Masking mutiple bands layer or overlap and sand?

[LostInSwiss]

Hi


I am new to modeling and spraying. I am restoring an old car to box art conditions. Here is what it should look like when its done:

It is primed and I have the yellow top coat on and sanded to 3000 grit. Now I want to add the blue's, the decals and the clear coat.


My question is about the best way to mask the blues without too much thickness or too many steps. I guess the easiest way would be to mask off the yellow, spray the light blue, mask off that and spray the dark blue. But I am afraid that the dark blue will be too think (two layers deep & two steps). I am thinking of masking the yellow and the light blue areas, spray the dark blue, then mask the dark blue (with a small overlap for the light blue area), unmask the light blue areas, spay the light blue and then sand down the light blue step that overlaps the dark blue. To illustrate what I mean see attachment.


My theory is that the light and dark blue areas will have no step and no extra thickness. But apart from being complex it might be a stupid idea... I am using automotive lacquer from cans.


Advice much appreciated!

 

[Stevekir]

An other way is to try to paint three separate strips, two light blue and one dark blue. It is unlikely that you would be able to spray accurately enough to get a perfect but joint (that is, strips just touching).Therefore, this would require two small overlaps to avoid any yellow strip between the colours. Given those overlaps, you might as well go for your suggested way which would involve two overlaps, the same as the other way.


Another thought. Overlapping light blue on to dark blue might allow the dark blue to show through. Therefore, you could mask for a wide light blue strip, then mask for the dark blue on top, down the middle.


Also, to get a clean overlap (and therefore a clean edge) you could make sure that the masking tape is pressed down at the edges, using a blunt rubbing tool. I  once painted two coats of Klear (the floor varnish used for modelling) overlapping the mask edges and the paint next to it. This might minimise bleed under the mask which ruins any masking job.


Practice and experiment.


Yet another way: Make decals. You can get decal printing paper for printing a design in an inkjet printer. That would avoid any overlaps.