I like the paint but that shell needs a warning, it's proper hideous.

If you paint any more of those I'd look at maybe trying to make the window a different shape to distract the eye and turn it into something more curvey, make the design flow with it and not with the shell lines.

Your paint work is fine though so I shouldn't be slating the shell, there's a time and a place for that ;)

Thank you. I quite like the shell but prefer the frog. But there is not an option at the mo.

Here are the shells that have given me sleepless nights quite literally.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...s/P1050536.jpg

They look fine mate, what's up with that. Good design, nice bright colours, detail, ticks all the boxes.

You'll get used to the sleepless nights, it's a painter thing !

Just bits you can't see, that I'm really not happy with. At a glance they look good but not on close inspection.

Have you learnt from it ? If so then you won't make the same mistake again.

No one will notice when it's charging around a track either, I know that's a bit of a rubbish thing to say but at the end of the day that is it's job. We don't learn unless we make mistakes. Also you've been looking at it intently all the time you've been doing it, the customer will only see it when he gets it and I'm sure he'll be fine with it.

I know what you mean but I'm not happy with it. I've offered him a deal on the next shell. If I'm not happy then I don't expect him to be.:D

Agreed they look fine Chef, I think most of us feel the same, after I've finished a body I always think I could of done this better or that better and its a good thing as it helps improve your work.

As long as the customer is happy, thats what counts at the end of the day.

Keep up the good work.

Yes I can see what you mean but if you're anything like most of the other artists I know you are your own worst critic. Therefore the customer may well be happy and you shouldn't highlight your parts they may well not notice.

Also I understand offering the deal on the next one but everyone charges peanuts for these as it is, you need to find some middle ground where you're both happy and no deal needs to be done.

How many shells have you painted ? Not as many as any of the pro's, customers need to be aware of this and the fact you are still building on your skills which I would imagine is reflected in the price.

You're doing better than you think and the more you do the better you'll get.

They both look good Kristan :thumbsup:

I agree with what Ian has said in his last post, I'm my own worst critic at times as like you I'm always concious that I'm doing work for others so naturally I want their shells to look bob on.

Its true that nothing beats experience, and that'll come in time. And if you've any q's or need any advice, me & plenty of others are on here so drop a PM if you need owt :thumbsup:

Thanks guy, I'm going to try putting the mask on thiscker and the paint on thinner. It seems to be mostly the black and white that give me the agro.


I'll report back asap.

:)

thank you all for your encouragement, Just keep trying I guess.:D

Just a thought here and on some area's it might seem impossible but just bare it in mind. When you paint it obviously builds up on the mask, so when you aim your airbrush try not to aim it toward the mask edge, see if you can go away from it so you're painting over it rather than into it... Did that make any sense ?

Someone told me it along time ago to stop paint build up but I was working the normal way around then so it was easier to achieve, but if it's possible, give it a try. It might just be something little like that which makes the difference ?

Will that not make the paint harder to control, i.e over spray a lot of the time one paints towards the mask especially when ghosting/shading.

I'll try but Idon't want lots of over spray.

I'll give it a go.

The ghosting / shading thing will be okay as it's only lightly applied. It's more the solid colours where you're building up an even coat. It shouldn't be tearing as you take the masking off where you've only put on a light coat ?

Hi guys. Much better sucess this evening. Much thicker mask and much thinner paint layers. Seems to work well. It would appear that I was thinning the mask too much and only putting about half what i should have been on. So here's this evenings result.


http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...s/P1050616.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...s/P1050617.jpg

What do you think. Much easier to work with and better lines I think but not perfect width round the drips. Got to get better with the scalpel.

Thanks mate hopefully won't wreck it over the weekend !!!

You need to add sunshine to see the magic ingredient. :thumbsup:

V nice. No vega? Will reply to your pm tomorrow, but essentially a no at this time.

Glad you're getting on with it better. I've never thinned the mask, it works fine without it, I guess it doesn't go as far ???

Looks cool :thumbsup:

Its looking nice this one Chef. :thumbsup:

I dont thin the mask either so....I'm not sure it goes any further as wouldn't you have to build up more coats to get the required thickness for it to work??

ie I do 3 medium coats, and you would need 6 coats to get to the same thickness if it was thinned by 50% ??

I was doing 3 coats at about 30% reduction. That could be

More trial and error I'm afraid mate...

Here is one from today.

Tried putting the mask on really thick and it is almost as hard to get off as when it is too thin. These new rango shells are quite hard to paint.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...b/P1050741.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...b/P1050742.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...b/P1050743.jpg

Cam off a little easier when slightly warmed. More trial and error.:thumbdown:

Looks pretty good in the flesh, only a slight bleed near the window,

I like the design, nice to see you doing more, been a while since you posted !

Why are they harder to do ? Too small ?

They are hard because they have deep furrows around the windows and the louvers on the wings which make getting the mask off and paint in very hard.

Colours work well though.

Hey Chef,

Haven't seen much of you on here in a while. This one looks one of your best, the mask looks like its come off nice and clean (if it was too thick just do one less next time and you will probably find it about right)

Looks really good keep up the goodwork :thumbsup:

Good job Chef :thumbsup:
If you don't like furrows then you aint going to like the new dex210 shell, just done 1 & there are a few bits hard to get paint into on the roof
I see you have been practicing your pin stripes, looking good buddy :D

One from tonight. I thought My boy would like it and it has given me a chance to play with techniques, beauty is that what ever I do for him he is happy with his shell. The beauty of being 6 eh:lol:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...s/P1050747.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...s/P1050748.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...s/P1050749.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...s/P1050750.jpg

I'm pretty pleased with it. The main pratice was "trying" to get it Symetrical And scalpel work on the pin stripes.

mmm zparkley goodnezz :)


in regardz to the pinz, what type of blade are you uzing? mozt uze zomething like a 10a, perhapz try a 10. i find it eazier to uze. juzt perzanol preference of courze

Whats with all of the zzzzz'z I've been using a long straight blade, ive tried the shorter straight blade and I'v got some of the swept long curve blades but find them very tricky to control.

I favor the dart like 11's, you can see the end of them real well as they're so pointy.

zpilt coffee on my keyboard thiz morning and now a couple keyz don't work!!:mad:

one being the pqr*tu (or z az it iz now known:lol:)

LOL. Sorry to hear that john. I've got some 15 blades coming. I'd like to try those.:woot:

15 Blades ??? What the hell are they, never heard of them ? You need to keep trying different ones though, something will work in the end, also try some different handles, that helps a lot. The number 3 is too chunky for me so I use the super slim number 7.

Or you could make your own like Jon does !

These

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2807487210...9#ht_708wt_937

I tried the no10's but found 11 easier to use. I do like the look of e11, might have to get some

One for Rob Elms. You asked for brighter Rob So I mixed it up a little.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...s/P1050755.jpghttp://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...s/P1050753.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...s/P1050751.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...s/P1050758.jpg

:thumbsup:looks good, cheers mate

Looks better in the flesh;)

Great colours, I bet they'll really pop in the sun :D