perils of using newspaper as a masking medium

General Discussion General Modeling Discussion
1

I wanted to share something that happened tonight when I used a strip of newsprint to mask a figure Im working on .

I got a box in from Squadron today and there was a big wad of pink newspaper (are newspapers in Texas PINK???) . I tore a strip off and used it to mask off the figure Im working on while I shot another color, and upon stripping the masking materials off, there were black smudges allllll over her. I had just repainting this fig due to black marks on her legs, but I also put on several coats of Future floor acrylic as a precaution this time, which allowed me to get the smudges right off with some paint thinner.

I have heard that newspapers now use soy based inks, but apparently this particular printers’ ink just comes right off on a smooth surface! Masker beware…

David

2

I think you would be better off if the next time you go to the grocery store and they ask if you want plastic or paper sacks, take the paper bag and use that for your masking, (it’s still free - at least around here)

I prefer the masking paper I got at the auto supply store - it’s 6" wide x 50 yds long and cost about 3 bucks - think it will last me a while.

3

yeah, I dont normally use NP as a masking agent, it was just lying there next to me.

I was being cheap-0 and not using all those wonderful masking tapes I have…yanno, the green, blue,yellow and purple ones? LOL That masking paper is pretty handy stuff and some of it already had a strip of tape attached.

I definitely wont use any newspaper from now on, but back in the day it was recommended for doing NMF paintjobs when about all we had was Metallizer.

David

4

Nah, newspaper ink has always come off pretty easily - try reading a paper for maybe a half hour, and then see how dirty your hands are from the ink. I would imagine with a wet newspaper the ink would come off even more.

5

ewwwww

i dont even want to think about that mess!

No more paper for me (except where I typically spill my airbrush cup!)

David

6

I learned long ago in the 1:1 car world that newspapers are a no-no for any intricate masking. It’s ok for covering the floor or tires, something like that.

What I do (el’cheapo) is visit my deli meat department. I ask them for a few feet of the white meat wrap paper. Works just as fine on my car models as the green automotive masking paper. [;)]