I mostly build 1/48 WWII aircraft. I want to improve my skills on detailing the cockpit. One problem I have is painting the dials on the instument panel. How do you get such fine painting detail from such a small part? I really appreciate a well painted cockpit. Can anyone give me some tips or advice.
Thanks
Do you know how to drybrush? That’s the best way to get cockpit details to come out. If you don’t have drybrushing experience, you basically take an old brush and get a small amount of paint on it, then wipe it all off. When you think you’ve wiped it all off, wipe it some more. Then lightly brush it across the area you want colored, the very small amount of paint will stick to the raised details, but not the lower stuff. You’ll have to go over it carefully and patiently several times to get the result you want. Remember not to rush and it will eventually come out how you want it to.
I also like to take a small round pointed brush and just get the smallest amount of paint on it, that way you can pick out individual details pretty well.
And … I haven’t had much luck drybrushing acrylics unless they have really been spiced with retarder. Could just be me, but they just seem to dry too fast. Enamels or artist’s oils seem to work better for me.
Over at the Aircraft Resource Center site is an article on drybrushing. The author uses a 1/48 instrument panel to demonstrate the technique. Check it out; it really helped me understand the process (hope the link works!).
http://s96920072.onlinehome.us/tnt1/001-100/TnT087_Drybrushing_Bamford/TnT087.htm
-Dan
Thanks for the site Dan.
Thad
Dry brushing insturment panels in 1/48th is a technique that will not give you the accuracy and “clean look” that you need. In the old days before phot etch film, I developed a technique that worked well for me.
Materials:
a very small eraseer from a mechanical pencil
a straight pin
a small piece of paper
white and/or silver enamel
Stick the straight pin into the eraser so you have something that looks like a plunger. On the other side of the eraser use elmers glue to attach a small paper patch. Poor a little (really a little) white/silver paint out. Smear the paint out a little, wait until the paint is tacky almost dry. press the eraser into the paint, and use the “rubber stamp” technique on another surface until you’ve got just a trace of the white paint. Carefully press this onto the raised detail on the panel, take care not to press too hard. You cant believe how well this works, with a little practice, you can use this with red, green and yellow to highlight other cockpit details.
Give it a try, I hope this helps.
Steve
Thanks Steve, I’ll give that a try. Thanks to all, the tips will really help![:D]
Oh boy you always learn something new…I will try this soon…
Crockett, I love that rubber stamp technique! [tup]
I am somewhat new to modeling, I am finishing up a Corsair, and used the drybrush technique to paint my cockpit panel. However, I have a few ideas I am hoping to experiment with to see how well they turn out. The technique im most interested about is as follows.
Get typewriter correction tape, not the tape that uses a dispenser, but they sell spools of correction tape that you place in typewriter.
Im thinking if you cut a piece off the spool and place the correction tape over the panel, and using a burnisher, or other dull object, VERY lighty burnish the white correction tape off onto the raised areas of the panel.
Follow this up with a spray of clearcoat to keep it in place.
This is only a theory I have not put into practice. If anyone tries it, please post your results.
first time i heard the rubber tsamp and correction tape maybe can give it a try
something new now n then thanks
wow, that rubber stamp idea sounds really good. I am going to have to try that
Hmm, this does sound like the best technique I’ve come across so far. I’ll be trying this next.
I have something much easier than all the methods mentioned here. Use Prismacolor colored pencils. They use a very soft lead, so it’s easy to color small details.
You can sharpen it to a fine point so you can pick out individual dials and knobs without worrying about coloring adjacent pieces. I have pencils in silver, red, green, yellow and off-white (more authentic looking than stark white). I use the silver to do paint chipping and silver wire, the white for guage clusters and the red/yellow/green for different knobs and dials.
Each pencil cost me about $1.60 at the local art supply store. They come in dozens of colors and shades, so you don’t have to worry about finding the one you’re looking for.
Trust me, these pencils have made my cockpit detailing days much easier and more enjoyable.
-Fred