I'm painting some VERY tiny pieces right now (details for a helo cockpit) by hand, and maybe it's just because my technique/brush/paint is no good, but I'm losing a lot of detail and many of the pieces are ending up basically looking like paint lollipops. Could I be doing these pieces by airbrush? More generally, how small a piece will you guys use an airbrush on? Would you airbrush a 1:48 control column or 1:32 rudder pedals? What is your personal dividing line between airbrushing and hand-painting? Thanks in advance for your input.

Personally I use Citadel Miniatures acrylic paint applied with a paint brush on the entire cockpit, but I tend to concentrate more on the exterior than the cockpit.

By the sound of it you are loading your brush with too much paint. and trying to paint each switch, knob or dial individually. If I am painting a cockpit with a lot of silver switches, knobs, dials, etc., I will paint the background colour first (about 3 light, watered down coats) and then dry brush the knobs silver or whatever colour they are supposed to be. For the dreaded single red knob in a sea of silver knobs, I will usually load up my brush, wipe off almost all the excess paint, and then just give it a light "tickle" with the tip of the paintbrush. If no paint goes on the knob, I'll load up the paint brush again, and wipe off just a little bit less excess, and repeat until I've painted the little bugger.

Hope my rambling helps mate!

It does help, thank you. I do think that I'm just using too much paint. Hopefully tomorrow I will have more patience and take my time painting instead of trying to rush through it!

It sounds like a heavy loaded brush. I like using Humbrol enamels to the point of almost dry brushing the small parts. The only time I will use an AB on a small part, its on a very finely detailed instrument panel that I don't want to cover any of the tiny dial markings with extra paint that will be dry brushed later to pick out the details..

What kind of paint are you trying to use?

I can only get Testors enamels in the little glass jars easily.

Hi Robby

I always airbrush the basic colours of the overall cockpit and individual parts, and then pick out the details on them with a fine brush. You can airbrush smaller areas like moulded-on consoles too, but that entails masking, and to be honest I seldom have the patience - using a paintbrush is much quicker.

As regards losing the detail, as has been suggested, it sounds like you're using too much paint - and also possibly using it too thick. The "golden rule" is generally that several thin coats are better than one thick one. Whether it's with acrylics or enamels, I find the best consistency for most uses is like single cream (although there are occasions when you do want to flood thick paint on as a sort of filler/leveller).

All the best

Rowan

That's good paint too. I also use those, specially like their rust color. Just go easy and light on the application. As previously suggested, several layers are better than one heavy one.

use lighter coats