Acrylic Paint Question

[JE123]

I have never really used acrylic paint before but I thought I would give it a shot on my 512TR. I picked up some Acrylic Sand paint for the interior. It doesn't seem to go on evenly. Are there any different techniques to use that are different than enamels?

[Jay!]

Brush painting flat acrylics over a large area will not work well. Airbrushing them is the only way to go in that case...

[ales]

Yes, acrylics are mostly for airbrushing (and I refuse to use anything else because of the mess!), BUT you can stil get it to go on relatively well with a paintbrush if you thin it down a bit. Experiment with the ratio until you get good results. Although I'd have to say that larger areas are much better done with an airbrush / spraycan.

[primera man]

To be honest......i wouldn't waste my time or money on acrylic paint.
After changing to enamal paint, its been the best thing i have done.

[Tyrell]

Acrylics are designed to be quick drying. This is why they're not ideal for covering large areas with a brush.

If your brush passes over an area you've already covered in paint, chances are, you'll put marks on the nearly dry layer that's already there...

Thin them down using IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol) in the same way, and to the same consistency that you would for airbrushing, and the drying time increases.

You'll need to experiment with ratios to obtain the best results. (I use 50:50 Acrylic to IPA when I airbrush, so I would start with that then move either way depending on your results).

Try on a scrap model/spare plastic first though - I wouldn't want you ruining your latest project trying out something on my advice.

Alternatively, go with PM's suggestion and try Enamels.

They have a *much* longer drying time and consequently, flatten out better - giving a smoother finish - when brushed on.

On a negative note, Enamels come with a nasty smell that seems to hang around for ages after.

Other than that, Enamels are okay with me.

It's a matter of preference, and seeing PM's models recently, I see *NO* reason that you shouldn't have better luck by trying Enamels.

Just make sure you have some lacquer thinners on hand to clean your brushes out when you've done, though...

Regards
Mark

[nismo kid]

I posted a thread on this very subject a while back. I always use enamels to brush paint with now. The only reason i used the acrylic was because i couldnt be bothered to mix the grey for my skyline's seats so i just got the colour it asked for, and since my model shop doesn't do tamiya enamels, i had to get the acrylic.

Oh, and i use white spirit to clean off enamel paint from brushes.

[daggerlee]

Tamiya Acrylics absolutely kick ass when it comes to airbrushing, and they're nontoxic, which is a plus.

[JE123]

I just airbrushed the interior and you guys weren't kidding. The paint looks fantastic. I hope to finish my Ferrari soon.

[daggerlee]

Oh yeah, be sure to use Tamiya's proprietary thinner. I know that it's probably something like 99% isopropyl alcohol, but they've added some, mystery ingredient to it. Let me explain

When you use isopropyl alcohol to thin gloss Tamiya paints, something happens and when you airbrush it the finish is FLAT, or semi gloss, not gloss. Only by using Tamiya's own, proprietary thinner will you achieve true gloss with Tamiya's X line of paints. RMS reports that the secret ingredient may be glycerine but nobody knows for sure (except for Tamiya)

A 250 mL bottle of the stuff only cost me $7, and I expect it will last me a lifetime.

Also, Tamiya paints are designed to be airbrushed straight from the bottle, and Tamiya's paint brochures recommends no more than a 9:1 paint/thinner ratio.

Hope this helps!

[Jay!]

Originally posted by daggerlee
A 250 mL bottle of the stuff only cost me $7, and I expect it will last me a lifetime.

Isn't that little jug great?!?

Originally posted by daggerlee
Also, Tamiya paints are designed to be airbrushed straight from the bottle, and Tamiya's paint brochures recommends no more than a 9:1 paint/thinner ratio.

Really? I usually thin it down by half again for airbrushing! :o Maybe I should cut back!

[JE123]

Originally posted by daggerlee
Hope this helps!

Thanks for the info. I would have normally used enamels to do the job, but couldn't find the right color. So I had to go with an acrylic made by Model Masters. Nobody near me sells Tamiya paints, probably because of the lack of model builders in my area. So I am stuck using Testors and Model Masters until I can get a huge order going from an online company like www.hlj.com.

[daggerlee]

One of Testor's Model Master lines, MM II Acrylics I think, are thin enough to be sprayed straight from the bottle

As for buying a whole bunch of Tamiya paints online, that's what I did a couple of months ago, at www.greatmodels.com They were having a Winter Olympics sale so most Tamiya jars were going for $1.90. Online places usually have them for $2, www.rollmodels.com does, and if you go to Shopping on www.yahoo.com and do a search for Tamiya paints then you should return some other webstores selling Tamiya paints for $2.

Good luck!

[jomz]

Hmmm I'm having the same stumbling block at the moment, am trying to detail an interior of one of my projects and acrylic just "seeps-thru". I'm having a shot at enamel tho -- haven't been to the model shop later, but will try soon. What brand of enamel's are good for interiors for that matter, and does the enamel line have the same "palette" as acrylics?

[shieldwulf]

I have been using acrylics for brush painting and detailing because the brushes can be washed with water. I figured that washing my brushes with thinners are an expensive resource, thats why I hardly use lacquer or enamel paints for detailing. Yet I bought a few bottles of Tamiya Enamels to try them out, and am pretty happy with the results.

If my past memories served me right, I think Gunze Sangyo's Aqueous Hobby paints (which are also water soluble acrylics) have a better finish when painting using a brush. The only thing I hate most are their smaller sizes which can be very frustrating to open once you have some paint stains acting as "glue" on the bottle cap threads.

QUESTION ON ENAMEL PAINT & BRUSH CLEANING:
After brushing models with Tamiya Enamel paints, do you use Tamiya Enamel Thinner to clean your brushes, or you have alternative al-cheapo thinners that can do the same and save some dough?

How do you pple rinse/clean your brushes? For me, I pour some thinner into a small paint mixing dish and dabble my brush until clean. Perhaps I have been a retard and doing it all wrong. Are there any better or cost saving methods? Thanks.

[Ferrari TR]

I use regular laquer thinner to clean my brushes and my air brush too.
I just fill a small paint bottle with the thinner and dip my brushes in it then wipe them on a rag. A pint of laquer thinner costs about the same as a small bottle of hobby paint thinner and lasts me about a year!
This works for all types of paint (testors, Tamiya, gunze, etc.)
Gunze paint is quite hard to find in the US, and while I like the paint, I am replacing the few colors I use with other brands of paint as I run out.
Hope this helps!