Taggart
Active Member
I bought the Galaxy Quest Model Kits, but I have little modeling history. I just do not know how to paint small details, or how to paint models in general. Any sugestions for a New Guy?
Galaxy Quest Model Kits
- Thread starter Taggart
- Start date
Gigatron
Sr Member
Welcome to a whole new world, Tag.
Some advice depends on how into models you plan on getting. For instance, if this is going to be one of very few models, check your local autoparts or Walmart/kmart for spraypaints (krylon / duplicolor / etc.) These are more than sufficient to paint your base colors as they have a wide array of colors available. If you plan on this becoming a long-time hobby, you may want to invest in an airbrush, further down the line.
Once you have your basecoat down, it's time to get down to the details. Find a hobby shop (or online store) that carries Valejo paints. These are mostly for painting diecast gaming figures, but they are very brush friendly and give good coverage.
Next you'll need a few detail brushes. Stick with natural fiber (camel/horse hair) as they're finer grain and last longer. You'll want to start with 10/0 and possibly down to 20/0, depending on how small the detail is. You'll want a fine point and a shader, to start. Those will be your workhorse brushes.
And finally, you'll need some low-tac painter's tape (like the blue 3M stuff), to make masks, so you can paint the small stuff without painting everything around it.
Those are the absolute basics; if you have any more specific questions, feel free to ask.
-Fred
Some advice depends on how into models you plan on getting. For instance, if this is going to be one of very few models, check your local autoparts or Walmart/kmart for spraypaints (krylon / duplicolor / etc.) These are more than sufficient to paint your base colors as they have a wide array of colors available. If you plan on this becoming a long-time hobby, you may want to invest in an airbrush, further down the line.
Once you have your basecoat down, it's time to get down to the details. Find a hobby shop (or online store) that carries Valejo paints. These are mostly for painting diecast gaming figures, but they are very brush friendly and give good coverage.
Next you'll need a few detail brushes. Stick with natural fiber (camel/horse hair) as they're finer grain and last longer. You'll want to start with 10/0 and possibly down to 20/0, depending on how small the detail is. You'll want a fine point and a shader, to start. Those will be your workhorse brushes.
And finally, you'll need some low-tac painter's tape (like the blue 3M stuff), to make masks, so you can paint the small stuff without painting everything around it.
Those are the absolute basics; if you have any more specific questions, feel free to ask.
-Fred
Gigatron
Sr Member
Not sure what you mean by "different layers".
Apply the paint in light, misting coats. The build-up will be gradual and will keep from filling in your panel lines.
If you have an indented detail that is supposed to be a different color, use the tape to mask the area off and remove the tape when the painting is finished. For instance, if the windows are only marked by small, indented sqares/circles/whatever shape (instead of being open holes), paint them black, wait for them to dry, cover them with tape masks and then spray the base color. When the base color is dry, remove the masks from the windows and you'll have black windows. Or if the indent is really tiny, this is where the 20/0 fine point is going to come in really handy.
If you're as new to this as I think you may be, I suggest checking out a more model-centric site. It's easier to grasp when you can see hundreds of finished and work-in-progress builds instead of the random kit, here. Here's one of the best modeling sites around - it's like the RPF of model building. http://cs.finescale.com/fsmcs/forums/6.aspx It's a direct link to their sci-fi sub-forum.
Now here's a bit of advice that I give to every new modeler - go to the hobby shop and buy a few cheap snap-fit kits. If you're going to be painting the Protector, I suggest a few snap-fit planes, as they'll show you how to deal with panel lines. It's better to scrw up on a $10 POS snap-fit than on the model you want to display.
-Fred
Apply the paint in light, misting coats. The build-up will be gradual and will keep from filling in your panel lines.
If you have an indented detail that is supposed to be a different color, use the tape to mask the area off and remove the tape when the painting is finished. For instance, if the windows are only marked by small, indented sqares/circles/whatever shape (instead of being open holes), paint them black, wait for them to dry, cover them with tape masks and then spray the base color. When the base color is dry, remove the masks from the windows and you'll have black windows. Or if the indent is really tiny, this is where the 20/0 fine point is going to come in really handy.
If you're as new to this as I think you may be, I suggest checking out a more model-centric site. It's easier to grasp when you can see hundreds of finished and work-in-progress builds instead of the random kit, here. Here's one of the best modeling sites around - it's like the RPF of model building. http://cs.finescale.com/fsmcs/forums/6.aspx It's a direct link to their sci-fi sub-forum.
Now here's a bit of advice that I give to every new modeler - go to the hobby shop and buy a few cheap snap-fit kits. If you're going to be painting the Protector, I suggest a few snap-fit planes, as they'll show you how to deal with panel lines. It's better to scrw up on a $10 POS snap-fit than on the model you want to display.
-Fred
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Taggart
Active Member
When it comes to glue and painting what kind, and what about primer? There are a few places that I will need some kind of putty and sanding where can i get these things? I have visited a Hobbie shop but they dont seem to know what I'm saying. (Probably because I don't know what I'm saying.
darth_myeek
Sr Member
I picked up one of these videos from Cultman, and it's David Merriman building the Seaview. Mainly it's scratchbuilding the sail, and his philosophies on building versus making. He has a lot of opinions. It's very entertaining. I now see he offers a complete set, but you can buy them individually.
Are they overkill? sure, but a pretty cheap education. It's just too bad that they aren't ported to blu-ray.
Also, along Fred's lines of buying cheap kits, you can pickup sheet Evergreen styrene at hobby stores which has textured or plain styrene, or bulk plastic from suppliers like TAP plastics. TAP cuts to spec, and is fairly cheap.
Are they overkill? sure, but a pretty cheap education. It's just too bad that they aren't ported to blu-ray.
Also, along Fred's lines of buying cheap kits, you can pickup sheet Evergreen styrene at hobby stores which has textured or plain styrene, or bulk plastic from suppliers like TAP plastics. TAP cuts to spec, and is fairly cheap.
darth_myeek
Sr Member
ya, I hear you. Fred is absolutely right about getting cheap kits and practicing on. I think in this case just-do-it (on the cheap kits) is the way to go. Get your hands dirty. Practice making seams invisible.
vaderman1701
Sr Member
You can still use the automotive primer from the auto parts store. Just be sure not to get a high build primer because that could fill in your windows and scribe details. You can also use Rustoleum Painters Touch primer. They have a good white sandable primer that somes in white. Once you prime, wet sand the parts with high grit sandpaper (1000 grit plus). You will get a nice sheen on the part. Now you can spray your base colors.
Scott
Scott
I'm relatively new to pro-style modeling myself - you should do what I did and joing the starshipmodeler message board - an absolute wealth of information there, with entire sections dedicated to painting and building techniques and tips.
Everyone there are very knowlegable and always offer great advise and will be fully equiped to answer all your questions.
I have been learning a TON of information there to aid in my building of the Polar Lights 1/350 Enterprise refit. I have a thread going on here about it, as well as my online blog which is linked down below in my 'signature'.
I plan on doing the Galaxy Quest kit sometime soon as a side project, since the big E is going to take me many months of hard work and patienec to complete.
-jimmy
Everyone there are very knowlegable and always offer great advise and will be fully equiped to answer all your questions.
I have been learning a TON of information there to aid in my building of the Polar Lights 1/350 Enterprise refit. I have a thread going on here about it, as well as my online blog which is linked down below in my 'signature'.
I plan on doing the Galaxy Quest kit sometime soon as a side project, since the big E is going to take me many months of hard work and patienec to complete.
-jimmy
Any of the model paints in a hobby shop will work on your GQ kits. You can also use the larger cans of Rustoleum, ColorPlace, etc from places like Walmart and Meijer. Do not use automotive paints unless you use an automtive primer first. Auto paints (lacqure) have hotter chemicals that may craze (melt) the plastic. Starting out, stick with the hobby shop stuff first.
Most plastic models are made of styrene. The Pegasus kits are ABS wich is a slightly different type of styrene and requires a different glue than normal model glue in the tubes. You can use super glue or any of the liquid cements in the glass jars at the hobby shop. I switched to Tamiya's "Extra Thin" and absolutely love it! A little goes a long way with liquid cement. It also sets faster than tube glue.
Oh, and GenralFROSTY's idea of joing starshipmodeler is also a good idea.
Good luck and have fun!
I was at my local hobby shop today and was very pleased that the person running the shop was able to special order the Protector kit for me.
Does anyone know if there are any lighting kits available for this model?
Does anyone know if there are any lighting kits available for this model?
Wowzer! My protector kit arrived in one day!
I had a chance to briefly look at some of the parts before leaving the shop today - this does not seem to be made of typical styrene plastic - is it vinyl or something?
I hope my microweld plastic adhesive works on this...
I had a chance to briefly look at some of the parts before leaving the shop today - this does not seem to be made of typical styrene plastic - is it vinyl or something?
I hope my microweld plastic adhesive works on this...
Superglue worked fine on mine Frosty, best of luck on your buildup!
I should be fine. I will experiment with some adhesives with the sprue plastic and see how it reacts.
I would rather NOT use superglue because it sticks way too fast BUT the kit is designed simple enough with very few parts - and they look to be designed to fit together quite well.
If you have any build pictures to share and some other buildup suggestions, I am all ears.
One idea I wanted to throw past you is that I am thinking of using Tamiya Pearl White (ala Refit Enterprise) for the overall color - because it looks great AND is a fanboy sort of way to tip a hat to Star Trek - BUT I may try doing some tests and see if I can mix a little pearl with the basic white color and see how that looks.
Well, it IS an ILM model . .so go nuts!!
:love
And if I remember correctly, the Protector was the LAST Studio Scale spaceship model ILM built before switching to all-digital?
I'm so excited about this kit....I just have to stay focused on finishing the warmup kit I already started. Beginning work on the Protector will be my reward for finishing the Classic E.
All of the Pegasus kits are made of ABS plastic so regular Testors tube glue will not work. You have to use a liquid cement like Tamiya's "Extra Thin" liquid cement.
GR, you are correct, the Protector was the last model that ILM built before going digital. Also cool is that Grant Imahara, from Mythbusters, also worked on the Protector as ILM head model maker.
Grant Imahara - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
GR, you are correct, the Protector was the last model that ILM built before going digital. Also cool is that Grant Imahara, from Mythbusters, also worked on the Protector as ILM head model maker.
Grant Imahara - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
