What have I gotten myself into?

[Zinfer[TK]]

Meh - starting over again.  Just going with tape.  This paint sure does like to display ANY stroke marks.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

If using tape you can apply a coat of white first, that way if there is any bleed through white should be the only color that bleeds  

 

I've noticed a couple of my tins of Humbrol paint where a little thick, I used a little enamel thinners to thin it slightly.

[Zinfer[TK]]

Humbrol is inferior in that it does not blend well with itself and shows every single brush stroke on the first coat.  Painting should ALWAYS be in thin first coats.  This paint is absolutely inferior for large flat surfaces.  The only possible good outcome would be blending it with a thinner before even beginning to paint with a brush over a large surface area.  Those displaying the outcome are NOT directing the light directly on the painted surface to display the sheen of the paint.  This threw me, in that the only possible good outcome would be with templates and masking only.  If this were an aerosol, it would deliver better results, aka thinning and no brush strokes.

 

Edited December 18, 2020 by Zinfer

[CableGuy[TK]]

Humrol is inferior in that it does not blend well with itself and shows every single paint stroke on the first coat.  Painting should ALWAYS be in thin first coats.  This paint is absolutely inferior for large flat surfaces.  The only possible good outcome would be blending it with a thinner before even beginning to paint with a brush over a large surface area.  Those displaying the outcome are NOT directing the light directly on the painted surface to display the sheen of the paint.  This threw me, in that the only possible good outcome would be with templates and masking only.  If this were an aerosol, it would deliver better results, aka thinning and no brush strokes.
 

I wonder if you have paint from a bad batch? Or they weren’t mixed fully? I only say that as I’ve used Humbrol paints for all of my helmet builds and it’s been fine.

[Zinfer[TK]]

I am going to attempt strict masking only as my brush strokes are severely revealed on every occasion.  I can't help but wonder if it's because I am painting in the garage at my workbench.  I light the salamander to warm it up out there to a 70ish degree level.  Open the door to the house to keep it about that level.  I'm wondering if it's the humidity that could be affecting my paint and how it dries.

Edited December 18, 2020 by Zinfer
ranting

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

Chin up Rodney! These are difficult times for everybody, and garrisons around the world have been limited to virtual interactions and assistance for many months now. We will get through this, and you'll achieve your approval, I'm certain of it! Armor building is a marathon, and you've only been at it for less than three weeks!  Besides, if you finished this month, your long winter project would abruptly end months too soon. 

 

As far as the paint is concerned, you may consider Glen's advice and try thinners, or even try a heavy application to allow the paint to pool together a bit to hide the brush strikes. I recently tried that I some flat test vocoders on my build thread, and the results were quite smooth. I, however, was using Testors enamel paint. The only problem with a thick application will be that you'll be limited to painting a single trap at a time, then let it dry and cure while set flat. After a day or two you can then move to the next trap. See, a marathon, lol.

 

Keep up the good work, and don't worry about taking things too fast. There will continue to be many hurdles, that we all experience, but we all overcome eventually!

[Zinfer[TK]]

Thanks Caleb.  Yea this painting is frustrating me.

[wook1138[TK]]

Hang in there.  The paint almost broke me too.  I had to let go of the OCD when painting and accept some brush strokes.  Once you walk away from it and work on something else, you really don't notice the brush strokes.  If anything, they add a little character - more like what the buckets probably looked like back in the day.  That said, I did have a tin of Humbrol that was much more difficult than the others. Perhaps it sat on the shelf too long before I bought it.

[Zinfer[TK]]

I think the worst part of it is using the mineral spirits to go back and take it all back off and start over again.  Alot of elbow grease and putzing and it comes off like pencil eraser bits that go all over the helmet and stick as you're wiping it off. I will give it a go with the masking tape today to create that pinstripe.  If successful, that's ONE trap done.  3 to go and 2 tears.  Ugh.  Gotta find a method that solidly works for me.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Just watch going too thick with the paint, very thick paint can wrinkle when drying, happened on my first painted teeth and had to remove and start again, several light coats is the way 

[Zinfer[TK]]

I have no idea how I'm even going to mask the tears.  Guess I'll do those last.  I always thought painting was through light coats, but after seeing how a light first coat dries and leaves stroke marks behind,  I mean I posted those up right here.  So I got 2 of the front traps done with gray.  Now the 2 back traps.  Going to try to mask the pinstripes as well.  No pics yet.

Edited December 19, 2020 by Zinfer

[CableGuy[TK]]

5 hours ago, Zinfer said:

I have no idea how I'm even going to mask the tears.  Guess I'll do those last.  I always thought painting was through light coats, but after seeing how a light first coat dries and leaves stroke marks behind,  I mean I posted those up right here.  So I got 2 of the front traps done with gray.  Now the 2 back traps.  Going to try to mask the pinstripes as well.  No pics yet.

Hi Rodney

 

Not sure if these will help for inspiration and technique? Notice using a spare finger to steady the painting.

 

As Glen mentioned, light coats is usually the best way.

 

 

Two different ways of painting the helmet;

 

RS videos - original method with grey painted first, then thin black pinstripe

 

 

 

Black painted first, then grey overlapped

 

 

Both are using Humbrol paints.

[Zinfer[TK]]

Oh yea I've watched all the RS videos but I also have to compare with what others input, as with the case in the belt segment.  But yea I've watched Simons' segment many times.  It's funny though when it swaps back to Rob and he's like, and there you go, SIMPLE as that.  it's THAT SIMPLE.  I cringe every time he says that.    But yea slow going here.  I tend to just get the gray on each trap daily. I have fingered it before so I tend to just let it dry for the day, move to the next trap.  Going to try masking the pinstripe this time.  I'd just like to get all the gray on nicely now.  I've not attempted to thin it with mineral spirits from the get go.  I've had lots of problems with this, so I'm just going very slow this time around.

Edited December 19, 2020 by Zinfer

[Zinfer[TK]]

Boots finally arrived.  I'm surprised how well they fit.  Size 11.  

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Very nice, one more part of the puzzle

[Sly11[Admin]]

Need to mix the Humbrol paints very very thoroughly and go thin coat each time. I have painted about 10 maybe more helmets using stencils and the same paint with varying effects.

As already suggested, white paint first then add a coat of the blue. It has less chance of bleeds and is easier to clean up.

Also make sure the surface you are about to paint on has been cleaned well with Isoprol cleaning alcohol so the paint has the best chance to cure to the surface.

Don't worry Rod, you will get there, and it will look fantastic even with a few brush stroke marks.

[Zinfer[TK]]

While the helmet is drying tonight I started in out in the cade of applying the shoulder straps. 

Then tied the elastics into a knot for the shoulder pvc straps and trimmed the excess.

 

One more thing to do on this is setting the button strap for the right side of the rear kidney to the right codpiece.

 

Questioning (as this was never covered in the RS Tuts) the placement of the Shoulder plastic straps .  I know I need to set the snaps for the shoulder bells yet (kinda need a maniquin at this point).  But am I correct that it's 4 ridges that get glued to the chest plate (Not including the larger lead ridge)?  

[Zinfer[TK]]

 

Is this an inaccuracy from RS Propmasters?  there is no fatter tab.  They are supposed to be 100% movie accurate.  

[masterx244[TK]]

hoe does the other end of the strap look? Only the front gets the bigger rib. Back side is the small ribbing only

[Zinfer[TK]]

9 hours ago, masterx244 said:

hoe does the other end of the strap look? Only the front gets the bigger rib. Back side is the small ribbing only

Woops my bad.  This is the other side.   Seems like that first larger should be just a little larger though.

 

My question remains though is it just a matter of preference on using the 4th smaller rib as a demarcation of where it should sit? 

Edited December 23, 2020 by Zinfer

[TheSwede[TK]]

18 minutes ago, Zinfer said:

My question remains though is it just a matter of preference on using the 4th smaller rib as a demarcation of where it should sit? 

Depends on bodytype, If you are larger you glue down less bumps in order for them to reach over the backplate. 3-5 bumps is the most common, screen suits usually had 4-5 bumps on the front.

[Zinfer[TK]]

Thank you Daniel.

 

[TheSwede[TK]]

8 minutes ago, Zinfer said:

Thank you Daniel.

 

Anytime And just to clarify, I didn’t include that larger front bump in those numbers

[Zinfer[TK]]

Finished the gray.  Now starting on the dreaded pinstriping.  

 

 

 

Definitely going to have to give this a good Novus #1 treatment to get rid of all the spots after painting.  Little tiny black spots from where I've removed the old paint to start fresh.  DeSpotify

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

looking good Trooper !