How do you mask surfaces and what's your favorite paint?

Did a search, but couldn't find anything. I'm curious what y'all use for masking stuff off and with what type of paint? For instance, the 3M green masking tape might work fine with Krylon, but I'm not so sure it wouldn't pull up brush or model spray paint with it. How does the blue tape work with model paints? Any idea?

I'm also curious how you guys do your pythonizing. I know you can drape a net over the vehicle or cut strips of tape and criss cross them, but what other ways are there?

Last question is what kind of paint do you prefer? I like to build models, so model paint is what I'm used to using. It sucks how much they cost, but I've found that Testors' Model Master paints work pretty well. Definitely better than regular Testors sprays, which seem to always go on to thick and get paint drips. How do these compare to Krylon?

Basic masking tape and Elmers glue allowed to dry over small areas, like Shockwaves eyeholes, then peeled off after a paintjob.

Paint --

No matter what brand you use, you want to stick with acrylic paint. It dries/holds up better than enamel paint. Just remember enamel paint is bad.

The pro's around here use war hammer paint. But for the starter/light customizer, I would recommend Apple Barrel acrylic paint. It is a lot cheaper and easily found in Wal-Mart's craft section.

As for spray paint, I prefer Krylon Fusion. You normally don't need primer and it doesn't chip that easily. But if you are on a tight budget, you can get the store brand acrylic spray paint and primer. If money is no question, go to the automotive section and pic up spray touch up paint there. I swear by this paint, it goes on smooth, more choice in colors (especially exotic) and it goes on metal and plastic seamlessly.

Tape--

I prefer using the blue tape. Just make sure that the paint underneath is fully cured before proceeding. The majority of time spent on a custom is waiting for the paint to dry and cure fully before continuing.

Pythonizing-

Python-Viper, Apocalypse, and Carnage are the experts, do a search with their names and you can find a couple tutorials. The main thing they use is those football jerseys for blocking the paint.

General Advice-

Be sure whatever you are customizing, that it is fully clean. You want to use some dish soap and wash it completely. There are oils, release agents, grim, and dirt on everything. If the part is not clean, it will not hold the paint, you will get spiderwebs, chips, and numerous other issues which cause un-needed frustration.

Before even cracking open a bottle/spray can, have a clean and organized area set up with everything you might need. It sucks when you are right in the middle of something and have to stop to go try to find something to finish.

Good luck and I can't wait to see what you crank out.

Thanks, Scrapiron, that's some good advice. Right now I'm working on turning a Corps ATK into a Stinger. I think it'll turn out pretty neat.

Neat trick with the Elmer's glue, ZG.

I'm curious, what do y'all do about spray painting when it's this cold? Even if I could afford a spray booth, there's nowhere to put it. My only two options are to wait for warmer weather (screw that) or hurry and paint outside and then rush everything back in to dry.

BTW, guys, I'm not sure if everyone thought I was asking for advice only, but mostly I'm curious what techniques everyone likes to use.

One more thing - how well does model putty work to fill in cracks on Joe vehicles? Hasbro did such a crappy job on my A-10, I'd like to fill in all of the seems and paint it like a real A-10.

I'm curious, what do y'all do about spray painting when it's this cold? Even if I could afford a spray booth, there's nowhere to put it. My only two options are to wait for warmer weather (screw that) or hurry and paint outside and then rush everything back in to dry.

I just spray away.

As long as it's not snowing/raining, I leave it outside for a few hours to get the worst of the spray paint smell gone, then bring it inside and let it finish drying overnight.

I'm curious, what do y'all do about spray painting when it's this cold? Even if I could afford a spray booth, there's nowhere to put it. My only two options are to wait for warmer weather (screw that) or hurry and paint outside and then rush everything back in to dry.

I use krylon fusion paints and the blue tape for the vehicles. Yeah, when its cold I paint it on the porch then bring it in and set it down inside to dry. Krylon dries fast (to the touch). But I found in the cold it messes the paint up and dries VERY slowly. I take one or two pieces out at a time, or if I have a lot of small pieces I place them on a piece of cardboard and carry them back in on that.

But if its snowing/raining, painting outsides is not an option

For the python stuff I use the mesh football jerseys. There is a tutorial in the JCwiki, Python.

For figures I use the warhammer paint, also known as Citadel Colours. Avoid enamels at all cost.

Two things every customizer needs to keep at thier workbench:

A hairdryer. When you want something to dry quickly, hit it with the hair dryer to speed up the results. Careful though, those parts can get hot quick!

A desktop space heater. If you have something large that you want to dry quickly, put it on oscilate and let it go to work.

Two things every customizer needs to keep at thier workbench:

A hairdryer. When you want something to dry quickly, hit it with the hair dryer to speed up the results. Careful though, those parts can get hot quick!

A desktop space heater. If you have something large that you want to dry quickly, put it on oscilate and let it go to work.

If the part is small enough I will hold it up next to a lamp or a lightbulb, that does the trick.

A desktop space heater. If you have something large that you want to dry quickly, put it on oscilate and let it go to work.

Huh, never thought about the heater...I've got a small oscilliating one I use to heat my apartment, always on hand, and I never gave it a second thought for this.

Heat gun I have on hand in place of the dryer, just have to use more care (keep the setting under 6 and no more than a few seconds unless you like melted plastic). A fast way though to loosen parts (like wrists) if you need to pop a part loose or get it back in, I've found. I have used it in the past to dry acrylic paint on figures.

Two things every customizer needs to keep at thier workbench:

A hairdryer. When you want something to dry quickly, hit it with the hair dryer to speed up the results. Careful though, those parts can get hot quick!

A desktop space heater. If you have something large that you want to dry quickly, put it on oscilate and let it go to work.

I just let things air dry. Sometimes it kills me to have to wait but in the end its worth it not to rush. I am also fortunate to have a back deck that gets direct sun for most of the morning, which is generally when I do my spraying. I can leave the parts out in the sun for 15-20 minutes and they get fairly dry that way - even in the winter.

I use the cardboard soda box bottoms that you find at grocery stores - the ones that hold loose 6 packs. It makes a good containment field for spraying and minimizes the worry of dropping small parts while carrying them in from outside.

Two things every customizer needs to keep at thier workbench:

A hairdryer. When you want something to dry quickly, hit it with the hair dryer to speed up the results. Careful though, those parts can get hot quick!

A desktop space heater. If you have something large that you want to dry quickly, put it on oscilate and let it go to work.

I just let things air dry. Sometimes it kills me to have to wait but in the end its worth it not to rush. I am also fortunate to have a back deck that gets direct sun for most of the morning, which is generally when I do my spraying. I can leave the parts out in the sun for 15-20 minutes and they get fairly dry that way - even in the winter.

I use the cardboard soda box bottoms that you find at grocery stores - the ones that hold loose 6 packs. It makes a good containment field for spraying and minimizes the worry of dropping small parts while carrying them in from outside.

Aye, sunlight is ALWAYS the best option.

I use the above when its freezing outside, like it is now, or if Im painting at night.