Need opinions my first time airbrushing.

[JA757]

So it was my first time using the airbrush, instead of having a friend to do it, I used my friends airbrush and attempted at it. Tell me what you guys think.
The Locomotive that I am working on is Athearn Genisess SD70I undec Canadian cab I am modeling a CN SD70I. I sprayed primer the cab and where the red stripe would be and also the end of the long hood. I applied a thin coat of primer, once the primer dried i sprayed the red. I must say for my first attempt at it turned out pretty good not so bad if you ask me. =P Its the start of it looking like a CN SD70I but I still have a long way to go tho, I will try to keep you guys updated with photos.

Tell me what you guys think.

Thanks;
Jon

Here are the photo's
http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a287/angele5/model trains/?action=view&current=IMG_4187.jpg
http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a287/angele5/model trains/?action=view&current=IMG_4188.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a287/angele5/model trains/IMG_4189.jpg
http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a287/angele5/model trains/?action=view&current=IMG_4190.jpg
http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a287/angele5/model trains/?action=view&current=IMG_4192.jpg
http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a287/angele5/model trains/?action=view&current=IMG_4191.jpg

 

[wheeler1963]

Jon, I think you did a really good job for your first attempt!! I can remember my first time on an old F7 shell, I had splotches and spits everywhere. You did good!!!

 

[JA757]

Thanks Jerome.

 

[Railphotog]

First off, you could have posted the Photobucket links with the tags and the photos would have showed up in your post, rather than have us click on each one. Doesn't cost any more nor take any more effort.

Did you prime the area to be painted before you sprayed it? In the first photos there appears to be splotches of darkness in some spots, usually caused by not enough paint covering a black/dark area. Priming not only prepares plastic for painting, but is a really necessity when using a lighter color.

From the coarsness of the overspray on the shell, it looks like your paint either wasn't thinned enough, or you used too low air pressure or some other reason. Paint should go on almost like dust, and not small splatters.

At the rear of the model there looks like a sag in the paint, meaning too much may have been applied too close to the surface. Without a primer, lighter colors like the red/orange will take a whole lot more to cover, hiding some of the fine details.

You probably should have practiced first on some junk cars to help perfect your technique rather than using a new model.

Practice is about the only thing that can improve airbrushing. And a good primer coat!

Here's a kitbashed CN Dash 9 that I did some time ago:

[ATTACH=full]66216[/ATTACH]

 

[JA757]

Yes i did you primer. I mentioned it in the first post. and when the locomotive is done you wont notice the blochy areas and it is not that bad.

 

[lmackattack]

Its a start but I see a few aeras that can be improved.

as bob also said It looks as is not thinned or the paint was not mixed well?
The dark spots could be from lack of primer or too thin a layer of red paint.
I see the side grill vents have a few spots that a blocked off. this indacates the paint is still too thick. also at the bottom of the shell I see buldges in the paint also indacting its to thick and it has run down to the bottom.

Some tips to try next time and please dont take offence to them.

Use water based paint.

dark colors cover alot quicker than lighter colors. you will need less black to cover a surface than say a red or yellow.

Thin the paint so that it has the consistencey of milk

Use white or grey primer depending on the darkness you want the top color.
If you dont prime make sure that the shell does not have over laping colors where the new paint is to be sprayed. this helps keep the consistency across the painted surface.

Apply a thin coat first so that it can get in and dry around all the little details. If you apply to much paint it will bubble around the small detail parts and look overlarged.

A thin coat of water baised paint should dry in about 30-60 depending on the thickness. Often I can spray a shell and by the time im at the end I can go back and touch the first part that I applied the paint. some times the mixture is off and it takes longer but the thinner the paint the faster it dries and keeps the detail on the model.

Always use a cleaner/thinner between color changes. water does not get all the old paint out of the gun.

when adding a new color after you have sprayed let the gun air out any thinner/old color cought in the tip. spray into a garbage can or somthing untill it cleans out and your new color flows steady. If you keep things clean you can change colors about 10 times before you have to tear the gun down to clean it real good.

also depending on your compressor when you first release the paint the air press will be higher and feed more paint. dont point the airbrush at the model untill it steadys out the air press. this will avoid any puddles on the model.

ues a flat or semigloss clear to get decales to stick better,then apply more clear coat to seal the decals to the model.

always keep the air brush filled with cleaner or thinner to reduce the chance of any build up when not in use.


Trent

 

[JA757]

No no im not taking offence to it, I look at it as constructive criticism. we all learn and its a point of learn. Do you think i should strip it and re do the locomotive and primer it again and paint it again ?

Thanks
Jon

 

[lmackattack]

No no im not taking offence to it, I look at it as constructive criticism. we all learn and its a point of learn. Do you think i should strip it and re do the locomotive and primer it again and paint it again ?

Thanks
Jon

nope paint it and use it as a template to see what worked and what did not,
I started air brushing about 10 years ago and Im still learning from my mistakes. you will get better with practice and by looking at your older work. then at some point you will get old and wont be able to see your mistakes anyways

carry on!

Trent

 

[Mac Loco Works]

Looks like a good first try.

Here are some tips I would like to pass along.

White primmer makes the colors brighter. I use it with White, Yellow, Orange, Red, Lt Blue, Lt Green, Lt Gray. It also makes any mistakes show in pics. I like to take pics of my primmer units and then look at them on the computer. It helps me find most of the flaws with the plastic or sanding marks.

Light gray gives a muted color. If i'm after the faded look then I will use light gray primmer.
Dark gray and Black gives a very dark look this great for NS, Pennsy and SP Black Widow.

Wash all of the plastic with Polly S Plastic Prep and do not touch with your bare hands after you wash. Let the prep air dry.
Thin the paint per the direction on the bottle. Make sure you use the right thinner. Scalecoat 1 thinner will not work with Scalecoat 2 paint.
I have an area in the basment to paint. I have 3 layers of craft paper hanging on the wall that do test spray on.
The last thing I recomend is take your time let the primmer or paint dry before you touch it or add second coat. It some times takes me 3 days to paint one color on a shell. I let primmer dry 2 hrs before touching or painting the finale color. I let the paint dry 24 hrs before touching it.

If you want to strip the paint go for it. I stripped the paint off of a loco 4 time until I was happy with the paint job.

 

[JA757]

Thanks, I understand you and appropriate the tips.

 

[JA757]

Hey guys so here is the update on my SD70i. Like i mentioned before this is my first attempt and it turned out pretty good for my first try. Its slowly taking shape and starting to look like a CN SD70i.

 

[UP2CSX]

I can't tell how much of what I see is a problem and how much is due to the camera. First, it appears that the orange behind the cab is full of runs and sags. Second, it appears that the shell either wasn't washed first or your airbrush wasn't cleaned well since the black is not applied smoothly. The black also appear to have not covered part of the orange paint by the fans. The rear orange end will need touching up since it looks like some of the orange got under the masking tape.

As I said, some of what I see may be an artifact of the camera. It's still a very creditable first attempt. I'd like to show you photos of the first engine I ever airbrushed about 35 years ago but it's been in a landfill for just about that long.

 

[lmackattack]

It does look like dust in the black paint or it was too think when it went on?
also the red is way to thick. Slow and thin is the idea to get even coverage. what kind of paint is this again?

im not saying its a bad start, you need to learn so please take my comments with good intent

 

[hamltnblue]

Best thing to do is buy some cheap rolling stock and practice on them. It's pretty gutsy to make an engine your first project. either way you can look at it and know you did it. Also try thinning your paint a little more. A 50/50 mix of alcohol with Acrylics would be a good start. It will go on nice and thin and dry quickly. As was said before, be patient. You don't have to cover everything totally the first coat.

 

[Cjcrescent]

Thin the paint per the direction on the bottle. Make sure you use the right thinner. Scalecoat 1 thinner will not work with Scalecoat 2 paint.

Sorry Mac, this is incorrect. SC1 thinner and SC2 thinner is a mixture of the same 2 solvents. Xylene, (Xylol) and Tuolene, (Tuolol). Pardon if I misspelled anything!

Even Floquil's Diosol is a mixture of these same 2 solvents.

I stopped using any "name brand" thinner over 25 years ago, when I finally read the labels. I used to buy a 1/2 Gallon of each and mix them together, until I discovered that Xylol or Tuolol alone will thin any of these paints very well.

 

[Cjcrescent]

JA757;

You've gotten some real good advice here. As to a primer "color" I prefer one of the neutral colors like Floquil's Foundation, a very light tan. Being neutral means it doesn't add its characteristics to the final color. Since it is neutral, it takes the same amount of a lighter color to cover it as it does a darker.

It also makes looking for defects in sanding etc, a heck of a lot easier.

 

[bigford]

jay

i'm no paint pro by any means but i can hold my own
none of the fancy stuff some of these guys do..

but here is what i'm working on

the pic with the p42 shows how small the thing is

i think your doing the same thing i did when i started airbrushing
and that is your pointing the gun at the loco and starting the paint flow.
also the paint is way to thick MORE thinner you want it like
milk or water. i use humbrol,floquil and model master and i thin the crap
out of them.. also do you have a water trap inline before the gun
to remove any water/oil from getting into the paint?

if the paint is coming out of the gun looking like a spray can
(you can see the color in the air) its to much. i can spray BLACK and not
see the color in the air. turn the air down

bigford

 

[UP2CSX]

Sorry Mac, this is incorrect. SC1 thinner and SC2 thinner is a mixture of the same 2 solvents. Xylene, (Xylol) and Tuolene, (Tuolol). Pardon if I misspelled anything!

CJ, those two solvents, as I'm sure you know, are also two of the most potent leukemia causing agents you can inhale. Wearing a class 1 respirator and making sure you use a spray booth vented to the outside will extend you life a few years.

 

[Cjcrescent]

CJ, those two solvents, as I'm sure you know, are also two of the most potent leukemia causing agents you can inhale. Wearing a class 1 respirator and making sure you use a spray booth vented to the outside will extend you life a few years.

Quite aware of those facts Jim. Although I don't use my respirator as much as I should, my body can't make enough white cells as it is, so leukemia is extremely low on my Dr's possible problem list for me right now. He said the biggest danger to me from those solvents is skin contact. I do wear Ortho-gloves, (special surgical gloves, generally used by Orthopedic Surgeons, that are extra thick and go up almost to the elbow, for the uninitiated), when I can get them. Failing that I wear kitchen gloves or regular surgeons gloves.

I also paint out of a window that has a fan and filter in the upper window. And when warm and sunny with little or no wind, I take it outside, which is where I also do my media blasting.

I probably should get/build a paint booth. But its been years since I really have had the need. I pretty much just paint for my self now, and depending on what it is, car, engine, etc, may be 6 to 9 months before I actually paint it. I still have several cars that are ready for paint and decals, that were built over 4 years ago. Gotta get arountuit one o' these days.

 

[el3637]

Jon, What kind/brand of paint are you using? I saw several replies talking about various brands of paint and thinner, but I didn't see what you were actually using.

Also what kind of airbrush, air source, pressure, etc?

Andy