by apfelzra69 » Sun Jun 30, 2024 9:09 pm
I have based my painting scheme on available online photos of the Andrea Doria (there are fairly good ones of the port side) but relied on a color diagram for the starboard side. If your diagrams are correct, then my starboard side painting is very INCORRECT. Since the shapes are mostly curves, I first free-hand draw a pencil line on the hull above the waterline and then hand-color in the camo blotches with a brush. Painting the superstructure parts in different colors is often quite tedious, and when everything comes in a single structure, such as the new 3D-printed, kits, I first spray everything with a primer that doubles as a light gray, which often requires no further attention. Where margins are straight lines (especially for the waterline), I use blue masking tape and paint free-hand, though if the surfaces are large enough I will use airbrushing, which generally gives a smoother and more uniform coverage. In order to establish a waterline where there is no indication in the hull as to where it should be, I select a position that I think is where it should be (based on illustrations or the actual draft from online sources, converted into a 1/350 measure), and tape a fine-tipped sharpie pen firmly to a wooden block with its tip positioned at the waterline and then move the block along the waterline while holding the hull still; sometimes, depending on the flatness of the keel, I will move the hull along the sharpie tip while holding the block steady. It can be a little awkward, but when masking off the rest of the hull (especially when airbrushing the lower hull and keel) I try to keep the port and starboard sides even with one another. This often gets tricky where the hull may curve, such as at the stern, but it usually works out. The black boot topping, where present, can be done either with black paint or a black sharpie, with the hull colors above and below masked off with tape to leave a bare strip for the boot topping. My choice of colors depends on what I need and sometimes I will mix paints for a specific model if I don't have exactly what is called for -- this has been a particular problem since the withdrawal from commercial sales of many Tamiya acrylics and, especially, Model Master enamels.
I have based my painting scheme on available online photos of the Andrea Doria (there are fairly good ones of the port side) but relied on a color diagram for the starboard side. If your diagrams are correct, then my starboard side painting is very INCORRECT. Since the shapes are mostly curves, I first free-hand draw a pencil line on the hull above the waterline and then hand-color in the camo blotches with a brush. Painting the superstructure parts in different colors is often quite tedious, and when everything comes in a single structure, such as the new 3D-printed, kits, I first spray everything with a primer that doubles as a light gray, which often requires no further attention. Where margins are straight lines (especially for the waterline), I use blue masking tape and paint free-hand, though if the surfaces are large enough I will use airbrushing, which generally gives a smoother and more uniform coverage. In order to establish a waterline where there is no indication in the hull as to where it should be, I select a position that I think is where it should be (based on illustrations or the actual draft from online sources, converted into a 1/350 measure), and tape a fine-tipped sharpie pen firmly to a wooden block with its tip positioned at the waterline and then move the block along the waterline while holding the hull still; sometimes, depending on the flatness of the keel, I will move the hull along the sharpie tip while holding the block steady. It can be a little awkward, but when masking off the rest of the hull (especially when airbrushing the lower hull and keel) I try to keep the port and starboard sides even with one another. This often gets tricky where the hull may curve, such as at the stern, but it usually works out. The black boot topping, where present, can be done either with black paint or a black sharpie, with the hull colors above and below masked off with tape to leave a bare strip for the boot topping. My choice of colors depends on what I need and sometimes I will mix paints for a specific model if I don't have exactly what is called for -- this has been a particular problem since the withdrawal from commercial sales of many Tamiya acrylics and, especially, Model Master enamels.