Paint for touching up tail fins?

[Hurin]

Howdy all,

I just received my re-issue Roy. Without even opening it, I can see something that sorta bums me out. I was excited about finally having a Roy with straight skulls on the tail fins. But looking at the tail fins, I see that they messed up a bit in painting the black on one of them. The black doesn't quite meet with the panel line. So there is a gap of white between the black paint. . . then the bare plastic, then the panel line where the black should have stopped. Does that make sense? I gives it a strange double-lined effect.

Anyways, any tips on how to remedy this short of returing the valk? I was thinking I could mask it and paint it. . . but I'd want the paint to match perfectly if possible. And brand recommendations? Would there be a demarcation between the factory paint and the custom paint? How about a Gunam marker? Or would I have to use an airbrush to get the proper texture?

Any help with any of those questions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

H

[geecie30]

I wish i COULD SEE IT It seems like a yummie mistake that will be remembered in the museums

Edited May 13, 2004 by geecie30

[David Hingtgen]

Gundam markers and the like tend to be either DARK brown, or DARK blue. Not truly black. Much like "black" towels, etc. Won't quite match if it's a rather visible spot. You'll never notice on any other color that they're not BLACK, but on true black paint it'll become apparent.

Anyways--black is black, if it's true black. It's the SHEEN that matters far more. (I found this out repainting locomotives). Ultra-flat, flat, sorta semi-gloss, semi-gloss, gloss, and "mirror-gloss" will all look different, even if the same "color". I paint my model submarines flat black, then use various clear coats to get multiple shades, even though there's only 1 single paint actually on it.

In summary--black is black, it's how shiny it is that matters--it's everything. "Darker" black is "shinier" black.

[Hurin]

Thanks for the info David. I was assuming I'd use flat black. But does anyone know a specific type of paint that matches the one Yamato uses? Will I need to seal it after the painting?

Sigh. . . I'd ask for an exchange, but I like the dealer and he already exchanged my Max seat. Don't want to hassle a nice guy.

H

[geecie30]

I hope my valkie is ok i just bought my second 1/48 on ebay for 80 some dollars with two other figures I hope it isn't all tore up

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=3191399518

Edited May 13, 2004 by geecie30

[Dat Pinche Haro!]

I hope my valkie is ok i just bought my second 1/48 on ebay for 80 some dollars with two other figures I hope it isn't  all tore up

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=3191399518

that's a 1/60 in the picture...not a 1/48

also, i found that the basic enamel testers flat black worked well...but it's best to just paint the whole section then to do a touch up

Edited May 13, 2004 by Dat Pinche Haro!

[Druna Skass]

I hope my valkie is ok i just bought my second 1/48 on ebay for 80 some dollars with two other figures I hope it isn't  all tore up

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=3191399518

that's a 1/60 in the picture...not a 1/48

also, i found that the basic enamel testers flat black worked well...but it's best to just paint the whole section then to do a touch up

Yup that's a 1/60, hope you didn't get jacked...

[Hurin]

Okay, I took it out of the box so I could get an image of it. Here's a picture.

Am I crazy to even care about this? I'm usually easy-going about face gaps, fuzzy lines, loose joints, etc. So I realize there is a bit of irony here. But the skull tail fins are particularly cool/important part to me, especially in this case because I was excited to finally get a Roy with straight skulls on the fins. Am I just being anal?

H

[Druna Skass]

Okay, I took it out of the box so I could get an image of it. Here's a picture.

Am I crazy to even care about this? I'm usually easy-going about face gaps, fuzzy lines, loose joints, etc. So I realize there is a bit of irony here. But the skull tail fins are particularly cool/important part to me, especially in this case because I was excited to finally get a Roy with straight skulls on the fins. Am I just being anal?

H

You know, me and Dat Pinche Haro have a saying for situations like that...

"Aww, f*ck it..."

[Hurin]

Yeah, the part that really bothers me is up at the top where the two horizontal lines come across. It really makes it stand out in certain light.

But, I think I can live with it. It's just that every other aspect of this valk is perfect, so I'm obsessing on this one spot. There's always something.

H

[Blaine23]

Eh... I'm with the other guys. This is definitely something I'd say "F- it" about and move on.

I mean these are great toys, but they are just really cool toys, not reproductions of fine art or perfect grade models, etc.

Unless it's just a really bad paint botch or an actual defect that prevents the toy from working properly - it isn't going to be something that bugs me this much.

But that's just me... you guys are entitled to be as obsessive as you want about this stuff.

[Hurin]

Hell, I'm just going to put TV Fast Packs on it and forget it's there.

H

[EXO]

I hope my valkie is ok i just bought my second 1/48 on ebay for 80 some dollars with two other figures I hope it isn't  all tore up

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=3191399518

that's a 1/60 in the picture...not a 1/48

also, i found that the basic enamel testers flat black worked well...but it's best to just paint the whole section then to do a touch up

Yup that's a 1/60, hope you didn't get jacked...

Man... I was pissed when I saw that that auction mislabeled a 1:60 for a 1:48. But then I saw the price. Geecie, you got to be more careful than that!

By the feedback I'd say the seller just made a mistake, but such people should be smacked over the head for making mistakes like that.

[Lynx7725]

Okay, I took it out of the box so I could get an image of it. Here's a picture.

I learn -- usually through the hard way -- that these things have a nasty habit of coming back to haunt you again and again until you fix it.

In this case, it's not a good idea to paint it, because you need a really steady hand and a very fine brush to paint the groove. You can do it... but... a slight mistake and you can end up with a smudgy Skull.

You can mask and paint it, I suppose... but that's a huge hassle for a single line. And the masking could possibly damage the Skull insignia.

The best solution I can think of is to get a Micro-pigma pen -- not Gundam marker, invest in a good pen -- of the right colour, and panel-line the groove repeatedly. Maybe hit the area with a flat coat of sealent to kill any gloss.

As David says, different glossiness of black contrasts with each other, so make sure to test the pen at some less obvious part, like the base of the fin, and have a wet tissue/ towel handy to wipe away the ink if it doesn't look right immediately after application.

[Jawjaw]

I would say it would be impossible to match paint and gloss. You would have to paint the entire wing section and use a sticker for the skull. That wouldn't look that great, either.

I know the 1/48's are very expensive, but they are still mass-produced toys and not hand painted models. When you zoom in to each part, you will see imperfections but from a distance, it looks fine.

[Dat Pinche Haro!]

Another thing...if you do decide to just repaint the whole section...you might want become "unpleased" by the off-coloring and you might end up wanting to repaint all the black parts....so as me and Druna Skass say "AWW....F* IT!!"

In time, you'll realize it's not worth doing it...there's no use to repainting unless it's really needed like with me....all the black on the tail fins and the stripe going down the legs on my 1/60 VF-1S were getting so messed up from all my handling...so i took it in with this modeling shop and the owner (who's also an expert modeler) told me to not touch up, but to paint the whole section...GOD i honestly hated doing all the fine painting on that thing...it was such a pain it was worth it to see it look new again but not worth the high i got off from the paint and paint thinner

[muswp1]

Well, if it helps, I use a toothpick and a bottle of Model Master semi-gloss black to touch up my VF-1A Hikaru's head after I scratched it. It worked pretty well but you have to really be careful how much to use.

[David Hingtgen]

Actually, it's easy to match the gloss. Because black is black, and only the final coat really affects gloss. Ever sprayed gloss clear over "magic" tape? It'll become as clear as the gloss scotch tape, despite being "frosted".

So anyways---I have painted many a locomotive roof, and the basic technique/idea is thus:

Semi-gloss black roof, of a unique paint that's impossible to match. Just a little more flat than semi-gloss, but far more shiny than even the "shiniest" flat paint. (There's flat black, and REALLY flat black paints).

So I usually get my ultra-flat black (since it's thin and dries very smooth) and paint the spot that needs it. Then I mask off the whole section of the roof, and paint it semi-gloss black. Now the whole roof section has the same sheen, and thus looks identical. Because it doesn't matter if you had 4 or 5 different blacks underneath, the final clear coat determines how the black will look.

So if you really want a match, paint the spot on the tail with whatever black you like, then spray the WHOLE black part of the tail with whatever clear-coat would be closest to the original. Then both the original and touch-up black paints, though different, will have the same final clearcoat over them, and they should be match.

Of course, always test a technique. But I spent a while trying every black paint on Earth trying to touch up some locomotives "sheen-wise", and found out that absolutely nothing else matters besides the clear coat.

PS--MM black varies quite a bit depending on enamel vs acryl. Acryl is more like *very* dark blue. Looks black as night when dry, but when next to an enamel black, will be visibly "less black".

[do not disturb]

if you need to paint a straight line, remove the tailfin, and just use some masking tape and that should keep you from painting anything that you don't want painted. matching the colors. like the dude posted above this, just use whatever black paint you got and match the "gloss" afterward.

or like everyone else said....F-IT!

i use citadel paints(warhammer paint). i like it a lot!

[Hurin]

So if you really want a match, paint the spot on the tail with whatever black you like, then spray the WHOLE black part of the tail with whatever clear-coat would be closest to the original. Then both the original and touch-up black paints, though different, will have the same final clearcoat over them, and they should be match.

Well, I'll most likely just get over it. But, that sounds like it will work. In case I do ever try it:

1. I don't have an airbrush anymore. Can this technique be used via hand-brushing?

2. Also, regarding the clear-coat. Is a spray can alright or should I, again, try to locate an airbrush?

Thanks for the great post man! Short of actual brand and color recommendations, I think that's the most information I could hope for!

H

[David Hingtgen]

Anywhere around you that sells Floquil paint? Model train paint. The stuff dries THIN, HARD, and FAST. You'll want "engine black". Blackest of the blacks. (When dealing with locomotives, we are PICKY about shades of black--they make about 4 of them). It's very flat, and self-levels more than just about any other paint. Polly Scale is the acryl equivalent and is usually easier to find nowadays. (Floquil is pretty "strong" stuff, may eat some plastics, though I've never ever had a problem) Tamiya paint is also generally a good brand for hand-brushing.

Clearcoats---I always spray them. You're not looking for a smooth gloss finish here. Unless you're doing model cars, I rarely see a need to get an ultra-smooth gloss coat.

Edited May 14, 2004 by David Hingtgen

[Hurin]

Thanks again for the paint advice!

All, Haterist mentioned removing the tail fins before painting. Haven't really looked, but are they removable without breaking?!? I was just going to wrap the rest of the valk in sealed plastic and mask really well. But if they are removable, that would be better.

H