1893 - How To Paint Sleeves! Reverse Wash Technique

[@ZakuAurelius]

A few people have pointed out that you CAN get enamel paint in spray can form, Testors being one example. Good news for those who aren’t airbrushing! 👍

[@michelfanda2030]

Well you didn't know though. And they aren't widely spread to where you live (or anyone else's) I think people should less freak out to point it out

[@josephjoestar5444]

Ewww enamel paint

[@NetScourge]

@@josephjoestar5444 it's a necessary evil sometimes

[@kghyeah9032]

Rustoleum 12 oz can for $4 at all Walmart’s for those on a budget. Krylon acrylic spray paint is also cheap like $4.50 for 11oz

[@mrZavior]

> Quick video > ZakuAurelius Press "X" to doubt

[@ZakuAurelius]

Yeah 😅

[@mrZavior]

@@ZakuAurelius can I get a heart? lol

[@StaBond]

>reddit spacing

[@flamestoyershadowkill]

laugh x4 speed

[@ixa_gaming9350]

A tip i watched on a japanese hobby channel painting with reverse wash is to use the foil sticker when doing the final step (using cotton swab to reveal the white color) as a guide so that u won't accidentally erase other parts color.

[@niko2454]

Me: **watches the full tutorial** Also me: *applies foil stickers*

[@kimsterP]

Also me 🖐

[@ZakuAurelius]

Honestly the foil stickers work perfectly fine for this kit if you aren’t painting it and just wanna have it look cool up on the shelf

[@roadkillraker]

@@ZakuAurelius I use foil stickers first, telling myself Im going to paint it later. Sometimes I get around to it.

[@niko2454]

roadkillraker same here mate

[@comms9038]

@@ZakuAurelius I mean, you gotta not put them on like shit. They look fine if they're on the exact spot they are supposed to be

[@kaoru288]

"this is gonna be a quick video" *is 12 minutes long* I,for one am 100% game with this "quick" videos. especially in tutorials for minute gunpla detailing like this

[@j.s8660]

Haha, you must be new,12 minutes is pretty short on Zaku's standard

[@RoyOrbisonsElvisTape]

I see a lot of questions, and I would like to throw my 2 cents in. One of the key things to make this work is that on the whole, Lacquer is "hotter" than enamel, that is "hotter" than acrylic, you can put "cooler" paint over "hotter" paint, but not "hot" over "cool" as it most likely will damage the under coat. "Hot" and "cool" is in reference to the strength of the solvent base. The black comes off and the gold shows through because the solvent is strong enough tho remove the black, but not affect the sub layer gold. Just remember the hot and cold guideline and you can do wonderful things with different types of paint. Note always try on a test subject before attempting, paint formulas may differ from general standards dependent on manufacturer, and intended paint use, for example, the paint John Deere uses is acrylic but is full of hardener, and chemicals for long term strength and to prevent farm chemicals and fuel / oil from damaging the paint. It would shrug off any attempt to do any of this paint trickery, and would probably melt a model kit anyway. Happy painting.

[@MrKuncol]

That's not true. You can put enamel paints over acrylics. That's how enamel washes are popular. You can even remove that paint later without damaging layer of acrylic under it. You can also use lacquer paints and varnishes over acrylics, but that have some small risk of damaging base paint with to thick layer of lacquer.

[@RoyOrbisonsElvisTape]

@@MrKuncol Fair enough, I have not had said luck, but I'll try it sometime. Maybe my older paints I used are different than newer better ones.

[@cocobill0077]

This technique depends of the budget you have, if you own an airbrush the result is obviously very good but if you don't and don't usually paint kits and aren't planning to paint anything other than the sleeves from the sinanju/sinanju stein/rebawoo and other sleeves kits a gundam marker can do the job, althought its a bit less spectacular (i got a airbrush for my birthday last year so my original sinanju i used the gold marker 2years ago and by being carefull it looks good, and used this for my sinanju stein this year) so it depends how much you're ready to pay to paint the sleeves, for an hardcore builder this method is perfect and its a really good and complete tutorial, for beginners get a gundam marker and be carefull (still sand tho)

[@skyevmiller]

Really great video. This is the kind of techniques that I need to know and this will really help me. Your videos just keep getting better and better and I love the evolution of your channel. Great work and I hope to see more

[@MICROmor]

masking tape also helps when swabbing to protect areas or make straight lines

[@cazcy11]

Thanks for the vid! I like your “How To” segments they help a lot!

[@ZakuAurelius]

I’d love to make loads more but they take time

[@robertonawhim]

super helpful i assume you can do the same trick with acrylic over lacquer/enamel and wipe off with water? havent tried yet.

[@ZakuAurelius]

Absolutely! 👍

[@mobileandhostile7895]

⭐️ very well presented and really helpful 😎 ⭐️ thanks 👍

[@exiaaaalirez2344]

Can you use acrylic paint in place of enamel during reverse wash process?

[@KunaiKrazy]

FYI there is enamel spray paint but from what I've seen explicitly on the can, is reserved for the likes of modelling. IDK if normal spray paint like Rustoleum' s Painter's Touch is considered enamel. I want to say yes.

[@vincemadarang1446]

Watched full video …doesn’t have an airbrush

[@ZakuAurelius]

You don’t necessarily need one, you can still do it!

[@BGLoscar]

@@ZakuAurelius please show us! ✌

[@hrgaming4plebs570]

handpainting works, I just never able to get smooth finish

[@cordellfrank1798]

@@hrgaming4plebs570 same

[@FeddyGrunt]

Hey, good video as always ZakuAurelius! Can you do a short video on what airbrush compressor system to buy? There's so many out there I don't know whats good and what to avoid..

[@MereDustOnEarth]

more of this type of video. great job

[@fariday96]

1000% really wanting this tutorial video zack, i was thinking on how to do reverse wash on mg sinanju stein nt ver, and u made this its really helpful thank you a lot man👍👍👍

[@ZakuAurelius]

my pleasure!

[@REmasteredSEED911]

As much as I want to try this, I don't have enamels on me. I use polyurethane acrylics from Zurc Scale Paints. To paint such Sleeves details on my Sinanju Stein, I just used a toothpick and sharpen the tip. Then a Gundam Marker White for a couple of times and then use lacquer thinner for wiping off any excess. Though, I might try doing what you did here. It looks so much better.

[@johnchristian9933]

Thanks for all the tricks and tips

[@10cboi63]

Great tutorial Zak! Hope to see more in the future! More power!

[@yourview8159]

Is it possible to do reverse wash using handbrush?

[@bagonmyhead69]

yourview Yes. You will just handbrush the same paints instead of airbrushing them

[@ZakuAurelius]

Theoretically yes but it would take practice to get your hand painting skills smooth first

[@kellerharris2593]

I'm trying to paint the detailed parts on the HG Kshatriya, and I've used this guide up until the step of applying the enamel. When picking out a paint to use for the enamel, I saw a bunch of people warn against using enamel paints on gunpla due to the damage that enamel paints can cause to the plastic, but I've also seen just as many people recommend using this technique, including using enamel for the wash. Is using enamel in this specific way safe on the plastic? I've also seen a few people mention using acryllic paint instead of enamel for the wash, and I was also curious if you have any experience with that as well

[@EDX2308]

Here's what you do, once you cleaned out the pieces etc. you spray the parts in gold (use Tamiya TS lacquer colors gold or silver). Let parts dry for a 1-2 days. Then spray the parts with an airbrush using Vallejo Model Air black. Use hobby swabs instead of regular swabs and dip the tip into Testors enamel paint thinner. Rub the parts you want off color and it should work really well. If you screw up you can always just respray with more airbrush black.

[@jieqiiii]

I've been trying out the gloss black base and no gloss black base a lot over the last few weeks. Basically if you have a gloss black surface, the metallic color will reflect clearer. If you don't use a gloss black surface and instead paint the metallic paint straight onto your primed surface, just paint thick and wet enough for the metallic paint to self level. The difference is extremely negligible if the metallic paint is your final layer. If however you're aiming for a candy finish, the gloss black base helps a ton.

[@ZakuAurelius]

Exactly!

[@jotunros]

Great tutorial. You're showing enamel after laquer. How about using water based acrylics like vallejo after tamiya spray cans? I'm waiting for my Sinanju to arrive and I want to spray gold from the can and then hand paint a "weaker" water based acrylic so I can just remove it with a slightly wet cotton swab.

[@thatgreenfur6584]

It's funny how the first two examples I saw when I looked up this method used the kit I'm trying to paint as the example. I guess I'm not the only one who hates the stickers on this particular kit lmao

[@kennieva5269]

How long does curing/drying of the primer, color white enamel paint, color black enamel paint, color gold enamel paint. And at what time interval is it to put another coat or layer of paint on top of the previously applied paint or primer? Thank you

[@MedskiPurnamski]

Interesting choice with Mr. Metal Color. You're supposed to be able to buff it, so it has a powder-y texture and smears easily.

[@catalyst_hobbies]

Can you used acrylic paints for this?

[@ricepicker562]

Can you do a panel scribing tutorial?

[@DudeRetro]

Always loved your tutorials

[@shadowedsnipa]

Loved this video. I hope you can make more tutorials like this in the future!

[@ZakuAurelius]

I do to! They just take more time...

[@MoPoTime]

Very good tutorials man, helps a lot.

[@MinyNeo]

Does it also work when using aqua colors and enamel colors, or does it have to be lacker and enamel?

[@garrettvenn9022]

I was wondering how JENIC managed to do the chain mine for his Kampfer video, and now I see this is the process he used. Thank you for the info.

[@lackinroda]

I'm gonna go ahead and keep this video saved for when I eventually get a Sinanju Ver Ka. Major reason why I haven't yet is the use of stickers for the sleeve markings and I'd honestly prefer doing this than fiddle with a bunch of marking decals. Still haven't finished the HG because of this x.x

[@lovecchio420]

Good luck doing this on the sinanju's shield. It was a pita

[@lackinroda]

@@lovecchio420 The icon I'm just gonna use the sticker because I can't be arsed to freehand that

[@Fadeing]

Looking at this when doing the seam line; have you ever tried making plastic filler? It might help hit your speed itch a bit compared to putty for larger jobs. Toss some sprue bits into a Tamiya extra thin cement to melt down the filler to the consistency you like. Then spread for filling.

[@BlueAmerican26]

Can this work the same way for acrylic as the laquer substitute?

[@seiya880]

I believe it can work. After you've applied the first coat of acrylic paint, in this case white or gold, you airbrush some Pledge floor finish. Then you apply the black paint. With the lighter fluid, you should be able to remove only the black paint, cause the Pledge layer should protect the white/gold paint underneath.

[@RuneTrips]

seiya880 that sounds crazy enough to work! i’m gonna try it on my airbrush

[@RuneTrips]

JormungandR very informative ty

[@carljavier2560]

that thumbnail at first glance made me think they're underpants...

[@SugarJesus]

Can you make a video about how to use an airbrush and what you need for it?

[@MrKennyWilliams]

This technique can also be used VERY Well for Gunpla eyes, I found.

[@ZakuAurelius]

Indeed!

[@KasperAura]

That's crazy, how did I never know about this before!?

[@KarfontaAlec]

I love you Zaku

[@robymargata5330]

Hi! If i'll be brush painting the enamel paint, do i have to thin it out first or do i apply it directly? Sorry. Just a newb with paiting

[@bigbear4120]

Good to know. I just hand painted mine. Not as crisp, but that's what weathering is for.

[@niceace2000]

Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t tamiya XF paint acrylic? Because I just bought tamiya XF-1 flat black and it says acrylic on the jar.

[@grip3939]

im just wondering whats the recomended grit used for sanding kits before painting

[@gamingnewsandupdatesph]

Zack said 800 or higher

[@grip3939]

@@gamingnewsandupdatesph thx man

[@gamingnewsandupdatesph]

@@grip3939 no prob, fam

[@kiewzhengwei7641]

Thank you so muchhhh its so helpful

[@GNLockonStratos]

@ZakuAurelius can you replace enamel paint with normal acrylic or lacquer paint with a layer of top coat before painting it over the gold? And then reverse wash it?

[@acerock013]

would this same process be possible if you were using acryllic paints? i came to Gunpla from painting Citadel minis so all of my paint right now is acryllic based.

[@dhanangprawiranugraha8257]

What thinner are you used for enamel airbrush?

[@ZakuAurelius]

Tamiya enamel thinner

[@dhanangprawiranugraha8257]

@@ZakuAurelius thanks for the answer, very helpfull

[@JGrove303]

You can apply this same technique with an enamel base and acrylic wash, right?

[@viceroyal_]

Do you wait for the "black" to dry before you spray the gold on top?

[@ZakuAurelius]

Yeah, but it’s lacquer so it dries really fast

[@tarakinwu1246]

hey quick vid suggestion can you release a video showing how to do with Sazabi

[@plasmofandwedge7142]

Great vid

[@RiskPlays]

Can I Mask the other part to avoid washing the other surface by accident?

[@cfbush2000]

Thank you ! This is very helpful .

[@vampireslayera]

Is it possible to do this with Acrylics? ex. Tamiya for gold (since is a alcohol based acrylic, and Vallejo for the black?

[@haisesasaki8473]

What is the ratio for the enamel paint and thinner

[@HungNguyen-ek9hk]

Hello Zack, thank you for upload this video tutorial. I got a question about your ratio for mixing the enamel for airbrush Is it 1 paint: 1.5 thinner like the lacquer?

[@tonideryanto1244]

Can you substitute the enamel paint with acrylic?

[@Gun-EZ]

Well, that technique is good, but in my opinion it's overcomplicated. Wouldn't be better to prime this sleeve, paint it black and, using brush, pick up this pattern with white or other color? Two or three thin coats would make a strong color, which would look awesome as well, but chance to screw paint with earstick is lesser than with this method.

[@lilruss15]

is there any tips for people who use water paints with a brush?(not air brush I mean an actual brush)

[@user-fy4hp2dx3o]

what is a good spray can primer?

[@chassegallerie2910]

Just asking. in the middle of those wrists, was that a polycap part? If so, that mean it's safe for that kind of plastic to be painted on?

[@KingClickMusic]

ChasseGallerie Acrylic would be safe. Idk about enamel. And NO lacquer on bare plastic.

[@TheDiamondChrisProductions]

Is there a way to use white or gold gundam marker without rubbing away other white

[@user-fy4hp2dx3o]

also, what is a good air brush

[@yak8786]

Instead of black paint, can we use black primer?

[@kevintianzon3246]

Is this applicable with Acrylic paints? Cuz i only have Acrylic spray cans with me.

[@alexislim5510]

can i do it with acrylic paint?

[@davidhovik7176]

This was amazing thank you so much!

[@chacrawarrior]

Good tutorial but I saw you leave the line on the back side, is it fine to leave the lines that are hard to see or it is better to take them off?

[@Plasmarx]

Personal preference I say, sometimes you don't even need to do anything because they get covered, sometimes you can put some work and make them into panel lines for extra detail

[@ZakuAurelius]

The seam line on the back of the part will be covered so it doesn’t matter ;)

[@merwyncruz4543]

Can you use acrylic paint in reverse washing?

[@Time2Henshin]

I need to do white trim on red pieces, is it a good idea to use a layer or two of black than the white? or are there better options? it's for the p-bandai SD El Gaia that came out a year or two ago.

[@ZakuAurelius]

No need to do black under white, that will make it hard to get a bright white

[@kuyaemil2077]

Hi Zach, why paint a white basecoat after the primer if youre just gonna cover it with black after?

[@ZakuAurelius]

To bring the white back out for the lining. Did you watch to the end?

[@spee9dy457]

I’m curious, will spraying gold over silver make any difference?

[@radlee0123]

Thank you, very nice.

[@HexaDecimus]

Is it possible to use acrylic paint istead of enamel paint?

[@ZakuAurelius]

Yes

[@victormanuellequinones9799]

Can I top coat? if so what brand or kind

[@airwolf558]

Thank you!

[@chegarcia7]

I looked up reverse wash on KZbin and it’s been all of Sinanju as an example. Are there any other examples besides the same Sinanju sleeves?

[@ZakuAurelius]

Lol any other Sleeves Kit! Kshatriya, Geara Zulu, Rozen Zulu, etc

[@chegarcia7]

ZakuAurelius thanks

[@Niche_YT]

Late comment, but what thinning ratio do you use for Primer and Enamel?

[@marquise8094]

Hey Zaku what is your thinning ratio for enamel for airbrushing? Is it the same consistency when you use it for pannel lining?

[@ZakuAurelius]

No probably not as thin as it would be for panel lining

[@neonnwave1]

Another way to get rid of the excess from the glue in small spots is with a toothpick. Less likely going to damage the plastic than you would with a knife.

[@caseyjones8246]

What about th4 glue that overflowed around the leaf onto to the plastic? You didn't clean that up

[@ZakuAurelius]

On the black plastic the glue is really easy to see because of it’s shine, but I knew around that area it was really thin and wouldn’t show once it was painted

[@ghostmonkeycustoms2303]

So can it be done completely with spray paint? It's the only way I paint because I don't have a booth or air brush.

[@ZakuAurelius]

yeah

[@Ashfield122]

I don't see why you cant use acrylic paint instead of enamel paint on top of the lacquer base. If you use acrylic instead of enamel just use ammonia to wipe the acrylic layer to reveal the lacquer underneath, Right? Or am I stupid?

[@MedskiPurnamski]

You can, but in my experience if you're not careful ammonia and alcohol can rub off on lacquer as well though not as strong as actual lacquer thinner. Much safer for the underlying lacquer coat to use white spirit and enamel paint.

[@GeekInMiami]

What grit to you recommend for sanding for paint to stick better?

[@ZakuAurelius]

800 or higher

[@Sharkey007x]

wouldn't this be just as quick, if not quicker, to paint the raised areas by hand after a base black, and not have to do the wiping away then? Just learned about this, and trying to understand the use-case for it

[@ZakuAurelius]

This is easier imo. Painting the raised bits by hand and getting results as good as this would be quite difficult

[@jyates1007]

Has anyone tested “Testors enamel spray” BAC?

[@nearzero1555]

Good video

[@shadow306k]

Great timing, I got my Stein NT ver yesterday... But can you do this for me? xD I'll pay!

[@Nixonslovechild]

Hey Zach quick question. Do you recomend top coating at all before spraying the enamel paint?

[@ZakuAurelius]

Yeah you could! It wouldn’t hurt

[@danirose9276]

I've read so much conflicting information about this. My head hurts haha. If I use Mr Color gold and spray enamel black - can I use Mr Color GXII Clear over everything after? Will it attack the enamel in the recesses? Edit - turns out it likely will! So what are people using to airbrush top coat over all the lacquer and enamel paints to protect it all? An enamel top coat? Or some sort of Acrylic??

[@camilogreen5019]

Nice. I like to ask if it's okay to put topcoat after the process?

[@ZakuAurelius]

yep!

[@danirose9276]

@@ZakuAurelius - which top coat is safe? :) Can't use the Mr Color Lacquer as it'll eat the enamel etc. Perhaps an enamel top coat/clear of it all? Most likely a typical acrylic? Confusing to say the least. Especially if you want a proper high shine

[@danirose9276]

Your vid isn't confusing BTW :) Just the post process after doing lots of this reverse washing etc.

[@pokogunx1003]

For the top coat. Is it fine to use lacquer?

[@zangetsu_3854]

i think it can make some paint crack. I am not 100% sure though as I just skimmed over something while looking up enamel paints earlier today. I use the Tamiya Flat Clear TS-80 and I really like the finish it gives.

[@pokogunx1003]

@@zangetsu_3854 you have some photo samples when you finished applying the Ts-80?

[@danirose9276]

I've read so much conflicting information about this. My head hurts haha. If I use Mr Color gold and spray enamel black - can I use Mr Color GXII Clear over everything after? Will it attack the enamel in the recesses?

[@rexxo4957]

What's your enamel thinning ratio?

[@mouca8548]

Does this work for all metalic paints?the black base coat,wanna try and do some sleeves suit(didnt decide which)with metalic blue sleeves

[@ZakuAurelius]

Yeah gloss black under any metallics will enhance the candy finish

[@Vezon2121]

Well I guess I gotta try this out