Originally posted by clively
I was planning on sheeting the whole plane with 1/32" balsa then airbrushing onto that. Should I still tissue / dope it?
Thanks!
I would use tissue simply because I don't care for the look of painted balsa. If you attempt to fill the grain of the balsa with sanding sealer or whatever, then you will add massive weight compared to using tissue, silk or similar.
It's really personal preference. But it's possible to keep a small model light and use paint. Most folks have the belief that paint = heavy. That's because of their personal technique, not because paint is inherently heavy. It is more work, but the end result is worth it.