Gloss Model Paint

Gloss is the finish for anything that would be shiny in real life — bodywork, bumpers, painted trim, and the deep wet look a finished car model is judged on.

It's less forgiving than flat. Gloss shows every imperfection in the surface beneath it, so sand and fill before you spray, not after. It also takes longer to level out, which is what gives it the depth.

Tamiya's X range covers gloss in acrylic, Testors and Revell in enamel, and there are gloss lacquers here too for the hardest, most polishable finish.

For a show finish, most builders spray the color coat, let it cure fully, then polish with progressively finer compounds before adding a gloss clear over the top. The clear is what gives depth — the color coat underneath doesn't need to be perfect, just smooth.