I’ve been building all types of models for 60 years and have never figured out the best way to paint a ship’s deck (either modern or sailing era). I use an airbrush for the most part, but how do you paint a deck with all the various objects that are molded into it? Do the experts handpaint with a brush up to and around all the other structures, or mask off before airbrushing. What do you guys suggest? Thanks.
There are several ways I do it.
Preferred to me- paint the part with the deck color’ then mask around the base of the verticals and airbrush them.
Takes a lot of little pieces of tape and some patience.
Or do the reverse, but although it uses less tape I find it difficult to get a good seal with all of the detail and ins-and-outs cast into the splinter screens, turret bases etc.
Try both and see what seems to work best for you.
Hand painting is of course another option. I’ve heard of folks running the tip of a #11 blade around the base of the cast on features to create a sort of natural cut line.
Bill
Hi;
I haven’t changed my procedure for 60 years. I always go around the deck fixtures and houses with the backside of a NEW X-Acto number 11 blade. Even with overlay Type deckhouses, I find it solves the problem of paint creep.
That little groove makes for a cleaner line I think. I did that way before I discovered a putty that could be used for the Horizontal seams in the middle of the deckhouses on most model Ships especially Revell. I understood why they did it though. The parts popped out of the mold better!
Airbrushing?, Nope, Not on any of my ships. To me, all the masking would extend the build time unnecessarily! Besides back when I started, masking Tape stuck with a vengeance, unless you could find drafting Tape( Used in most Architect’s and Engineer’s) offices! The regular masking Tape would leave clumps of adhesive behind sometimes too. I found 3-M( Scotch Brand) Magic Mending Tape by accident. I have used it for masking ever since.
For me, I stain, not paint, the top deck without the deck furniture as an obstruction to the staining. Since I model only classic sailing ships, the deck furniture can be annoying when tying the rigging ends to the pin rails. When the rigging is completed, then the furniture is glued in place.
Happy modeling Crackers
I spray then hand paint the small detail. Sometimes I then dry-brush the deck for a weathering effect.
Thanks guys! I think I’ll try spray painting deck first and them masking around structures and airbrushing them. I’ll also try the micro paint groove using backside of #11 blade along the structure/deck angle when I hand paint a deck or the structures.
Right now I’m building a 1959 Revell “N.S. Savannah” like the one that a friend let me help cut some parts off the sprue at age 11. He was using a double-edge shaving razor blade and when I tried using it, it slipped and cut my index finger to the bone just behind the nail. Still have the scar of course, but I swore that I would get even with the kit and build one of my own (thanks to eBay) just to show it who’s boss!
Oh that’s a cool model. Sort of an ocean-going Studebaker Avanti.
I just gave the parts a good twist and they came right off. Later I used dad’s Swiss Army knife.
Bill
I’m not sure what’s best for you,you, I spray paint the deck,then hand paint the details.
Well, in my experience, you get a bunch of Deck Department people (1st Div., 2nd Div., and possibly 3rd Div.) and you issue them rollers, brushes, and paint, and you tell them “Go to work.” Then you sit back with your cup of ‘joe’ and supervise. But, like I said, that’s just my experience.
Nah, my way comes out sharper! Takes a LOT of tape though.
Bill
After reminding the LPO that the XO has already decided on which bits need chipping to bare metal and repriming, and we’re not having that conversation again.
Always was a full “In” basket waiting for me, or a watch to stand, or having to referee the conflict between the radiomen dripping red paint on clean decks and the snipes clearing boiler soot . . .
And, naturally, there was the explaning to the XO about this guy, Bill, what keeps stickin’ making tape everywhere, too [:)]
*Retired 11NOV16, I thnk I was able to sit back with my coffee was around December December 2018 [:D]
Well Boss, if that LPO needed that ‘conversation’, he was obviously not a diver, and definately lacking as an LPO.
Oh, and Sir, I was meaning to talk to you about Petty Officer Bill and his apparent ‘tape fetish’; should we bring in the Chaplain too?
Retired 31 Oct 95 with 20 years, and am still using the same coffee mug!!
HOO YAH Deep Sea
Well, that will keep the coffee stronger [:)]
Mind, I have an entire cupboard of cups. There’s the everyday cup, the weekends cup; the really heavy winter-time cup, and three different thermal travel cups of at least pint capacity. And, in all fairness I also have a set of demitasse cups for when one has coffee for dessert.
Much like most of us have a huge battery of masking tapes in various widths and stickiness (and cost per foot)–hey look I swerved this back on topic [:)]
Nice segue, Boss.