Correct Sequence in Model Painting

[MiG Hunter]

I was wondering if we could come to a good, accepted and correct sequence in painting models.

These are the steps I take:

1- Priming

2- Airbrushing

3- Gloss Sealing

4- Decaling

5- Washing/Weathering

6- Flat Sealing

Please let me know if I do any steps wrong. Any input is appreciated. Thank you.

[ChippyWho]

May be a bit pedantic, but I'd put cleaning and polishing in before priming, especially for NMF work.

Although not a fan of pre-shading, there are some who can achieve excellent effects with it -after priming, presumably. Post-shading is another matter: I would favour doing that before gloss sealing (if it all goes wrong, there are fewer layers to remove!).

In addition, I like to give everything a once-over with micro-mesh or similar before sealing, if only because I'm a bit lump-handed with the airbrush sometimes...

Otherwise it's all just how I'd do it!

[a4s4eva]

I don't think there is any "right way".

For example I

1. Prime (sometimes all the aircraft sometimes only areas I think will be troublesome)

2. Paint, including post shading and weathering)

3. Oil wash (most paint I use are semi gloss acrylics)

4. Gloss

5. decal

6, gloss

7. more weathering (airbrush enamels and oils)

8. Flat coat

9. More weathering with oils/ pastels

10. repeat 8 and 9 as required.

[Triarius]

I prefer to do the wash and weathering first …

/>

There is no "one right, true and proper way." Find what works for what you are trying to accomplish. Don't forget to experiment once in a while.

Edited December 14, 2013 by Triarius

[SteveL]

For me it's usually....

1) Fill, sand, polish plastic

2) Primer

3) Fill, sand, polish plastic

4) Primer

CRAP!

5) Fill, sand, polish plastic

6) Primer

SERIOUSLY?!, @*/~%@!! Come-on!! :bandhead2:/>

5) Fill, sand, polish plastic

6) Primer

7) Preshade

8) Paint overall color

9) wet sand smooth if necessary

10) Clear coat

11) MORE clear coat (because I'm never sure if it's glossy enough to prevent silvering the decals)

12) One more coat of clear "just to be sure"

13) decals

14) Clear coat (to secure decals for weathering with oils)

15) Oils along with some post-shading

16) Flat clear

Oh, and there's an occasional 6-months of 'drying time' between certain steps. :crying2:/>

Hope that helps!! :thumbsup:/>/>

[DrGlueblob]

Lol. great!..

[Flying Pancake]

May be a bit pedantic, but I'd put cleaning and polishing in before priming, especially for NMF work.

I'm curious, what is every ones method for polishing the plastic before priming?

Edited December 16, 2013 by Flying Pancake

[MikeC]

I prefer to do the wash and weathering first …

/>

There is no "one right, true and proper way." Find what works for what you are trying to accomplish. Don't forget to experiment once in a while.

Absolutely right, otherwise modelling becomes just doing the same old thing over and over again. Having said that, we do have above what I would term not so much "correct" sequences as "generally recommended as a default sequence/starting point".

Edited December 16, 2013 by MikeC

[Janissary]

I prefer to do the wash and weathering first …

/>

There is no "one right, true and proper way." Find what works for what you are trying to accomplish. Don't forget to experiment once in a while.

An example where substantial weathering, wash and chipping is done prior to the colors:

http://dqscaleworks.blogspot.com.es/2013/05/the-black-technique-tiger-i-148-by-jose.html

[Triarius]

I'm curious, what is every ones method for polishing the plastic before priming?

Unless the particular paint calls for it (Alclad comes to mind) I don't polish. For flats, I wet sand to 800 grit, sometimes less. For Hawkeye's Talon acrylic metallics, the same, as the instructions say not to polish the surface. For gloss finishes, I'll wet sand to 1200 or higher. In the case of a gloss that requires a primer, I'll wet sand the primer to 2000 grit unless the primer is silver (for a white gloss finish). In that case, I sand the plastic or resin for a metallic finish.

Actually polishing the plastic surface can cause adhesion problems. Most of the car modelers I know don't polish the surface, they polish the paint.

[jochemp]

Thanks, I think I could use a few steps.

Cheers