How to HANDPAINT Gunpla! | Gundam Painting Tutorial

[@NicoSuratos]

To avoid confusion, I’m letting you all know that the parts I’m painting here are already painted in their base colors, so meaning these are sanded, primed and painted already. I’m just detailing it more by hand-painting different shades of color! 😊

[@zhangkybar]

Gotcha just about to ask that

[@ianmontero27]

After niyo po ma hand detailed gamit vallejo, ano po pinang ta topcoat niyo po?

[@pault6243]

I’m sorry but what kind of prime color do you use? And which sand paper size do you use before paint prime color?

[@gaetanoriccio2344]

Hi, when you painted their base colors what technique did you use? What do you suggest for a begginer?

[@the.nikkoman]

Ate, did you also prime them via handbrush?

[@arzoniist5776]

Watched this. Drove to my local hobby store. Got wet pallet (army painter one since that's all the had. rip wallet) and a bunch of the AV paints. SO thanks... Ive acquired a new way to paint because of you. lol. Its working perfectly, especially after watching you do it. How do you keep teaching me stuff to try. After doing Gunpla for years?!

[@NicoSuratos]

That’s awesome to hear! I’m really glad you learned something from this video! Thank you for watching!

[@laffing_hwhitee]

Excellent handpainting & blending!

[@NicoSuratos]

Thanks!

[@stevelucido266]

Love your father's content. Me and my wife are getting into Gunpla and I want to paint them like my gaming miniatures!

[@arthurpendragon8768]

Nice video bro, I'll repaint some of my gunpla after this

[@HobbyWorksbyRani]

My only problem sometimes is that I can't seem to get the proper thinning with some of my paints - most of my acrylics are tamiya as of this time. but I am easing into handpainting as well as it is more practical with my current living area (no area for spraying).

[@NicoSuratos]

So Tamiya are alcohol based paints and with this you need two thin coats for a nice finish but with tamiya, that’s an issue because applying the second coat reactivates the first coat, basically kinakaskas ng 2nd coat yung first coat, so you get brush strokes. It’s tricky to handpaint with tamiya cause it’s not really for handpainting 😅 so I would suggest switching to zurc, hiro or vallejo or even citadel if you can.

[@HobbyWorksbyRani]

@@NicoSuratos what works for me is I do a first coat that is slightly thick and use the 2nd coat as a way to pull the 1st coat into an even coat. But that is very tricky and I sometimes end up even getting to the base coat. I have zurc but i think it is prethinned for airbrush

[@NicoSuratos]

Zurc’s water based acrylics is applicable for handpainting, hiro is another cheap alternative, just need a tiny bit of water and it’s good for handpainting already. Very easy to use and ries smoothly with minimal brush mark

[@rapidoodsdoodles]

@@NicoSuratos Hey do you mean the new Zurc waterbased classic and not the waterbased wargames? I ordered a zurc metallic blue waterbased classic and hoping it has good coverage. Regular hiro paints are good but as far for the silver metallic I have an issue which it doesn't cover wider areas where armored komodo does it well and the best is vallejo when it comes to silver metallic paints. For dry brushing and detailing, hiro metallics is decent enough already. Sorry for interrupting and thank you for this kind of tutorials.

[@jpgundamKLTR]

Thank you for this idea . Im using hiro paint for my handpainting Im amaze in progress like a airbrush finish .

[@NicoSuratos]

Wonderful!

[@marvinambrocio3933]

😮Another imformative content,mga ganito sana lage❤❤❤

[@davesatja8844]

can you try the sponge painting technique?

[@NicoSuratos]

I’ll take note of that

[@PeteCorp]

Super

[@NicoSuratos]

Thanks!

[@Chamomileable]

Acrylic over Enamel over Lacquer is a classic strategy. A set of good oil enamels is great for doing details over a lacquer coat since enamel thinner won't really react with lacquer clear coats at all. That way you can just get rid of your mistakes like you would when panel lining or washing.

[@NicoSuratos]

Yes exactly but like I said I’m not thinking about making a tutorial about that anytime soon 😂

[@lifeneedsmorechill]

So the recommendation is for vallejo paints because of the self flattening rather than Mr hobby ones. Thank you for the tips

[@NicoSuratos]

Mr Hobby have good self levelling property as well, though some users note that this depends on the color. Some colors require more effort to achieve this.

[@Twice_Marvel]

I was looking for a video on hand painting, thanks!

[@NicoSuratos]

Glad it was helpful!

[@angelo-qy9xy]

I have a brush now, and paint is already on it's way😁 wish lolo gundam a goodluck😂 More paint tutorial idol♥️✌️

[@NicoSuratos]

I’ll make a video about how to handpaint whole armor pieces and not just the details for you!

[@angelo-qy9xy]

@@NicoSuratos will wait for that♥️

[@heymanchan9007]

Thank you

[@djpanaligan1775]

youre a great teacher!

[@NicoSuratos]

I appreciate that!

[@-supguys-]

Question: Do I really need to finish the paint off with a top coat

[@mistermastermind528]

It'll protect the paint from chipping off. And I heard that if you only even top coat a kit without painting it, it'll look better than an out of box assembly.

[@NicoSuratos]

It’s just one more step in order to protect your paint job or even just the decals on your straight build, so I do recommend doing it.

[@eclectic_savant]

I would recommend Jerry's Art-o-Rama Connecticut, USA for good prices on higher quality paint brushes. They offer just about every type of artist brush in every quality level in price range. They focus on art students and the ability to obtain high quality on a student budget. Plus, I find that many artist supplies of all types help with model making and inspire out of the box thinking to create miniatures.

[@KairuAkumaru]

woaa nice tq nicoo

[@NicoSuratos]

Thanks!

[@troysmith6440]

So say if spray canned lacquer, would i need to top coat it before applying acrylics on top then do another round of clear?

[@NicoSuratos]

Not really necessary to varnish in between lacquer and acrylics. You can do it just to make sure you won't get scratches or chips but the lacquer won't really react if you put acrylic on top without a varnish in between. Also keep in mind to let the acrylic cure for at least 2 weeks before topcoating with a lacquer topcoat, otherwise you'll get orange peeling. If you can't wait, then just use an acrylic topcoat.

[@flechman63]

Great video and instruction

[@NicoSuratos]

Glad it was helpful!

[@marbzirc376]

Hello. Quick question. If you're hand painting using acrylics, can you apply topcoat? If so, what type would be the best to use so as not to eat-away the acrylic paint?

[@NicoSuratos]

Yes you still apply topcoat. Use an acrylics topcoat.

[@gunplanmore6050]

I don't have a steady hand so that is way I avoid hand painting unless I have to in certain parts like the pilot.

[@matttumberman2191]

Have you tried Armored Komodo? Also yeah you should have mentioned these have been primed and sanded prior to Handbrushing, but you gave me a good insight on how to approach handbrushing so thanks 😅

[@CCCCCC-ic6rx]

Big info to have before a bunch of people start swishing paint around on bare plastic lmfao

[@matttumberman2191]

@@CCCCCC-ic6rx you know why? Cause I swished around in bare plastic using her technique hahahaha! I thought it would work out differently since what she did was different from others. But yes I think her style has merit so I'll try that the next time that I don't forego the 3 basics: sanding, washing and priming. I just hope it's not just because it Vallejo that it's good, and can be done with my preferred brand haha!

[@NicoSuratos]

My bad, I taught mentioning about choosing to handpaint instead of masking and airbrushing again would be enough to show that these are indeed painted already. Also forgot that some people just paint the details and not the whole kit. Next time I’ll make it more clear and not assume that people understands it already! 😊

[@matttumberman2191]

@@NicoSuratos it's my bad. My dumb self convinces me always that I don't have to do it the right way. But yeah you should put that as an aside since there's not a lot of handpainting gunpla tutorials and you're well-followed by new and experienced alike. Thanks again for the upload

[@yangatsoul7674]

And I don't have any airbrush lol 😂 Thank you for this awesome tutorial Nico :)

[@NicoSuratos]

Happy to help!

[@groundhight7446]

I panel line after I airbrush varnish for 4-5 times in my hand-painting Gunpla .But sometimes it can not be wipe out if panel line beyond the line or it may corrode my painting if I try to wipe out panel line.Could you please tell me how to avoid these situation?Thanks you very much.

[@NicoSuratos]

What are you using to panel line? Do you let the varnish cure before applying the panel line? What paints and varnish are you using?

[@groundhight7446]

@@NicoSuratos I painted with AV vallejo then I airbrushed with Gunze varnish

[@groundhight7446]

@@NicoSuratos Finally.I used Mecha black wash vallejo to panel line

[@NicoSuratos]

Make sure to let the varnish cure for a day or two before panel lining. You may be using a cleaner that is too harsh for the acrylics that’s why your painting gets corroded. The varnish should be gloss as well. It’s impossible to get clean panel lines if you’re using matte varnish

[@groundhight7446]

@@NicoSuratos Thanks.I would try again.By the way I use gloss varnish rather than matte.

[@bloodyknight1108]

can i ask for a shop recommendation in shopee or a link for the brush

[@NicoSuratos]

Just any Kolinsky Sable Brush works

[@iconickjlee4960]

hello I'm planning to paint gunplas as practice and experimenting for future miniature paints, I have one question which would you recommend between these two for Hand brushing: Armored Komodo or Hiro? thanks

[@NicoSuratos]

I have used Hiro Paints for a while now and I’ve tried it for handpainting and airbrushing alike, they have good quality water-based acrylic paints perfect for handpainting. The formulation is already perfect and no thinning is required, simply wet your paintbrush and you’re good to go. So I would recommend Hiro Paints.

[@claudenlina6414]

Hi. I have a question for hand painting. How do you paint the part where the grip is covering? Great tutorial by the way.

[@NicoSuratos]

I don’t clip the part on an area that is visible. I clip it underneath usually on a male peg

[@sweetsoulrevue4547]

Is it okay to use this paints for tamiya spray color spray cans??.. thank you

[@NicoSuratos]

Yes, absolutely

[@sweetsoulrevue4547]

@@NicoSuratos ok thank you

[@aljondevera4147]

Did u primed it with airbrush first before handpainting?

[@NicoSuratos]

In this video, I’m teaching how to handpaint small details on your gunpla, so the part I’m using is already primed and painted in it’s base colors and I’m just handpainting the details

[@bellminiaviary6823]

I'm from the Philippines also. may i know what paint brand do you use and pain brush as well. thank you in advance.

[@NicoSuratos]

I use water based acrylic paints, mainly Vallejo but I also started using Army Painter, Cuttlefish paints and Citadel paints. For the Paint brush, I use kolinsky sable brushes, mainly from Redgrass Games

[@ZNR2912]

Hi, can I have a video or a link to a video for the sanding, applying primer, base coat? I'm super noob and only have access to hand paint at the moment, but can't seem to find the video showing the steps of applying primer everywhere with hand paint.

[@NicoSuratos]

I don’t have a video about handpainting primer. For future references, you can check out my “Learn how to paint Gunpla” playlist. I put all painting tutorials there.

[@danieljusto2741]

Wich brushes are you using? I dont know wich ones to buy, the size of the ones shown in the video seem perfect for me. ¿Could you pelase give me some references?

[@NicoSuratos]

Kolinsky sable brushes, size 2 and for detailing size 00

[@TitoPopoy]

It's just that if we use an airbrush, the paint is more cleaner? Right?

[@NicoSuratos]

Most of the time sure, but if you learn proper brush painting, it can be just as clean. Really depends on each individual.

[@rendyiswanto9529]

can you top coat it using laquer topcoat?

[@NicoSuratos]

It’s doable but make sure the acrylics had time to cure (usually a day imo) and spray the topcoat in light coats. Doing a thick spray makes it dry longer which might give it time to attack the acrylics underneath

[@rendyiswanto9529]

@@NicoSuratos got it, thx :D

[@Mr._Gunpla]

How do you stay within the lines when brush painting without masking? I find that if I make a mistake and the paint gets into a spot that it shouldn’t, fixing it leaves a permanent discoloration. I had that issue when trying to two tone with grey over white and then any of the grey that over lapped was permanently darker even after repainting it with white.

[@NicoSuratos]

I use a no. 2 brush and just take my time when going over the edges to make sure I don’t slip.

[@Grandamturbo]

I'm new to the painting scene when it comes to gunpla, but is there a way to hand paint details without priming the model? I wanted to do some small details on my mg jegan, just to get my toes wet without painting the whole kit

[@NicoSuratos]

It’s generally recommended to prime even if you’re just painting small details. Primer is opaque while acrylics & enamels are not so priming is essential when changing a color of a part. Using primer also helps the paint adhere better and results is less streaky and less uneven paint job. There are numerous brush-on primers in the market, you can apply it first on the small area you want with a paint brush then apply your actual paint.

[@ariesgendut]

Hand painting use acrilic, not need a primer first?

[@NicoSuratos]

Primer is needed, no matter what kind of paint is used. This video is a tutorial on how to handpaint small details on an already painted kit

[@dragoonzen]

nice!

[@NicoSuratos]

Thank you!

[@wannabkain4400]

Have you ever primed them with brush on primer? I don’t want to use spray cans anymore for priming due to fumes

[@NicoSuratos]

Yes. I just prefer spray cans or airbush because handpainting primer takes a lot longer and needs more coats if you want a smooth finish. But If you’re not worried about time or you’re not rushing to finish painting, brush on primer works just as fine.

[@wannabkain4400]

@@NicoSuratos thank you. Yeah I am never in a rush.

[@InsanityGrasp]

Would this work better with citadel or tamiya paints? I have both but I'm unsure which would do a better job for gundam. For some reason my tamiya paints barely stick and I don't know what to do, and I'm afraid citadel will look like a rough surface.

[@NicoSuratos]

Tamiya is alcohol-based so it's really tricky to handpaint with it. Alcohol-based paints reactivates so you can't do a second coat, you're just scratching the first coat underneath. It's mainly for airbrushing. Therefore, Citadel paints are better in this case. Those are actually formulated for handpainting since they're meant for miniature figures.

[@InsanityGrasp]

Ah, I understand. I come from Warhammer but I accidentally invested in some tamiya acrylic paints before doing research. Thanks for the tip!

[@NicoSuratos]

Got it! You can use Citadel paints or whatever you're already using on your warhammer minis to handpaint Gunpla :)

[@InsanityGrasp]

@@NicoSuratos Dude your channel is legitimately helpful and you're so active in the comments, I really appreciate you - keep it up!

[@InsanityGrasp]

Also, Question: Why do you panel line before painting? Wouldn't it get covered and you would have to do it again?

[@criticalshiver]

I live in Canada, what brushes would you recommend I buy and if i cant find them the equivalents?

[@NicoSuratos]

I believe Kolinsky Sable Brushes are sold worldwide in a bunch of art stores. Famous brands would be winsor and newton, da vinci and princeton

[@themidnightshopper5711]

Hi Nico, question. Did you also sand the parts first and apply primers before handpainting it? Thanks!

[@NicoSuratos]

Yes, these are already airbrushed in their base colors before I hand-painted the details, sorry if I didn’t made that clear!

[@maninmocian]

Did you prime your pieces prior to hand painting?

[@NicoSuratos]

The video is about handpainting the details so the parts are already primed and painted in their base colors.

[@DingoPaints]

Nice video

[@zhengsen8023]

would a top coat be absolute nessesary?

[@NicoSuratos]

Yes. Without it, you risk the chances of smudging, chipping and contaminating the paint with dirt, dust and grime

[@zhengsen8023]

another question, i will be using vallejo model color,how much would i need to thin it?(i am using water)

[@cedriclacsamana9253]

I need help 😭 my primer pools by the edge of a part and I don't know to fix it. Do you have and advice? (i'm using hiro paints and I dont know if the colors can be used straight out of the bottle because i think it gets too thin if i mix any bit of water to it)

[@NicoSuratos]

Hiro paints can be used straight out the bottle as it is formulated for hand painting. But I do recommend to always have your brush wet or damp when hand painting. I suggest using a wet palette (you can diy it as well) it’s easier to control the paint with a wet palette. Another tip is to have a tissue paper where you wick off the excess paint. So what you do is load the brush with the primer, then wick off the excess on the tissue paper before applying the paint or primer on the model. Pooling happens when you have too much paint/primer. Another thing is to use a blowdryer/hair dryer. After every coat, use it to speed up the drying process.

[@lovecare8035]

Hindi ba ito natatangal ng basta basta pag nilagyan ng top coat. At ano magandang paint na ginamit mo for plastic sa Gundam kit mo. Pag nag paint ba sa kit dapat bang naliha ito at malinis bago e paint..

[@NicoSuratos]

I have a playlist all about painting gunpla so I suggest watching that to get more information. :) Topcoat is a varnish that protects the paint therefore it will seal the paint layer, preventing any chipping or flaking. When Painting Gunpla, I use water-based acrylic paints, there are various brands on the market, one that is widely available for the Philippines are Hiro Paints. If you want to make your paint job look better and smoother then yes, it should be clean before painting. Like I said, feel free to check out my playlist I have some videos talking a lot more about painting gunpla in general. Hope this answers your questions!

[@mrcapcom9870]

What do you use for clean u? I noticed for the foot it was kinda not sharp then in the next frame everything was cleaned up and sharp as far as the lines.

[@NicoSuratos]

Just water, I’m using water based acrylics:)

[@Redlion582]

What paint do you use?

[@NicoSuratos]

Water based acrylic paints. In this video I used Vallejo Colors

[@ianmontero27]

Maam nilalagyan niyo pa po ng clear coat or top coat po after ma hand paint?

[@NicoSuratos]

Yes

[@ianmontero27]

@@NicoSuratos pwede po ba kaya yung bosny clear spray paint po?

[@oliverstoys8411]

👍🏻

[@chepixequilibrium]

how to clean the miss paint at the part?

[@NicoSuratos]

I just use water. These are water based acrylics

[@chepixequilibrium]

@@NicoSuratos what did u use to panel lining on top of painted part? and how to clean the miss line, thx b4

[@NicoSuratos]

Tamiya panel liner. I use turpentine to clean it

[@bentan147]

@@NicoSuratos So just jumping on this that after painting & if i use Tamiya panel liner & then use their X-20 Enamel Thinner to clean the panel lines, it will not damage or rub away the Vellajo paint coat?

[@astaroth_sasazaki_yt]

Have you tried using Gundam Markers tho? Does it have the same effect with handbrushing?

[@NicoSuratos]

While Gundam Markers can provide a quick and easy way to add details to a model, they do not have the same effect as hand painting. It’s harder to be precise especially on small parts with a gundam marker due to the size of the nib. Hand painting allows for more control and precisio. over color application. It can also provide a more realistic and artistic look to the model. However, hand painting requires more skill and time compared to using Gundam Markers. Ultimately, the choice between using Gundam Markers or hand painting depends on personal preference, the level of detail desired, and the overall finish you want to achieve for your model. Some modelers may even combine both methods to get the best results.

[@michaelalvarez6019]

hi!, ano kaya magandang way para mag paint ng yellow if ang primer ko is gray? kaya pala gray ang primer ko kasi nagprint ako ng kabayo, tapos ang strap nya is color yellow, may way po kaya para kumapit ang yellow? tapos maiwasan yung brush stroke

[@NicoSuratos]

Yellow is a very transparent and translucent paint so with a grey primer, the result will be a dull green-ish yellow which is not really nice to look at, so it’s recommended to use a white primer or pink primer when painting yellow to achieve a vibrant result. I recommend either priming it white on top of the grey or getting a Hiro pink primer, which you can handpaint before handpainting the yellow

[@wewyllenium]

im old. dexterity zero.

[@NicoSuratos]

That’s where commission work comes in 😉😅

[@noblord8643]

Whats the best n suitable lacquer paint brand for handbrush? Im still dont get it, ive tried a lot with mr color, but i think mr color are not the best for handbrush. Did the job, but not the best.. any suggestion?

[@NicoSuratos]

Lacquer paints are not really meant for handbrushing. You can only apply ONE thick coat and that’s it, if you apply a second coat, you’re just scratching the first coat, leaving you with a ton of brush marks and streaks. I would recommend using acrylics or enamels for handpainting. Leave Lacquer paints for the airbrush.

[@TheMobileSuitHangar]

Because masking is freaking tedious 😫😫😫

[@NicoSuratos]

Superrr! It jas it’s uses and benefits but I can avoid it, I will 😂

[@hoshi314]

if you can, use only one brand of paint if you are going to combine airbrush and handbrush, it's a massive hassle if you screw up even a single stroke if you use different brands. Not that i am discouraging to use whatever you have but be warned when fixing a mistake can be quite a hassle

[@NicoSuratos]

I think you shouldn’t limit yourself to one brand of paint because of mistakes. And usually mistakes occur due to user error and lack of understanding of the paint you’re working with, not the paints itself. Also, I don’t think it’s about the brand but more about what type of paint you used. Many modelers successfully combine different brands and types of paint in their work without issue. It’s so common to see people use acrylics with oils and enamels, lacquer etc. from different brands/companies. The reason is because using different types gives you the flexibility to customize your painting experience to your liking. And you might prefer the consistency or pigment quality of certain brands for specific techniques or applications. Plus it’s actually harder to fix mistakes when the same type of paint is used for everything. Because the same paint thinner or cleaning solution is used for both. This means that if you try to fix a mistake in one area, the surrounding paint may also be affected and can cause unintended blending or smudging. This can be particularly problematic if you need to fix a small, precise area, as the risk of accidentally affecting nearby areas is much higher with the same type of paint. Like with water based acrylics, especially if you didn’t varnish before handpainting, there’s a possibility of you ruining the paint beneath when you make a mistake in your handpainting and try to fix it. Compare that to handpainting with acrylics over a lacquer painted surface. Acrylics tend to have the ‘weakest’ thinner which (generally) means it won’t affect a lacquer or enamel layer. So if you make a mistake in handpainting, you can clean that with water without worrying because the layer underneath will not be affected at all, so it’s easier to fix mistakes. This is what I think so let’s just agree to disagree. 😊

[@megaflux7144]

uh.. i think airbrushing is cheaper in the long game. your paint goes WAY further with an air brush and if you are buying expensive paint that adds up. some of it is obviously case by case, but for priming and things like that air brush shits all over hand painting with hand painting really only shining when you are doing extreme details. also fuck leaving brush strokes behind.

[@cerealeatingguy3677]

Can i ask something Can i use primer painting for my Gunpla custom when i Will sand it and paint Another color because im not really good at spraying the Gunpla parts because some of my custom builds i ruined it by myself🥲🥲🥲

[@NicoSuratos]

I’m sorry I don’t understand the question, are you asking if you can handpaint the primer?

[@cerealeatingguy3677]

@@NicoSuratos yup I'm totally suck in spraying and I want to use handpaint primer for my gunplas

[@NicoSuratos]

Handpainting primer is doable but time consuming. You prep your kit like normal, which is sanding and washing it with soap. There are some brush-on primers available in the market, which you can search for, those are primers that are formulated to be handpainted