Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

Does anyone have some photo reference showing the differences in appearance between dull, satin and gloss coats? I am trying to decide what to use for my final finish coat.

There are not very many hobby stores in my area, so I was considering buying paints online. Does anyone have suggestions for a good site? I am partial to Model Master paints and would love to find a good online store w/ a good selection of colors.

I am getting ready to add a clear coat to one of my models. I am going to use a spray can since I don't own an airbrush and brushing on a coating could mess up some of my weathering. I have used Testor clear coats in the past, but the cans are sooooooo small and I can sometimes go through a couple o...

ok, so I started detailing some of the panel lines and such and I like the results for the most part. My only complaint is that the graphite pencils have a glossiness that makes the lead "disappear" at certain light angles. Will some kind of clear coat even that out?

Thanks, I had tried a water color wash and I wasn't getting the results I was looking for. I am going to give it a go.

Will a clear coaat prevent the lines from fading?

I am experimenting with various weathering techniques to bring out some of the detail in the maquis raider model I am working on. Has anyone tried using a pencil (graphite, charcoal, etc.) to trace some of the finer detail? I thought I read about someone doing this once, but I don't remembeer much a...

I am getting ready to start my first attempt at weathering using a wash. I decided to use watercolors since they are supposed to be easy to remove if I screw up. Are there any watercolor specific concerns I should look out for? Additionally, how long should I let the laquer gloss coat dry before sta...

What are some good airbrushes for a beginner? I am not familiar with the various brands and such and I am ot sure where to start. I have never used an airbrush before so I don't know what to look for.

Thanks everyone for the great ideas! I had seen implemeents sort of like the "helping hands" but I was unsure if the aligator clips might scratch the plastic. Anyone have that problem? Also, with the Blu tak, does it leave any residue or stain the plastic? I used something similar for hang...

A few years ago, I lost my right hand in a car accident. I just recently decided to get back into scale modeling, however, my biggest obstacle is holding the pieces while I paint them. I would appreciate any suggestions about setups/equipment any of you might use to hold the parts while you paint th...