Hello,
I am recently new to modeling, and am looking for some advice… I am about to start an F14D Tomcat from Revell, and have purchased the appropriate paints for the set. My question is, should I paint everything “grey” ahead of time and work from there, or just use the plastic grey. My worry is that if I do paint everything, some of the detail on the plastic (like flaps, etc.) will be lost.
I am open to suggestions…
Thanks!
Paint everything. Bare plastic never passes for a finished kit and never looks the part.
I always build the model first and then paint it. If you thin your paint you should not have a problem. Or you could try an airbrush or spray can, good luck.
First of all, welcome aboard. [#welcome] Since you are just getting started in the hobby here are a few tips:
Assemble your cockpit first, paint and detail it BEFORE installing in the fuselage. Assemble the plane as per the instructions and paint everything. Never leave the plastic unpainted because it will look like plastic. Paint the lighter colors first, then the darker ones. I suggest for you to purchase an airbrush to start off with so you can experiment with paint patterns. The airbrush will produce a superior finish as compared to brushing or spray cans. Several light even coats are better than one heavy coat that can run and cover up detail. Check out the other areas of this site for painting tips, you will find a ton of info here. This is a long learning process and the first builds usually do not produce the best results. There are several excellent books out by Sheperd Paine that contain a ton of valuable information and are worth purchasing. I hope this helps.
Ditto to all the above but you guys left out something.
A good primer undercoat prior to painting your colors helps a long way.
Paint sticks to the model surface better and does not peel away after masking. Masking over a model that was painted without a primer undecoat can cause the masking tape to peel the paint off unmasked areas.
A primer undercoat will help you see scratches, gaps and flaws in the molding that will need to be fixed or repaired before you paint your colors.
Makes painted surface look smoother when final finish is applied.
As a beginner, if the price/cost of an airbrush appear daunting, you can try the method most of us old-timers used when we started many years ago:
Find your local club! Join and get tips.
As one poster wrote, complete the cockpit, paint by hand if needed, but paint EVERYTHING. Assemble per the kit instructions. Ensure the cockpit is sealed so paint doesn’t get into it inadvertently.
Masking a canopy is an art, but a must learn art. Patience is the key and the F14D has an “easy” canopy to learn to mask. Not just any tape works but a cheap first-time option is Scotch Magic Tape. Use a fresh razor blade to cut the tape. Dip the canopy in Johnson’s Clear and let dry for 24 hours before you mask. It just looks better and for some reason the masking works better (for me anyway).
When you think the model is ready to prime, use a spray can primer and in a well-ventilated location spray the entire model from about 12 inches away or more. You’ll waste paint, but you want a thin coat on the model. Otherwise you’ll lose detail. Wait at least 4 hours between coats. You may want to sit the can of primer in hot water (not boiling) before you shake it to ensure it’s nice and thin. Be prepared to take a couple of days to ensure the primer coat is “right”. You’ll want to fix seams and other things that appear “not quite right” as you inspect the primed model.
After the final coat of primer, wait at least 24 hours. Given the F14D was typicaly a single gray, you can either find a close-enough gray to use another spray can. OR, we have a local Master Modeler who only uses inexpensive artists acrylics in the tube from the local art store and he brush paints exclusively. You cannot tell he’s using a paint brush! This process works just as well with Model Master or other acrylics that are pre-mixed to the right color. This will obviously take much practice, but using very thin coats, and with some Windex as a retarder (slows the drying a bit, only a drop or two) you can brush on each coat. Wait 24 hours between coats and be very patient. With practice you’ll have a great looking model. The nice thing about acrylics is if you don’t like the look, take some windex and wipe it off with a cotton swab or paper towel! The primer underneath is typically laquer based so it won’t (or shouldn’t) come off and if you’re careful it’ll work just fine.
Repeat coats every 24 hours until you’re satisfied with the look. Remember very thin coats that’ll almost appear as though you aren’t painting anything on. If you want coverage with the first coat when using a brush, you’ll lose detail. Depending on the colors, and as indicated in another post, light before dark colors, you’ll need 3-5 coats.
I’ve tried a few kits like this, old and very cheap Airfix 72nd, and I’m surprised how well I can control the paint. I did this for about the first 10 years of building, until I graduated from college. It takes much more time than an airbrush and that’s why I got one. If I hand painted everything in my stash I’d have to live to about 150!
Cheers and welcome aboard!
GS
I really hate to do this because I don’t want you to get discouraged; however, you picked one doozy of a kit for your first model. I would not recommend that kit to a beginner. Don’t get me wrong, if you have some skill and patience, it is a great looking kit when finished.
Now as to your original question, and keeping this kit in particular in mind, you proably don’t want to paint any marjor parts until you are done with much of the assembly for two reasons:
you will end up sanding away most of the paint.
To ensure a good strong bond, you will need tos pend a lot of time removing the paint from the surfaces you are gluing (and there are lots of them on this kit).
The only thing that really needs painted before assembly on this kit is the cockpit. Other than that, build it, sand it, wash it, mask it, then paint is (with spay can or, preferably air brush).
Hope that helps.