Please help me paint a bike!

[Commander Sasha]

What order do you build, undercoat and paint your models in? I have trouble building the rider in the right pose unless I am gluing him to the bike as I go.

If I build the whole model in one go it makes painting the engine and saddle, the breastplate and feet etc much harder.

If instead I build the bike and the rider separately, I struggle to get him to fit nicely afterwards.

 

Is it possible to build, spray and paint the bike, then start gluing the rider to it unpainted, subsequently undercoating and painting as you go? Can you buy a non-aerosol undercoat? I guess undercoating the model on the sprue might work, but how do I undercoat where the sprue attaches?

 

I am returning to my marines army after a few years of Skaven counts-as-Tyranids, and am planning on a nice bike command squad; my year of Skavenids has seen my painting improve, and my modelling, so I want to improve my biker models. Sorry if this seems like a noob question!

[Koremu]

I build the rider in situ without gluing him to the bike, then remove him, paint separately and put him back on at the end.

[Tanhausen]

I build the rider in situ without gluing him to the bike, then remove him, paint separately and put him back on at the end.

 

That works... as long as he doesn't have robed legs... its a pain to put him back on, scrapping the paint (yep, done it).

 

My suggestion is that you build all the model but don't glue:

 

- the front fender, so you can to the handle and so easily

- the body

- the arms

 

That way its much easier to work... albeit more time.

[Koremu]

I build the rider in situ without gluing him to the bike, then remove him, paint separately and put him back on at the end.

 

That works... as long as he doesn't have robed legs... its a pain to put him back on, scrapping the paint (yep, done it).

Ahhh yes, I can imagine. Although I bought all my Bikes as part of Ravenwing sets, I don't actually use many of the DA pieces

[Vexicus]

Personally I paint bikes (and all models for that matter) on their sprue. When I cut them off its just a cast of touch ups.

[striker8]

I build the rider in situ without gluing him to the bike, then remove him, paint separately and put him back on at the end.

 

I second this method but add that I drill a hole in the riders backside for a paperclip pin that's used to hold him while painting ans later to strenghthen the joint when he gets glued to the bike.

[striker8]

I build the rider in situ without gluing him to the bike, then remove him, paint separately and put him back on at the end.

 

That works... as long as he doesn't have robed legs... its a pain to put him back on, scrapping the paint (yep, done it).

 

My suggestion is that you build all the model but don't glue:

 

- the front fender, so you can to the handle and so easily

- the body

- the arms

 

That way its much easier to work... albeit more time.

 

While doing rider bodies that fit tight and scrape paint I now do a dry fit after priming and the places on the rider that scape paint get a good filing/carving so they don't anymore. If done right you never even see it and assembly is a breeze.

[Darklighter]

I've tried painting on the sprue and part building. They are viable methodes, but can have much worse drawbacks than just gluing the whole thing together and being a little more careful.

 

Painting on the sprue is nice and easy, but then your left with having to do the clean up and fitting once a models painted, Meaning you'll have to scrape and sand off your paint to make things flush and fit neatly. With bikes the front and rear fender do not align correctly and need quite a bit of work. Even if your lucky and don't need to force the model to fit right you'll have to paint the bare plastic spots left by the sprue

 

Part building would offer the best solution for people who aren't so neat with a brush. The main draw back here is losing parts or getting them mixed up into other projects, as well as making gluing difficult.

 

A full build means you can use your model mid compleation and you will not lose parts (uless very unlucky). It means the glue has an unpainted surface to adhere too making a much stronger bond. You can make sure all the parts fit and add extra detail without disturbing a finished paint job.

 

I've found that since I've started building my models fully I have become much neater and faster with my paint work and my skills have increased far quicker than they had previously. I know eveyone is different and you have to find your own zen.

 

You can buy piant on primer from Valejo as well as other companies. Then you'd then basecoat over the that and then go on to paint as you would normaly.

 

Good luck with your bikers.

[their kin]

I've found that with bikers, glue the legs down, then build the torso with arms attached. With some care, you can snap the hands on and off and he'll rest on their, fully built while being removable and accessible. Hope that helps.

 

-joe