My question is about what degree of flatness or glossness is appropriate for the paint on a 1/350 scale WWII warship, and how best to achieve it (specifically for a Bismark-class)? But I assume the question is pertinent for any scaled-down model, including armor (but much less for a 1/35 than for a 1/350). I'm starting out with a flat Tamiya acrylic gray, and while this might be suitable for the real thing on a 1/1 scale and not look too flat at a distance, in the 1/350 and up close, it's way too flat; and of a coarse texture, even. How do I get to a reasonable place on the flat-matte-gloss paint spectrum; just go flat or gloss and spray overall with generic clear semi-gloss or is there a better way to do it with less paint layered over the details? Related to this is the question of how I get a matte or non-shiney surface without the excessively coarse surface texture of a flat paint. Also, if I need to seal the whole thing afterwards with a top coat anyway (?; do I?) maybe this is not a concern. This is all with airbrush.
Maybe this makes sense to someone who has already thought this through and figured this out! Yo ho ho....Stephen

Every 1/350 finished warship model I've ever seen has been painted with flat paint.

Kenny

Hi Stephen,

If you use acrylics, try this,...

Paint your ship in whatever scheme you like. Once completed, mix about 70-80% thinner with 15-20% paint (same paint you used for your final coat) and add about 5-10% gloss, mix well and overspray your paint job. Give the model numerous passes with the airbrush (careful not to create runs) until you've achieved that egg-shell look.

Frank

Frank: OK; sounds good, I'll try it. By "gloss", do you mean clear gloss or gloss color? Thanx.

Use the same flat paint you used to paint the model and add a few drops of gloss clear coat. This coat should be thinned out about 70 to 80% with thinner and sprayed in multiple thin coats .

hope this helps,

Frank

Thanks. What I am trying to get at is the look I see in some of the photos of the actual ships: not a result of shiney painted surfaces, but ones showing some reflectance when strong light is on them, like when sunlight is bouncing up from the ocean surface off the hull or when a flat surface or sharp angle catches the direct sunlight. A 100 percent flat paint on a 1/350 scale model is going to have none of this effect; it will be artificially extra flat and suck all the light in and release none of it. Its something to do with scale; there's probably a technical term in common use for this phenom, I don't know what it is. It's also something of a weathering effect; a model painted flat is going to remain flat, an actual ship's paint is going to get burnished from weather and water, scrubbing and scraping - a subtler effect than the rust, grime, soot and scale highlights which can be applied on top of whatever paint is applied to the kit. Okay, over and out. Stephen.