Painting

We all know that paint fumes shouldn't be inhaled and that the best practice when using paint is to wear a face mask, but how bad could it really be if you chance it every now and then to squeeze in that modelling job that needs ticking off the...

Acrylic paints have many advantages, one of these is that once dry they are water-resistant. This may seem a little bit strange considering they are water-based. You may even be wondering how they work? or how do you clean them off if water does...

Acrylic paint is, without doubt, safer than enamel. This is because it is water-based so doesn't emit toxic fumes that you can breathe in unlike enamel which is solvent-based with lots of nasty neurotoxins in its ingredients.Safer does not mean...

Sometimes, we spend more time trying to remove paint than we do applying it in the first place. Whether it is because of an accidental spillage or we are simply trying to clean our brushes and pots after a modelling session, removing paint can be...

After spending hours preparing and painting your models, it is quite understandable that you would want to protect your hard work by sealing the paint afterwards. The best way to seal your paint is with a model varnish, they are readily available...

Panel lines can help give life and realism to a model. These are the gaps or joins that you would see on the real-life prototype of a model between the metal panels that make up its bodywork.All large forms of transport have their outer...

A lot of modellers like to add detail to their models. One of the things you can do to add realism to your model is to accentuate its panel lines. Panel lines are the gaps or joins between the panels that make up the outer shell of a vehicle,...

In the early days, railway tracks were made from iron, but cast iron was considered to be too brittle and wrought iron too soft, so in the end, it was decided to manufacture the rails from steel. Steel can take on many colours, although we...

Fine painting is always something best done with patience. The problem is, when using acrylic paint if you take too long then your freshly mixed colour will dry out on the palette before being applied to your model. A wet palette is an answer to...

Paint not only comes in different types (acrylic or enamel) but will also produce different finishes. These different finishes are described as gloss, matt or satin. Regardless off paint type gloss paints will give your model a nice shiny finish,...

The most important rule to remember when mixing paints is to never mix enamel and acrylic paint, this is because one is oil or solvent-based whilst the other is water-based, and oil and water do not mix. Apart from that, you should be able to mix...

To keep your brushes in the best condition, make sure you clean them as soon as you are done using them. Remove the paint from the brush by using it on a kitchen towel or similar. As acrylic paint is water based, you then simply need to agitate...