How to Give RC Cars Paint Jobs

One of the most fun aspects of the world of RC (radio-controlled) cars is the incredible and intricate designs that enthusiasts paint on the bodies of their vehicles. They're limited only by the creativity of the person painting them! One of the easiest things you can do to make RC cars look sharp and attractive is to give them paint jobs.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• RC car
• Paint(s) (the specific type will vary, depending on the painting method you choose to use and the type of paint job you decide on)
• Ventilation mask

Prepare to Paint Your RC Car

1. Choose a painting method. Airbrush paint jobs look very nice and give your RC car a professional look, though proper handling of an airbrush requires practice. Paint brush jobs can look very sharp when executed with care, but can also look amateurish and sloppy when performed incorrectly. In the end, it's your decision. Go with the method you're most comfortable with.
2. Draw up a detailed design for the paint job, to scale. Note what colors are going to be used at what points on the body. Test the paints on a safe, colorfast surface to ensure that they appear as you want them to before you apply them to the body of your RC car.
3. Wash the outer body of your RC car and allow it to dry. Sand the inside of the body of your RC car, but take care to avoid the window areas. This step will prevent paint from chipping.
4. Paint the inside of the body first. While this may seem unnecessary, it actually gives paint jobs a better finish and can help protect the paintwork on the outer body in the event that you crash your RC car during a race or normal usage.

Paint Your RC Car

5. Paint the largest sections of the outer body first when performing multicolor paint jobs that will require more than one pass. Mask the outer body of the car very, very carefully, making absolutely certain that your taping corresponds exactly to the specifications you drew up. Use a permanent marker to draw them directly onto the body of your RC car.
6. Fill in fine details, small spots and little stylistic flairs only after the large-scale paintwork has been completed. Make sure to wait for any previously applied paint to dry before handing the body of the car again.
7. Leave the window areas of the car's outer body until the end. Make doubly sure you mask carefully to ensure paint doesn't spill onto the body of the car, which should by now be fully painted and dried.

Tips & Warnings

• Always wear a ventilation mask to avoid the inhalation of dangerous paint fumes, even if you're using non-toxic paints.
• Make absolutely certain you are painting in an environment that allows for the free flow of air. Never paint in an enclosed room with no air circulation.