I have some locomotives and cars I am interested in buying and custom painting to match specific prototypes. I am finding the be daunting since these are scale models with a great deal of details that would need to be painted correctly.
Have you ever worked with someone to have models custom painted for you? How did they turn out? Would you recommend someone?
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@SGP,
Yours is a very, very, very common request. So much so that there are many previous posts on having custom painting done.
Search is your friend. Type 'custom paint' into the "Exact Phrase Match" box on the forum Search page, like so:
In return you'll get a nice number of hits with suggestions. Obviously the more recent ones are probably the most accurate, because some folks may no longer be in the business.
Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
Mike
If you change the Order By to Date, you'll get them in date order.
Or, do a simple Google search. I typed: custom paint o gauge trains. The top return was for a 2020 OGR Forum post with exactly the same basic question, followed by a listing a similar threads, plus a link to see more OGR threads on the same topic. Here’s the top return:
https://ogrforum.com/...om-painting-services
Also, Google searches help you find sources not listed on the OGR Forum. There are a few multi-scale custom painters out there.
You can also do Google searches that guarantee OGR Forum posts are the top return by adding the words OGR Forum to your search words.
Thank you for the help!
Another route would be to do a couple of pieces yourself. Start with a boxcar or gondola or the like, paint and decal it. Get a feel for it. Try a locomotive that is not expensive or "important" to you. Sometimes a cheap piece or two (not required to be 1:48 scale or powered) at a train show will give you some learning experience. It can be fun and gratifying in its own right. You do this a bit and perhaps that fancy pants loco won't look quite so intimidating.
In some ways steamers are friendly, as they typically are some form of "black" (I use dark gray automotive primer for weathered black), with decals, and then Dullcote. Usually little masking/striping. Friendliest of all are solid-color diesels or electrics (except for those pesky windshields).
If you learn to do it well enough (it's like getting to Carnegie Hall - practice, practice) to please yourself, then you won't need someone else. Cheaper, too. And you can brag.
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