Helmet Ear Painting

[ocmano[TK]]

Just wrapped up most of my build and did the helmet last.  As far as painting the ear bumps, would this be acceptable for EIB?

Could redo the edges with some Mineral Spirits and redraw the black if needed.  Had a pretty hard time with the brushes I have.

 

 

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

Fantastic to hear that you are aiming for EI (and then hopefully Centurion) Aaron!  Would they pass?  Yes.  There is not a specific rule in the CRL stating that they have to be perfect, as long as you have the one ear bump painted.  Would it be suggested that you make it look a bit better?  Definitely.  The higher levels are all about getting as close to screen accuracy as possible, and if you take a look at the reference pics below they show that the lines are a lot tighter.

My advice at this point would be as follows:

 

1.  Remove all the black from the edges and paint over the black ear bump(s) with gray.

2.  Using blue painters tape, (not regular masking tape) mask off the edges as seen in photo 1, and make sure the edges are firmly pressed down.  You may have to remove the ear screws for this.

3.  Paint the edges black, and if the paint covers well wait 5 minutes (no more) and remove the tape.

4.  Wait an hour or two for the paint to set.

5..  Using a high quality brush, carefully paint in the gray as needed.  (It's easier to get a straight line on the gray than paint a thin black line).

6.  Repaint the ear bump black.

 

Hope this helps!                                              Reference images

     

 

[themaninthesuitcase[Admin]]

I free handed mine and there’s a couple of secrets to good results.

Use a half decent brush, in good condition. It needs to be thin ish and have longer bristles. The long bristles act like a reservoir for the paint so you can do longer lines. The thinness mostly comes from the tip shape.

Second brace your hand and brace the helmet. If your helmet and hand can’t move then it’s far easier to get a nice clean line. I did mine braced in my lap with my hands braced on the helmet.

Also stir your paint properly. Make sure it’s good and mixed as model paints have a habit of separating out.

[ocmano[TK]]

Fantastic to hear that you are aiming for EI (and then hopefully Centurion) Aaron!  Would they pass?  Yes.  There is not a specific rule in the CRL stating that they have to be perfect, as long as you have the one ear bump painted.  Would it be suggested that you make it look a bit better?  Definitely.  The higher levels are all about getting as close to screen accuracy as possible, and if you take a look at the reference pics below they show that the lines are a lot tighter.
My advice at this point would be as follows:
 
1.  Remove all the black from the edges and paint over the black ear bump(s) with gray.
2.  Using blue painters tape, (not regular masking tape) mask off the edges as seen in photo 1, and make sure the edges are firmly pressed down.  You may have to remove the ear screws for this.
3.  Paint the edges black, and if the paint covers well wait 5 minutes (no more) and remove the tape.
4.  Wait an hour or two for the paint to set.
5..  Using a high quality brush, carefully paint in the gray as needed.  (It's easier to get a straight line on the gray than paint a thin black line).
6.  Repaint the ear bump black.
 
Hope this helps!                                              Reference images
     
 

Thanks! Masking off the edge seems like a great idea. I'll Mineral Spirits the edges and try repainting using the masking.

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[ocmano[TK]]

Oh yeah. Masking and the layering looks a lot better. Thanks guys!

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[justjoseph63[Staff]]

MUCH better!