Which paint???

[Jay_Moz]

Hi all, As a new starter to modelling I'm not to clued up when it comes to selecting the correct paints and thought I'd ask the experts for some guidance!

I have conducted some research and it seems that the two main paint groups that are available are the enamels and acrylics. Which would you recommend for a beginner?

Would you recommend priming the model before painting?

Also, I have just purchased an Airbrush and are unsure what paints this will take and if I should be diluting them?

Apologies for all the questions,

Cheers,

Jay

 

[Jazz]

Hi there Jay, when i was teaching modelling i found that water based acrylics better to start with, you can water them down and use in an airbrush with out thinners

they are a great all round paint, though enamels have there plus sides too. (sure there will be other that will say the enamels are better, it is what works for you best)

it is always best to prime your models first so that you have a good base to paint on and it a good time to pick up on any problems like sanding marks and stuff and chance to fix before you do any main colours,

also different colour primers brings out different colours in you main scheme, like if for example you used a white primer you main colours would come out light then if you had used a black primer,

if you spend a bit of time reading some of the posts in the airbrushing threads and also painting you will learn a lot. even i have learnt a lot through reading them.

one thing to remember is don't be worried about trying things, have a go and see what happens because what works for one may not work for another, but as long as you have a go you will learn what works best for you.

good luck and most of all have fun

 

[stona]

Don't worry about asking questions.

Most people nowadays use acrylic paints. They dry much quicker and are less smelly. Just because you can't smell something doesn't mean it isn't there so normal spraying precautions should still be obsereved. You will get a lot of replies advocating acrylics!

I have used both. I sprayed enamels for over ten years before converting to acrylics. After a few years of acrylics I have now reverted back to mainly enamels, though I have both in my cupboard.

In my honest opinion enamels are easier to use. They don't dry in the airbrush and cause the clogging that you get with acrylics,even when properly thinned with retardants and flow aids added. Enamels thin with cheap White Spirits and I find the clean up easier too. Enamels are also far more sympathetic about thinning ratios,get acrylic thinning wrong and they either resolutely refuse to come out of the nozzle or spray a watery,spidery,mess on your model.

The only drawback is the smell and if you are in a rush,the drying time. On the other hand the long drying time can be an advantage. I can leave an airbrush charged with enamel paint for fifteen minutes and not come back to a half dried mess which will take me 20 minutes to get out of the brush!

Your best bet would be to try both. I don't mean buy a whole range of colours in every brand out there,unless you've won the lottery,but get a tin/pot of three or four brands and see what works for you.

I do prime my models. This serves two purposes. First it gives a good key for the paint and secondly it shows up construction flaws like sunken seams etc.

You will need to thin your paint for spraying but with what and by how much depends on the paint.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Ian M]

Not much can be added to the two replies that have got it all covered.

I too am a bit of each kind of guy (oh er misses) In that I use both Enamel and Acrylics. Its a colour thing for me. If I can't get the colours in the one type of paint, I try the other.

If we are going down the which brand road I can only say good things for Vallejo and Xtracylix Acrylics or White Ensign and Humbrol Enamels. If you are a member of the colour police (the painters version of a rivet counter). Xtracolour enamels are also a good paint; paint well and give a great finish, but some of the colours are erm... a bi off the mark.

One thing I have discovered with acrylic paint is that, with Vallejo at least, was vast improvements by using their thinners and wotnot. (Vallejo Thinners work very well in Xtracrlix as well).

Ian M

 

[tecdes]

Jay as a starter but now with about 18 months of experience I can only tell you my experience.

Started with enamels which I found to be a disaster. First they whiff badly. They are not easy to clean up as you need white spirit. I did not find them easy to use. The airbrush had to be cleaned out with white spirit.

I near gave up.

Then I got onto Vallejo Acrylics & from that day modelling took off. For airbrushing Vallejo Air not Model. Although Model do airbrush but you need a bit of experience on thinning.

They are just so easy to use for some one starting out. They have a squirt spout which enables you to fill the airbrush cup easily. The thinners & retarder also have squirt spouts. With the squirt spouts it makes mixing directly into the cup by counting the drops so easy just using a paint brush to mix up in the cup.

They spray easily & give a very nice finish. Vallejo also provide varnishes gloss satin & matt. They also do various mediums for making paint partially transparent in various colours.

Great advantage is they dry quickly. I can double coat within two hours. Small pieces I hairdryer & re-coat within minutes. Also leaves less time for junk in the air to decend on to sticky paint. Have had a small number of blockages but as your experience gains you get a feel for thinning, using retarders plus acquired techniques for getting out of a potential blockage.

They have probably the largest range of colours of all manufacturers.

Cleaning the brush is dead easy. Vallejo market an airbrush cleaner which is excellent. But I use just warm clear water unless I am changing from one to another colour in the same session.

All a matter of your judgment & as Steve has said try a number of types to see which suits you & which is the finish you want.

Laurie

 

[Jay_Moz]

Thanks for the advice.

The Kit that I'm planning to work on is Revell. How would I find out what the equivelent Vallejo paints were for the Revell codes provided in the instructions?

I have a couple of pots of Revell acrylics that I bought for my first attempt at modelling (which ended in disaster!!! LOL!) Can you mix brands on the same model or should you just stick to one?

Jay

 

[tecdes]

Thanks for the advice.The Kit that I'm planning to work on is Revell. How would I find out what the equivelent Vallejo paints were for the Revell codes provided in the instructions?

I have a couple of pots of Revell acrylics that I bought for my first attempt at modelling (which ended in disaster!!! LOL!) Can you mix brands on the same model or should you just stick to one?

Jay

If you are using Vallejo they have a document about 20 pages long giving conversion of most model paints, including Revell, to Vallejo equivalent. http://www.acrylicosvallejo.com/pdf_web/CC073_rev03.pdf also Vallejo color chart - Model paint database

Most brands are mixable together in the same pot providing you keep enamels to enamels & Acrylics likewise. But try before painting your model. Some brands have thinners which are more than water based. Personally I keep with one to avoid trouble.

If you mean using a Revell colour on the wings & Vallejo on the fuselage etc Then keep to Acrylics & enamels to enamels. Someone will tell you about painting one over the other but I have forgotten the rule.

Laurie

 

[stona]

Someone will tell you about painting one over the other but I have forgotten the rule.Laurie

I know the feeling Laurie!

I remember by the old mnemonic LEA.

Laquer

Enamel

Acrylic

In that order.

Most enamel paint brands can be mixed one with the other,but be a bit more circumspect with acrylics as they are not all the same or even water based.

Cheers

Steve

 

[tecdes]

Matter of passing interest. When I started about 18 months ago I asked the same question as Jason has posed.

It was on probably the largest UK forum on model making. I did not get one reply. I wrote my own reply asking for someone to answer please.

One of the moderators did but the answer was as useful as a buttercup in a bakery. A testament to this forum.

Laurie

 

[homechild]

Well, I only use acrylics (Tamiya) but this is primarily due to the ease of cleaning afterwards and I thin them a little bit with Tamiya thinner.

As for undercoating models, way back when I was doing Games Workshop figures I never used to however as I'm now doing larger flat surfaces I find that the paint sticks a lot better if there's an undercoat on there. For this I use Tamiya spray primers.

The only reason I stick with Tamiya paints is that they're easy to use and clean and there's a good range of them in my local model shop.

When I'm painting figures I have some Vallejo and GW paints for skin.

Hope this helps some.