Model Building
When building a model there are two things to be very careful about, they are painting and gluing. If you don't do one or both of these well, your model will look very bad.
Gluing is most important in level 2 or above models because they require glue. Before building make sure you have the right type of glue for your material. Wooden models require wood glue or wood cement, plastic models require plastic cement, and die-cast models require their own cement. One type will not work for all materials so make sure that you have the right type. NEVER put glue onto the pieces directly from the tube or container. Always squeeze some out onto your work surface, like newspaper, and use a toothpick to put small amounts of glue onto the sufaces that are being joined. Once the glue has started to set, DON'T DISTURB IT! If you move the pieces too much you won't get a good tight fit.
Painting is the other important step. To get the best possible paint job you need an airbrush and lots of time and money, but piantbrushes will do just fine if you are careful. When painting plastic models, my specialty, you should wash all the pieces in a warm soapy bath and then rinse and dry them before starting to paint. Then, using the painting instructions paint all the pieces while they are on their racks. this gives you something to hold while painting the pieces and gives you something to hold the wet pieces. It is usually best to paint on two thin coats, rather than one thick and uneven coat. After taking the pieces from the racks touch up the connecter spots and glue them in. When painting large pieces like the outside of the car, hull of the ship, or outside of the airplane, it is best to spray the paint on. This can be done two ways, with an airbrush, or a spray can. An airbrush will ultimately give you a better coat and a better look, but spray cans are cheaper. To cover areas that don't need to be sprayed mask along the edges with masking tape and cover large areas with plasti-wrap.
Taking the pieces from the racks is also very important because you don't want to break the pieces. An exacto knife or some small wire clippers will usually do the job. Instead of breaking the pieces from the racks, instead clip them off with the wire cutters, or cut them off with the knife. Then trim the rough edges with a hobby knife before gluing them down. If you follow all these tips, and you have a steady hand, your models will look great!
