Aircraft model paint. Painting and imitation of various effects of the Tiger tank

This section describes the technology for solving the problem, in the form of a representation of the sequence of solving the problem by specific procedures, actions, techniques in the selected software environment. Technology takes the form of instructions.

Painting the model from scratch

+ modulation

OOO Nash Gorod RU, Tyumen

Greetings dear colleagues! Starting this topic, in principle, I know what I would like to show you. I took for experiments a model from Zvezda, set No. 3535 tank T-34/76 model 1942. Collected it without any frills, this old kind word"out of the box", that is, completely rested. There was no goal to make a replica tank (it is intended for a gift), even the tracks left these terrible rubber bands, what you see, after painting, they will still be pulled up to the rollers. Well, shoot me, I don’t know and don’t understand how someone paints this together with an assembled tank. So, the tracks will still be painted separately. Oh, yes, I still can’t stand undrilled trunks and “glushaks”, I drilled them. I also made one handle on the transmission hatch. For some reason, he looked lazily at the schemes of such tanks. That's it, my finishing touches are over. By color: I will paint, as expected, you can even name the fashionable word “preshading (preshading)”, and color MODULATION (color volume). No matter how you call it, the model should already look voluminous during the preliminary painting, and rightly so. Since the following damage and washes will not hide the main volume, but only improve the visible.

Preshading- a coloring method that allows you to get rid of the general monotony of paint, add color nuances and give expressiveness and realism to the color of the model.

Dark (black, black-brown, etc.) paint is applied to the primed model with an airbrush along the panel lines, panel joints, hatches, etc., then, in the process of painting in camouflage colors, the dark bottom layer looks through the main colors and creates the effect heterogeneous coverage. Some places (joint, panels) are darker, others (between seams and joints, inside the perimeter of joint panels) are lighter.

The main condition is that the layer of paint with camouflage on top of the dark preshading should be as thin as possible and not too opaque, otherwise the lower dark layer will be completely painted over and the effect of a heterogeneous surface will disappear. Best of all, the technology manifests itself when coloring acrylic paints, as they are more translucent than enamels and nitro.

Some modellers believe that using strong preshading spoils the model (it looks "checked"), preferring more technically complex postshading, with active use filters.

The barrel was taken from the "Drgonovskaya" model.

I chose these paints for painting the model, acrylic star:

The first step, the primer, make it usually dark, I took a mixture of acrylic paints for it, (I think Tamiya). Any dark shade, greenish, brownish, is suitable here, the main thing is that black should be 60-80%. The model is fully inflated from top to bottom. The only thing is that the tracks are painted separately, also with a mixture of brown paints, I always paint the tracks this way, and I never use black or silver. The combs of the caterpillars paint the current with dull silver.

I compared paints with the same characteristics, "Akan" and "Star" - the result:

I had to lighten the star a little, and this is necessary.

I mixed the paints, the star is thick paint, you need to dilute it to liquid state used alcohol and water.

With a dark first layer can be compared in the picture.

I applied the paint of the main color at a right angle, here it is simply necessary not to fill in the corners, so I painted the rollers:

As for the pouring, I marked with an arrow the places of side blowing, i.e., the paint stream only glided over the surface, due to the fact that acrylic paint lays more transparently than enamel, a shade of blackout is clearly visible. I also applied the “vertical blowing effect” along the sides, in places where there may be blackouts, these are air intakes, etc. Places under the fenders can generally be ignored, of course, if you paint with rollers. The bottom may or may not be painted.

With the third layer, I used paints:

Before proceeding to the next layer, you need to think about where exactly you need to apply lightening. The important rule here is that the higher the detail on the tank, the lighter it should be, the artistic look, light and shadow come into force. It must be remembered that the horizontal planes should be lighter than the side ones. Selection of corners, if you look at the model, it should be voluminous. It is simply impossible to do without the use of masks, it is very important to accurately apply the tape to the corners.

rollers need to be blown out in only one direction, the lateral top. And only the central part.

You can continue, lightening the body, I continue.

It will look very interesting if you apply a slightly different shade, which I did:

In my opinion, at the corners, it is simply necessary to make it even lighter, I added white to the brightening green paint, more ...

By the way, another tone of paint needs to be muted a little, light green tint

The case finished in three stages looks something like this:

The turret was also patched up until the edges were clarified, the decals were stuck on, you need to stick the adhesive tape carefully - the decals can be torn off, this happened to me with the inscription "For Stalin". After the decals, you can lighten it.

This is a tank ready in three stages

Work continued from the tower - this is the fourth and last stage before the filter.

Now it looks something like this:

Let's continue, the model was covered with enamel varnish from Tamiya.

Lightening they also turned out and rain streaks ...

oil paint diluted with purified white spirit (low-smelling), bought at an art store.

... I squeezed the paint onto a palette (artistic), used a number 2 brush when applying oil paint, with a reed type (semicircular ending at the pile), applied the paint like this: white in light areas, beige or yellow in medium-tone areas, in dark, brown can be . The next step, dipping the brush in the solvent, poured a spot of paint into the recess of the palette - starting from the sides, carefully, slowly, smearing towards the bottom. Vertical planes are done from top to bottom ...

... I have not done horizontal lines yet, here I think it will be enough just to slightly lighten the surface, but there is no need to indicate directions.

Washes applied immediately and brown and black in some places MIG wash was diluted with a thinner from the same MIG. Nothing works without him.

I kind of did a wash, and this is what happened.

Today I killed 6 hours for chips, used oil tempera basic colors, sienna and burnt umber. Brush number 2.

And a couple of shots taken in daylight:

The treacherous brilliance just upsets me in places, well, I don’t know, maybe I’ll have to process the lower parts with pigments, but it’s time to finish the tracks. From the last work, the hairs were just terribly infuriating, where I just don’t know where they came from, I seem to be drying in a box.

I'll continue little by little, caterpillars. I blew them out with a mixture of Tamiya paints, which I don’t even remember anymore, this mixture has been mixed in my bottle for a long time, the main thing is that I have determined for myself that I will never paint caterpillars in silver and black. I chose a medium color between a gray dusty and a brownish tint.

For tinting, I chose the following pigments from the moment.

The selected pigments were mixed and applied to the caterpillars with a brush ...

... the pigment fixed the thinner for washes from MIG, it dried up, it turned out like this, after that, in the direction of the caterpillars themselves, I also walked with a bristle brush, smearing the pigment.

By the way, after applying the pencil, an interesting texture was drawn on the tracks, I liked it.

How I wanted to pull up the tracks, it seemed to work out, if it didn’t work out, I wouldn’t have posted it.

The essence is simple, into ridges or whatever they are called, I drilled in four places, threaded the wire and twisted this wire between two rollers, the wire itself hid between the rollers. That's all the only thing that I didn't like terribly was that the fastening of the star's vinyl tracks themselves is just awful, but I couldn't solder them better, and I don't care.

It seems to have finished the model, this is what happened:

The material is taken from the Tyumen forum.

OOO Nash Gorod RU, Tyumen

— your guide in the world of scale modeling!

Last night, when I started posting photos of the first stage of work on the F-18F Super Hornet model from Akademi to my Instagram account, one of the subscribers wrote to me. He asked me to talk about how to apply a wash, traces of operation on models of armored vehicles.

Before advising anything, I got acquainted with the level of his work. And I realized that here it is far from the actual practice of applying all these tricky things. It is necessary to explain the process of working on the model. So that a person can move from simple, one-color painting to full cycle works.

It was the desire to explain the very sequence of the process that became the basis for writing this material.

Here I will describe the structure of the cycle of work on models of armored vehicles. Without getting into the details of each stage. You can do this yourself if you wish. It's important to just understand what And why goes.

Therefore, this material is intended primarily for beginner modellers. If you perform (even weakly and poorly) all these steps in the proposed sequence, you will achieve an acceptable result. It remains only to improve the understanding of each of the stages in particular.

Perhaps this article will be useful and experienced. Just to see the process outside. Get a fresh look.

As the basis of the visual series, I used the assembly process of model B MP T-15 on TGP (heavy tracked platform) Armata from Panda Hobby in 1/35 scale.

ASSEMBLING THE MODEL

The first step is actually building the model.

It is necessary to assemble the model as completely as possible. If a question arises about the coloring of rollers and caterpillar tracks, you can do this at the initial stage. But there is no need to be overzealous. No need to paint elements that will not be visible after assembly. For example, the space under the side screens at the top of the tracks.

PRESHADING

Preshading is the process of creating a dark color base for later deepening of colors. First of all, the seams, the elements of the embroidery are painted. And in general, all dark places. Those. those places that subsequently create a color difference, and provide visual volume.

After all, if you paint the model without pre-training, only using the base color - the model will remain flat.

Preshading can be done both in the form of priming i.e. as a preparation of plastic in further painting work. For example, using colored acrylic primer. So separately. On plastic, or primer applied over the entire surface of the model.

COLOR MODULATION

Today, the actual staining process has moved from simple application colors into the plane of a full-fledged artistic work. Color games. Creation of a large number of shades that create visual volume and beauty.

The main method now used by modellers is called color modulation, or color modulation. Its meaning is that a certain sequence of colors is applied from dark to light.

It can be like mixing different colors for each subsequent layer, and the use of special sets of color modulation.

In this case, we have the application of the base translucent layer. Those. the layer does not overlap the dark zones created on the previous layer. Namely, slightly covers them. This creates the first visual volume.

Then, by adding to base color brighter tone, a second, light translucent layer is applied. Fundamentally, the choice of the number of modulation layers is the decision of the master only. If necessary, you can make at least 10 such highlights.

But at the initial stage, when you are just trying this method, it is quite acceptable to limit yourself to 2 layers.

It is immediately worth noting that a model painted in this way may look unacceptably bright, carnival. But this is not to be feared. This brightness, under the influence of the overlay of exploitation effects, will go away, leaving behind a wide range of tonal transition.

color modulation

APPLICATION OF CAMOUFLAGE

After completing all the previous manipulations, you can successfully proceed to the actual application of the camouflage pattern. This is done by creating paint masks. You can use both office plasticine and specially created compositions from AMMO MIG or Plastmaster.

After the borders of the camouflage of the first layer are laid out, we either cover the unpainted areas from possible paint ingress. For example, packaging bags. Or, gently, with a little pressure, paint the first layer.

Basically, in the coloring of the camouflage pattern, you can also use the principle of color modulation, successively applying several brightening translucent layers of color.

But here we will not complicate our work.

And just paint the camouflage layer in 1 color. It is only desirable to make it translucent. In order to create shadow zones, change the visual weight and volume of the model.

After applying the 1st camouflage color, we perform the entire sequence of actions again. But already in order to apply the second color.

Applying a camouflage pattern

APPLYING TRACES OF USE

The model is painted. But consider that only the first half of the work is done. The second part is the process of applying traces of exploitation. Or, in simple terms, weathering

In general, this topic is for several dissertations at least. And in one article there is no point in even trying to consider all the elements of this very exciting process. Better take Miguel Jimenez's The Weathering magazine binder and see what it is.

But since we undertook to talk about creating a model at a basic level using the example of this particular model, it is still worth describing at least simple elements actions.

After painting, the model is closed with a satin (semi-gloss) varnish. If it’s completely pripret, then it can be matte. But certainly not glossy.

This will protect the acrylic paint from the effects of enamel liquids used for weathering. If you do not apply varnish, then the aggressive base of the enamel will simply gobble up the acrylic.

In this case, the first step in weathering was blowing through a sand-tone airbrush. More in places where dust and sand can accumulate. Less "by area".

Then streaks of dirt are applied to vertical surfaces. These are, first of all, side screens.

Once the streaks of dirt have dried, you should start applying traces of splashes. Here we use a brush and an airbrush.

If you have pigments on hand, you can go through them.

Weathering in 3 stages

RESULT

For the first time, all these ritual actions of dancing with tambourines are quite enough.

You don't have to worry about each step individually. And execute the simplest sequence, get the first result. This will at least give you an idea of ​​what it is.

AND MAKE A READY MODEL.

This is what I consider the most important. Bringing the model to the finished result. You can forever get bogged down in the wilds of some stage of work, never reaching the end.

The task of each modeler is in the evolutionary path of development. Those. you need to gradually, step by step, try something ONE new. improve understanding of some ONE moment.

Final result

And so, over and over again, gradually your models will acquire new qualities. And your skill will reach new frontiers, allowing you to do better and better each time.

That's all for today!

Good luck to you!

And great models!

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one of important roles when designing prefabricated models of an aircraft, its painting is. Sometimes for some model scales, such as 1:72, 1:100, 1:144, painting takes leading role and here the most important thing is to do correct selection paints and apply them qualitatively, it depends on whether you emphasize the merits of the model or not. In this article, you will learn about the basic painting technologies.

Let's consider two main methods of painting prefabricated aircraft models: painting models with a brush and painting with a spray gun (airbrush).

Brush painting

This method is considered the easiest and accessible to everyone, both beginners and experienced modellers.

Paints

The most common type of paint is nitro paint. But this paint has one big drawback - it is very sharp and bad smell. Such paints are suitable for workspaces with a good hood.

The optimal paint for painting plastic models is alkyd enamels. These enamels have a good texture, they are evenly distributed in a thin layer, giving the surface of the aircraft model a shine, and they also have a slight smell. The drying time of such enamels is from 6 to 12 hours, this factor depends on the thickness of the applied coating and the ambient temperature. To create a different palette, the desired shades, you should stock up on the main six colors: white, black, red, yellow, silver and blue.

brushes

Now consider the question, what kind of brushes should be purchased for painting aircraft models? You will need various brushes: large, small, thin, round, flat. Here the choice depends on the model that you will paint, i.e. how smaller model, the smaller size brushes should be chosen and vice versa.

You should choose brushes with even bristles, semi-rigid, hairy (for example, sable, badger, squirrel).

After each use, the brushes are cleaned with paint solution, rinsed thoroughly with water and dried.

And let's move on to the process of painting aircraft models.

1. Preparing the model for painting. To do this, wash the model in warm soapy water with a toothbrush to remove the greasy layer. Then we carefully dry the model, for this we leave it in an inaccessible place to minimize the ingress of dust and dirt on it. Or use a special degreaser.

2. Primer. Before applying paint to the surface of the aircraft, the model should be treated with a primer. This is done to align various kinds bumps on the surface of the model, and also so that over time your paint does not peel off from the aircraft. The primer should be evenly applied to the model.

If, nevertheless, some irregularities remain after the primer, and they do not suit you, grinding should be done. Sanding the aircraft model should be done with the finest sandpaper to avoid traces of the sandpaper.

Then we repeat the priming process. The soil should be chosen in light colors - white or gray.

3. Coloring. If everything suits you after priming and polishing the aircraft model, the surface is even, without potholes and cracks, then you can safely proceed to the painting process. One of the basic rules for applying paint to a model is that you first apply bright hues and then dark. First of all, you should paint the lower parts of the model, then the upper ones. We paint over the upper parts of the model only after the lower ones have completely dried.

To achieve an even layer when applying paint, work in only one direction.

In order not to leave traces of brush strokes, you should dilute the paint so that it becomes more liquid and apply 2 - 3 layers on the aircraft model. It is worth mentioning that each subsequent layer of paint should be applied to the dried previous one.

4. At the end of painting, leave the aircraft model to dry.

Airbrush painting

An airbrush is a tool designed to spray liquid paint compressed air on various surfaces.

Before you start painting aircraft models, it is important to adjust the level of paint supply so that smudges and overspray do not form on the object being painted. If you are using an airbrush for the first time, before painting on the homemade model aircraft to test the capabilities of an airbrush on any other, unnecessary, parts of plastic.

To comply with safety measures, when using an airbrush, gloves and a respirator should be used.

So, here are the basic principles of painting an aircraft model with an airbrush:

• Before painting, the model must be thoroughly washed and dried.
• Then the surface should be treated with sandpaper.
• The next step is degreasing and drying the product.

4. After complete drying, the model should be treated with a primer and, if necessary, sanded again.

5. When painting the entire aircraft model, cover mirrors, headlights, glass, landing gear, etc. with tape or masking tape. Paint is applied in one direction. After applying one coat of paint to the model aircraft, let it dry for a few minutes, and then apply the next coat. After that, let the paint dry completely, leave for 2 - 3 hours. Then we proceed to painting the remaining parts of the aircraft.

6. Complex drawings should be done using stencils. At the same time, it should be taken into account that with each subsequent layer of the applied paint, we use a new stencil.

7. After painting is completed, the airbrush should be disassembled and thoroughly rinsed.

Summing up this article, I want to say that high-quality painting will come to you with experience. When doing this work, you should be patient, diligent and accurate - and the result will please you!

PRIMER. Primed with a brush from a jar, white paint. I decided to try it for the first time without a special primer, due to the toxicity of the spray primer and my intolerance to such chemical odors. It is very well written about the primer with a spray here [link] In the meantime, we will talk about the primer with a brush.

Unlike spray, priming with a brush is longer and harder.
- not as strong as a spray.
+ dries faster (1 hour), spray - 24 hours
+ non-toxic (spray is best used outside the room)

The main thing is to decide on the consistency of the paint with which you are priming. It should not be too liquid so that it does not spread over the plastic, but not too thick, otherwise it will lay down in a too thick layer, and as you know, thick layers subsequently peel off better))). So, be sure to dip the brush into a jar of water, wring it out well, and take a little paint on the tip of the brush. It is better to immediately pour the paint from the jar a little bit somewhere, on cardboard or on the lid, and close the jar tightly so that all the paint does not dry out.
I prefer to prime with white - it shows all the flaws and unprimed places, but it's easier to prime with black.
Then we move the brush over the figure, look - if the paint bubbles, rolls into droplets on the plastic and paints poorly, then there is too much water, you still need to wring out the brush. If it lies on plastic, but does not roll too much, but covers it with a thick, middle layer, then the consistency is chosen correctly. We paint and are not afraid, if necessary, to "drive" the paint with a brush back and forth for the most uniform distribution. We especially monitor the recesses - the paint loves to fill in thick layers and bubble there). To do this, with a washed, wrung out brush, its tip, we draw additionally along the recesses to remove excess paint.
The most basic task of a primer (and the most difficult one) is to spread the paint as evenly as possible. Here it is .. Depends on your patience and diligence. But get ready for the fact that at first the color of the plastic will still show through the primer layer - this is normal and should not bother you. Worse, if the plastic does not show through - this will mean that the primer layer is too large, and perhaps even slightly changes the relief of the figure. Ideally, you should get a single layer, thin, even coating (see photo 1).
If you paint a lot of figurines at once, it is definitely better to use a special primer spray.

PAINTING. After priming, we can proceed to the long-awaited painting. And God forbid you, friends, at this stage show off, like me, and neglect the "drybrush" method, that is, a dry brush, which the Technologist so insistently writes about in his instructions. In general, I decided that I was the smartest, and I began to apply paint with an ordinary wetted brush. As a result, I got the effect of "smearing", as in children's watercolor albums. At least with the paint "Star" it was like that for me. Then I squeezed the brush, and then I painted only with a dry brush, taking a little paint on its tip. When using the drybrush method, it is best to apply a little, but often, of paint to the tip of the brush. Because let's remember the artistic principle - in general, the paint is "laid", and not smeared over the surface. After all, in the end we want to get a spectacular, paint-drenched figure, as if from a store, and not a product of a child’s artistic creativity preparatory group. I noticed that the relief area on the plastic is painted better than the smooth one.
To begin with, you will need at least 2 brushes - say a triple, and a thin one.
So - we wet the brush only once, at first, squeeze it very well, and then paint when necessary, dipping the tip of the brush into the paint. We paint in layers - carefully apply each layer - first the main color (or 2 - which is the most in color scheme figurines). We paint over small details with the main color for now - we will highlight them later. (See photo 2). With each layer, paint the larger details first and leave the smaller ones for last. In total, you should have at least 3-4 layers of paint on the figure (although experts sometimes bring up to 10). When applying colors we go from more dark shades to light ones.
When the main layers of colors are applied (the figure must be allowed to dry between them), paint with a thinner brush small parts(see photo 3,4).
If you do everything correctly, using the drybrush method, then do not be afraid, the paint lays down quite evenly and there should be no problems, do not be afraid to put strokes, you yourself will feel in the process how you should do it better.
I advise you to paint your face and hands last (for maximum accuracy and avoiding stains). (See photo 5).
Also, quite often you will have to mix the paint, somewhere in a separate container - with the help of mixing, you can achieve the desired shades that are not in the palette. For starters, you can completely get by with a basic palette, say 6-7 on-colors. Weapons and armor are best decorated with metallic paint.

FIXING. After staining, it is best to fix the paint on the figure with a special varnish.

In fact, the first model is usually not painted, so we go straight to the second step in the development of the modeler - by the time he first thought that a pile of "naked" plastic, decorated with "decals", is somehow not very beautiful ...

Part 1. Essentials

The very first thing a modeler needs to start finishing models is money. Much money. So much money. Regardless of what and in what ways you will paint, you need the following things:

1. Actually, the paints themselves (or enamels)

Paint is something that cannot be dissolved or washed off with something just like that. The ceilings in the apartment, for example, are being painted water-based paints, dilute them with water, and after drying, you will wipe off their figs. Enamels - they can be washed off, and easily, with their own solvent. An example is watercolor paints, dissolve with water, and then wash off with water. Models are painted with both, you can not get hung up on this for now; later in the article they will be, both of them, just “paints”, but if necessary, they will be highlighted.

On various forums, you can find fierce debates “which paints are better”, strong arguments are given, sometimes it will come to a fight ... Do not get involved in such discussions - firstly, if you have not worked with this, then your subjective opinion is only “ will add fuel to the fire”, and secondly, “every cricket praises his hearth”, and each modeler works with those paints and varnishes that he could get and which he managed to get used to.

So what paint should you choose?

If you have a family Small child, then nitro paints will not suit you - they have a very pungent smell. In this case, you should pay attention to a number of water-based or acrylic paints. If you see the inscription “Diluted with water” or “Diluted with alcohol” on a paint bottle, know that these are your paints. If you have an extractor hood and everyone is calm about the smell of the solvent, then you can choose nitro-paints - they are easier to use, but they are worse washed off your hands. It is also easy to “burn through” transparent parts with nitro paints and ruin plastic. Both cost about the same.

For painting almost all models, the following paints are required:

• White
• Black
• Silver

The remaining paints required for a particular model can be purchased gradually, as needed. Remember, never mix paints different manufacturers or paints on a different basis (nitro and water, for example) to obtain the desired color, the paints may deteriorate!

As a rule, one jar is enough for 2-3 models (if airbrushed) and 1 model when painting with a brush, or 8-10 sets of soldiers. At the same time, the model is average, such as an aircraft on a scale of 1:72, or a tank or soldiers on a scale of 1:35. There are also special paints for the airbrush, very liquid, but it’s better not to buy them yet - they are not suitable for a brush; in jars, the paint is universal. Hence the difference in paint consumption - when using an airbrush, the paint is diluted, it "gets bigger" and is enough for large quantity models.

2. Ground

This is a liquid applied to the model, which prevents the paint from falling off the model after drying. For nitro paints and water-based paints, the primers are different, and they cannot be changed.

There is one more nuance. If, when painting with a brush, you put nitro paint on plastic, then it slightly dissolves this plastic, “bites in”, and the primer is not really needed; then when painting with water-soluble paints, a primer is always necessary - water does not dissolve plastic, and the paint will collect on the surface with droplets. This phenomenon is called " adhesion", i.e. simplistically "wettability", or the ability of something to spread evenly over any surface. If you don’t believe me, then try plain water to evenly “paint the plastic”. When painting with an airbrush, a primer is always necessary, regardless of the type of paint - the paint falls on the surface already "at the end" in small portions, and it simply does not have enough strength to normally "eat" the plastic and "stick" to it.

3. Varnish

Varnish is necessary so that your model will please your eyes for a long time, and you could easily, for example, after a holiday and a public display of your achievements, go and wash the model under the tap without fear of ruining the decals (decals) and paint. Varnishes are also nitro- and water-soluble. If you painted with nitro paints, then the varnish can be nitro or acrylic (water or alcohol soluble); if you painted with water-soluble paints, then nitrolac can ruin everything, the surface will “swell up” and “rise”. In addition, when using water-soluble acrylic paints, almost every layer should be varnished with varnish - these paints are extremely delicate. Usually companies that produce water-soluble paints also produce varnishes for these paints, so be sure to buy.

Primer, varnish and paint are also sold in aerosol cans. You can buy for both models and cars - as long as the color matches. They do not need a solvent, they are already divorced. But this is for extreme people with a big wallet - an expense paintwork material large, and in the apartment, in addition to the model, you will paint everything that will be located "in the line of fire" of the can.

4. Solvent

Everything is simple here - take what is written on the paint. At the initial stage, this will save you from unnecessary hassle. Later, when you have experience and a bunch of unnecessary jars of paint, you can start experimenting, buying "third-party" solvents, etc. As well as for varnishes, manufacturers must also produce a solvent (sometimes called a thinner) for their paints. If it says “Diluted with water”, then you can safely dilute it with boiled, and preferably distilled, if you get it. It is not recommended to dilute raw from a tap or a spring, after all, there are a lot of all sorts of salts, minerals, etc.

5. Wash

In contrast to the wash used by modellers in the sense of “aging the model”, technical wash is a liquid that is used to wash brushes, tools, hands, furniture, etc. etc. after painting. As a wash, you can use the same solvent with which you diluted the paint, or you can buy a special one. If you painted with enamels, then you can wash it off with a solvent, and if you painted with paints, then it is better to use a special wash. It is better to wash the tool immediately after work is completed, otherwise you will be tormented to clean off the dried paint later.

6. Container

As a rule, the paints in the jar are thick, and these jars are sold filled "to the eyeballs". To work with a brush, paint can be dripped into beer or vodka caps, solvent can be dripped there, mixed and painted with this. After painting, you don’t need to throw away the cap - firstly, you will accumulate a palette over time, according to which you can select the right shade for a particular model.

Secondly, in this cap you can dilute the same paint again (if you try to dilute another, they can mix up and get a different shade), and thirdly, if you painted with enamel and you happen to accidentally scratch the old model and paint no, you can try to dilute what is left in the lid and “cover it up” with this. I also recommend that you go to the pharmacy or walk around your house and ask the old women for glass medicine vials. Rest assured, they will be immensely happy if you offer them a monetary reward for each bottle. For you, who buys paint (and one jar costs at least two loaves of bread), it will not be expensive at all, and for them, in modern world, will be very necessary. If you are shy, then go to the pharmacy and buy the cheapest medicines in the required container. At the moment, for the price of one can of paint, you can buy a dozen vials of Naphthyzin.

Part 2. Choosing a coloring method

The vast majority of modellers can be divided into two opposing camps - those who paint with a brush and those who paint with an airbrush. We will not go into such heated discussions about who is stronger - an elephant or a whale, but let's try to figure out how they differ and what we need.

Now it doesn’t matter to us how we will paint - the main thing for us is to get beautiful model so that next time they don’t tell us “You’re doing daub again.” For the first time, buy a model that practically does not need to be painted - the kit comes with multi-colored plastic. Manufacturers who produce models of cars and ships especially like to indulge in this. If you see a large, beautiful, non-Russian box with a typewriter or a sailing boat, then most likely there is multi-colored plastic, although it is better to consult with the seller. You just have to glue it and slightly tint it with a brush to heighten the effect. But you can say "I painted!" and continue their difficult path in further improving the finishing of models.

Done? Have you received the consent of your family (mothers, fathers, wives, children, etc.) to continue the experiments? We move on - we buy a model that needs to be painted EVERYTHING. FROM and TO.

When painting large surfaces, it is already worth considering - to paint with a brush or an airbrush? The first way is cheaper and more accessible; but the second one is prettier, faster and more expensive. When painting with brushes, you only need brushes, and when painting with an airbrush, you need an airbrush and an air compressor. Take a sheet of glass and try to paint it with a brush so that it is even, without bumps and streaks. Happened? Then you don't need an airbrush, keep up the good work. If it doesn't work, try again. Doesn't work even after the tenth time? You are hopeless, you will have to buy an airbrush ... Or aerosol cans, for the first time.

Have you chosen what color to paint? If with a brush - then buy brushes, all sorts and different, tasty and sweet, squirrel and kolinsky, large and small, round and flat ... If with a can - buy desired colors. If airbrush - then airbrush and compressor. In the last two cases, you will also need a hood. Although the prices of the last two methods will be equal by the end of the first year, and in the future the airbrush will start to get cheaper.

Part 3. Assembling the model for painting

First, carefully review the assembly instructions. As a rule, it is compiled in such a way that the model remains unfinished after assembly. How? It's very simple - after gluing the last piece you can't paint in most places.

Therefore, we CAREFULLY study every detail and evaluate where we can climb after gluing, and where we cannot. If we can, then we glue it, if not, then we paint it first, and then we glue it.
For figures, you can glue everything except weapons, for armored vehicles - everything except wheels, caterpillars, boxes, shovels, crowbars, etc .; we also glue and paint the cabin first. As a rule, after gluing the body, it is no longer possible to reach the steering wheel, seats and pedals with a brush. For models aircraft there is no need to glue weapons, landing gear, antennas - they are painted separately from the fuselage, wings, etc. Choose the time for painting the cabin to the best of your ability: you can paint separately and carefully insert - paint separately.

Each model is individual, so be guided by your experience, ingenuity and luck - you can always tear it off and redo it, there can be no unambiguous recommendations here. But if you are afraid to spoil everything, it is better to buy two identical models, train on the first one, and do the second one already focusing on the mistakes of the first one.

Part 4. Finishing the model.

There is a certain sequence that should be followed if you want to get a beautiful model.

1. Surface preparation

It is well known that paint adheres better on a rough surface than on a polished one. However, a rough surface on a small model significantly degrades its appearance. Therefore, before applying the first layer of paintwork material, the model should be made as smooth as possible, and we will achieve the reliability of the coating in another tricky way, which we will discuss below.

Most modellers smooth the model with sandpaper. If you buy the skin not in model stores, then take M40 and smaller. If in model stores, then they will offer you a ready-made set of skins there, it is more expensive, but there is less headache. Take the skin, soak it in water and rub the model until you have rubbed off the glue seams and glue-stained parts to such an extent that they are not noticeable to the touch.

The skin should be changed from time to time to a smaller one until you have skinned the smallest model you have. If the model has a lot of protruding small parts, such as rivets, imitation of the joints of skin sheets, etc., then you will suffer for a long time. This is not scary - do not hesitate to admit that you have been sanding one model for half a year. Firstly, it will emphasize your patience, and secondly, it will emphasize that you are thoughtful about modeling, and not a fluff. In the future, you will find a lot of good things in yourself, and your family will be immensely happy that you don’t drink away your salary, don’t hang around at night, don’t cheat on your wife or just your girlfriend (once simple), and you grow golden hands. Or at least they pretend...

After you have sanded everything, the details of the model must be planted somewhere (usually called a mandrel) so as not to paint your hands, and after painting, do not hold the details until dry. Very rarely, the sprues of a model are designed in such a way that you can paint parts without cutting them off the sprues, so everything that your eye falls on can be used - toothpicks, the same sprues from models, ice cream sticks, etc. It is necessary to glue the part to these mandrels in the place where it will then be glued to the model. After that, the mandrel must be stuck somewhere so that the part does not touch anything. For the first time, you can put the mandrel on the edge of the table and press it with a book, and for the future, come up with a board with a bunch of holes into which you will insert the mandrels, like pencils in a cup of a desktop writing instrument.

Planted? Everything, the details can no longer be touched by hands.

2. Degreasing

In order for paintwork materials to hold better, the model must be degreased. You can use everything that comes to hand - soap, fairies, gasoline ... Everything that dissolves fat. It is best, of course, to degrease with a thin layer of alcohol, but where can you get so much of it? Don't know how to degrease with alcohol? Take a sip, breathe on the cotton wool, and with this cotton wool, in a thin layer, wipe the model. Yes, it's a pity that the alcohol quickly ran out, and the model is not even half fat-free ...

Well, after degreasing, you need to remove all traces of the degreaser - if alcohol or gasoline, then it will dry itself, and if soap, fairies or some other kitchen chemicals, then you need to rinse the model under running water and put it to dry. The main thing - do not touch the model with your hands. If you see a mote or hair, brush it off with a fat-free brush.

3. Primary priming

In fact, the need for priming has already been said, but it’s better to repeat: “A primer is such a liquid applied to a model that prevents the paint from falling off this model after drying.” If you don't want to prime, please don't. Just conduct an experiment - apply primer on a piece of sprue from this model, let it dry, and then paint the sprue covered with primer and not coated at the same time. Let the paint dry, and then try scratching it with your fingernail. If there is a difference, then do what is best. If there is no difference, then it may be true, the primer on this model, for this paint, with this method of applying paintwork material, is redundant.

Apply protective covering into transparent parts. As a rule, masking tape is like this. The protective coating will come off after the final varnishing, (or the last coat of paint if you don't want to varnish it). After that, evenly apply primer to the model. If you planted a drop of soil, do not wash it, but wait for it to dry and proceed to the next step.

4. Intermediate grinding

If you are not satisfied with the smoothness of the surface after priming, then intermediate sanding is your chance to fix it. Take the finest sandpaper you have and grind the soil. At this stage, the shortcomings made during the preparation of the surface for applying the primer are already becoming noticeable. If you have a drip from the ground- We also grind it. If you got carried away and sanded the soil down to plastic, then the priming operation in this place will have to be repeated.

5. Final priming

If you used intermediate grinding, then you just need to perform this operation. Firstly, with its help, you finally cover the entire surface, and secondly, you finally make sure that the evenness of the surface satisfies you (at this stage, you kind of imitate the application of paint). If the surface does not satisfy you (the risks from the sandpaper are visible), then either you sanded with a very coarse sandpaper, or you missed something during intermediate sanding. Troubleshooting - Repeat steps 4 and 5 again, decreasing the grain size of the skin and increasing the duration of the sanding process.

6. Applying the main tone

Look carefully at the paint scheme and figure out which color zones are larger (by area). This will be the main tone. The exception is light colors - yellow, silver, red, blue, light gray, etc. If the main tone is light, then it is best to paint the entire model with white paint first (on it light colors look brighter), and only then apply the main tone. The main tone can be painted over the entire model, provided that it is not red. It is not worth blowing out the model in one go, it is better to apply several thin layers. If you work with water-soluble acrylic paints, then after applying the last layer, you should cover the model with a colorless varnish.

At this stage, the risks from the skin become even more noticeable. If you do not want to see them, repeat steps 4 and 6. If at the same time you again sanded the paint and primer to the plastic, then you must follow steps 4, 5, 6; at the same time, point 5 is not performed on the entire model, but only in those places where you have reached the plastic.

7. Applying camouflage

With a careless movement of a brush or airbrush, you can ruin the entire appearance model, so be careful with this operation. In general, each modeler applies camouflage in his own way, but there are a few rules that everyone adheres to. Here they are: light tones are applied first, then dark ones; non-working (not painted) areas are covered with masks (anything - from a piece of paper and adhesive tape to all sorts of special fluids). Also, as when applying the main tone, it is not worth painting the model in one go, it is better to apply several thin layers. If you work with water-soluble acrylic paints, then after applying the last layer, you should cover the model with a colorless varnish. If the camouflage is multi-color, then varnish should be varnished after each application of color.

8. Finishing

Here you can do what you want - assemble the model, apply decals, age, wash off ... There are no strict recommendations at this stage - every man for himself, everyone builds what he wants and how he can. Sometimes it's more convenient to apply decals and then glue, and sometimes glue and then apply decals. Only now it is best to age after - in order to age both the model and the decal at the same time.

The main thing - if you apply varnish after all this, then do not remove the masks (protective coating) from the transparent parts. Otherwise, transparency may be lost from varnish, especially if it is nitrolac. Although matte varnish on glass is also not good enough ...

Part 5. Conclusion

If you carefully read the entire article - you can do modeling! The most important thing is patience, and the rest will follow. Modeling - it is so, it takes a lot of time ...

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