decide on the base color of the model. See what color finished product should be the most - it is this color and take it as a basis. It may need to be applied in several layers.

It's important to know!
When painting models of military and other equipment, you should not use pure colors. Even if the color seems rich and uniform, try adding some black, white or sandy yellow to it. Do not be afraid to experiment on the palette, and then the result will be very natural. For example, if a part looks black, try painting it dark brown and darkening some areas with black.

Having covered the details of the model with the main color and waiting for it to dry, you can proceed to tinting. To do this, you can use the same paints from the set, only diluting them with water. You can apply darkening or imitate dried mud with color. Better to combine various colors tinting, so the model will turn out "alive". There are so-called "filters" that slightly change the hue of the primary color, making it picturesque. To do this, you can use oil paints with any thinner for oil paints, for example, white spirit. The paint is diluted very liquidly and should look more like a watercolor, we cover the entire model with the resulting tinted liquid.

Suitable brown, gray filter, ocher, and you can apply several filters in series one after another. After applying the filter, the model is left to dry for at least a day.
You can make the model even more realistic. For example, the image of adhering dirt is well obtained with a sponge, and splashes are easy to depict if you pick up paint on a toothbrush and run your finger over it, spraying the paint onto the desired surface. You can achieve texture, for example, adhering clods of earth, by mixing paint with PVA glue and putty. Rubbing paint with a dry brush will also give interesting effects. And if you slightly blur some areas on the model with thinner, you get an imitation of paint fading in the sun.

That's all. Now you can show your friends a real miniature model, not only assembled, but also painted with your own hands!

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