# About spray painting a plastic model **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** arts-crafts\ **Created:** [January 8, 2021, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-spray-painting-a-plastic-model/930055 "2021-01-08T19:26:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-spray-painting-a-plastic-model/930055/1 "2021-01-08T19:26:34Z")
I’ve painted some parts with Tamiya spray paint from a rattle can. When it dried, some spots were glossy, which I wanted, other spots were dull and flat. Why? Maybe the pigment and the material that causes the glossy finish are both in the can and maybe I just didn’t shake it enough to thoroughly mix them. Maybe there’s another issue? I have tried spraying clear gloss over plastic models before and it’s always unsatisfactory, so I’m hoping that there’s a way to get the finish I want with one can. Any ideas? Suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![gnarator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gnarator/32/8266_2.png) [@gnarator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarator)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-spray-painting-a-plastic-model/930055/2 "2021-01-08T19:39:57Z")
I’ve always had good luck with Tamiya, so I’m surprised to hear this. What paint was it? Was the plastic clean? Do you use primer? ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-spray-painting-a-plastic-model/930055/3 "2021-01-08T19:40:34Z")
Some Tamiya paint colors work better than others. But they respond well to repair. Just wet sand the areas with 400 grit and repaint. Tamiya paints blend well - usually you don’t have to repaint the entire model. Getting a perfect finish the first time is a miracle, no matter the brand. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-spray-painting-a-plastic-model/930055/4 "2021-01-08T21:43:20Z")
You need to talk to **Rocketeer**. He’s an Artist! ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-spray-painting-a-plastic-model/930055/5 "2021-01-08T22:01:37Z")
First, as noted above, talk to **Rocketeer** if you can. The material may not have been clean and possibly required sanding to keep the texture consistent. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-spray-painting-a-plastic-model/930055/6 "2021-01-08T23:14:23Z")
Thank you all. “talk to Rocketeer” ??? With the old SDMB it was pretty easy to contact a member. Here, I don’t know. They don’t make it easy, it it’s their intent. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-spray-painting-a-plastic-model/930055/7 "2021-01-08T23:18:31Z")
Ah, right. Try to talk to @Rocketeer. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-spray-painting-a-plastic-model/930055/8 "2021-01-08T23:19:48Z")
Use the search tool – it’s the magnifying glass icon in the upper right corner. - Click on “Options” - Use the first item in Advanced Search: “Posted by” - Type Rocketeer in that field, and hit submit - Hover your cursor over his avatar in that list of threads, and you’ll see a “Send Message” option. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-spray-painting-a-plastic-model/930055/9 "2021-01-08T23:20:09Z")
I immediately pictured one of my models, where the problem was that I’d gotten a minuscule amount of oil on the plastic, from my (clean, I swear it!) fingers. My solution? Suddenly, it was a fighter jet sporting desert camo! ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-spray-painting-a-plastic-model/930055/10 "2021-01-08T23:42:00Z")
Sounds like an area got tacky and then got hit with an overspray. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-spray-painting-a-plastic-model/930055/11 "2021-01-08T23:51:06Z")
You think Rocketeer is the only good model builder here? Just because people like me don’t build what is considered “kewl” and post pics here? My response is accurate and on-point. You want a lesson on how to paint, I can do that. Prep work is 90% of a good paint job, but NO ONE gets perfection the first time. There’s always dust, hair, fisheyes, runs, blemishing. Same as real cars. There’s always repairs. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2021, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-spray-painting-a-plastic-model/930055/12 "2021-01-09T02:29:10Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > There’s always dust, hair, fisheyes, runs, blemishing. ?? What’s a fisheye? The only kewl technique I ever learned was dry-brushing, to highlight things like rivets, and to give a “used” look to things like tanks. Road-splash, etc. I’m a dry-brushing evangelist! ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2021, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-spray-painting-a-plastic-model/930055/13 "2021-01-09T04:23:53Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > ?? What’s a fisheye? Water in the paint. It looks like little circles in the finish. Dry brishing is great! It really wakes up a model. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2021, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-spray-painting-a-plastic-model/930055/14 "2021-02-04T08:24:06Z")
Thanks for the kind comments, but it sounds like you guys have this handled. As **Just\_Asking\_Questions** said, lightly sand the dull areas with some fine sandpaper, maybe 400 or 600 grit wet-or-dry paper. Keep your sandpaper wet, really wet, to help avoid scratches. Then respray, starting with very light coats and slowly building up the color. If you don’t like the gloss, you could give it a coat of Tamiya Gloss Clear or (my favorite) Testors Wet Look Clear.