Tamiya tape and window masking.

[Dino Scuderia]

I'm using Tamiya's new 40mm wide masking tape to mask the window trim of this Revell Civic. As you can see this width tape works nicely for this job, one strip covers the whole area.
http://www.infinite1der.org/~dino/civictape1.JPG

After pressing the tape into the grooves around the windows and firmly up against the lower raised window trim, I trimmed around the area with an Exacto knife.
http://www.infinite1der.org/~dino/civictape2.JPG

I did the same for all windows and used the scrap trimmings to mask the rest of the car in conjunction with more unused tape.
http://www.infinite1der.org/~dino/civictape3.JPG

In this step I have air brushed black acrylic paint onto the exposed window trim areas. As a rule I use acrylic paints for window trim if the body has been painted with an oil based paint, and oil based enamel if it had been painted with an acrylic paint. This makes cleaning up edges easier because the paints are less likely to melt into each other.
http://www.infinite1der.org/~dino/civictape4.JPG

[Dino Scuderia]

Part 2

After I removed the tape some of the edges appeared a little uneven. Using a toothpick, I scraped around the jagged edges of the black paint to even it out, this doesn't hurt the orange paint on the body. Some very minor touch up with a brush fixed the trim to look satisfactory.
http://www.infinite1der.org/~dino/civictape5.JPG

Here is the completed trim work, I chose to leave the trim around the sun roof orange as I didn't want a big black square on the roof. This was accomplished in about 40 minutes. Next step is to accent the panel lines.
http://www.infinite1der.org/~dino/civictape6.JPG

[Eric Cole]

Nice how to Brian.

For those that don't have an airbrush this same process can be used with a paint brush as long as you don't paint an overly thick coat of paint.

[Scott L]

Man, that's great and just the kind of useful information I hoped would get posted here.

[Steve_L]

Brian,

Thanks for sharing the masking information in a visual and effective way. Do you have a source for the Tamiya masking tape? I'd like to try out your techinques.

[Dino Scuderia]

Hi Steve,

Most HobbyTown's carry the 40mm tape. Or you can order it locally:

http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/tam/tam87063.htm

[Ferrarifreak]

Slick trick. I could handle the masking part, yet when it comes to the trimming with the knife part, i'd have to farm that out since i'm not allowed to play with knives anymore!!!!!!! I like my models red, just not with my own blood anymore!!!!!hahahaha

[Dino Scuderia]

Good thing you bleed Rosso Corsa, eh?