In this area we will aim to provide you with the information and advice necessary to choose the best paint and painting equipment within your available budget. The vices and virtues of each type of paint will be addressed and a progressive approach will be employed to help the modeller understand the basic science of painting/airbrushing; by adopting this approach you will learn how to influence the materials to produce the best outcome, rather than the materials themselves dictating the quality of the eventual finish.
Top Gun Special! Building Maverick’s F-14A Tomcat 1:48
Also take a look at our Here Now reviews of scale modelling Tools and Materials
A Beginners Tutorial – How to Build a 1:35 AFV Kit: Tamiya 1:35 Steyr 1500
- Part 1 Construction – 1 Full Length HD Video Demo Tamiya 1:35 Steyr 1500
- Part 2 Painting, Decals – 1 Full Length HD Video Demo Tamiya 1:35 Steyr 1500
How to…
- Create the RAF Anti Flash White on an Avro Vulcan B.2 – Video Demo
- Paint A Typhoon Truck – Part 1 – Video Demo
- Paint A Typhoon Truck – Part 2 – Video Demo
- Paint and weather armour interiors – 3 Video Demos
- Paint 1:35 Bravo 6 Australian SAS Vietnam War: Figure Painting Tutorial – Video Demo
- Paint 1:35 German Field Police / Scale 75 – Video Demo
- Paint German 1:35 Plane Tree / Oak Leaf Camouflage – Video Demo
Airbrushes
- Evolution Airbrush – Harder & Steenbeck
- Iwata Revolution M1 airbrush – Video Demo
- Ultimate APEX Airbrush – Video Demo
Airbrushing with enamels
- Getting the mix right and spraying
- Getting rid of airbrush overspray between colours – 2 Video Demos
- Stynlrez primers and how to use them – 6 Video Demos
Airbrushing with acrylics
- Acrylic Ink Paints for airbrush – Mr Paint
- Acrylic Metal Color by Vallejo – Intro – 3 Video Demos
- AMMO Atom water-based acrylics – Part 1 Intro
- AMMO ATOM Paints – Part 2, How to use them
- Correct use of AMMO Primer
- Getting rid of airbrush overspray between colours – 2 Video Demos
- How to mix and spray water-based acrylics – 4 Video Demos
- How to use Hataka Red Line acrylic paints – 13 Video Demos
- How to paint with AMMO Acrylics – Problems and Solutions with Mig Jimenez – Video Demo
- How to Paint a Car Transporter Trailer – AMMO ATOM Paints – Video Demo
- How to paint mottled camouflage on aircraft with ATOM paints – Video Demo
- How to Paint Winter Camouflage – Video Demo
- Humbrol Acrylics and how to spray them – Video Demo
- Painting a Messerschmitt Bf109 with AMMO ATOM paints – Video Demo
- Primers: Russian Green & Tracks – Ammo of Mig Jimene
- Storing your Lifecolor paints
- Stynlrez primers and how to use them – 6 Video Demos
- Using Ultimate Airbrush Thinner
- Ultimate Primer – 4 Video Demos
- Vallejo Model Color – How to airbrush tutorial – Video Demo
- Yellow and Red, airbrushing and painting – 6 Video Demos
- What paint what thinner? What to mix with what – a simple guide
Airbrushing – Metallic finishes
- Acrylic Metal Color by Vallejo – Intro – 3 Video Demos
- How to paint metallic bodies – Video Demo
- Alclad2 metal finishes – How to spray – Part 1
- Alclad2 metal finishes – How to spray – Part 2 – 4 Video Demos
- How to spray A-Stand lacquers from AMMO – 3 Video Demos
- How to spray Alclad2 clear varnishes onto Alclad2 Metallic Lacquers – 3 Video Demos
- Burnt metal effects
- Removing ghost seam line joins – Micromesh – 2 Video Demos
- Stynlrez primers and how to use them – 6 Video Demos
Airbrushing – Sources of air
Airbrushing – Looking after your airbrush
- Airbrush lubricant, how to use it – Video Demo
- Choosing the right brushes and looking after them
- Cleaning your airbrush with Mig Jimenez – Video Demo
- Cleaning your airbrush and blow-back technique – 2 Video Demos
- Removal of airbrush tip for cleaning – Video Demo
- Twin Airbrush Holder from Sphere Products – Video Demo
- Using an ultrasonic cleaner to clean your airbrush – Video Demo
Bodywork
- How to paint Bodywork with Cobra Motor Paints – Video Demo
- How to paint metallic bodies – Video Demo
- How to paint a motorcycle – Video Demo
- How to paint a Subaru Impreza rally car – Video Demo
- How to polish painted car bodies – Video Demo
Bombs
Brush Painting
- How to Brush Paint with AMMO ATOM paints – Video Demo
- How to brush paint with Humbrol Water-Based Acrylics – 8 Video Demos
Canopies
- Applying tinted shades – 3 Video Demos
- Cleaning up frame lines after painting – Video Demo
- FrogTape low-tack masking tape – 2 Video Demos
- Masking canopies and clear parts 2 – 3 Video Demos
- Masking canopies with Parafilm-M
Car Modelling
Explore all the other headings here for techniques to help you with your car, motorcycle and vehicle modelling.
- Beginners’ Resource – (external website)
Codes and Insignia
- Hinomaru – Spraying Japanese Hinomaru markings
- How to paint D-Day identification stripes
- Spraying German WWI crosses – Video Demo
- Spraying your codes and insignia – Video Demo
Compressors
- Iwata Studio Series Smart Jet Pro Compressor – Video Demo
- Neo Air for Iwata miniature air compressor – Video Demo
Figure Painting
- A Few Thoughts on my Way of Painting Busts by Jason Zhou
- How to Paint 1:35 German Fallschirmjager Monte Cassino Tutorial – Video Demo
- How to paint 28mm Napoleon and Napoleonic Horses – Video Demo
- How to paint Bravo 6 ‘Wardaddy’ 1:35 – Video Demo
- Making a wet pallet – Video Demo
- Painting 1:35 scale faces – a beginners guide – Video Demo
- Painting German Grenadiers – Video Demo
- Painting Pilot and Ground Crew figures – a basic intro
- Quick figures – Painting with Lifecolor water-based acrylics
- Ultracast SS Tiger Tank Commander 1:32
German Vehicle Colours
Gloss finishes
Grey painted jets
- How to create a worn, used look – 9 Video Demos
How to paint and weather cockpits
- How to paint modern aircraft seats – Video Demo
- How to paint and weather cockpits – 13 Video Demos
Resin cockpit – basic intro
Photo etch (PE) – basic considerations
How to apply a wash
How to dry brush and highlight detail
How to use colour in your cockpit
Tips for PE instrument panels - Painting the TANMODEL RF-84F Thunderflash Cockpit in 1:48 – 16 Video Demos
Masking
- AMMO Masking Sheets – 1mm Grid
- AMMO Masking tape with Mig Jimenez – Video Demo
- Blu-Tac putty – using rolls of putty – 5 Video Demos
- CT Scale Models Masks – how to use them – Video Demo
- Camouflage Masking Putty, how to with Mig Jimenez – 2 Video Demos
- Creating round masks for circular windows
- Creating your own camouflage masks
- Creating your own masks with Gilles Pepin
- DSPIAE Masking Tape Cutting Mat B – how to use
- Easy cutting mat Type B – 2 Video Demos
- FrogTape low-tack masking tape – 2 Video Demos
- Gyro Cut swivel head cutting tool – Video Demo
- Kip Tape for masking models
- Make your own Luftwaffe paint masks
- Making paper masks
- Making your own masks for spraying – from the decal sheet! – 2 Video Demos
- 1Manarmy marking and stencil paint mask system 1:32 – Video Demo
- Masking canopies
- Masking canopies and clear parts 2 – 2 Video Demos
- Masking canopies with Parafilm-M
- Masking tape adhesion problems – solved! – Video Demo
- Masking tape
- Pre Cut Camouflage Masking Sets
- Quick Wheel Masks for AFVs – 3 Video Demos
- Specialist paint masks for camo and markings
- Strawberry laces to mask camo fine feathered edges
- Tamiya Curved Masking Tape – How to use it – Video Demo
- Using Tamiya tape to create curved camo patterns – Video Demo
Metallic finishes
- AK Xtreme Metal finishes – how to get an Aluminium finish – Video Demo
- How to paint metallic bodies – Video Demo
- Airfix F-51D Mustang 1:72
- Aluminium foil to create a NMF – The Peter Doll way
- Applying metal pigment with a Rubber Brush – with Mig Jimenez – Video Demo
- Chrome lenses using a Molotow ink pen (1mm) – Video Demo
- Chrome hydraulic rams on undercarriage units – Molotow ink pen – Video Demo
- Cowls on WWI aircraft – textured and hammered effects
- Mr Metal Colour – Video Demo
- How to apply metal foil with Tim Brooke – 3 Video Demos
- Alclad2 metal finishes – How to spray – Part 1
- Alclad2 metal finishes – How to spray – Part 2 – 4 Video Demos
- Burnt metal effects
- Removing ghost seam line joins – Micromesh – 2 Video Demos
- Vallejo Acrylic Metal Color – Intro – 3 Video Demos
- Vallejo Acrylic Metal Color – hand painting – 2 Video Demos
Micromesh
- Micromesh to get rid of paint demarcation lines
- Micromesh Polishing Cloths – 6 Video Demos
- Using Micromesh to polish the paint surface
Mixing Paint
Paint Brushes
- How to use AMMO Long Live The Brushes – Video Demo
- Humbrol paint brushes
- Kolibri paint brushes
- Paint brush holder from Sphere Products
Painting – general
- How to Use the AMMO Hot Dog Hot Air Gun – Video Demo
- Correct use of AMMO Primer
- How to paint with AMMO acrylics – problems and solutions
- Hand-painting Tamiya Color acrylic paint
- How to paint a resin seat with molded in belts
- Labels for Tamiya paint pots
- Model Colors App – An intro
- Model Paint 42 App – An intro
- What paint what thinner? What to mix with what – a simple guide
Painting camouflage finishes
- Luftwaffe WWII camouflage mottling – Video Demo
- Spraying acrylic camo patterns freehand – Video Demo
Paint Pens
Painting Realistic Rib Effects
Painting wheels
- Getting a neat demarcation between hub and tyre – 7 Video Demos
Pastels for mottling
Primers
- AK Grey Primer and Microfiller – Video Demo
- Correct use of AMMO Primer
- How to Use AMMO One Shot Primer – Video Demo
- Decanting paint from spray cans for airbrushing – Video Demo
- Humbrol Acrylic Grey Primer – how to spray – Video Demo
- It’s Prime Time… – using primers
- Primers: Russian Green & Tracks – Ammo of Mig Jimene
- Stynlrez primers and how to use them – 6 Video Demos
- Ultimate Primer – 4 Video Demos
Safety
- Basic safety equipment – introduction – Video Demo
Stripping Paint
- Using Fairy Power Spray Cleaner to strip paint – Video Demo
- Using Mr Muscle Oven Cleaner to strip paint – Video Demo
Surface preparation
- Correct use of AMMO Primer
- Micromesh to get rid of paint demarcation lines
- Micromesh Polishing Cloths – 6 Video Demos
- Using Micromesh to polish the paint surface
Vinyl Tracks
- How to paint vinyl tracks – Video Demo
Wood effects
- Simulating wooden propellers
- Creating woodgrain effects using RB Photo etch templates – 11 Video Demos
- Wood grain effects – and how to paint them – Video Demo
Yellow and Red – airbrushing and painting
- Yellow and Red, airbrushing and painting – 6 Video Demos