1. Home
  2. Hobbies & Games
  3. Radio Controlled Vehicles

Paint and Body Modifications

Paint it, decal it, change it's shape. Sure it's what's on the inside that makes an RC run but what's on the outside makes it look cool while it's circling the track or making gravity-defying jumps. Whether starting with a new, clear Lexan body or fixing up a stock body that's seen better days, find ways to modify your RC body.

What Kind of Paint Do You Use to Paint a RC?

Tired of looking at the same old paint job? Before you pick up just any old kind of spray paint or can of paint and slap it on your RC, make sure it's the right kind.

How Do I Mask an RC Body to Avoid Getting Paint Under Mask Edges?

When painting RC car bodies, masking is the placement of tape or special templates to cover areas where you don't want paint or that is to be painted with a different color than you are currently working with.

Spray Paint an RC Body

Spray paint is one of the more affordable and easy to learn methods for painting an RC body. When using spray paint in cans to paint your RC body, follow these tips to help improve your painting:

One-Color Wow! RC Body Painting

Feeling timid about painting your first RC body? Give it a one-color paint job that looks great.

Video Tutorial: How to Prep an RC Body for Painting

In this tutorial the painting project is the body of an RC helicopter. Unlike Lexan bodies for cars and trucks, it's the outside of the body receiving the paint. From AirAgeMedia1. 5 star rating on YouTube. 3:48 run time.

Video Tutorial: Decanting Spray Paint

This two part video describes and shows how to transfer spray paint into a glass jar for use in an airbrush. Also see Part Two. From hyperscale. 4/5 star rating on YouTube. 6:07/5:08 run time.

Video Tutorial: RC Body Painting Tips by Parma

Shows how to score/trim a body with an Exacto knife, masking with pre-cut Parma masks including how to connect pieces of masks, and painting with FASKOLOR airbrush paint. From AirAgeMedia1. 4.5 star rating on YouTube. 4:28 run time.

Video Tutorial: How to Paint an RC Body

Part 1 is a sped up look at prepping and painting following by watching the painted car on the street. Part 2 gets to the actual tutorial, showing and describing how to mark, wash, dry, and mask (with pre-cut masks) the body. The painting part is very brief. This is just an intro that deals mostly with prep. From RCGurus. 5 start rating on YouTube. 2:33 run time.

Video Tutorials: How to Paint RC Bodies

This is a series of 11 videos that look at different methods of masking and applying graphics including internal graphics, photos from a magazine, and external decals. Prepping, a simple fade, body mounting, and other painting related topics are covered. From yoyman2k1. 4/5 star YouTube Ratings. Run times vary.

Video Tutorial: How to Paint an RC Shell

Personally, I'd prefer to have a verbal talk-through to go with the captioning instead of the music. However, the steps are fairly clear. Video skips the prep (washing/drying the body) and starts with cutting, masking, and painting. Demonstrates a fairly straightforward paint job combining spray paint and airbrushing. From Squirrelod. 5 star rating on YouTube. 8:28 run time.

Video Tutorial: How to Remove Lexan Paint From an RC Shell

Watch and listen to learn how to use brake fluid to remove dried paint from a Lexan body. As noted in the comments, buying a new body may be less expensive and less time-consuming but this works for those who might need to salvage a discontinued body style or who only have a small amount of paint to remove. From Squirrelod. 4 star rating on YouTube. 6:36 run time.

Beginning Airbrushing Tips

If you've never done airbrush painting before, these tips and notes from Golden Artist Colors, Inc. can help you get started.

Body Painting Techniques

Gary Katzer and Gary Kyes help simplify body painting in this illustrated tutorial. Also found at rchobbies.org.

Creating Intricate Designs with UltraCote

Learn how to put fancy arcs, curves, and other shapes on your body.

Custom Airbrush Painting

Create a lightning bold, tear away, or floating shapes on the body of your RC in this illustrated tutorial.

How to Mask a RC Car Body

Masking is the process of covering up parts of your body that you don't want painted. This tutorial has two approaches to masking.

How to Paint Your RC Body

A series of detailed photos takes you step-by-step through the entire process of masking, painting, cleaning up overspray, cutting/trimming, and adding decals to a Lexan body. This tutorial shows a multi-color flame job. At end of series are some alternative paint jobs using the same masks.

How to Paint Your RC Car Body Using Only Spray Cans and No Airbrush

Covers the tools you need and describes all the steps to take.

R/C Car Painting and Airbrushing

This is a detailed and illustrated article covering equipment and paint, basics, spraying styles, specialty paints, corrections, and a few miscellaneous tips.

R/C Car Painting

John Hauser provides an illustrated discussion that covers body prep, design planning, masking, painting, and finishing.

Testor's Model Master Technical Guide

Download individual PDF files covering model building, paint, airbrushing, and detailing.

The Evolution of an RC Car Body

Look under the mold and find out what goes into the design of an RC body before the manufacturing process.

UltraCote Tips & Tricks

Get a good finish with this series of tips on applying, maintaining, and removing UltraCote airplane finishes.

Using Picture Glue to Enhance Your RC Car Paint Job

Take a picture from a magazine and turn in into artwork for your car by following this RC Racing USA tutorial. (unfortunately, no pictures)

Explore Radio Controlled Vehicles

About.com Special Features

Cold Weather Photography Tips

Solutions to keep your equipment (and you!) intact during winter shooting. More >

Scrapbook Technique Gallery

Use these ideas to inspire your own uniquely beautiful pages. More >

  1. Home
  2. Hobbies & Games
  3. Radio Controlled Vehicles
  4. Care & Maintenance
  5. Hop-Ups & Mods
  6. Paint & Body Mods

©2010 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.