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First paintjobs need some tips
Got an airbrush and did my first few bodies. Overall happy with how they turned out but wasn't able to make them exactly how I wanted. On the 1/8 bodies I wanted the purple highlights over the pink to be a fine line. Couldn't get it precise enough so I just made it a fade. Using createx with a .5 needle and tried between 50 to 65psi. Feel like when I get too close it blows the paint to the sides once it hits and when I'm far enough away it spreads out too much before it hits. Tried some test sprays and it seems ok but then when I go to shoot on the body it's not precise enough.
On the 1/10 body I tried doing it much faster. Did everything but the silver and blue with spray cans. Spent about 1/4 the time cutting the mask as I'm sure you can tell. Was having trouble cutting the drips smoothly. I also am not the best artist so my sharpie drips weren't the best to start. Tried a curved exacto blade but I had the best luck using the pointy one without the handle. The handle just got in the way on the tight spots. When you guys cut round shapes do you try to not lift the blade ever? Seems like where I start and stop is where it's the worse. Also have trouble seeing where I already cut. On the 1/10 body I tried drawing a single line for the silver outlines and then cutting the second line by trying to follow my first cutline and eyeballing the width. On the 1/8 bodies I sharpied a wide line and cut to both sides. Was easier to keep the width right but I have even more trouble seeing my cuts with the sharpie line behind it. If anyone has any suggestions let me know. Not trying to paint professionally but want to do nice bodies for my son and I and maybe some friends. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...83499e4043.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...a89da7bacd.jpg |
Bodies look good for a first effort and once they are on the track nobody will notice a difference.
1. Try lower pressure for the shading, 15-25psi. Createx is always a bit thick so thin it down (using their thinner) to make sure it comes through the needle smoothly. Also think a little about an imaginary "light source" so that the shadows help the details to pop off the car. Keep the middle of the flow on the original paintwork so that you are using the edge of the pattern to create the shadow. 2. Straight blade is easier for tight curves, make sure it is sharp, and get hold of one of the small pen-like handles. Take it slow. I'm always amazed at some people's ability to cut detailed patterns inside a polycarbonate body, it's not an easy skill to master. 3. Use a fineliner with a good ink if you can. Easier to make out than a standard sharpie. |
Originally Posted by sosidge
(Post 16226206)
Bodies look good for a first effort and once they are on the track nobody will notice a difference.
1. Try lower pressure for the shading, 15-25psi. Createx is always a bit thick so thin it down (using their thinner) to make sure it comes through the needle smoothly. Also think a little about an imaginary "light source" so that the shadows help the details to pop off the car. Keep the middle of the flow on the original paintwork so that you are using the edge of the pattern to create the shadow. 2. Straight blade is easier for tight curves, make sure it is sharp, and get hold of one of the small pen-like handles. Take it slow. I'm always amazed at some people's ability to cut detailed patterns inside a polycarbonate body, it's not an easy skill to master. 3. Use a fineliner with a good ink if you can. Easier to make out than a standard sharpie. |
Originally Posted by wydopen
(Post 16226209)
Thank you. Will try lowering the pressures for the shading. Someone at our track who paints good said they used createx without thinning so wasn't thinking that was the problem. Will give it a try. Have a few more masked, going to try some more curves and see how it goes. I'm also using a regular compressor with a pressure regulator. Not sure how accurate it is should probably get an airbrush specific compressor.
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Did one for my friend, didn't come out how I was hoping but I learned allot.
Tried darkening up silver for the trim around flames so it wasn't the same as the silver cab but I backed it with black before shooting the teal thinking it would show through which made it too dark. Should I have shot the teal before the trim around the flames or do you always do trim first? Thinned the black and turned down the pressure to do the shading around flames. Way overdid it, looked minimal until I sprayed the silver. Probably should have done some shading under the teal also. On the flames I did pearl lime tips and tried to fade it into flo yellow but the colors were too close and it made it look like all one color. This body was fairly flat so was easier to cut the mask. Did it pretty fast. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...9d264211cd.jpg |
My son wanted me to match his first body that he’s been using since 2016 when he was 6. Green didn’t match very well. Think I needed to use fluorescent green or back it with black instead of silver.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...0f1bc6f16.jpeg |
Get yourself a piece of glass and practice on that. The glass has to be nice and clean and it’s definitely a good idea to duct tape the edges. Glass from an old picture frame from goodwill is cheap. When yer done either wipe it or scrape off the paint. Airbrushing on glass is a good control exercise as well.
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When using createx or other water based airbrush paint do you always back it with a spray can of regular acrylic rc paint? Did with the first few but was running low so backed the last two with white
createx. Still pretty soft and it’s been a couple days. Not sure if it will cure eventually or I need to tape it off again since I pulled overspray film and window masks and spray it again with a can? |
Originally Posted by wydopen
(Post 16227118)
When using createx or other water based airbrush paint do you always back it with a spray can of regular acrylic rc paint? Did with the first few but was running low so backed the last two with white
createx. Still pretty soft and it’s been a couple days. Not sure if it will cure eventually or I need to tape it off again since I pulled overspray film and window masks and spray it again with a can? |
Have done a bunch lately with varying results. Don’t have pics of all of them but a few came out decent. Have done a few variations of blue drips to flo yellow to white for my 1/8 and 1/10 cars and they look good on track.
these two are for my son https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...ecd1e5e77.jpeg My rear motor 22 at a race a couple weeks ago https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...aeeb3aa820.jpg Some I did for my buddies. Not happy with either but they work. The gas truck body flew out of the back of my friends truck before he ever got to run it so I’m hoping the next one comes out better. Messed up the stencil and should have added another color on the border and brought the purple down all the way. Have been struggling on the shading, got a new airbrush compressor and it should make a big difference being able to control the pressure better. Tested it out and it seems like it works better. Wasnt able to get a consistent flow before and would get splatters when I let off at the end of a line.. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...83e42249b.jpeg |
Not sure which model you are using but the main thing I see is that your airbrush isn't really fine-line capable and you end up applying too much shadow. Check out something like an iwata eclipse or similar if its in your budget. The finer the detail your airbrush is capable of, the more precise your results will be.
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Originally Posted by magnum_junior
(Post 16234603)
Not sure which model you are using but the main thing I see is that your airbrush isn't really fine-line capable and you end up applying too much shadow. Check out something like an iwata eclipse or similar if its in your budget. The finer the detail your airbrush is capable of, the more precise your results will be.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...f74ebfec5.jpeg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...ed3451b7d.jpeg |
The purple on the pink came out good!
8-25psi and thats it, ever. I'm usually around the 17-22 range. Your airbrush description says it sprays .5mm-1.5" so you should be good with it. One thing I had trouble with at first was the trigger finger muscle memory. You want to press down and start the air stream first them gently pull back for the paint feed. Pulling back and then pressing down is how you get the brush spitting paint and allot less control of your spray pattern. I'm not saying this is what you're doing, just relating my experience. Another cause of spitting paint is the needle adjustment. After cleaning and re-assembling you want the teeny tiniest gap after seating the needle. Like a slight twist with a little pullback pressure. Not against the seat since it can damage your brush, and too much of a gap will allow paint to run to the tip without air. |
Originally Posted by magnum_junior
(Post 16235495)
The purple on the pink came out good!
8-25psi and thats it, ever. I'm usually around the 17-22 range. Your airbrush description says it sprays .5mm-1.5" so you should be good with it. One thing I had trouble with at first was the trigger finger muscle memory. You want to press down and start the air stream first them gently pull back for the paint feed. Pulling back and then pressing down is how you get the brush spitting paint and allot less control of your spray pattern. I'm not saying this is what you're doing, just relating my experience. Another cause of spitting paint is the needle adjustment. After cleaning and re-assembling you want the teeny tiniest gap after seating the needle. Like a slight twist with a little pullback pressure. Not against the seat since it can damage your brush, and too much of a gap will allow paint to run to the tip without air. |
Looks better now that it’s trimmed. Should have done some purple splatters or something under the white to break it up a little. When I messed up the purple shading I already had the mask pulled so had to do the border of the purple with masking tape which was a pain.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...bcdec3050.jpeg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...256839109.jpeg |
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