Hello all.
I briefly introduced myself in the Say Hello forum, but to recap - Phill, from Dubai, like car models, not modelled since I was a teenager and wasn't very patient/good at it.
I was recently visiting the UK and went into ModelZone, a large chain that looks to be winding up - the branch I visited had a massive closing down sale and I thought I might be able to add to my 1:43 F1 car collection.
But while there I saw the range of model-making stuff they had, at dirt cheap prices, and on the spur of the moment bought a cutting board, basic tool set and this Airfix 1:32 kit for next to nothing. It's Apex Motorsport's 2008 Jaguar XKR GT3 car that competed in the European GT3 Championship.
I was particularly drawn to this car as the owner of Apex was killed in a plane crash (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Biggin_Hill_Cessna_Citation_crash) early in 2008, along with former racing driver David Leslie, a man whose autograph I'd got as a kid. Additionally, one of the drivers of the Jaguar (who was not on the plane) is someone I've subsequently come to know.
So I bought it for a song, deciding that I'd do a better job now, as a patient adult, than I did as a 14 year old slapping on thick layers of paint and crinkling decals.
Back in Dubai, I started perusing the web for modelling tips and realised just how in-depth some people go with their techniques compared to my historic ham-fistedness. Over a couple of weeks I built up a shopping list and stocked up on what I hope will be the basic essentials. Then I finally decided to take the plunge.
The main problem I've had here in Dubai is a lack of materials. After a lot of searching I've managed to find a couple of shops with basic equipment - The Toy Store has Revell Acrylic paints and quite a lot of Revell models (which I'm sure will help form a stash in time), a shop called Silver Lake stocks a decent range of Tamiya enamels and a few Airfix kits, and the Jag starter kit came with six colours of Humbrol acrylics. I've failed to find any model-specific spray primer, so opted for cans of standard primers found in Ace Hardware. I also bought a can of gloss clear coat, but no hardware shops here have any matt or flat clear coat, which is a shame. The closest I've found is a can of Citadel satin-effect stuff at the local Games Workshop, but it's expensive and the reviews I've read online suggest it's not particularly stable.
I haven't yet invested in an airbrush, but my forum delvings suggest it might be worth getting in time. If I can find one. I've picked up a couple of extra brushes, although some seem to shed hair faster than a particularly enthusiastic pet. So I may well upgrade soon.
I've started with the wheels and brake discs, cutting them off the sprues, filing them down with a jeweller's file and primed them all as best as I could, using two light dustings to the pieces mounted variously on alligator clips and skewers, or with Blu-Tac. Then I left them to dry overnight.
I read that it's better to start with the lighter paint and then do any dark sections, so I painted the wheel spokes in silver, trying to go with multiple thin coats rather than fewer thick globs. After four coats, it looks ok. However, I didn't prime the back of the wheels well enough and the paint didn't stick so well. I don't really think it'll show on the final model, but still, lesson learned.
I also painted the brake discs in silver too, making sure not to paint the back so the glue would work when it comes to sticking. The following day I painted the callipers red using a cocktail stick, which was somewhat fiddly, but I think has come out well.
I was worried about how to paint the black of the tyres onto the wheels, as I don't have a particularly steady hand (yet). But I managed to find some Tamiya masking tape at Silver Lake, so decided to see if I could cut away the excess with a knife to completely mask the silver bits.
Worked pretty well for a first go! In retrospect, I probably would have had slightly better results masking the centre after primer, then using a spray can of matt black paint, then finishing with the silver. But after four coats of black paint applied sparingly by brush, I think it looks ok. Will do the other three today.
My next step will be to try and wet sand down the tyres a little to get rid of the brush marks. The finest grain I've managed to find is 1500, hopefully that will be enough. I'm going to head out today and get some automotive polishing compound as a back up. I'm not quite sure what the result will be - I'm not (at the moment) going for a post-race weathered look on the car, and new slick tyres tend to be pretty shiny, but I'll see what I end up with.
That said, I've been reading up on washes and wanted to see if they might work on the discs and on the centre nut of the wheels to bring out the detail. I painted everything so far with Humbrol acrylic, so based on my reading I'll need to clear coat it (found some Future, or the modern equivalent of), and then apply the wash. I'm figuring an oil paint and white spirit mix might be the best (there are some good art shops with general painting supplies), but I'm open to correction.
I also impulse-bought my second model at Silver Lake - looks like it might be a bit more complicated. But has fewer decals than the Jag. Having not yet tackled them, they terrify me.
So that's where I am at the moment. Sorry, this was far longer than I intended, but I'm hoping it will help any other noob, like me, that's frankly terrified at trying to emulate the amazing model work shown by so many on this and other forums.
Please, I fully welcome any suggestions, criticism and abuse that might help me learn. OK, not abuse. But suggestions. As this is my first model I don't expect the finished result to be brilliant, but that doesn't mean that I'm not aiming for perfection in spite of my lack of talent.
So far, my questions are:
Is it worth putting a wash on the silver wheel spokes and the brake discs?
If so, is an oil and white spirit mix the best option (over Humbrol acrylic)?
Should 1500 paper be OK for cutting back the black on the tyres, as long as I use a soapy water solution?
Is it best to Future-coat every single part once painted, or would the Krylon clear coat be better? Or can/should smaller parts be left un-coated?
Is there an alternative to spray matt clear coat, perhaps a house-hold, brush-applied varnish of some sort?
What's the advantage of painting parts on the sprue, other than ease of holding? How do you touch up the parts that were attached once you've cut them off?
Thanks for reading if you got this far!
I briefly introduced myself in the Say Hello forum, but to recap - Phill, from Dubai, like car models, not modelled since I was a teenager and wasn't very patient/good at it.
I was recently visiting the UK and went into ModelZone, a large chain that looks to be winding up - the branch I visited had a massive closing down sale and I thought I might be able to add to my 1:43 F1 car collection.
But while there I saw the range of model-making stuff they had, at dirt cheap prices, and on the spur of the moment bought a cutting board, basic tool set and this Airfix 1:32 kit for next to nothing. It's Apex Motorsport's 2008 Jaguar XKR GT3 car that competed in the European GT3 Championship.
I was particularly drawn to this car as the owner of Apex was killed in a plane crash (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Biggin_Hill_Cessna_Citation_crash) early in 2008, along with former racing driver David Leslie, a man whose autograph I'd got as a kid. Additionally, one of the drivers of the Jaguar (who was not on the plane) is someone I've subsequently come to know.
So I bought it for a song, deciding that I'd do a better job now, as a patient adult, than I did as a 14 year old slapping on thick layers of paint and crinkling decals.
Back in Dubai, I started perusing the web for modelling tips and realised just how in-depth some people go with their techniques compared to my historic ham-fistedness. Over a couple of weeks I built up a shopping list and stocked up on what I hope will be the basic essentials. Then I finally decided to take the plunge.
The main problem I've had here in Dubai is a lack of materials. After a lot of searching I've managed to find a couple of shops with basic equipment - The Toy Store has Revell Acrylic paints and quite a lot of Revell models (which I'm sure will help form a stash in time), a shop called Silver Lake stocks a decent range of Tamiya enamels and a few Airfix kits, and the Jag starter kit came with six colours of Humbrol acrylics. I've failed to find any model-specific spray primer, so opted for cans of standard primers found in Ace Hardware. I also bought a can of gloss clear coat, but no hardware shops here have any matt or flat clear coat, which is a shame. The closest I've found is a can of Citadel satin-effect stuff at the local Games Workshop, but it's expensive and the reviews I've read online suggest it's not particularly stable.
I haven't yet invested in an airbrush, but my forum delvings suggest it might be worth getting in time. If I can find one. I've picked up a couple of extra brushes, although some seem to shed hair faster than a particularly enthusiastic pet. So I may well upgrade soon.
I've started with the wheels and brake discs, cutting them off the sprues, filing them down with a jeweller's file and primed them all as best as I could, using two light dustings to the pieces mounted variously on alligator clips and skewers, or with Blu-Tac. Then I left them to dry overnight.
I read that it's better to start with the lighter paint and then do any dark sections, so I painted the wheel spokes in silver, trying to go with multiple thin coats rather than fewer thick globs. After four coats, it looks ok. However, I didn't prime the back of the wheels well enough and the paint didn't stick so well. I don't really think it'll show on the final model, but still, lesson learned.
I also painted the brake discs in silver too, making sure not to paint the back so the glue would work when it comes to sticking. The following day I painted the callipers red using a cocktail stick, which was somewhat fiddly, but I think has come out well.
I was worried about how to paint the black of the tyres onto the wheels, as I don't have a particularly steady hand (yet). But I managed to find some Tamiya masking tape at Silver Lake, so decided to see if I could cut away the excess with a knife to completely mask the silver bits.
Worked pretty well for a first go! In retrospect, I probably would have had slightly better results masking the centre after primer, then using a spray can of matt black paint, then finishing with the silver. But after four coats of black paint applied sparingly by brush, I think it looks ok. Will do the other three today.
My next step will be to try and wet sand down the tyres a little to get rid of the brush marks. The finest grain I've managed to find is 1500, hopefully that will be enough. I'm going to head out today and get some automotive polishing compound as a back up. I'm not quite sure what the result will be - I'm not (at the moment) going for a post-race weathered look on the car, and new slick tyres tend to be pretty shiny, but I'll see what I end up with.
That said, I've been reading up on washes and wanted to see if they might work on the discs and on the centre nut of the wheels to bring out the detail. I painted everything so far with Humbrol acrylic, so based on my reading I'll need to clear coat it (found some Future, or the modern equivalent of), and then apply the wash. I'm figuring an oil paint and white spirit mix might be the best (there are some good art shops with general painting supplies), but I'm open to correction.
I also impulse-bought my second model at Silver Lake - looks like it might be a bit more complicated. But has fewer decals than the Jag. Having not yet tackled them, they terrify me.
So that's where I am at the moment. Sorry, this was far longer than I intended, but I'm hoping it will help any other noob, like me, that's frankly terrified at trying to emulate the amazing model work shown by so many on this and other forums.
Please, I fully welcome any suggestions, criticism and abuse that might help me learn. OK, not abuse. But suggestions. As this is my first model I don't expect the finished result to be brilliant, but that doesn't mean that I'm not aiming for perfection in spite of my lack of talent.
So far, my questions are:
Is it worth putting a wash on the silver wheel spokes and the brake discs?
If so, is an oil and white spirit mix the best option (over Humbrol acrylic)?
Should 1500 paper be OK for cutting back the black on the tyres, as long as I use a soapy water solution?
Is it best to Future-coat every single part once painted, or would the Krylon clear coat be better? Or can/should smaller parts be left un-coated?
Is there an alternative to spray matt clear coat, perhaps a house-hold, brush-applied varnish of some sort?
What's the advantage of painting parts on the sprue, other than ease of holding? How do you touch up the parts that were attached once you've cut them off?
Thanks for reading if you got this far!
