Members of the High Plains Modelers converged Saturday, June 29th at the home of Larry, where he graciously offered to conduct a four hour clinic on airbrushing and related topics. We covered paint/thinner ratios, decanting spray cans, gloss finishes, prep and sanding, masking, compressors, and airbrush maintenance, among many more topics. A variety of equipment was brought by several members for some hands-on practice. Around noon we took a break for a potluck lunch, where Larry's wife grilled brats and burgers to go with a wide array of salads, desserts and fixin's brought by the participants. I heard the deviled eggs were especially popular. We rounded out the gathering with a tour of Larry's work room and stash. Many thanks go to Larry and his wife for hosting (or putting up with) us, and to Larry and Tony for the extensive demonstrations on techniques and tools. I think it's safe to say we all had a lot of fun and learned something. Take a look at the pics:
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| Gather 'round, gather 'round. |
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| Tony demonstrates how to decant a spray can. |
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| You can see where this is going, can't you? ;) |
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| Tony demonstrates how not to decant a spray can. |
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| Mark and Jeff study paint/thinner ratios. |
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| It's always wise to spray on a test piece before shooting the model. |
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| The first coat should be very light to give subsequent coats "tooth". |
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| Story Time With Gary. |
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| The group watches while Tony sands and polishes. |
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| One advantage of a club is learning of products you haven't tried before. |
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| Larry demonstrates how to create a paint pattern with putty and pinking shears. |
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| The chow line. Food is about the only thing that will draw a modeler away from the bench. |
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| Join us on the patio for an elegant outdoor dining experience. Plus, jokes you can't tell in front of the wife. |
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| An afternoon session to hone those skills. |
