Why so many........

[Peej]

As I have said in earlier posts I am getting back into model making. I am slowly getting bits & pieces collected together. My paints have all been supplied with kits I have bought, up to now British WW2 aircraft. I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of 2 WW2 german vehicles. I have been looking on everyones favourite auction site at acrylic paint sets as I like working with acrylics and brushes but there is just so many sets I got totally confused with what I need. Could someone please come to my rescue and advise me about what basic colours I should have to begin with. I can always expand my collection as time goes on and I get better at building.

Thanks in anticipation.

Paul

 

[tenchu11]

I use a lot of Tamiya paints because of easy to find colors (at my shop) the are all by letter and number. The paints brush great out of the bottle (i just dip a brush for detail work). Also model master has a lot of regulation paint. If a specific plane calls for RLM (random #) blue, Model Master usually carries it. I believe the RLM stands for Royal Library Museum, they catalog colors of every ware vehicle and Model Master also uses their RLM as a resource/ paint index. Another one that you might look into is Vallejo they make alot of ww2 specific sets, although i've not used them myself I hear nothing but great things they are consider high quality. I belive they make sets of Panzer Ace paint sets that are german specific. I'm not sure how tough it is to find Vallejo or Model Master since they are U.S based.

 

[Richi72]

Ok Paul,

I started with those Enemals from Humbrol and Revell a couple of decades ago, not mush of acrylic around.

Then in the late 90*s I started with a paint set (Alleid) from Vallejo and after the first time using them, I was sold.

Have some others too, like Andrea and 75, but I like my Vallejo, great thing is that I still use paints that are from my first set.

I would start with 1 or 2 sets from Vallejo, or better source out which numbers there are in those particular sets and buy them bottles separately, why, most of the time that's cheaper.

But that's my 2 cents, everybody has his or her own preferences.

Cheers Richi

 

[monica]

well when i got back into modeling after years off i was using life color and humbrol, and then after seeing that alot of the guys

hear used Vallejo, so i got some fo a tank ,i was doing just looked up paint cross over charts to see what colors from humbrol to vallejo,

and i tell you once i started to paint with the vallejo, its hard to go back to other brands as the paint is so much smother than them,

as Richi said start with a basic set of paints like with field ,gray ,bule,green, and bepends on what you do German ,British,

get the colors you need

hope its some help

cheers

Moni

 

[dubster72]

If you're doing German vehicles Paul, then the colours you need are:

1939-1943 (August) black, white & Prussian blue. With these you can paint & weather German Grey. Alternatively you can buy pre-mixed German Grey, but that's usually too dark IMHO.

Post August 1943, you'll need Dunkelgelb

Tamiya Dark Yellow XF-60

Vallejo Iraqi Sand

Olivegrün

Tamiya Olive Drab XF-62

Rotbrün

Tamiya Red Brown XF-64

Now heres the 'but. ..!

But all colours are best as a guide due to weathering, availability etc. Let us know what you're going to build & more specific advice might help.

Cheers

Patrick

 

[PaulTRose]

never got on with tamiya paint...not for hairy brushing or air brushing, i only use it for detail work

revell aquas are easy to get and pretty good..........Vallejos Model Master paints are excellent i have found

 

[Ian M]

another Vallejo

f an here. Both for air and hair.

 

[Peej]

Let us know what you're going to build

Hi Patrick I am going to build an Opel Blitz & pak 40 gun and a German Kubelwagen type 82. My wife is into water colour painting and has quite a few tubes of acrlic paint so I might raid her paint box and see if I can maybe mix some myself.

 

[Deleted member 3568]

Sorry but I hate acrylics they are so soft you can't touch the model once painted or the paint comes off I will stick to my enamels I know it's old fashioned but there you are, to each his own.

 

[dubster72]

Hi Paul - well all of those saw service throughout the war, so it's up to you which time zone you fancy depicting.

If you're brush painting (and I think you are?) , I'd go for pre 1943 for the Blitz / Pak combo as you won't need to worry about tricky camo schemes in 1/72.

I'm with Ken, I do prefer enamels. Tamiya is rubbish for brushing & Vallejo comes off far too easily.

Plus white spirit is a cheap thinner / cleaner.

 

[Laurie]

Paul when I start a new model the first thing I look at is the paint situation.

The paint I decide on will be as close as possible to the authentic colour. But I also take into account the scale and also the age o the craft. For instance a Merlin helicopter or one which has been there 6 months. On the Merlin I am building I have produced a mix to suit,hopefully, the condition of the helicopter.

The best I find is to build up a selection rather than a set some of which you may not ever use. Also to take into account that you can order on line and have paint delivered within 24 to 36 hours.

Laurie

 

[BarryW]

I also use Vallejo and would strongly recommend them.

I have to say I find that that not only lay down well, they have a huge range of colours, are in 'spill proof' 17ml eye dropper bottles and once they are cured provide a very hard and resiliant finish.

Vallejo have a lot of information on their site with tutorials in armour painting with their paint that you might want to watch.

http://www.acrylicosvallejo.com/

Both Vallejo Model Colour (for brush painting) and Model Air (for the airbrush) are very easily available through John at Scale Model Shop, the link at the top.

The one thing I will not use Vallejo for are metallics, the Mr Colour buffable metallics from Gunze are so much better. (also available from John)

 

[Gern]

Only thing I know about paints is that the next kit you want to build will need a colour you don't have .....

Gern

 

[colin m]

I use a lot of Tamiya paints because of easy to find colors (at my shop) the are all by letter and number. The paints brush great out of the bottle (i just dip a brush for detail work). Also model master has a lot of regulation paint. If a specific plane calls for RLM (random #) blue, Model Master usually carries it. I believe the RLM stands for Royal Library Museum, they catalog colors of every ware vehicle and Model Master also uses their RLM as a resource/ paint index. Another one that you might look into is Vallejo they make alot of ww2 specific sets, although i've not used them myself I hear nothing but great things they are consider high quality. I belive they make sets of Panzer Ace paint sets that are german specific. I'm not sure how tough it is to find Vallejo or Model Master since they are U.S based.

RLM, I think is the German Ministry of Aviation. Where's Stona.........................He knows all things German.

 

[dubster72]

RLM, I think is the German Ministry of Aviation. Where's Stona.........................He knows all things German.

Whilst the Reichs Luftfahrt Ministerium would be useful for Luftwaffe colours, Paul is asking about building vehicles

 

[Ian M]

Sorry but I hate acrylics they are so soft you can't touch the model once painted or the paint comes off I will stick to my enamels I know it's old fashioned but there you are, to each his own.

Dare I ask if you are thinning them with water. It sounds like it. What you need to think about is that if you are using water, you are not thinning the paint but diluting it. The first couple of tries I had with Acrylic I "thinned" with water and found that the result was a weak powdery finish that as you say rubbed off. Bought a bottle of thinners and never looked back. Hard, smooth and tough.

I wont go technical on you, I will let our resident chemist, Stona do that. In short water dilutes the binders in the paint making it weak. Using a thinner you maintain the level of binders in the paint and it remains as tough as it was made to be.

Ian M

 

[Laurie]

I also use Vallejo and would strongly recommend them.I have to say I find that that not only lay down well, they have a huge range of colours, are in 'spill proof' 17ml eye dropper bottles and once they are cured provide a very hard and resiliant finish.

Vallejo have a lot of information on their site with tutorials in armour painting with their paint that you might want to watch.

http://www.acrylicosvallejo.com/

Both Vallejo Model Colour (for brush painting) and Model Air (for the airbrush) are very easily available through John at Scale Model Shop, the link at the top.

The one thing I will not use Vallejo for are metallics, the Mr Colour buffable metallics from Gunze are so much better. (also available from John)

As a range of paints I very much agree with Barry. I found when as a beginner that Vallejo is very straight forward. Very easy to use in both forms brush and airbrush.

An extensive range in paint varnish and a host of other forms and all compatible.

They are as Barry has said very resilient. But make sure the plastic has been wet and dried before applying one of about 10 primers each with basic colours.

Ensure at least 24 hours after priming before wet and drying. Best not to dry sand as it does not provide a smooth surface, The surface of the primer is then hard and most important really stuck to the plastic.

As Ian has mentioned. Vallejo thinners retains for paints and primers its original consistency and integrity. Water will dilute both those abilities.

Laurie

 

[colin m]

Whilst the Reichs Luftfahrt Ministerium would be useful for Luftwaffe colours, Paul is asking about building vehicles

If a specific plane calls for RLM (random #) blue, Model Master usually carries it. I believe the RLM stands for Royal Library Museum, You see, me being a plane person, that's the bit I saw !

 

[Deleted member 3568]

I used vellejo air paint and spray through my ab thinned with Vallejo thinners and cleaned my brush out with Vallejo ab cleaner. I guess I just don't get on with acrylics although I have found they are ok for detailing where the model is not going to be handled much anyway. Generally I can handle any model I have sprayed or brushed with enamels the next day. I hear people saying acrylics need 48hours to cure, I don't want to be waiting 2 days everytime I paint some part before I can eagerly glue it together or paint some other bit of it. If it does take 48 hours for acrylics to cure and you have a complex part that needs 4 colours say it would take over a week to paint that one part.

 

[dubster72]

The thing about Vallejo is that you effectively need to buy 2 lots of each colour - one for brush painting & one for airbrushing. Not ideal if you're on a budget!

And please please can I see pictures of how to wet & dry sand a 1/72 Opel Blitz & PAK 40! :P