MASKING

Masking up models is one of those necessary jobs that I find tedious at the best of times. But it’s something that should never be rushed and choosing the right materials does make life so much easier. I’m sure we’re all familiar with masking tapes and there are now plenty of great quality products on the market aimed at modellers, from the likes of Tamiya, Revell, Mr Hobby and Tri-star. Tapes aimed at DIY or decorating use should be avoided as the adhesive is often too harsh for use on delicate surfaces.

General-purpose, cloth-backed hobby masking tapes are great for most tasks, but they may struggle to cope with uneven surfaces, especially locomotive bodyshells that bristle with surface relief. Vinyl-backed tapes tend to be more flexible: Tamiya’s Masking Tape for Curves is more effective, while the red vinyl tape offered by Phoenix Precision Paints is also highly effective.

As well as tapes, it’s worth investing in a jar of masking fluid (Humbrol, Vallejo, or Wilder are recommended), which can be used to seal awkward areas and joints in the tape where paint may seep through, especially when spraying paint from an aerosol or airbrush.

The choice of primer can influence the appearance of a finished model. For example, many metallic paints look more effective when applied over a black background, such as these ‘steel’ wagon loads, created from plastic section.