Let's run though a checklist before we start off this month's post.
We're all set with the secondary hull, saucer and engines as far as building goes which means that we must be playing with paint? I'll let +Christopher Whitford take over from here...
This month we are indeed working on painting
the saucer and engineering hull of our starship. Painting a model is not as
hard as it seems and can be done in a couple of easy steps.
Painting can be done by airbrush,
rattle-can (aka spray paint) or brushing by hand. For the purpose of this
article we'll be using rattle-can as it's easy and since the Enterprise does
not have that many colours to it you can paint it relativity inexpensively. We'll also be covering base coats and color coating as we get further in.
The first thing you
want to do is prep your saucer and engineering hull by dusting them and giving a quick sand to make sure your surface is smooth and free of dust. Next thing
you want to do is go outside in a clear area so as not to let over-spray get on walls or flooring. I also recommend laying
down some cardboard so you have something to sit the model above while you're painting.
The colour I choose for
this project is Model Master flat light aircraft grey. Now using a spray can
for paint is not ideal as you have to use it outdoors and the weather has to be
perfect to spray - and you also need to account for humidity because if that's too high paint dries to fast and can be
splotchy.
Firstly you need to run your
can under hot water since this allows the paint in the can to properly disperse when it
comes out of the nozzle. When spraying your model you need to do it in even
strokes back and forth building up your coats. Your base coat does not
completely cover your model as it provides a base for your colour coat and after
you let your base coat dry you need to sand it down with a fine grit sand
paper, making sure that once you finish sanding your model it is clean and free of dust
and dirt.
After that you need to apply
your color coat and follow your same process as before even strokes back and
forth allowing it to fully dry when you are finished your paint is smooth to
the touch and with that we wrap up another month. Next month we will go over
detail painting with a brush and how it adds to you model. And as always get
out of her and build something.
You can catch up on all Chris' modelling tips and techniques by clicking back through the Trek Modelling 101 Archive and if that's not enough, check out the Google+ Sci-Fi Fans and Modelers' United Community
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