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i started doing some model cars recently, i havent done any since i was like 10 haha.

my first car was just glue no paint needed it was pretty fun doing but took maybe an hour do complete. wanting something more i got another kit that requires paint(99 eclipse). its already driving me nuts though! the plastics are all black and i want to paint some stuff white. seems im using Way too much paint on just the seats. is there any trick to painting black plastics white other than alot of paint. should i do light coats let it dry and just keep going untill its coverd? does satin vs gloss paint make a difference in covering?

Prime them with a light grey ABS plastic primer. You'll have to coat any black parts so thick it will look like if you don't prime first. What brand paint are you useing?

i got testors paint.

ill have to try primer then, didnt even think about it when i bought all the modeling gear today. i thought they made all model kits with white plastics for easy paint jobs. then i got home and found it was all black plastics! i finally got the seats covered but all the nice little details molded in the plastic are gone under the many layers ;\

It will look better(somewhat anyways) after it dries..... for a few months. Testors is bad that way.

If you look on the box your model came in, it will probably say 'molded in black plastic' someplace. Most kits do, in whatever color it is, then you know what you need to get for paint supplies to make it the colors you want. Priming under any color is not a bad idea, especially for bodies and other large surface area parts. Clearcoating makes it look good and harder to damage later. It also works great for keeping any water transfer decals in place. They dry up and fall off over time otherwise.

BuzZz wrote:It will look better(somewhat anyways) after it dries..... for a few months. Testors is bad that way.

If you look on the box your model came in, it will probably say 'molded in black plastic' someplace. Most kits do, in whatever color it is, then you know what you need to get for paint supplies to make it the colors you want. Priming under any color is not a bad idea, especially for bodies and other large surface area parts. Clearcoating makes it look good and harder to damage later. It also works great for keeping any water transfer decals in place. They dry up and fall off over time otherwise.

whats a better paint than testors? i just went cheap, not wanting to break the bank on something im considering a learning process ha.

cool ill try the primer then. i checkd the box before buying it and didnt see any primer listed under the paints. they do say the plastics are molded in black... but theirs so many different color plastics listed and black was the last in the list so i didnt think anything of it ha. figured a hand full of parts under the car would be black.

I use to use testors enamel paints when I first started modelling. Then I switched to using acrylics. much easier to work with and no toxic chemicals needed for brush cleaning or thinning out the paint. I still use Testors Flat White, Flat Gull Grey or Flat Black for a primer coat, depending on what colors I'm going to be using on the model/miniature. If I know that I'm going to be using lighter/brighter colors, then go with Flat White.

Humbrol, Citadel, Ral Partha (if you can find it) and Polly S all make good acrylic paints for modelling. It's always best to use a couple of thin coats of paint instead of one thick coat. If I can get some decent pics of some of my work, I'll send them to you to have a look at.

Owen

i tried to get some testors(only brand this walmart sells) primer and they dont have it arg. they only had it in the spray can, i assume it does exist in the normal small bottles?

is there any advantage to using acrylic over enamel besides the cleaning(i do hate having that thinner around). i lookd at the acrylic paints but figured i used to have enamel so stick with what i had ahah.

Spray cans are all I've seen Testors primer in, but they work best, both for primer and paint.

Tamiya used to sell thier own acrlic paint that worked well, but I haven't seen it for a few years..... but haven't been looking either.

i cant spray paint in my dinning room haha, didn want to have to setup shop on my patio either ; \

might just try a light grey paint to cover the black plastics then paint white.

Cheap and easy spray booth:

Cardboard box or even just a sheet of cardboard
set clean parts that you want to prime on the cardboard
take board outside and spray pieces with light, overlapping coats, making sure that you get a smooth finish
take board inside and set somewhere out of the way for them to dry

wait at least 24 hours for the primer coat to properly set and adhere to the plastic, then paint.

bonus to using acrylics over enamel paints is that you don't have toxic fumes and they are easier to thin out and work with. if you want to put a thin coat of a color on, then you can mix a bit of the paint with a drop or two of water, mix it up then paint on. If it starts to get thick/dry out, just add another drop of water.

Brushes can be cleaned in the sink, there's no need to worry about a fire/explosion hazard from cans of thinner kicking around, and you don't have to worry too much if the dog/child decides to chew on a bottle of paint.