Painting White


S

smlull163

New Member
Greetings to the Board!

I'm having issues and I thought what better place to ask questions, than this forum. This is my first foray into painting, so.... I'm learning as I go.

I have several Athearn GP-XX shells I prepped and am in the process of painting. I did the strip all the old paint off (90% alcohol) and it worked well. I scrubbed them with a little soap and water, rinsed them a couple of times and blew them dry. Couple days later, I shot light gray undercoating on them. As I said, first time with an airbrush.

Very first time I painted anything (covered hopper) , I did NOT read the instructions and did NOT thin the Scale coat paint. Model looked terrible and it took awhile to clean out the airbrush. I learned that lesson. I read the instructions and thinned the next application (covered hopper) and that worked really well!

Next, I tackled my GP shells and painted the gray undercoating, I'll just say I thinned it too much, but it stuck and it looked okay as a primer. Next, I mixed reefer white and the right amount of distilled water (i actually measured) and shot the loco shells I have. I'm doing a free lance paint scheme, blue shell with a white waist line, fairly wide. I'm sure it's out there, though I haven't seen any pictures.

Here's my question. The white, though it went on really nice and it seemed to cover, once dried it looks almost transparent. (oh, I'm in Virginia and paint in the garage) Along with the transparent, it looks like drips that have dried near the walk ways. Does white take more applications than once or twice? should I not thin white as much? is the temperature a factor? (probably 50 when I shot them)

Hate to ask such beginners questions, but I do belong in that category.

Thank you all in advance!
Scott, Virginia Beach, VA
 
50 degrees seems a little cool for painting and could cause a problem. When I painted in my old basement, I started a space heater about an hour before painting to warm the place up and maybe dry the air a little.

More than one coat is likely for white. With whites, reds and yellows I generally prime, apply a light coat of color, let it set up for an hour or two (longer with Scalecoat II) and then come back and apply a second coat.

On one UP project, in Armour Yellow, I ended up applying a half-dozen light coats, yet all of the details molded into the shell are perfectly visible.

Drips indicate too much paint being applied at one time. Light colors are very transparent and take a while to build up.

Gray primer has occasionally given me a green tint in colors. You might try aluminum or silver.
 
Well, since you're learning, going straight into painting a prime loco wouldn't be IMM, a great place to start.

What I would recommend is to strip the bad paint jobs, including the loco. Then I would get some pieces of poster board, or some old cars, or locos that you're not gonna use, and start practicing!

The secret to a good paint job comes from proper use of the tools, this includes the paint and airbrush. Practice on the older junky stuff, until it starts looking right. I try to have several junkers to practice on, like when I get a new airbrush. (I also use poster board if I don't have an available junker, which can be often). Practice until it becomes almost second nature. Practice, practice, practice!!!

Now, why the poster board? Why not styrene? You use it to confirm that you're getting it right. Use the "shiny side", as that is the closest thing to a plastic car's body. Plus it's ultra cheap so you won't have to worry about finding a junker to practice on. Applied right, the paint won't soak into the board, and influence the coverage. Get some painters tape to mask off areas on the poster board. Make these areas roughly the size of a car, or loco. Spray on the primer, (I use a light Tan. Its really neutral in color and shade, and will not influence the color to be applied over it.) After the primer is dry, spray on the primary colors, going from lightest colors, to darkest colors. The poster board will also show any runs, streaks and such that any plastic body will, and because its so cheap, you can literally waste it. You'll find that the easiest color to paint is black and the hardest, whites, yellows and reds.

When you can get a super smooth coat on the poster board, then I would prime and spray the loco. You'll find that for some reason, the paint job actually looks fairly decent!

When painting a multicolor scheme, always paint the lightest colors first, white, yellows and reds, then go to the darkest colors last. Dark colors cover lighter colors better than the lighter colors will cover darker colors.
 
Thank you Carey and Joe! That does clear up some things. I do like the practice bit on just poster board. Though I do have a fair amount of cars/loco's to paint. it would be easier to practice on a poster board.

When I did shoot the actual covered hopper, that was my first car ever, the first time was ugly, but once I thinned properly and took some time and didn't rush, it came out really pretty good.

I certainly appreciate the help. Poster board is in my future. I'll post some pictures once I get going.

Thanks,
Scott VB
 
Hey Scott,
Where in Virginia Beach are you??? I live in virginia Beach as well (Near Salem High School) and I do custom painting and weathering with my airbrush, so if you need some help or pointers I would be more than happy to help. I have a few tricks that work quite well and that will save you alot of time, money and frustration. LMK

Steve
 
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