The painting has started....

Lets get started...

I have found my new found friend.. With my airbrush set I received 6 air brushes, 3 different models which had two of each. The top one is great for small area of painting, a REAL pain to paint huge parts. The bottom brush when I first stated to paint was a horrible brush. Now that I am a bit more experienced with thinning the paint I have discovered that this is amazing for large area painting. This brush will lay down paint like no ones business.

Before the following steps I laid down a coat of 'rust' paint on the hull, main deck and key parts. I know this seems pointless but this will allow me to have chipped paint and rust coming through when it is all said and done.


After the rust paint has dried on the hull I used a medical eye dropper to dab water droplets. I would then use normal table salt to drop on the water. The salt grains will puddle up.

I found that if there is too much water I can take a piece of paper towel and just barely touch the water droplet. This will soak up the excess water and leave the salt grains.



By letting the water fully dry, the salt will turn from a clear color to a more white color. When it is white then it is dry and ready to paint.

Here is an overall view of the main deck after it has been painted with rust and salt trick.

This will allow the rust to show through the next layer of paint in key places.





With small items such as this bit, you can do this little trick.

When you have your salt wet or with a little bit of water below it you can move it around to the desired direction before it dries. Once it is dried to the part then that is where it will stay.




Here are all the pieces on my paint paint bench. Each part will get painted and added at the last minute.

Being the first time I have built a model I am trying to plan my build wisely. Kinda like chess, you need to plan 6 moves ahead and hope it all goes well.








Here is a close up of one of the boat bits, you can see it has been painted with the salt already on.









Here is the boat main deck railing with the boat bits as well. These will later get more rust dusting to blend it all together.










Here is a closer look at the paint drying on the stern of the boat.










The main deck has been painted with white. The edges and under edge needed to be painted white as well. Because the next colors will be black and red there is no reason to mask off to prevent over spray.

The hull rail has salt all along it due to the impact and abuse it gets from bumping into docks, other boats and various things.






You can see another example here how the salt provides random but grouped masking. Again this will give it a chipped paint/rust look.









I have begun to remove the salt from the parts. You can see how the rust color is now showing through the black paint.












By strategically placing the salt I can replicate normal wear and tear on the boat and its paint. Through the rope port you can see how the rope would wear away the paint from towing. As well as railing chipping paint from items banging into it.







You can clearly see how the salt has allowed me to chip the paint in a direction that is commonly used with rope and wire. Remember this is a 4mm high bit.



















Here is the main deck quarters. The upper deck and hand railing will stay white while the main deck quarters will be red. Easier to cover white with red that cover red with white.

I did not do any salt tricks on this section because it will have rust but nothing of that scale.







Here is the life boats tarp. Or commonly known as toilet paper.. hehhe.. It is primed and ready for a green tarp look. This will require some real messing with to get it to look just right.









Here is a ladder (may need to click on it to zoom in) that I have painted white. This piece did get the salt trick to give it a worn chipped paint look.








Here is one of the bow bits that will take quite a bit of abuse. Same tricks were applied to this one as well.