Model Building Skills - Really need to improve them!


M

Matthewd5

Member
Ok, I've built a bunch of buildings, I've played around a lot with my air brush to prime and paint them, but I'm still lacking the ability to have the N scale buildings come out close enough to what I would like and more importantly as good as I know others achieve...

I know the more models I build the better I will get, but that is small incremental improvement and learning from mistakes, not looking for a magic spell to make me a master model builder but asking what resources might be out there that I could use to improve my skills.

Primary areas I'm looking to improve...

1. Cleaner glue up results, cleaner glue lines, invisible glue lines/marks
2. Detailing like window casings like on DPM models, hand brushing perhaps?
3. More precise placement of ancillary details like chimneys, gutters or stairways
4. More consistent air brushing results, especially with dark brown/red buildings

Matthew
 
Show us what you've done. That will help in giving you feedback. Can you post photos? Tell us if you need help.
 
Ok Matthew! There are two ways I know to post photos.

1.) sign up for a free account with PHOTOBUCKET. Google photobucket.....go there.....make up a user name and password.....then report back here for your final easy instructions. This will give you nice large photos with your posts. I'll keep checking back here.....to help after you get registered on photobucket. One step at a time.

2.) For this one, you must have your photos ready in your computers "my pictures" file. When you're using the reply to thread window to write a post.....look down below.....you will see where it says "manage attachments"...Click on that........then click on the top row browse files.......select one photo......open it.....then click upload.....watch the progress bar while it uploads......after it's done, select, open, and upload another photo if desired......when done, close the attachment window......click on submit reply. Using this method......thumbnail size photos can be expanded by readers with a click.
 
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railfan said:
Ok Matthew! There are two ways I know to post photos.

1.) sign up for a free account with PHOTOBUCKET. Google photobucket.....go there.....make up a user name and password.....then report back here for your final easy instructions. This will give you nice large photos with your posts. I'll keep checking back here.....to help after you get registered on photobucket. One step at a time.

2.) For this one, you must have your photos ready in your computers "my pictures" file. When you're using the reply to thread window to write a post.....look down below.....you will see where it says "manage attachments"...Click on that........then click on the top row browse files.......select one photo......open it.....then click upload.....watch the progress bar while it uploads......after it's done, select, open, and upload another photo if desired......when done, close the attachment window......click on submit reply. Using this method......thumbnail size photos can be expanded by readers with a click.
Click to expand...

Thank you for that info...I used to run/own a large regional ISP and have setup literally hundreds of message forums but this place is less obvious than the ones I'm accustomed to

Matthew
 
Matthewd5 said:
Primary areas I'm looking to improve...

1. Cleaner glue up results, cleaner glue lines, invisible glue lines/marks
2. Detailing like window casings like on DPM models, hand brushing perhaps?
3. More precise placement of ancillary details like chimneys, gutters or stairways
4. More consistent air brushing results, especially with dark brown/red buildings

Matthew
Click to expand...

Here are a couple of tips that might get you rolling:

- 1. Use liquid plastic cement and not tube glues for plastic structures. Have smooth tight fitting joints and while you hold them together apply the cement from the inside of the joint if possible with a brush. Pre fit pieces first until you are satisfied you have the best joint and then cement them together.

- 2. DPM buildings and other brands with all the details cast on can be tedious to detail. Get a small assortment of artist brushes. The smallest sizes are numbered; 0, 2, etc. Smaller numbers mean smaller bristles. Use natural bristles such as sable, fox, squirrel. Don't use nylon bristle brushes.

- 3. A small straight edge is useful and so is a small square. Either to mark a light pencil line as a guide or to hold against the building for an alignment of a part. I use stainless steel tools because you are far less likely to have them end up as part of the structure than plastic tools would.

- 4. Several thin coats with a few minutes drying between coats will provide a more uniform finish than trying to hit it all in one pass. Don't get too hung up on a perfect paint job on the walls of a building. Look carefully at real buildings and unless it is almost new you will see slight variations in the color from the sun and weather. Testors dull coat tends to help reduce some spray pattern variations you might end up with as well as flatten out and shinier areas where glues might have seeped through. Not many houses or commercial buildings have shiney paint.

Stick with it and check out the posts here by the crew. A lot of talent all in one place. I've been modelling since I was 8 years old and I still pick up tips on this forum.
 
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NH Mike, thank you for the detailed response...

My wife is out of town for the weekend and I'm going to spend some quality time with some dpm models and I'm going to pickup some items you mentioned...

Currently I use the testors model cement that comes in the square package with the really thin needle like applicator...I'm not at home right now so I may have the specific testors product name off, a friend who is a great model builder recommended it.

For brush painting what paint would you recommend? I have a ton of paint I airbrush with but it seems to be pre thinned and doesn't brush on well at all.

Matthew
 
While its still in stock any of the flat Testor's paints like PollyScale, Floquil, their military flats etc. PollyScale is acrylic, so water is it's thinner, and Floquil is an enamel, so any solvent thinner like Xylol, Mineral Spirits, Tuolol will work with these.

Anyone's craft paint would be another good choice. These are acrylics as well. Look for colors that could be used as trim paints on structures like green, brown etc.

Mike's advice about the paint brushes is really good. Make sure the brushes have a wooden handle as well. I have also several brushes set aside for applying the liquid cement with. These are 0, 1-0, & 2-0, which can be labeled as 00, 000, etc. If there are some really small details needing painting I would recommend 5-0, 7-0, and 10-0 brushes for this. These brushes are for painting extremely small areas. They are real good for painting details on figures as well.
 
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As a scratchbuilder for many years my basic recommendation would be to obtain a modest selection of books addressing scratchbuilding and airbrushing written by recognized authorities in the field and take their advice to heart. Believe me; no one can expect to become really good, nor overcome what they feel are their modeling shortcomings as a model builder, simply by asking some questions on internet forums. Yes, such advice is well meaning and may assist in a minor way, however building fine model skills means learning the whole package right from the beginning.

Check out some of the modeling guides published by Carstens Publications (Wayne Wesolowski is the hobby's greatest living authority on scratchbuilding). Likewise, there are instructional videos available directly from some of the well known laser cut kit manufactures that are equally outstanding. My first choice would be the selection offered by FOS Scale. At the same time, keep an eye out for the occasional scratchbuilding seminars presented by NMRA Divisions and at Regional conventions.

NYW&B
 
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Matthewd5 said:
Ok, I've built a bunch of buildings, I've played around a lot with my air brush to prime and paint them, but I'm still lacking the ability to have the N scale buildings come out close enough to what I would like and more importantly as good as I know others achieve...

I know the more models I build the better I will get, but that is small incremental improvement and learning from mistakes, not looking for a magic spell to make me a master model builder but asking what resources might be out there that I could use to improve my skills.

Primary areas I'm looking to improve...

1. Cleaner glue up results, cleaner glue lines, invisible glue lines/marks
2. Detailing like window casings like on DPM models, hand brushing perhaps?
3. More precise placement of ancillary details like chimneys, gutters or stairways
4. More consistent air brushing results, especially with dark brown/red buildings

Matthew
Click to expand...


Matthew,Here are a few tips that I hope will help you,1.glue from the inside out this way if you have glue showing it's on the inside,I made a gluing tool got a small dowel and a somewhat large needle from the wife's sewing kit,I then drilled a hole in said dowel and glued the needle in it I use this to apply glue and when it gets dirty just clean it off.

2. I will admit on alot of my DPM kits I had the wife hand paint them! and she does a great job,the other way is to spray paint then building first then go back and mask the area out around the window and shoot paint that way.

3.Look around you in real life there is no right or wrong place for things

4.When you want to shoot a light color use white as your basecoat the colors will standout and use a gray primer for darker colors,depending on which brand paint you use remember the darker the color the more pigment will be in it you may need to thin the paint out abit.

The above works for me and like anything else in this hobby it may work or not work for you take what anyone says and twist it around to sort your needs hope I was able to help some.
N
 
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