1st Paint job.
 

So I have my air brush, Compressor and a body shell, I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of my paint and air line. I've drawn up the design that I hope to achieve, I'll have a go at applying the fast mask later:woot: When I get to cutting the fast mask should I use a curved blade scalpel or a straight edged one?

Anyway once the paints and bits arrive then I can crack on with ruining my-first shell. Wish me luck:woot:

use a curved one something like 10 i think is the one i use, take a quick look here

The 10's are curved, 10A are pointy sharp and 11's are like darts !

Personally I like to use 11's, I find the long pointy tip on the blade is further away and you can really see where you're going with it.

Best thing is probably to get a pack of each and see what suits you, it mostly a personal preference thing.

I'd never considered the 11A's but I see what you mean, less obstruction to follow your design! Nice one, have to give that a go...

I remember my first shell. Bits of mask left in it. Paint spidered all over the place, visible scalpel cuts, and then a disaster with the aerosol chrome attacking the paint. Lol

Happy days....

;-)

Julian

julianb.

That is what I see coming.:mad:

Practice. The only school:thumbsup:

I've always used a straight edged blade for the last 17 years. :woot:

When I started airbrushing someone had given me a couple of boxes of 10A's so that's what I used, it wasn't until I started college about 5 years later I realised there were other ones available ( well before the internet - it's so easy now ! ).

My tutor who was an airbrush god said he used 11 so i tried them, he told me about seeing the tip of it and staying on your mask lines. We used to ink onto masking film with a .18 or .13 technical pen, he said it was better as you had less room for error than if you followed a pencil line which however sharp your pencil was still gave you room to wobble. To be hones that's something I struggle with now. Working to the lines of even a fine marker pen aren't as accurate as I want them to be because your scalpel blade can wander within the width of the line, am I being too picky, I probably think I am.... :yawn:

Aside airbrushing at college we used to ink on film a lot, if we made a mistake we were told the curved blade was best to scratch out with as the pointy ones made furrows in the film.

Tel - when you say a straight edge blade do you mean something deadly like a razor blade or a stanley blade or do you just mean straight edged scalpel blade ?

get the RCS mask out Chef ;) haha

as for blades...as mentioned it is just personal preference. I use the no.10

another option you could try would be the no.6 i think. it is inbetween the curved n straight blade

When you buy blades make sure they fit which scalpel handle you have, I know the Swann Morton No3 and No7 Handles take 10 - 10A and 11. I don't know what the No4 takes though.

That's another point, I have 2 handles, No3 and No7, the 7 is much thinner and easier to turn for corners than the fatter 3, so I have both on the go at the same time, the 7 has the newest blade in it for cutting masking, then if I need to cut a loose mask or anything else at all I use the 3 which is not as sharp, every time I put a new blade on the 7 I transfer it's blade to the 3 and the one on the 3 goes into my sharps box, it might seem a hassle but you keep an ultra sharp blade on your best one then and only use it for masks.

i just use an old thin paintbrush handle with a slit in the end. then slide the blade in and use a small piece of acetate sheet or similar and a strip of tape.
haha...tight
http://www.rcsgraphicworx.com/howto_liquidmask19.htm

That's quite genius actually Jon ! :lol:

Half way through my first shell. Looking ok but I'll be better next time. Need to cut the fast mask a little harder, so that I go all the way through:thumbsup:

Fab product I think that with a lot of practice I may actually enjoy doing this.

I'll get some photos up as soon as I'm finished.:p

Just a straight edged scalpel. Tried the curved ones but didn't like them, and I just use a pair of tweezers to revome the masking film. :)

I've never used anything but the scalpel edge to lift and remove mask, it's what I did when I worked on illustration board so I've always stuck with it. You soon learn not to go too deep and dig into your paint :blush:

I've been using a pointed dental tool to remove the mask. I think that i've gone too heavy on the shading:cry:live and learn.:D

You can't say that Chef and then not post photo's for us to see.

i juts use a old airbrush needle which i slightly hooked at the tip, works a treat

Here is the Shell. Gone too dark on the shading for the peel should have used a different colour may be grey or light blue. Had a few issues with the fast mask as it is the first time I ever done this. I think that I've got the hang of the mask now. Loved doing this. I'm off to buy another shell next week to do more!:thumbsup: Want to get as much practice as possible.

Oh I missed a bit on the roof that i thought I'd painted until I unmasked the windows only to find that I hadn't. I'll see what I can do about that later.

Honest opinions please advice and pointers all welcome please be honest.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...b/P1050241.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...b/P1050243.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...b/P1050246.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...b/P1050247.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...b/P1050248.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...b/P1050249.jpg

Let me have it guys.