71 Hemi Cuda: Learning to airbrush

[LAV25]

So I got a 71 Hemi Cuda from Revell last summer and a membership at a local modeling makerspace. I've never really used an airbrush before, but I've been watching a lot of youtube tutorials and here's where I am so far: 

 

 

[Katsusauce]

Looks great for your first time. 

[Tcoat]

Great start! I have been doing it for years and wouldn't be much better at that fading.

[espo]

Like the design. 

[LAV25]

Some more progress today, think I'll finish it tomorrow most likely. Does anyone make a carbon fiber shaker? They do now. Carbon fiber seats too it seems

 

[NOBLNG]

You’re a natural!? It looks like you’ve mastered that airbrush on your first attempt.? Is that carbon fibre pattern airbrushed too? What did you use for a mask?

[David G.]

Your airbrush work looks great!

It took me quite a while just to learn how to lay down a good coat of paint and you're already doing custom masking.

And quite well I might add.

David G.

[LAV25]

6 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

You’re a natural!? It looks like you’ve mastered that airbrush on your first attempt.? Is that carbon fibre pattern airbrushed too? What did you use for a mask?

Thanks Greg! I've still got a long way to go though. As for carbon fiber, I put down Tamiya grey primer (sorry to be so basic but I'm in a really basic point here and have found a lot of little details that I thought wouldn't matter do), then enough Mr. Color Silver to coat. The mask was a piece of a fishtank net (for when you need to get the goldfish out to do a good cleaning) from the dollar store, held firm underneath and then sprayed with black. That's on the shaker, the seatbacks were black first then silver but I think I like majority black better than majority silver. 

Just now, David G. said:

Your airbrush work looks great!

It took me quite a while just to learn how to lay down a good coat of paint and you're already doing custom masking.

And quite well I might add.

David G.

Thanks David! But I don't think I'm doing such a hot job of laying down the basic coats. I have a tendency to get impatient, open the air valve wide, pull the trigger all the way back, get in close... Basically I should just be doing melting paint jobs :). 

Still, this car and the Estima (under glass) are training pieces for a 66 Chevy Stepside I'm going to start on shortly. Make the mistakes here so that one comes out good. 

[charlie8575]

I've been using an airbrush for almost thirty years, and you're braver than I am with one.

Charlie Larkin

[LAV25]

9 hours ago, charlie8575 said:

I've been using an airbrush for almost thirty years, and you're braver than I am with one.

Charlie Larkin

Thanks Charlie! I don't know what to say except the car was purchased as airbrush practice. Nothing I did was that hard and there are a number of issues that I'll highlight later, but the question my dad asked me when I was a kid has an amended answer to it:

"Did you do your best?"

"Yes, but I'll do better next time."

[LAV25]

I wanted to call this "Under Glass" but when I looked at the pics I found a couple things I can still fix. Notably the distributor cap is interfering with the proper seating of the shaker. The hood is also warped but I see from some other members' posts that this is an issue with the model. 

 

Anyway, almost ready for under glass status:

 

 

[David G.]

Super Sharp!

Great looking work for a first go with an airbrush.

David G.

[bytownshaker]

Absolutely fantastic result especially for first time using an airbrush.

[Tcoat]

Exquisite!