I've used this technique in the past with good results. Cut the pattern you want out of plastic shelve contact paper. Gently cut the backing away from the edge of the template about 1/4 inch. Leave the rest of the backing attached. Press the template in place along the edge that you removed the backing from. Now you can paint along the edge of the template with no bleed under. Remove the template using a hair dryer and you should not get any lift. Perfect for complex patterns like letters and numbers.
Paul, Dennis,
Just a couple of things here.
You purchased the shelf paper to use as a mask. You could have easily purchased material "designed" and "manufactured" for the purpose of masking.
The airbrush and custom paint industry provides many materials for professionals so they don‘t even have to consider using a product designed for something else or another purpose.
So, and with all due respect, why not just use what the professionals use? Nothing hard about that, besides, you don‘t have to be a professional to purchase these products. Most suppliers will sell to hobbyists AND offer tech support for related questions.
Starting out with professional products designed for a specific task, would make these tasks easier AND provide confidence in whatever it is your doing with them.
I painted this Flite Streak using “only” professional masking materials. I would have never been able to make the 007 background using shelf paper. The thought would have never come to mind.
Google airbrush masking materials. Suppliers are all over the place.
About using heat to remove materials like masks or tape.
I have never used heat for the removal of anything related to masks. This could be line tape, sheet/roll mask materials and liquid masks that are sprayed.
If not careful, “sometimes” excessive heat could attack the adhesive, leaving some of it on the painted surface, especially products that aren’t manufactured for this purpose.
If the surface is prepared properly, paint will stick so the removal of tape or masks should not be a concern. There are right and wrong ways to remove tape. Correct and incorrect.
I do scratch paint before other colors are applied in layers, paint over paint. 600 and 1000 are my best friends. Certainly not in all cases, but one has to learn a bit about the paint medium of choice also.
This Flite Streak, although colorful, has only two layers of paint, the lettering is vinyl, so it was an easy shoot even though it looks complicated.
I have something, a new model, in the works that looks less complicated than this Flite Streak, yet has three layers of paint.
Some of the masking and tapes have been on the model for over a couple of weeks. Still on it.
I could never be comfortable working this way with products not designed for the professional industry.
Charles