Are you one of those people who open up a new model tank and catch yourself thinking about what you might do to make that tank a one of a kind? If you think that the decals that came with the tank are for beginners and prefer to give the model your own personal touch then you can definitely do so by applying a custom paint job. It is not hard to do so and will just take a little extra planning and preparation. The end result will be a tank that you can call your own.
Some of the techniques for painting can be a little involved but with practice it is not impossible to learn them. The first thing you must do is to decide whether you want to hand paint your model or airbrush it instead. Airbrushing can produce a great looking paint job; however, it can be hard to add specialized strokes on smaller models. If you will be painting your model a solid color then you can bet that airbrushing will do a great job.
Hand painting your model can be great for adding all sorts of small detail into your paint job. If you are painting a camouflage motif to your tanks then it may be the easiest to use since airbrushing can be very difficult without the use of many different masks. One of the drawbacks to hand painting is that you can easily get the paint too thick or too thin. It can be much harder to control the flow of it as well which can lead to runs and may require a bit of cleanup work.
No matter which technique you use it is very important to allow plenty of drying time between coats so that you get a better looking job. By painting over areas that are still somewhat tacky you can cause runs and smears in the paint job. Another important consideration is whether or not you should use primer. It is not always necessary to prime the models before you paint them but it does allow the paint to adhere much better. It can also help you to find any flaws that could be present in the models.
Before you assemble and paint your model you should clean it. Use some lukewarm soapy water but make sure that it is not too warm. If it is then it could possibly warp the plastic. By removing all the foreign materials from the model the paint will go on much more smoothly.
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