Any Advice for A Beginner?

[Slowboathome]

I fancy having a go at making a plastic model - thought I'd start with the Revell 03927 Spitfire Mk.IXC Model Kit. I haven't done anything like this in 50 odd years.

Can anyone advise me on what equipment/materials I need? I understand that the kit just includes the pieces and decals.

Thank you.

[steveo3002]

how far do you want to go?

could get away with a tube of glue and some brush paints

or do you want to fill and smooth all the seams and do an airbrush paint job ?

[Slowboathome]

steveo3002 said:

how far do you want to go?

could get away with a tube of glue and some brush paints

or do you want to fill and smooth all the seams and do an airbrush paint job ?

Don't know yet! But I guess I'm looking at the beginner end of things, then if I enjoy it I'll maybe want to do more advanced work.

[Simpo Two]

My starter suggestion is: Craft knife, polystyrene cement, rubber bands (to hold things together while they dry), enamel paints, a selection of good quality brushes and white spirit to wash them out.

[Slowboathome]

Thank you.

Are there any recommended knives and brushes, or are they all of a mutchness?

[MBBlat]

I would start with armour rather than a plane - no cockpit or canopy to worry about. Some of the older Tamiya kits, while lacking in detail, still fit well and are cheap.
https://www.emodels.co.uk/tamiya-1-35-sturmgeschut...


Glue - Tamiya extra thin. Put the parts together then touch the glue to the joint.
Paint - easiest to use will be Tamiya spray cans. Use acrylics for the details. Don’t forget primer and varnish. Enamels are for old skool modellers who don’t like change.

An airbrush is a significant investment in both time and money, wait until you know this is a hobby for you before you invest.

Other tools would be a craft knife, sanding sticks and a cutting mat. Side cutters are also useful for removing parts from the spruces. Something cheap such as this will get you started. https://www.emodels.co.uk/tamiya-1-35-sturmgeschut...

[clockworks]

I agree with the post above - far easier to get an acceptable result with a tank kit. No real need for filling seams or adding extra details, and the basic colour schemes are generally straightforward.

[Slowboathome]

Thank you for the advice.

Just browsing this section of PH - the skill levels are incredible.

[Simpo Two]

clockworks said:

I agree with the post above - far easier to get an acceptable result with a tank kit. No real need for filling seams or adding extra details, and the basic colour schemes are generally straightforward.

But then he will have a tank, and he wanted an aeroplane.

Slowboathome said:

Are there any recommended knives and brushes, or are they all of a mutchness?

Knives - I always use snap-off knives, a bit like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Irwin-10507106-Protouch-S... Make sure the blade doesn't wobble in the end. Others will have their own favourites. Brushes - pop in to a craft shop and have a browse, bearing in mind what you need to paint.

Edited by Simpo Two on Saturday 30th July 21:17

[blearyeyedboy]

Buy a needle file. Costs a couple of quid, use it to file off plastic mould lines. It's a quick, cheap win for making models look better.

I found that my painting skills improved quickly when I learnt about highlights (with dry brushing) and lowlights (using inks- generally use less than you think you'll need). It's not hard to pick up and easier for vehicles than figurines.

(I do very little now but have a misspent youth in Games Workshop. I got quite good at painting little alien creatures.)

I agree that starting with a tank is a good idea.

[Siko]

I have just started again after 35 years and am loving it! I bought a cheap airbrush off Amazon (Timbertech - £72) which is highly recommend. However nothing to stop you having fun just painting with brushes.

Only but if advice I’d give is to get nuts deep into YouTube videos - there are guides on literally everything and it’s really easy to pick up key techniques. Lots of good YTers out there just put scale models in search - my current goto is “Sprues and brews”, an American bloke who does some really good beginners guides.

[Slowboathome]

This is all very helpful advice. Thank you.

[Eric Mc]

The Works is quite good for artist materials at reasonable prices. Many art materials (such as brushes) are useful in model building.

They are very good value for cutting mats.

[Zad]

Halfords or any other motorist acrylic undercoat is considerably cheaper than Tamiya. Even cans from the pound shop are surprisingly good. Whatever brand of rattlecan, shake it lots and lots, then some more. Just give the model a light dusting of initially, let it dry then apply slightly thicker coats.

Acrylic paint designed for models (but not Tamiya paint) tends to be easier to handle than oldschool enamel, as it is water soluble. Speaking of which, whatever paint you use, straight out of the pot it tends to be thick and viscous, so thin it down before you apply it. It is difficult to say exactly what consistency, all I can say is try it and see. Use a brush to get a blob of paint onto an appropriate surface, dip your brush briefly in water, and use it to thin your blob of paint to a nice consistency.

[Super Sonic]

Test fit parts before gluing. File or sand the stubs where the parts are attached to the trees. Don't use too much glue. Paint inaccessible parts before assembly. Wait for stuff to dry.

[imp123]

Don’t worry too much about your first efforts and there are a plethora of YouTube channels with build and painting tips