Color backing and layer - for a newbie

[Jboucher]

Hey everyone, im about to embark on the challenging Journey of building my first kit RC, an axial bomber, and I need some tips about painting.

My plan is red body panels with a white stripe at the bottom on the sides and 2 white racing stripes on the roof and hood.
It's a bit unoriginal but it matches my mustang and I like it...

I was going to do this sequence :
Tape the stripes
Spray the red color
Remove the tape
Spray white over the whole thing
Back the white with gloss black

However I read forums and found some things that worried the newb in me:
White after red can make it pinkish
Black as the final backing could make the white stripes greyish / dirty

Is there any pro / veteran painter that could help me out and tell me if my layers will work?

I attached the picture of the "inspiration" real car

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[Ditchrat]

Red backed with white and you will be fine. If you are concerned silver over the red then do the black.

There are so many youtube videos showing this that you have an endless set of examples.

[TWS]

I always like to silver over any color that I might be worried about the next color messing up the first. Also can give a nice sparkle to the paint depending on how thick your first coats are.

[Jboucher]

So I would be better like this :

Tape stripes - red - silver - remove tape - white - silver - black

Or just straight black over white?

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[Ditchrat]

I would paint the stripes first, then the red, then silver over it, then black.

I have had issues with red bleeding through and not noticing it until the white was painted. The red stands out like a sore thumb in front of the white. A little white in front of red darkens somewhat and isn't as bad.

[Jboucher]

Looks like I'll buy silver and black no matter what.
If I do the stripes first, it's a much more complex tape job but I'll take my time.

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[jason1973]

welcome and good luck. like stated before YouTube has a lot of stuff to see and if you really have questions read the paint sticky in this section. there are ways to acheive what your looking for. dont over complicate it. you usually paint the biggest surface area first, the red.....you dont want to have to mask off for the strips then paint a couple strips and then the red. bomber panels are not that big but keep it basic and you will be fine.

Excellent Painting Guide/How-To

[Shinchu]

Originally Posted by Jboucher

So I would be better like this :

Tape stripes - red - silver - remove tape - white - silver - black

Or just straight black over white?

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THIS.

nailed it bud. the method you just described is exactly what I had in my head when you described what you wanted to do.

I have painted about 8 drift car bodies, some with taped/layered taillights so im experienced with taping and what colors effect what... get you some liquid mask from Tamiya. I think other companies make it too but most like the performance of the Tamiya stuff.

remember, several THIN layers! make sure you get about 3 or 4 good coats on the red. silver maybe just 2 or 3. then peel your tape for your stripes, 3 or 4 good thin coats of white, another 2/3 of silver, then 3/4 of black.
pro-tip: if you want a matte finish for lexan (inside or outside) use some black plasti-dip. this will reduce reflections on the inside of your body and reduce that "toyish" look. palsti-dip stays flexible and wont flake off.
another pro-tip: use some chrome ducting tape on areas where it might rub inside. I used this on the inside fender edges on my drift cars that had the flush fitment wheels and tire rub could remove paint.

hope this helps. post the results! sounds like a cool looking design!

[Mike Flea]

Just make sure each color is completely cured before changing colors or removing tape. This will insure no bleed-thru.

[Ditchrat]

Everyone paints differently, which doesn't make them wrong. I disagree with a couple things.

First is tape removal. Masking tape should be removed as soon as possible for a couple reason. If you let the paint dry completely removing the tape can pull off adjacent paint leaving a jagged line. It doesn't happen so much with lexan paints because they are flexible, but it will happen if you use a plastic paint on lexan bodies. Second is the longer you leave it on the more chance of bleed through you have . If you spray, then remove even if you spray heavy enough for it to wick under and quick tape removal will normally cut it off at the pass.

Second is painting the stripes last. Yes it is more work to mask off the lines, but doing them first will give you a cleaner looking line at the end of it with less possibility's of over spray or bleeding being in front of the white. Trust me red in front of white stands out and looks like crap, white in front of red dulls down and has a more of a fade into look. Either way you don't have a clean line, but at least the white under red is less noticeable.

[TWS]

also if you do have some bleed you can always take an x-acto knife and gently scrape it away and repaint the bad spots

[Jboucher]

So longer tape job, spray white stripes, remove tape, spray red, back with silver then black-out.

Gives me 2 ways to look at it.

Thank you

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[Shinchu]

I would still back the white with silver before laying down the red.

[Ditchrat]

Originally Posted by Shinchu

I would still back the white with silver before laying down the red.

×2

[Jboucher]

For those who don't read the bomber section, here's the results from a paint marathon on new years Day.

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[Mike Flea]

Turned out well, you should be proud, nice job, and no bleed thru

[Jboucher]

Originally Posted by Mike Flea

Turned out well, you should be proud, nice job, and no bleed thru

Sadly there is bleed on all of them in corners where my tape wasnt all flat.

But it's hardly noticable unless you hold the truck in your hands.

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[Ditchrat]

Originally Posted by Jboucher

Sadly there is bleed on all of them in corners where my tape wasnt all flat.

But it's hardly noticable unless you hold the truck in your hands.

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It happens. Did you use vinyl tape or masking tape? Vinyl tape helps with bleeding.

Regardless nice stripe job. The lines look crisp and the colors vivid.

[Jboucher]

I used Tamiya vinyl tape for the small line and tamiya masking tape for the wide line.

It's mostly my fault, i didn't properly seat the tape in the curves.

There is 5 coats of red, 1 thick coat of silver, 3 coats of White, 1 thick coat of silver, 1 thick coat of black and then 1 coat of Matt clear.

But overall i'm very happy.

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[Shinchu]

turned out really nice! congrats! and I'm glad we helped and it shows that you understood. looks great!

and yes, taping inside corners is a mofo.