How To Paint a Model Car 

Good morning Angelo, A friend of mine is a paint and body man and one day I mentioned to him that I was having trouble picking up debris. He told me that before he started painting, the first thing he did was completely wet down his paint booth. So I got a little plastic spray bottle from Hobby Lobby. Now before I prime, basecoat, or clearcoat, I completely spray my paint booth down with water. And guess what, it works.I have a lot less trouble with debris. the water draws the debris away from the car. Not 100% but it does help a lot. you probably already knew this, but I thought that I would share this little secret with everyone. Mac

I’m new to this hobby since I retired from the Army, trying to learn new stuff

i remember when i did plastic models.. it was awesome.. jets and cars... paint was horrible.. glue everywhere... it was the best of times..

I had no idea how little I know! Excellent tutorial! Fantastic results. Thank you.

Stumbled across your videos and you just re-sparked my Love for building models. Did it a lot as a teen. Think i will get back into it starting this week.

There are a lot of paint tutorials and every one of them is of value. We can all learn a bit from each other. Thank you for teaching us about the 2k clear.

I’m just trying to make a quick trip to the store to get paint supplies.. seeing what I need and what not.. dude pulls out a gas mask.. I’m in to deep

Good video......very informative. For basic colors like black, white, red, green, yellow you can also use Rust-Oleum Enamel. You can get it in pints. Thin it enough with acetone to flow through a .5 nozzle. I always use 20psi for everything. It works absolutely fantastic..

Beautiful job done. Good video

I’d like to add that I have now decided not to use the 2k clear. I believe that with the additional health risks of the material and the fact that the clear can be quite thick, I am better off with a standard 1k clear. With wet sanding and polishing I can achieve excellent results with the 1k. Thank you. Edit May 2020 - I’ve made a move now into the createx paint materials and am loving them without any stink. Thank you.

Coming from painting Miniatures this a whole different ball game. Wanted to paint a Plymouth scamp up for my father but this is pretty legit.

Thx Angelo, I just tried the Dupli-color red. Excellent, I am sooo pleased. No hint of crazing at all. I hope that their other colors work as well as the red. I hope that when you find other types of paint, fingernail paint or whatever, that you will continue to share what you have found with us. You've defiantly made my day. Thx so much, Mac

Great tutorial Angelo thanks for sharing nice shine on the Vette

Simple green works just as good as Dawn.. And if you want a dust free surface use a tack cloth

Thx for the quick reply, I did remove the paint and I found nothing wrong with the body. That Krud Kutter Graffiti Remover Gel really works fast. If you ever try it, be sure to get the Graffiti Remover Gel. Not the liquid, It sticks to the body better and it starts working in as little as 10 min. It's earth-friendly, biodegradable, and will not harm the body. Just a little feedback for everyone out there. I've already wet sanded and re-primed it. The only thing that I can think might have happened is, bad paint or I might have mistakenly been in a hurry and mixed Activator with the paint. I don't know what happened, I only know that it's never happened to me before. When using Gravity paints you do use Activator in the 2K primer and the 2k clear coat. I'll let you know in a few days how it comes out. Thx, Mac

Good job thank you for the video!

Can wait to get into this new hobby 😁

Very good video angelo even people who have painted or know some ways of painting their models great to see and learn take in what tactics others use to make a model look great 👍👍keith

It’s like painting an actual car. In fact he does a better job than some auto body shops.

Nice tutorial. Lots of tips here.

I like the idea on using white primer I seen some that always use black primer could never understand why for the exact reason you stated it darkens the final coat.

You make this look easy man It’s not easy though 😂

Nice paint job

Looks amazing color, shine like a diamond, man.

Wow, fantastic !

Thanks for Sharing n God Bless All

I've been told to do many light coats of base color...did you do one heavy coat?

Nice tutorial. I just finished my model. I’m use to ships and planes cars are a different ball game. I just subed

Looks awesome Angelo. Ron

Great video!! I really enjoyed watching it 😀

Thanks for posting this video. Very informative. How have you attached the side view mirrors to the sticks? Is the body stand hand made?

Great video.. . ! Good job ! Thanks

Just a heads up those filters on your mask are good for about 40 hours. So anytime its exposed to open air its working. Gotta keep it bagged up.

Great video!

Very nice tutorial

Very nice outcome, I love the red paint. Can I ask, what size needle did you use? I am trying to get a wide spray pattern, not a lines pattern. I have the Master G233, came with the 3 needles, (0.3 was on), I have recently changed it with tip for the 0.5, but I have Not yet tried it. I am looking for spraying help.

2k clear is an awesome product but its incredibly dangerous. The respirator you have is a short duration respirator which has a limited use period and no warning of filter saturation, which is why they don’t sell it as 2k compliant. One breathe of 2k can leave you sensitised for good. 2k contain isocyanates which are present in the spray mist, long after you’re finished spraying, and which cannot be seen. Spray mist will fill the room, so a small booth and extractor set up is inadequate to protect you and i sincerity hope the room youre spraying in isn’t part of your home near your family. Professional booths have rules governing re-entry unmasked of c 20mins and these booths move huge volumes of air. The internet would have you believe 2k will kill you instantly, it doesn’t. In rare cases people react immediately but most people using it regularly with higher / more frequent levels of exposure develop respiratory problems such as asthma or COPD. Your respirator is fine for a garage with airflow, but not total saturation in a room. Isocyanates permeate most clothing so you should wear tyvek overalls. Nitrile gloves are good, latex is no good. You should be covering arms and face as it’s absorbed via the skin, also you’re eyes need protection as it’s an irritant. Treat it with the utmost respect and you’ll be fine.

Thanks for the video.

hey, I remember plastikote primer, I thought they stop making it a few years ago. gonna look for it now

Great Vids Bro

Just curious as to why you did not wet sand the paint...is it required? Thanks

Jody well done now tell what kind of equipment you use and what you clean your equipment after clear coating I have done custom paint on 1 to 1 scale street rods for 30 years and I have been building models since 1957 all kinds not just cars Keep building buddy

Hi Angelo, Well I received the primer that I ordered from Amazon. I don't think it's the same stuff you use, although it says Platikote by Valspar sandable primer. However, it goes on very rough. It comes in a straight 32 oz. can, nothing light the cans I see on your bench. Strange though it has that same red line under the word Kote. The only numbers I see or on the back side. It says, T-235 Gray. It also goes on very rough. not at all like Tamiya spray or Gravity. With Gravity, you can hardly tell that you put it on especially if you are using their White. I like the smooth finish, less sanding, and a smoother paint job.

Did you wet sand the body red to get rid of debris and orange peel til it became silky smooth before applying K2 clear? Also does the K2 clear damage the decal if doing the wet coat? My current practice is do the wet sanding with 3200 grit and polish with Novus 2 for shiny on the final layer of body color. It works but it shows fine scratches all over.

Great work Angelo. The narrating came through quite well even with the mask on. Even if the voice over while doing the white primer was perhaps even better. Incredible results with the surface of that car. Very inspiring for taking up model car building and painting again. Thanks.

I tried Duplicolor primer, the pre-thinned one in the can, but it kept cobwebbing even after I thinned it even more with lacquer thinner and lowered the air pressure to about 15psi. I know I was doing something wrong but I haven’t figured out what. Maybe the weather was too warm and dry (Southern California). I’ll give it a try again and see. Thanks for the detailed tutorial.

Oh, I was so concerned with my own problems that I forgot to thank you for all of the helpful videos and advice that you've cheerfully given us beginners. I know that many of my questions can be very trying for you sometimes. I have another one right now. What type of dehydrator do you recommend? Thx for your help. Mac

Last question from a 30 year Armour guy. I primed body was perfect after a little wet sanding. Gave it 2 coats of color. Just a little texture on trunk. Should I wet sand the color lightly or clear it with the 2k then wet sand ?

What kind of gun are you using? Did you order your paints online that are ready to shoot without the need of thinning? I am new to using an airbrush, still unused in the box as I am afraid to screw everything up. I have watched several videos and I appreciate your taking the time for this one.

I got dehradator for drying the paint still learning how to use it right

Angelo, I'm still having problems with this Gravity paint. I just stripped the car again, but this time I'm not going to use the same paint because it looks like the paint is crazing again. Doesn't seem to matter how light I apply the paint and primer, it does the same thing every time. I really feel like it is a paint problem so I have purchased all the products you have used in this video. I'm going to try it your way. I watched the video through and I didn't see where you talked about how you thin the paint or what you use, ratios, etc. Anything you can tell me about thinning, I would appreciate. Everything else is pretty clear. Thanks, Mac

2 questions: 1) what grit do you wet sand with, and 2) how long does the color coat need to gas out?

Hey Angelo, You've been talking about spraying your semi-gloss over your clear coat for obvious reasons. I just wanted to find out what your feelings are concerning this new paint made by Gravity. I haven't used it yet. It is called High Gloss Black GC-227A. Matte, the owner of the company says that it is a Urethane, and that's why you must use an Activator, which comes with it in a pre-measured bottle. He says without the activator the paint will not dry. he says the whole idea is that you won't have to use clear coat on top of it. After I painted the black parts on the 2016 Stingray, I did not bother clear coating over the black because I didn't know what it might do to the red which was already clear coated. I was wondering if this might be a better look than the semi-gloss. Thx, Mac

Intrigued about your spray booth and extractor fan..

With multiple coats of primer and then a finish does it tend to fill up body lines you would like to maintain like doors etc.?

Angelo I love your tutorial videos! Have you ever thought of doing a tutorial on acrylic paints?

What is the few top car model Company's out there when it comes to good fitting parts & Detail ? Also can water slide decals be clear coated over to make them more permanent & seamless to the touch ?

Thanks for the helpful video. Any tips on how to keep from getting fingerprints on model when putting all together?

Hello, can you please tell me if this spray booth prevents the model rom dust particels that flying in the air?

A little tip: maybe show the wetsanding of the primer next time? I’d be willing to bet if someone is searching for a video like this, they’re probably wanting tips on wetsanding more than tips on how to apply primer. You could have filmed and added in the wetsanding and used up the same amount of time that you used explaining how to wetsand by not showing it.

Hi Angelo I know you use Tamiya paint often so I’m wondering what you use to imitate leather look for detailing? Thanks Jim

Sorry in this is a repeat question... But I am impatient and Haven't read through all of the comments. LOL! What nozzle size, and what PSI are you spraying at?

Angelo how do the clears affect decals? Or should the decals go on top of the clear coat?

I thought I was going to have to spend $40 or more on paint thinner turns out I can buy DOT 3 Break Fluid and it will do the same I'm going ot save at least $30 now

Just wondering, cuz I am only getting into the hobby, and I have watched every of your tutorial videos, can you just paint the car with paint and not use any clear coats or anything like that. Really like your videos, and really like your skill in this hobby

Love your videos. Question for you. Do you decal then clear, or vise versa? I use duplicilor clear in the quart like you have done.

Have you applied this clear coat over water slide decals before ??

For painting older cars with chrome trim, would you apply Bare Metal Foil before clearcoating? Also, rather than using those dangerous two part clear coats, why not use something like Future Floor Polish? That's what I do. And for degreasing bare plastic, I've always used silicone polish remover.

Thanks for a great video. John Miller at Model Paint Solutions turned me on to Kimwipes KIMTECH task wipers. These are used by professionals to remove dust and static from microscope lenses. A quick wipe over your model and no more static.

Just ordered the 2016 Revell corvette kit. Been watching that build you did over and over. Amazing. I plan on using duplicolor clear (just bought the quart). My question is if you have ever used Duplicolor primer in the quart or is the spray cans the way to go? Love your videos. Keep them coming.

Nice. Did you build your painting booth? Also, I was told that Oxyde red primer was the best when painting with red. Is this true? Finally, what would happen if you didn't mix the two parts of the clear and instead shoot them one after another in a short time, like, less than a minute between them?

Do you sand the body straight out of the box and then with each coat of paint? Which grit of paper do you suggest? All steps wet sand? I’m probably gonna start with rattle cans at first then invest up to a air sprayer.

Good morning Angelo I took your advice and bought the Tamiya 123 nippers. I have another question for you. I’m purchasing more and more Tamiya acrylic paints. My question is what do you recommend for thinning them for airbrushing? I know there is a Tamiya acrylic thinner A20. Is that the best or is there an alternative? Example I use windshield washer fluid to thin my acrylic hobby paints. My paint station doesn’t have an external exhaust so I use mostly water based acrylics. I greatly respect your opinion. Thanks for your help Jim

Good afternoon Angelo I’m currently working on a Ferrari and I want to do a “leather” look on the interior. I spray 99% acrylics so that’s why I’m asking this question. I have a small bottle of Model Master Leather enamel. I’m considering spraying it in my airbrush to have a nice finish. My question is do I mix it with anything and if I do what do I mix it with? If mixed what is the ratio? I could just brush it on straight but I wasn’t sure how it would dry. I thought you could help. Thanks Jim

Hi Angelo, I know that I told you that the last question would be the last question. Oh well. I just received my Dupli-color red and I'm getting ready to mix it with the thinner 3 parts paint to 2 parts thinner. I think that's the same as 60% to 40%. Anyway, I was reading the instructions and they say to strain the paint first. Do you do that or can I just mix it up without straining it? I also just received my Speedokote and I'm reading all of these instructions and I'm almost afraid to open the cans. You can be sure that I will have on all of my safety equipment. Thx again, Mac

Does the booth suck all the dust in the room across the car and out the back?

Great work as always. May I ask how & when you spray the undersides of the hood and body? I assume you have to at some point, and when you do, how do you ensure no dry overspray lands on the top sides of the body & hood, ruining your paint job?

Where did you get the stand for the main body? And also can you guide me through the steps of building a paint booth like yours. And how much out of pocket will it cost me to build it. And I enjoyed your tutorial

I would hope that after all of that handeling you will wipe the base down wit iso before spraying; All that body oil and finger print on the base.

Great video! For the paint itself, did you have to thin it at all or is just straight from the can?

As usual excellent work! Just out of curiosity, any luck with acrylics? Like AK Inneractive or Vallejo? Keep up the good work!!

Very good how to Angelo, thanks for sharing. Have you tried the clear from the Duplicolor Paintshop line? Cheers

Great tips. I like the gray then white primers tip. I was reading about that clear and it seems there are yellowing problems. Any reason you changed from the dulicolor clear?

Good morning Angelo I hope this message finds you well. I recently broke my sprue cutters after a years use. They broke cutting plastic. I’ve looked at some RU-vid videos and am interested in what you use. I’m looking for a reputable pair that doesn’t cost a weeks pay. Lololo. Any advice would be appreciated. Respectfully Jim

Hi, I am new to airbrush and I wanted to ask do I have to buy exprnsive airbrush in order to achieve good/smooth result like what you have on this beautiful red corvette? I just bought a $60 China made airbrush with a small compressor on amazon. Many thanks!

In terms of ease of assembly, less likely to mess up the paint with glue, would it be better to have attached the side view mirrors to the body before priming?

Good morning Angelo, I had a question for you. I sprayed a body using a metallic rattle can. I normally use Pledge floor shine as my clear coat because I usually spray acrylics. Will Pledge be ok as the clear coat or should I use a clear coat from a rattle can since the paint is from a can? Thanks for the help. Jim

Was wondering what the process of Wet Sanding consists of? What is wet sanding?

Hi, would you recommend using a matte spray paint or glossy if using only the spray paint cans due to no airbrush? Would the result be similar after using the clear coat?

I have 250$ and a revell model car I don’t know how to do anything but would like a nice setup for making these models what is everything I need

Angelo what airbrush are you using in this video. The duplicolor red, do you have to thin it and if so to what ratio? What psi are you using for the duplicolor red?

Where can I get a spray gun like the one you use to paint the body

Hi Angelo, Well I'm still having problems with crazing. This is the fifth car I've tried to paint red using Gravity. I know that when I first started using it, I thought it was the best, but now I'm not so sure. I want to try the Dupli-color red that your using, but I don't know anything about it. Do you have to mix it with anything, or thin it? If so what do you use? Do you ever have problems with crazing? Well anyway, I'm going to try to find the same paints your using and try it your way. Any suggestion you can give me, especially when it comes to mixing paints and clear coats, I would appreciate it! Thanks! Mac

Where do you get the setup stand you use while painting? I like it!

Hey I got a question I'm working on a Chrysler turbine car my found testors burnt orange Pearl or something like that can I polish the paint job and then clear coat after or is the Polish like Wax ?

I’m getting into modeling and I’ve gotten a little more serious and I was wondering what airbrush would you recommend? I mainly use tamiya rattle bottles and tamyia acrylic brush paint.

i have a countach diecast from the early 90s its yellow but i want it white with red interior im scared to take it apart . can i paint the plastic seats and dashboard? will it stick?

Can you be able to use a paint brush to paint the car

Good Video! Do you put your spay paint in warm for a little while?

Thx, Angelo, One last question. Does Dupli-color make a thinner for the paint or do you use something else?