Brush-painting Carrier hull/deck

[Possum-Pie]

Hi all, I'm new to the forum but not to modeling. I got a Trumpeter 1:700 Carrier model, and realize that on such a small scale, brush strokes are going to be horrible. I don't have air-brush, and would rather not spray-paint, although I will if I have to. Any suggestions to paint large area hull/flight deck with acrylics without the brush strokes? In 1:700 scale, even 1/100th inch thick brush stroke will look like 7" thick paint in real life...that is THICK!

[Timmy C]

Thin paint helps a lot - let each layer dry before doing a subsequent coat.

The great thing about carriers is that you can weather the crap out of the flight deck with different shades to hide any brush strokes. For the hull, make good use of the various sponson surfaces to apply edge-to-edge strokes, and try doing vertical strokes - they blend with the direction of weathering better.

Here's a 1/700 carrier I did using only brushes:

[Possum-Pie]

Thin paint helps a lot - let each layer dry before doing a subsequent coat.

The great thing about carriers is that you can weather the crap out of the flight deck with different shades to hide any brush strokes. For the hull, make good use of the various sponson surfaces to apply edge-to-edge strokes, and try doing vertical strokes - they blend with the direction of weathering better.

Here's a 1/700 carrier I did using only brushes:

Thanks, that is a SWEET looking paint job! Better to thin and multiple coats. I've read alot about primer...is it really needed?

[MartinJQuinn]

Keeping the paint brush slightly damp with thinner also helps the paint from drying. Search FineScale Models website - they did an article on it some time ago.

I've read alot about primer...is it really needed?

On a injection molded plastic kit, no.

[Niallmhor5968]

Hi ,could you tell me if the carrier you used was a donor kit (ie: HMS Victorious) or a resin kit of Hermes?
Thanks
Niallmhor

[Timmy C]

If you're talking about my kit, it's the resin Hermes kit from Orange Hobby.