tips for painting with acrylics

[John Rixon]

mmmm… I've finally got a workspace together and am dipping my toes in after a long, long time - excluding a period, a few years ago building RC models, but thats another story! - and starting on 2 models I have lying around. One is a 1/32 Revell P51B and the other is a part built Revell Scorpion CVRT that a mate has asked me to finish (he used to drive one, so no pressure there…).

The P51 sprues tell me it was made in the '80s, which explains the many, many flaws in the kit. The Scorpion is a similar story, but I digress…

Having many years experience using acrylics for art etc, I thought I'd have a handle on them for modelling, but it seems not! I am now watching tutorials and reading posts on this forum to get on a new learning curve! First mistake? Not using primer - I think! Am deffo going to prime the Mustang, as there is a lot of surface area, but there's going to be a fair bit of filling going on, thanks to the poor fit of many parts. Ahhh, I pine for the days when a single coat of Humbrol matt enamels was all it took… but I love the fact that the brushes wash in water, so I'm gonna beat this thing.

Multiple thinned coats it is then. Good job I have time these days!

 

[Stevekir]

You don't say whether you a brush or use an airbrush. I exclusively use an airbrush (Vallejo Model Air, not Model Colour, no need to thin). A couple of coats seem to do the job. I always use a primer (Vallejo again), probably one coat, sometimes slightly thinned using Vallejo thinner.

(Just noticed this is in the brush area! Must try to keep up.)

 

[noble]

I don't know what the testors paint is like but I have had bad results when using Tamiya paint to cover big areas with a brush, and I use Tamiya all the time if iam brush painting I use Revell aqua mixed approx. 50% 50% and apply it in thin coats using a no2 round brush.

scott

 

[John Rixon]

Well, I finished my Universal Carrier, just brush painting, (the mustang turned out to be a dog of a model, and has been put aside for the day when my skills can overcome the dreadful production flaws!!) and now feel I have a bit more of a handle on these new fangled acrylics! Thinning is certainly essential, and I'd suggest using the proprietary thinners - tamiya definitely has a wetting agent in it, and really makes a huge difference over thinning with water. Giving it 24 hours between coats is probably a good idea, as I did find softening of the previous coat one morning, after about 3 hours drying! I used 2 parts paint to 1 part thinners and used a nice soft brush for the first 2 coats, only resorting to a smart chisel brush for the top coat, laying it off at a shallow angle. Brush strokes were minimal at worst, but mostly invisible, plus, this is an AFV, so a high gloss finish doesn't come into it.

Complex areas are going to be a pain always, when hand brushing, with thinned paint, there is always going to be opportunities for running and build up of paint. I think the biggest turn off is the psychological effect of seeming the first coat drying - it will, by its very nature look like a pigs ear! Just be patient and soon it'll look smart with a few coats applied.

 

[John Rixon]

...but I suspect I'll end up getting an airbrush for the larger areas, and carry on brushing for the fine details, always a compromise eh?

 

[Laurie]

...but I suspect I'll end up getting an airbrush for the larger areas, and carry on brushing for the fine details, always a compromise eh?

Actully I have read a number of times that Tamiya is a difficult paint to handbrush.

Laurie

 

[John Rixon]

Yeah, me too Laurie, a few days after buying 10 or 12 bottles! But they were what I used for my Bren Carrier, and that didn't come out too badly - as I said, patience during the first two coats is essential, and after that it all seemed fine. I plan to buy a couple of bottles of Vallejo model colour soon and give them a bash, but I have fond memories of old-school Humbrol Matt enamels, full opacity with one coat etc. etc. but this place was all fields then... .

If the Vallejo turns out to be a lot better, I will slowly transfer my loyalty over, but I suspect that brushing them will have their own traits! Can't remember who suggested it, but I did do a fair few practise runs on a water bottle, primed it then played around with different mixes and brushes, soon had a lovely flat coat. Coloured primers, now there's a way forward!

 

[The Migrant]

I thin mine until it is just a little thicker than milk. (Full Fat) of course! Don't have a ratio, I just add water, until I am happy with the test on a piece of primered plasticard.Gregg

That's the consistency I aim for too, but only for airbrushing. I think it would be much too thin for brush-painting.