ok, I have heard all the talk about how you should use an airbrush for painting models. Number one, they are a pain to clean, a pain to prepare (paint), they are messy, and pretty much ruins the fun of model building for me due to the frustration. Remember, modelling is suppose to be FUN.
Now that I have gotten that off my chest, here is the question. How can you paint German camo on tanks WITHOUT an airbrush. There has got to be a way.
I already know about the makeup applicator method. This does not work very good in creating the soft smooth effects you need for good camo.
Well, I’m sorry you feel that way about an airbrush. I use acrylics that are easy to work with and clean up is just windex and Iso Alcohol. I can clean up my AB in less that 5 min. Anyway, if you use Rattle cans it’s pretty easy to mask with Masking tape about the same as you would with aircraft. Use a thin piece to do your outlines and fill in the rest with bigger ones. Let each color dry and do it again. Brush painting works, but you must get the paint consistency right so you don’t leave brush marks.
The problem is if you want the results of an AB you either have to use one or practice the other methods till you get what you want.[2c]
I live in a small apartment where I have no good areas to use an airbrush.
I could mask but this would only work with hard edged patterns. I need a way to produce the soft edged effects or the thin line camo.
If we can split the atom and put a man on the moon, there must be a way to paint camo without an airbrush.
We put men on the moon but we needed the right tools for the job.We used a Saturn V rocket, not a big old cannon.
If yoiu want an airbrush finish, you need to use an airbrush. No amount of thinking cap use will change that basic fact. The other suggestions are about as close as you’re going to get. As far as fumes,a rattle can is going to create a lot more fumes than an airbrush. There are silent compressors as well.
If you’re only doing German camo, remember, there were no hard and fast rules. Some vehicles were painted with brushes and some with mops or brooms.
Have to agree with the others on airbrushes. They are a must. Clean-up is not that hard. Once you get the hang of using one, you will love it. There is no way to get a good, soft edge cammo paint job without using an airbrush. If the apartment is an issue, you could always go outside and paint.
One other way with a Rattle can is with Silly putty. If you let the edges roll up it will lessen the hard edge. But it still may not be what you’re looking for.
That actually works pretty well. I’ve gotten that effect when I used play-doh (and I wasn’t looking for that effect – I was looking for a hard edge! [(-D])
By the way, German camo patterns were not necessarily hard-edged – for most of the war, in fact, German vehicles were either solid grey, grey with a camo scheme painted over it (often hard edged), or three color hard edged. But it is true that from 1943 to about mid 44 the average camo scheme would be airbrushed.
I think most people don’t want to use an aribrush because it’s intimidating. It takes a while to figure out how to use one. But the best thing to do is simply sit down and do it, for a few weeks before using it on a model. Spray on some cardboard, then on some old models or cheapies, just to get a sense of how it works.
Clean-up is an issue, and actually acrylics can be tricky. Oils, if they dry, can be diluted again with thinner. When acrylics dry, that is that – you can’t dilute them again with water or alcohol. In some ways, spraying with oils assures a more clean airbrush, but oils stink and require a fairly toxic clean-up process.
I used to live in a small apartment, and sprayed right in the apartment. I just covered all of the nearby areas with newspapers and old towels, and just tried to keep the spray down toward the table.
Well, whatever works best for you. It’s true that the hobby is for fun, but it’s not much fun to find it’s impossible to create the effect you want on your model.
Pastels can be used but the process is tricky and will still take practice. If you try to seal it most of the effect is gone. As far as acrylics, I never give them a chance to dry. I rinse with windex take her apart clean and rinse again in Alcohol…5 min at the most. I like enamels, it’s just that where I paint the fumes and other enviromental issues prevent it. I get the results with acrylics I like and as Larry said I spent time with the AB and know it well.
Go with the spraypaint and silly putty/play-doh method mentioned above. It’s your best and easiest bet but SPRAY LIGHTLY. Just get the play-doh on and spray it out in the parking lot. You will get some stares and draw a crowd but it’s always good to get people interested in modeling [:p] Here is my play-doh masked Leopard 2A6 [:D] hehe
You might get better results in the “Painting and Airbrushing” forum where this topic belongs.
Edit: like ajlafleche said, you can’t get a airbrush finish without using a airbrush. There is a reason why people use them you know. To get the camo scheme you desire, you pretty much have to use an airbrush or a rattle can spray.
[:)]
Guys, this one’s EASY!!
Oddball, simply take a couple different size soft brushes, and just drybrush the cammo on. SAS does this for all of his models,he’s been doing his cammo like that for years and years. he’s never owned an airbrush, and lives in a apartment as well. I’ve tried it, and it works great. some weathering and it’ll blend right in. Use the big brush for the bigger areas, and the smaller one for the hard to reach areas. Easier said, and easier done.
Another technique for doing soft edge camo that I used to use in my pre-airbrush days was to use a bit of foam rubber to blot the edges before filling in with a brush. If you don’t flood the foam rubber with paint, you can actually get some really good results. Although I myself would not dream of going back to not using an airbrush, I think you do have the right idea that building a model should be fun.
YEA!!! WHO NEEDS AIRBRUSHES!!!
the smooth edged camo is easy just paint on…
the kinda fuzzy lookin ones are harder i just lightly (very lightly) dry brush the edges, or use more water (acrylic) to the edges.
u can make AS good models without using airbrushes! i havent got an airbrush and all my models look as good (if not better) than the ones with airbrushes…sure u can save time by using an airbrush on big areas, but u lose that time preparing the airbrush!!
I, like many others have also used the play-doh, tec. method. I used blue sticky tac, poster putty, whatever you want to call it on a 1/72 Hurricane. It actually looks really good. It’s only a 2 color pattern, so when I get around to my M2A0, we’ll see how I handle more colors.
I know exactly where you’re coming from with the appartment, I too have little room for compressors and airbrushing and the fumes associated with them. Hopefully I’ll be moving into a roomier place, but until then it’s brushes and rattle cans for my kits.
