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15 Posts
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10,147 hits since 27 Jan 2009
©1994-2019 Bill Armintrout
Comments or corrections?
©1994-2019 Bill Armintrout
Comments or corrections?
TodCreasey | 27 Jan 2009 7:35 a.m. PST |
I have recently switched to Vallejo paints for painting 1/56 resin vehicles as I really like the flatter finish. I have been thinning it using Isopropyl Alcohol like I did with Tamiyas but I am finding that I am getting thick strands of paint from time to time. It is still spraying nicely (especially with a gravity feed) but it clogs up easily and is a messier cleanup. What is everyone else thinning with? | |
Photonred | 27 Jan 2009 8:06 a.m. PST |
I use future and water to thin my paints for airbrushing. | |
Regards | 27 Jan 2009 8:09 a.m. PST |
I've been thinning with water, but the regular Vallejo tend to separate a bit when using the airbrush. A friend of mine says that Vallejo has a range of paints for airbrushes and that they are very good. This link may help as it also has the color charts available. acrylicosvallejo.com I had no idea that the Vallejo regular paints were problematic for the air brushes until I painted a large number of vehicles last summer. It wasn't a total loss as I was looking for a real beaten up look, but if doing something that needs to be nice and uniform, I think these 'air model' paints is what you need. Erik | |
DeaconBlue | 27 Jan 2009 8:26 a.m. PST |
I've been using Golden airbrush medium and a little Liquitex ultra matte medium | |
Sundance | 27 Jan 2009 8:30 a.m. PST |
I just use straight water, in about a 50/50 or 40 paint/60 water combo. It took a little experimenting to get the mix right, but I usually have to put on two coats. | |
asanblan | 27 Jan 2009 10:38 a.m. PST |
Vallejo has a airbrush line, called ModelAir. In general, I have not achieved good results airbrushing Vallejo Model Colors, so I only use Tamiya thinned down with Isopropyl Alcohol. However, it´s said by the people who uses Vallejo in the airbrush that you should never use Isopropyl Alcohol with them. Just plain water or maybe, acrylic flow improver. | |
Luisito | 27 Jan 2009 11:11 a.m. PST |
Marc33594 | 27 Jan 2009 12:22 p.m. PST |
I must agree, the regular Vallejo Model Color line really is optimized for brush work. Their Model Air line is specially formulated for spray and are used straight from the bottle with your airbrush. Many of the Model Color's are duplicated in the Model Air line. | |
Steve W | 27 Jan 2009 2:52 p.m. PST |
I've always mixed mine with Meths(proffesional airbrusher told me to do this even with acrylics), bit smelly but works really well for me | |
Tiberius | 27 Jan 2009 3:18 p.m. PST |
'Isopropyl Alcohol like I did with Tamiyas' Tamiya paints are an old style acylic paint. Vallejo like Derivan MiNi is a more modern formula. You thin with water, there is no need for Isopropyl Alcohol. For air brushing I suggest making a thinner using 9 parts water and 1 part surface tension breaker. Use this to thin the Vallejo paint to the desired consistency. The surface tension breaker will improve the flow of the paint. | |
Jovian1 | 27 Jan 2009 4:08 p.m. PST |
I'd mix your alcohol with some airbrush thinner from Golden in a 50/50 mix to thin the paint to the desired consistency that should give you a good mix which still dries very fast. The problems with mixing with water to thin or any of the other additives is they do not dry as fast. The best option is to purchase their line of airbrush paint as it works extremely well and most colors are matched between the lines. | |
Daryl G | 29 Jan 2009 1:02 p.m. PST |
Daryl G | 29 Jan 2009 1:03 p.m. PST |
Oppps. misread what you said, only heard bad comments regarding Vallejo airbrush paints. | |
Marc33594 | 29 Jan 2009 2:20 p.m. PST |
Daryl; Almost all the 1/35 scale armor folks are indeed raving about mixing the Tamiya acrylics with the Tamiya Laquer thinner! They say far superior to the Tamiya acrylic thinner for airbrush work. | |
Syrinx0 | 31 Jan 2009 8:51 p.m. PST |
Bad things about the Model Air line or thinning the Model Color line for airbrushing? I am using the Model Air line, about 10 different colors so far, and rather like it. My skill level may be a bit low but the paints seem fine. |
Sorry - only verified members can post on the forums. |
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In-Box ReviewVallejo Model Washes |
introduction
From the Vallejo Website:
For armor, vehicles, planes, ship, figures and war game figures. All surfaces exposed to sun, wind and dust, rain and snow, experience a change in color, a loss of intensity, a dulling and general fading which however is not even or overall. For the model painter, these changes in color are very difficult to reproduce, and to achieve these effects on a model, washes or filters are the perfect solution.
The washes are always needed to blend the edges of the colors on a model painted in various camouflage shades. The colors can also be mixed together to achieve further variations of shade and can be used with airbrush or brush, according to the model and the effect desired.
Model Wash can be mixed with pigments to achieve a wide range of effects such as oil and flaked rust, mud, earth, dust, moss, etc. and when mixed with acrylic colors, they further help achieve the impact of heavy wear and weathering.
The washed[s] have been formulated with a modified acrylic resin so that the superficial tension is similar to that of the traditional solvent-based washes and filters, but with the advantage of working with a water-based medium. Average drying time is around 20 minutes. If several layers of wash are to be applied, it is best to wait around 40 minutes between applications. Painting tools are cleaned with water.
Review & in use
A short while ago, I received a selection of Vallejo’s new acrylic washes from their Model Wash line. Being a huge fan of weathered vehicle modeling, I could not wait to give these new washes a run for their money. I happened to have one of Tamiya’s older Quad Tractor kits built and painted just sitting on the bench awaiting the start of the weathering process!! Time to dive right in!
First, let me explain which washes I had to start with. Each one of the new washes comes in a 35 ml (1.18fl.oz.) bottle, attractively labeled and easy to read. Each of the washes has the traditional black, snap-lock tops that have been used on their larger paints and primers. This is the list of items used for this review:
76.503 – Dark Yellow for Yellow Vehicles
76.505 – Light Rust for Rust effects
76.507 – Dark Rust for Rust Effects
76.512 - Dark Green for Green Vehicles
76.516 – Grey for Grey and Dark Vehicles
Vallejo offers 12 new washes in the Model Wash Line. Each geared to aiding color enhancement for different colors. Please stop by the Vallejo website and checkout the .pdf color chart here:
Model Wash
Getting started, I placed a couple of drops of the wash in the cups of my pallet. Next to each sample of the wash, I placed a couple of drops of water and then added two drops of wash to dilute the washes. Since these new washes are acrylic in origin, they mix extremely well with water. By adding the water to dilute these washes I will be experimenting, similar to test driving a car, I need to use all the options I can think of.
First up on the test block is the Dark Yellow Wash. Please note, since I painted the truck in acrylic paints, I did not want to disturb the paint layers by adding water based effect of it. So, I applied a quick clear coat to seal and protect my work. I first attempted to apply the wash similar to other washes I used. This particular wash went on a little heavy for my liking, but the diluted wash worked really well for this application. Blending almost like a filter, the wash brought out color tones from the paint stage and softened other harder tones. The wash dries fast, in about 10 to 15 minutes the surface was dry to the touch. The Vallejo site calls for an average drying time of about 20 minutes and suggests that you wait 40 or more minutes before applying any subsequent coats. I rarely follow the rules…at least that is what my wife says! After I let the first coat dry about 15 minutes, I applied a quick second coat to see how the next coat would darken the first and how this coat might affect the first coat while manipulating the wash, without sealing. I learned that the more light coats you add will slowly add darker tones, allowing the layers of weathering to be built up over several coats if desired.
Next, I decided to attempt some streaking effects with the washes. These are not designed for this application…but then again, I said I don’t follow the rules. Using the full strength wash and a fine tip brush, I was able to apply the fine streaks in a similar manner to other streaking products on the market. Working in sections, as not to have too much drying on the surface at one time, I laid down the streaks, waited a few minutes and then using a damp flat paintbrush I began to draw downward in the direction of the streaks I wanted to achieve slowly blending the steaks into the surface. I found this to work well. I let some sit a bit longer and the streaking dried really well and became difficult to remove with water, even after letting the water sit for a few seconds to soak in. I did find that by mixing water to isopropyl alcohol, 50/50, I was able to soften the surface tension of the fresh streaks and continue without disturbing the paint. This is one more good reason to seal the original paint work, as the paint may have been lifted or stained the color causing ill-effects to the build. Next, drying the brush quickly on a paper towel, I drew down in the same direction with the brush humid with water and this removed some of the secondary wash and blending the streaks with the wash, giving a nice streaking effect to the model.
It was time to try out the Green Wash for Green Vehicles. I wanted to add some alternate color tones to the tarpaulin roof. Using the wash full strength, I applied a nice even coat to the entire tarpaulin roof section. I then used a dry brush (and my finger on the high points of the mold) and blended the greenish color over the khaki colored tarp roof. This blended well and gave me a nice hint of green to the surface.
Now I needed to try something a little different. I mixed two drops of Light Rust Wash with three to four drops of the Grey Wash and then a drop of water. This created an almost Burnt Sienna wash, which I used a fine tip brush and applied various pin washes throughout the model on raised details and panel lines. This work extremely well and I was even able to remove an over-washing that had occurred around some bolts and such.
Using the Grey wash, I applied a full strength wash to the medium grey painted tires. Again the Vallejo washes brought out the tire lettering and highlighted the recessed areas. I ended up adding a couple of washes to the tires to alter the coloring slightly. Then to add some interest, I used the Grey Wash as a pin wash randomly to bolt heads and some panel lines. This created a nice contrast to the coloring of the model.
I wanted to try the Rust Wash alone to check the coloring. On both the front and rear bumpers using a slightly diluted mixture of Light Rush Wash and water, I placed some wash near the corners and around select bolts. This added just the right amount of rusting to this area for me.
Finally, I attempted to add some more streaking using the Grey Wash as well as the mixture of Grey and Light Wash. This gave some great variation to the streaking tones along all of the flat panels on the truck.
conclusion
The new Vallejo Model Wash Series makes a nice addition to the weathering rack on anyone’s bench. Safe, easy to use, easy to mix and easy to clean up using only water, these washes add some really nice blending and various effects to any model. Vallejo has supplied excellent various products used widely within the modeling community and the new washes stand with the long line of quality products.
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Our Thanks to Vallejo Acrylics! This item was provided by them for the purpose of having it reviewed on this KitMaker Network site. If you would like your kit, book, or product reviewed, please contact us. View Vendor Homepage | More Reviews |
About Todd Michalak (TRM5150)
FROM: MASSACHUSETTS, UNITED STATES
I am building what I like, when I like and how I like it; having fun doing it. I have been building and finishing models on and off my whole life but the past ten years things really exploded. Just about anything goes when it comes to hitting the bench, but wrecked armor, rusted hulks, ships or ..
Copyright ©2019 text by Todd Michalak [ TRM5150 ]. All rights reserved.
Here is an email chain sent to me by Eric Christianson who thought that this would be a nice topic for the IPMS Seattle Blog.
The names have not been changed to protect the innocent.
Airbrushing Vallejo Acrylics
Airbrushing Vallejo Paints
____________________________________________________________
Andrew, Eric, and Thomas,
I am having significant difficulty airbrushing the Vallejo Model Air dark yellow onto my tank models. I’ve read through the Vallejo on-line instructions and watched some of the Utube videos and I don’t seem to be able to replicate the results of other. Specific details are:
Iwata Eclipse
Operating Pressure 15 psi
thinner: Vallejo airbrush thinner
paint/thinner mixture 3/1
primer: Mr Hobby Surfacer 1500 black
Vallejo Acrylic retarder
Operating Pressure 15 psi
thinner: Vallejo airbrush thinner
paint/thinner mixture 3/1
primer: Mr Hobby Surfacer 1500 black
Vallejo Acrylic retarder
I experimented on a sheet of clean styrene using combinations of air pressure and settled on the above combination to try on a pair of Pzkw IIIs. However, the results were disappointing. The paint has a glossy, watery texture and is very thin. I have to give the model several coats just to get a decent color and it is rather glossy.
I am thinking that the Vallejo paint and Mr. Hobby primer don’t work well together so I took another model and I primed it Tamyia black and I’ll overpaint the Vallejo paint on that to see what it does.
Have any of you tried to paint the Vallejo Model Air directly on top of the Mr Hobby Surfacer? Did you have any problems?
Do you have any other suggestions when using the Vallejo Model Air paint?
Interestingly, I do not have this problem with the Tamyia paint. I just painted three of my Russian models using Flat Green as the base and modulating the color with Deck Tan. I use the Mr. Hobby level thinner with the Tamyia paint and I am very pleased with those results and three of the four models were primed with the Mr. Hobby Surfacer 1500 black.
Thanks for the help,
Bruce Biskup
____________________________________________________________
Hi Bruce!
There is no better painting experience than Tamiya + Gunze Leveling Thinner. That said, the paint is pretty toxic and the color choices are limited.
I have switched over to Vallejo products for these reasons and have (finally) dialed them in. My setup is different – I am using a siphon-feed single-action airbrush (Pasche H, #3 tip) and higher pressure (20lbs). I have watched and listened to all things Vallejo, and discarded everything. Nothing worked. What I learned, I learned by doing.
I airbrush 4-5 times a week and my most recent sessions (last three kits) using all three types of with Vallejo paint use the following ratios and products. This includes their primers as well (which are excellent by the way, although the German Grey is too dark)
I take an empty plastic 1-oz cup (from a fast food place) and put three drops of Liquitex Flow Aid. I add 20 drops of Vallejo Airbrush Thinner. Then I add 20 drops of paint, any paint. I swish that around and pour it into the airbrush cup. That amount of paint is usually all I need for a Sherman sized vehicle, whether I’m putting on primer or the camo coats.
I spray the paint on like I spray Future. The amount of paint I put on at one time is not as important as keeping the airbrush moving as I spray. I hold the model in such a way so I can see the reflected light show paint hitting the surface. In this way I don’t put on too much paint in one spot.
I love the paints and I no longer have to sit in a room getting asphyxiated!
By the way, I use three paints for German Yellow over a black primer: Dark Yellow (71.025), Sand Yellow (71.028) and Sand (Ivory) (71.075)
Regarding primers – I have excellent results painting Vallejo over any type of primer, including Vallejo own product, Tamiya NATO Black, Gunze Mr. Finishing Surfacer 1500 Black, and Alclad Black Primer and Microfiller.
My last Tiger I was also Vallejo over their own primer, but I used new colors for the German Yellow: Vallejo Model Air 71.030 Green Brown for the ‘German Yellow’ color, and Vallejo Model Air 71.024 Khaki Brown for the slightly darker color
Good luck!
Thanks!
Eric
____________________________________________________________
Sorry, am late to the party, as I was working late this evening.
Firstly, I think Mr Surfacer is an awesome primer, I now use their 1500. With lacquer thinner, it bites into the plastic. If left to cure (de-gas) for a couple of days, it shouldn’t cause any issues with an acrylic overcoat, such as Vallejo.
Secondly, each paint brand seems to react differently to changes in PSI, thinning ratios etc. Sometimes even within a brand range, PSI and thinning ratios need to be changed about.
If the paint you were using was supposed to be matt, or semi matt, and it turned out glossy, this often means the paint wasn’t mixed well. My very first airbrushing disaster back in 1976 ended up being glossy paint when it should have been matt. Reason: I didn’t stir up the paint well enough.
If your paint is watery, it probably means it is too thin, too much thinner. That said, if you lightly mist it on, and don’t put so much on it pools or runs, then all thin paint should mean is that it takes longer to get an opaque coating.
Plain yellow background hd. As Eric says, pop by his place on Thursday (it’s his birthday) and join the gang, and bring your airbrush, paint and thinner and have a “session” in the paint booth?
What annoys me about Vallejo is that while they have a huge range of colors, they can’t seem to bother themselves to come out with specific military colors such as RLM, US and German armor etc. That said, they do produce a few sets that are useful specifically for armor modelers. In fact now that I think about it, they have a US OD set for WW2 US armor.
Cheers
Andrew
____________________________________________________________
Vallejo Model Color Airbrush Ratio
Andrew and Eric,
Thanks for the comments.
I actually tried the paint at 30 psi, 20 psi, and 15 psi without any thinner. At the high pressure it sputters. I tended to get the best results at 15-20 psi when spraying on the clean sheet of styrene. However, when I sprayed the paint onto the primed model, it was very light and runny. That’s what was leading me to believe that there was some incompatibility between the paint and the primer.
I starting adding the flow improver and the thinner to help push more paint through the airbrush.
This morning I looked at the models and they are not that bad and now that the paint has dried, it is matt. It is just that the coats are very thin and the model is still mostly black even after several coats of paint. The gloss color would seem to be a combination of the paint being wet and translucent so the glossy primer is showing through.
My feeling is that the paint is very fine pigmented so it is rather translucent. Vallejo does mention that you will apply several coats of the paint and as Eric pointed out, it does last a long time in the airbrush. I’m more use to the Tamyia paint where I spray one coat and then when dry in about 30 minutes, I painted my modulated coat.
Unfortunately, my work responsibilities and the new improvements to I405 make it difficult for me to take off from Everett and make it down to Redmond during the week.
I’ll continue to experiment. I do think I need to mix the paint better. I stir the paint up while in the dropper but it felt fairly consistent. I’ll start mixing it in a mixing jar first in the 10:1 ratio of paint/flow improver and try that. I have the latex flow improver so I’ll try that too.
If everything fails, I have plenty of windex to clean it off and try again. It would not be the first time.
Emil is having a airbrush workshop on a weekend in November. I might as well make plans to attend that.
I’ll let you know how it goes.
Bruce Biskup
Bothell, WA
____________________________________________________________
Good Morning Bruce –
The only addition I need to make is that I found the paint unusable from an airbrush if I didn’t thin it 50/50 with thinner, and that’s after it has 2-3 drops of Flow Aid – including their ‘Model Air’ line. Before I started thinning it like that, it used to puddle and appear water-like because I would spray and spray and spray, trying to get coverage. I know that logic sounds backwards, but it is what it is.
Thanks!
Eric
____________________________________________________________
Vallejo Model Color In Airbrush Kit
Good Morning All –
Before you spend money on that OD set from Vallejo, may I suggest that save some money and just buy the relevant colors separately – Emil at Skyway has most of them. The package set includes thinner or Matt varnish or something like that if I recall. According to Vallejo themselves, all you need are the following:
US OD = Vallejo Model Air 71.016 Dark Green and then Vallejo Model Air 71.044 Light Grey Green for post-shading. This will get you a ‘green’ Sherman. I don’t know what to use (yet) for the ‘brown/khaki’ Sherman – that’s coming soon. Here are two examples of the above paints (the Calliope is not weathered yet, the M61 is finished with Flat Varnish) – both are Vallejo over black primer (rattle-can Rustoleum on the M61, and Gunze on the Sherman.
____________________________________________________________
Sorry, am late to the party, as I was working late this evening.
Firstly, I think Mr Surfacer is an awesome primer, I now use their 1500. With lacquer thinner, it bites into the plastic. If left to cure (de-gas) for a couple of days, it shouldn’t cause any issues with an acrylic overcoat, such as Vallejo.
Secondly, each paint brand seems to react differently to changes in PSI, thinning ratios etc. Sometimes even within a brand range, PSI and thinning ratios need to be changed about.
If the paint you were using was supposed to be matt, or semi matt, and it turned out glossy, this often means the paint wasn’t mixed well. My very first airbrushing disaster back in 1976 ended up being glossy paint when it should have been matt. Reason: I didn’t stir up the paint well enough.
If your paint is watery, it probably means it is too thin, too much thinner. That said, if you lightly mist it on, and don’t put so much on it pools or runs, then all thin paint should mean is that it takes longer to get an opaque coating.
As Eric says, pop by his place on Thursday (it’s his birthday) and join the gang, and bring your airbrush, paint and thinner and have a “session” in the paint booth?
What annoys me about Vallejo is that while they have a huge range of colors, they can’t seem to bother themselves to come out with specific military colors such as RLM, US and German armor etc. That said, they do produce a few sets that are useful specifically for armor modelers. In fact now that I think about it, they have a US OD set for WW2 US armor.
Cheers
Andrew
____________________________________________________________
Andrew and Eric,
Thanks for the comments.
I actually tried the paint at 30 psi, 20 psi, and 15 psi without any thinner. At the high pressure it sputters. I tended to get the best results at 15-20 psi when spraying on the clean sheet of styrene. However, when I sprayed the paint onto the primed model, it was very light and runny. That’s what was leading me to believe that there was some incompatibility between the paint and the primer.
I starting adding the flow improver and the thinner to help push more paint through the airbrush.
This morning I looked at the models and they are not that bad and now that the paint has dried, it is matt. It is just that the coats are very thin and the model is still mostly black even after several coats of paint. The gloss color would seem to be a combination of the paint being wet and translucent so the glossy primer is showing through.
My feeling is that the paint is very fine pigmented so it is rather translucent. Vallejo does mention that you will apply several coats of the paint and as Eric pointed out, it does last a long time in the airbrush. I’m more use to the Tamyia paint where I spray one coat and then when dry in about 30 minutes, I painted my modulated coat.
Unfortunately, my work responsibilities and the new improvements to I405 make it difficult for me to take off from Everett and make it down to Redmond during the week.
I’ll continue to experiment. I do think I need to mix the paint better. I stir the paint up while in the dropper but it felt fairly consistent. I’ll start mixing it in a mixing jar first in the 10:1 ratio of paint/flow improver and try that. I have the latex flow improver so I’ll try that too.
If everything fails, I have plenty of windex to clean it off and try again. It would not be the first time.
Emil is having a airbrush workshop on a weekend in November. I might as well make plans to attend that.
I’ll let you know how it goes.
Bruce Biskup
Bothell, WA
____________________________________________________________
Good Morning Bruce –
The only addition I need to make is that I found the paint unusable from an airbrush if I didn’t thin it 50/50 with thinner, and that’s after it has 2-3 drops of Flow Aid – including their ‘Model Air’ line. Before I started thinning it like that, it used to puddle and appear water-like because I would spray and spray and spray, trying to get coverage. I know that logic sounds backwards, but it is what it is.
Thanks!
Eric
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Good Morning, All:
Here are the most important aspects to remember when airbrushing:
1/ Air Pressure, PSI: the higher the PSI, the faster the paint flies out of the tip of the airbrush. This increases the atomization of the paint, thus creating a finer mist (all other things being equal). However, the finer the atomization, the quicker the drying time of the paint. If the paint is coming out too quickly, and is being atomized very finely AND the airbrush is too far from the surface of the model, then the paint will literally dry before it hits the model’s surface. This is when you get the “pebble” or “sandpaper” effect on the surface, a rough finish. To try and compensate for this, lower the PSI, add flow enhancer/paint drying retarder, and move the airbrush closer to the surface of the model.
2/ thinning ratio. Obviously the more thinner you add, the less paint will be used. This then makes the layers of paint per pass of the airbrush thinner, and thus more translucent. Also, the more thinner you add, the slower the paint application dries, especially if you have added a flow enhancer/retarder to it. This is when you have issues with the paint running/pooling. One way to help compensate for this is to have a hand held hair dryer plugged in and ready to use. Apply a few light coats of paint, then hit the model with warm air, to help improve the paint drying. Be careful though, as while you are drying the paint with the hair dryer, the paint is attempting to dry in the tip of your airbrush. So always have a Q-tip and some thinner, to wipe the airbrush tip from time to time.
3/ Distance of airbrush from surface of the model: as mentioned earlier, the further the paint has to travel once it leaves the airbrush tip, before it hits the surface of the model, the more likely the paint is to start drying. Adding flow enhancer/retarder to the paint helps, but simply moving your airbrush closer to the surface of the model also is key if you are having premature drying issues. The closer the airbrush is to the model, the lower you need to have the PSI/air flow. Put your airbrush a half inch from the model, and blast the paint out at 30PSI, and you will have a mess. Thin the paint a bit, lower the PSI to 12PSI, and if you are using a gravity feed airbrush, this low PSI should be fine.
4/ paint drying time. The cooler the temperature, the slower the drying time of most paints. Also, various thinners evaporate at faster speeds than others. Lacquer thinner dries very rapidly. Acrylic thinner with flow enhancer/retarder added dries quite slowly. So if you are airbrushing in a cool environment (an unheated garage in winter, say), then have a hair dryer handy to speed up the drying.
If the paint is too “wet”, and you apply too much at once, it runs or pools. After a while of using a given paint mix, you should get a feel for how things “look”, and you will be able to visually avoid runs/pooling. Once it looks dubious, stop, and get out the hair dryer. I am constantly using a hair dryer especially during non-summer months.
Drying time, rules of thumb: lacquers dry quickest, followed by enamels, lastly acrylics. Matt paints dry quicker than gloss paints, no matter what the medium.
Hope the above is helpful.
Cheers
Andrew
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Vallejo Game colour in an airbrush |
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Subject: Vallejo Game colour in an airbrush | ||
Innocent SDF-1 Bridge Bunny | Been having trouble with this stuff. When i mix it with Vallejo Thinner Medium, it tends to work.. mostly okayish. But that stuff is expensive, so I;ve been trying to thin using mineral spirits or isopropyl alcohol as well. And, well.. sometimes it works, but mostly it doesnt. Mostly it clogs up the airbrush or some other nonsense, and I have to take it apart to clean out the gunk. So does anyone have any tips? | |
So many games, so little time. So many models, even less time. Screw it, Netflix and chill. | ||
Subject: Re:Vallejo Game colour in an airbrush | ||
Fresh-Faced New User | Liquitex Airbrush medium and distilled water work best for me. Alcohol and Vallejo tent to be a bad combo. | |
Subject: Re:Vallejo Game colour in an airbrush | ||
Longtime Dakkanaut | happened to me too. wastes so much time. i tried every thinner imaginable. its not the thinner its the paint. the dropper bottles are good at squeezing out little bits of dried paint. i prefer pots. iv had bottles of vallejo that doesnt stick to the model, it just slides around and takes forever to dry. they put too much flow improver i think. the only thing that might help is straining the paint through a nylon stocking. then try spraying some citadel base paint and see what youve been missing - godly stuff. | |
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/11/30 00:15:33 | ||
Subject: Vallejo Game colour in an airbrush | ||
Speedy Swiftclaw Biker |
I've been doing research on Airbrushes/paints/accessories, and on Vallejo's site they actually say SOME game color paints can be used in an airbrush, but not all. Here's the section from Vallejo's site(I in no way accept credit for this, all rights to '© Acrylicos Vallejo, S.L. 2012') If you've been using game color, this next section makes perfect sense to your problem. 4.6. Can I use Game Color in an airbrush? These colors were not developed for airbrushing, and you would find that the formula of Game Color will dry too quickly in the airbrush; we recommend Model Air, which has been especially created for air brushing. | |
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/11/30 06:34:33 Space Wolves waiting for flyers..I think Russ will be back before then... | ||
Subject: Vallejo Game colour in an airbrush | ||
Drop Trooper with Demo Charge | Well, if you havent tried it try windex. A note of WARNING though. if you use windex you need a HEPA mask. there is amonia in the cleaner and can cause health issues. There is windex crystal too, which has no amonia, but i have not tried it in my paints so i cant vouch for its reliability. I use the thinner medium from vallejo, it works great with GW paints too. i go about a 1:1 on it. i would personally eat the cost if it works. IMHO | |
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/11/30 07:39:09 IMMA FIRIN MAH LASCANNON!!! O o /¯/________________________ | FREEEEEEEEEEMMMMMMMM!!! _¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ | ||
Subject: Vallejo Game colour in an airbrush | ||
Hardened Veteran Guardsman | Issue with paint drying can be resolved through a variety of means, like an extender solution. Vallejo can be used in Airbrush, but every paint has it's qualities and each has to be diluted by different solutions. Experimentation and research. Just like in hand brushing, each paint (and by that I mean each COLOUR) has it's own qualities. These are magnified in an airbrush. The only paint I know that should never ever be used in airbrush is GW skull white. The rest can be managed with proper dilution. | |
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/11/30 07:40:28 | ||
Subject: Vallejo Game colour in an airbrush | ||
Trustworthy Shas'vre | I mix dropper paints in airbrushing all the time. Try golden or liquitex airbrush medium, or windex, as suggested. I prefer the 'golden' brand, but many like the liquitex. As far as its cost..I use about a thimble worth every time I use it..so its not a lot (or much less). How much is your time and energy worth? | |
DavePak 'Remember, in life, the only thing you absolutely control is your own attitude - do not squander that power.' Fully Painted armies: TAU: 10k Nids: 9600 Marines: 4000 Crons: 7600 Actor, Gamer, Comic, Corporate Nerd | ||
Subject: Vallejo Game colour in an airbrush | ||
Esteemed Veteran Space Marine | thinning your paint with alcohol makes it dry faster so you will have paint drying on your tip like every 10 seconds! you can thin your thinner with water like 1:3 and put it in a larger container ofc but that works pretty well.. something that you can also use is wet water, which is water with a much lower surface tension.. or just prepare a large container with water and just 2 or 3 drops of dish washing soap.. again, dont use windex, alcohol or something like that because while it makes your paint dry faster on the model it also makes the paint dry faster in your airbrush! | |
Check out my painting, wargaming and hobby blog. Frequent new tutorials and updates The Airbrush&Analog Facebook Page My Necron WIP blog, check it out and leave a comment. My Blood Ravens blog, check it out and leave a comment Creator of the Sons of Hephaestus Space Marine Chapter. | ||
Subject: Vallejo Game colour in an airbrush | ||
Crafty Clanrat | I was just watching a video by Les Bursley who paints mostly with VGC paints and he mentioned that his thinner of choice is a mix of acrylic matte medium, distilled water and a tiny bit of flow improver. I didn't quite catch the quantities but it was something like 3 parts matte medium and 1 part distilled water/flow improver mix (which was 10-1 water/flow improver). He mentioned it in his video where he goes over his workspace and tools. Haven't tried it myself yet though.. | |
Subject: Vallejo Game colour in an airbrush | ||
Esteemed Veteran Space Marine |
just distilled water and flow improver will work just fine | |
Check out my painting, wargaming and hobby blog. Frequent new tutorials and updates The Airbrush&Analog Facebook Page My Necron WIP blog, check it out and leave a comment. My Blood Ravens blog, check it out and leave a comment Creator of the Sons of Hephaestus Space Marine Chapter. | ||
Subject: Vallejo Game colour in an airbrush | ||
Boosting Ultramarine Biker | I use Game color and model color with windex with no issues at all. I also use Reaper, GW, and even craft paint too. Put a drop of your thinner in first, then paint, then more thinner. Stirring with a brush is needed too. I can spray it right down to 10 psi with a .35 needle. | |
Subject: Vallejo Game colour in an airbrush | ||
Esteemed Veteran Space Marine | .35 is pretty big.. But believe me when i say that windex is for cleaning airbrushes not for thinning them. The blue teint aside it is an ammonia based product. Excellent for cleaning but as said in a previous post when using it to thin your paints it makes them dry faster on a model (which could be considered a pro) but it also makes it dry faster on your airbrush. You can contact any airbrush company for this to verify | |
Check out my painting, wargaming and hobby blog. Frequent new tutorials and updates The Airbrush&Analog Facebook Page My Necron WIP blog, check it out and leave a comment. My Blood Ravens blog, check it out and leave a comment Creator of the Sons of Hephaestus Space Marine Chapter. | ||
Subject: Vallejo Game colour in an airbrush | ||
Swift Swooping Hawk | Take an empty bottle and make your own thinner mix. Say 20% alcohol and 80% distilled water. That's what I did in the beginning. NEVER use Windex that has ammonia in an airbrush. If you use Windex make sure it is ammonia free. | |
Subject: Vallejo Game colour in an airbrush | ||
Esteemed Veteran Space Marine |
lol no alcohol!! it will make the paint dry quicker which there is no need for because it already dries quickly on your model because you are using an airbrush! plus the alcohol will make the paint dry on your needle tip and inside your nozzle quicker! if you buy a 60ml vallejo thinner and a 250ml container and pour all your thinner in there and fill the bottle up with distilled water or preferably 'wet water' your good to go.. you can even add some flow aid to PREVENT the paint from drying on your needle tip | |
Check out my painting, wargaming and hobby blog. Frequent new tutorials and updates The Airbrush&Analog Facebook Page My Necron WIP blog, check it out and leave a comment. My Blood Ravens blog, check it out and leave a comment Creator of the Sons of Hephaestus Space Marine Chapter. |
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