Tips for painting a tank?

[AshMann]

I plan on doing my first complete repaint of a tank but i don't know how to do it properly. I am going to use Tamiya spray paint. Any tips on how to do this right?

[jarndice]

Hi, Before you think about painting your Tank you are going to have to ask some questions,
What Tank is it?
Do you want to make a facsimile of a specific Tank?
How much detail do you want to include ?
Do you know anything about the Tank you wish to copy?
In my opinion the best part of the finishing of a Tank is the research to discover all there is to know about your target Tank.
It actually saves money because you will only need the Paints, Decals ,Stencils and other bits and pieces particular to your Tank. Enjoy.

[Model Builder 4]

Hi AshMann, it would be good practice for you to maybe try your skills on a smaller model first, say for instance a 1/35 kit, it will be less daunting than jumping straight in with painting one of your 1/16 prized and more expensive possessions only for it to not turn out as you intended it to be there are lots of different methods for painting from the straightforward one coat option to the more advanced modulation method. Take a look at YouTube and you will find loads of tutorials and different painting styles from all model scales on there, hope this helps

Cheers, Lee.

[Son of a gun-ner]

I wish I could help you young man, but I'm also clue-less when it comes to using spray paint of any kind.
All I can input is read and follow the instructions.
And something I learnt recently from jarndice, if you're using acrylic paint, make sure you have acrylic thinners to hand, as this apparently can help remove acrylic paint mistakes. But beware, over use, as in too much thinner on the rag can damage the plastic, so, patience, and use it sparingly is the trick

[maxmekker]

Here is one I did a while back. Tamiya panther .

I used ammo/ak paint since doing indoor painting with airbrush. Ammo 'smart set ( german late war color set )







I sanded down lightly , and used ammo 'oneshot' primer





Dunkelgelb with slight modulation, and weathering with oils ( ammo )

[General Jumbo01]

If you want a simple start then a Tamiya spray can is a good solution. As said above, decide what you want the finished article to look like and then purchase the main colour(s) plus an acrylic primer.

Remove the turret and tracks and then remove or mask any other bits you don't want to spray. Tamiya acrylic sprays lay down a fine, even, thin coat so if you follow the usual methods you can build a couple of coats without any runs! Be aware that you may need two cans for bigger jobs.

Prime everything first then allow to dry. Once you've laid down your base colour, leave it overnight before light handling or putting a second colour on top - stripes etc. Masking is an option if spraying a second colour but Tamiya acrylic pots and a good brush can give good results if you don't own a fine nozzled airbrush.

You can then detail all the small parts with brush acrylics. Add any decals. I then tend to give the whole thing a coat of flat clear varnish to protect all that work and seal any decal edges.

Next, you can apply weathering. In its simplest form you can 'wash' the areas that would get dirtiest with a flat black(ish) wash of heavily thinned matt black - l prefer Humbrols enamel as it thins and flows easier than most acrylics.

You should allow your previous work to stand for at least a week before doing this to avoid any paint type reactions - a bit overcautious maybe but safer. You can then consider adding any other 'muck' like mud splashes, oil stains, exhaust marks etc.

Now.....all the above methods are basic and simple, which l think is what you were asking for. There are many more advanced methods but you would need a bigger tool and materials box (I'm assuming you don't have an airbrush) but all that can come later on tank number two!

Good luck, and whatever way you go, post pictures and ask if you need help.

Below is one of my early Tigers that used the techniques outlined above, only very lightly weathered. The Tiger was plain grey.


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[BarryC]

Ashmann,

All of the advise posted is good but the first and perhaps the most important step after disassembly is to wash all surfaces not just those to be painted. I use a de-greasing dish washing detergent and scrub all surfaces with a stiff brush, an old tooth brush works great. I can not stress enough that all surfaces be washed not just the areas that may appear dirty. It is the unseen greasy finger print that will kill you paint job.

Once cleaned and rinsed Do NOT handle the model with bare hands, wear gloves. I then blow all the water off using some type of compressed air then place the cleaned parts into a container and cover them to help keep airborne contaminates from collecting until you are ready to paint.

Cheers,
Barry

[Son of a gun-ner]

Barry, that really is top advice

[AshMann]

Thank you, everyone who posted, i appreciate the advice

[Son of a gun-ner]

To be honest, I have used spray paints, but the type I used was the etching type for lexan slot car bodies. They are clear plastic, and you paint on the inside, so, done in reverse, detail first, then mask and do other coats in stages while masking each time etc. For me, much easier, don't have to worry about paint finish, and hides a multitude of sins.
Not really a painting experience I can use or relate to on these tanks unfortunately.