Over the years I’ve written a lot of technique-focused posts here on JonBius.com. This page collects many of them in one place so you can find what you need without digging through build logs. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to level up a specific skill, hopefully something here is useful!
Surface Prep & Seam Work
- Sealing Gaps With Mr. Surfacer Made Easy — the quickest, cleanest way to deal with seam lines and gaps before paint
Masking
- Masking Canopies With Parafilm — using Parafilm M for quick, clean canopy masks
- Masking Clear Parts Made Easy! — a broader guide to masking transparencies without stress
- Who Was That Masking Man? (Airfix P-40B) — practical masking for complex paint schemes
- Who Was That Masking Man? (Trumpeter L-39ZA) — masking a multi-color camo scheme on a jet
- Masking Off Angles (Colonial Viper Mk. II) — dealing with tricky geometric shapes and tight angles
Painting & Airbrushing
- It’s Not The Airbrush, It’s The User — mindset and fundamentals before you start blaming your equipment
- Thinning Tamiya Paints — A Mostly Thorough Guide (Mostly) — ratios, thinners, and what actually works
- Airbrushing with Pledge (Future) — A Simple Guide — how to lay down a gloss coat for decals and washes
- Painting A Simple Cockpit — Basic Modeling Skills — a practical walkthrough of cockpit painting from start to finish
- Airbrushing Camouflage Freehand! — Basic Modeling Skills — soft-edged camo without masking tape
- Painting Exhausts: A Quick And Easy Method — heat staining and grime on exhaust stacks, fast
- Fading A Two-Color Camo Scheme — modulation and fading techniques on a real build
- A to Z Build Part 1 — Base Painting — a complete walkthrough of base painting from the very start
Painting Tracks
- Painting And Weathering Tracks Made Quick And Easy — the go-to method for getting great-looking tracks fast
- Rogal Dorn Battle Tank: Assembling & Painting Warhammer 40K Tank Tracks — applying the technique to link-and-length plastic tracks
- Are You Tracking? The Leman Russ Strike Tank — the latest take on track painting and weathering
Clear Coats & Finishing
- A Replacement For Pledge? Here It Is! — what to use now that the old formula is gone
Washes & Filters
- Adding Washes To Your Models — Basic Skills Series — oil and enamel washes explained simply
- Dot Filters — Demystifying The Spots — what they are, how to apply them, and why they work
- Adding Fluid Stains — Basic Model Skills Series — fuel stains, oil runs, and hydraulic streaks
- Leman Russ Part 3: Using Acrylic Shades And Washes — applying acrylic shades and washes for depth and shadow
Chipping & Paint Damage
- Paint Chipping Made Easy: Prismacolor Pencils — the easiest chipping method that actually looks great
- Adding Chipping To Your Models — Basic Model Skills Series — hair spray technique and sponge chipping
- Multi-Color Chipping — Advanced Modeling Skills — building up layers of paint damage for a realistic effect
- Creating Distressed Metal Effects — achieving realistic worn and battered metal surfaces
Weathering — Theory & Practice
- My Weathering Technique — the original overview of how I approach weathering a model
- Weathering Scale Models — Start Now! — why you shouldn’t wait until you’re “ready”
- Advanced Weathering Theory — the logic behind weathering decisions, beyond just following steps
Pigments, Earth & Rust
- Using Pigments — Fast, Flexible, and Fun! — how to apply dry pigments for dust, dirt, and rust blooms
- Adding Earth Effects To Your Models — Basic Model Skills Series — mud, soil, and groundwork on a model’s lower surfaces
- Adding Rust To Your Models — techniques for realistic rust effects at any level
- Dust, Dirt, And Fluid Effects — Advanced Modeling Skills — combining multiple effects for a fully weathered finish
Decals
- Basic Modeling Skills: Applying Waterslide Decals — the classic step-by-step guide
- Applying Waterslide Decals — Made Easy! — a follow-up with additional tips and Microsol/Microset usage
Build Techniques & Scratch Building
- Scratch Building Detail — Basic Modeling Skills — adding scratchbuilt detail with rod, sheet, and wire
- Materials Knowledge: Avoiding The Flying Balls Of Flame — solvent safety and what not to mix
Products & Reviews
- Army Painter Speedpaint — Worth It, Or Not? — an honest assessment of the one-step painting system
- Gouaches! It’s Not A Vegetable Or Fruit — what gouaches are, how they work, and whether they belong in your toolkit
This page is updated (in part using AI) as new guides are published. If you have a question that isn’t covered here, feel free to drop me a note — it might just become the next guide!