do i need a flow improver?
Brush paints
- Thread starter barneyadi
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urumomo
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a retarder ?
You shouldn't need more than the thinner for the paint .
Nothing for the Stynylrez if that's what you're getting .
" dry tip " is the most common issue with airbrushing .
Dried paint will build up at the needle tip and prevent paint flow .
This is normal and easily controlled by frequent wiping of the tip with a damp towel , Usually damp with just water but isopropyl alcohol works very well - No need to pull the air cap and needle cap unless it's severe .
A retarder will prevent this if it is a severe issue but it is used sparingly in thinners as it will greatly slow the paint curing on the work .
Too much will cause the paint to run .
I'd hold off on getting any until you familiarize yourself with airbrushing .
You shouldn't need more than the thinner for the paint .
Nothing for the Stynylrez if that's what you're getting .
" dry tip " is the most common issue with airbrushing .
Dried paint will build up at the needle tip and prevent paint flow .
This is normal and easily controlled by frequent wiping of the tip with a damp towel , Usually damp with just water but isopropyl alcohol works very well - No need to pull the air cap and needle cap unless it's severe .
A retarder will prevent this if it is a severe issue but it is used sparingly in thinners as it will greatly slow the paint curing on the work .
Too much will cause the paint to run .
I'd hold off on getting any until you familiarize yourself with airbrushing .
Docbritofmf
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Ok so super newbie question I was at my local hobby shop looking for paint, as I've said before I prefer enamel idk why but I do anyways for the Kearsarge I decided to go acrylic mainly for better color variety as the enamel shelves at the shop were running low an many shades an color spots empty while acrylic was loaded but anyways the question I came to was the store worker showed me acrylic , enamel, and lacquer
So what is lacquer and how is it different from enamel ?
So what is lacquer and how is it different from enamel ?
Do i need to thin undercoat?
I brush paint exclusively with Vallejo model color acrylic. I have tried Humbrol and did not care for it. I like the Vallejo because it is easy measure because of the dropper bottles. There are better tools for mixing and measuring, but this makes it easy.
I have read and watched and people dont seem to like them. Any tips to make them brush easier?
urumomo
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ya know , I just remember that this thing is brush painted with the AK Real Color : https://www.scalemodeladdict.com/threads/watson-on-mars.13418/So I guess AK Real Color does brush OK .
I think thinned with just water ,,,, maybe some acrylic medium .
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I thin with water and do multiple thin coats
7 parts paint 1ish part water. "Consistency of milk". I alternate coats so I am not always applying it in the same direction. That helps avoid visible brush strokes
ok, interesting to know, might them a try and see how i get on.
Ohm
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Quick answer: Acrylic Lacquer dries faster than enamel. Sprays in thinner coats than enamel.
I'll come back to this an add more comparisons.
urumomo
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Enamels use alkyd resin that cure via oxygen absorption ( or linseed oil in traditional artists oil whuch cure via the same process ) -- they can't be removed with their thinner , mineral spirit , once cured and are resistant to many solvents .
Lacquers use nitrocellulose , acetate butyrate or acrylic resin that are simple film formers -- there is no chemical cure ; and the coating can be removed by the same solvent they are delivered in -- acetone ( with other volatiles ) for the nitrocellulose and acetate ,, and alcohols for the acrylics .
Lacquers use nitrocellulose , acetate butyrate or acrylic resin that are simple film formers -- there is no chemical cure ; and the coating can be removed by the same solvent they are delivered in -- acetone ( with other volatiles ) for the nitrocellulose and acetate ,, and alcohols for the acrylics .
Docbritofmf
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Ok so in English when it comes to paint when would you use lacquer vs enamel and is there the same variety of lacquer colors or is it sorta purpose built for specific crafts?
Docbritofmf
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Ok so in English when it comes to paint when would you use lacquer vs enamel and is there the same variety of lacquer colors or is it sorta purpose built for specific crafts?
urumomo
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I use lacquers when doing metallics , they do the best job in that arena .
Lacquers dry fast since their vehicle is very volatile and there is no " cure " time , only dry time .
When brush painting , applying a lacquer over another will dissolve , or " reactivate " , the base coating and allow for blending and nuanced effects .
They also allow thin , transparent coats to be put down much like alcohol or water based acrylic allowing for color gradients etc .
There are plenty of colors available and they can be blended easily .
The drawback is the high solvent ratio so you really need a fume extractor if you're working with much of it .
I use enamel primers on a lot of builds so that I can easily blend or remove acrylic color-coats without affecting the primer .
Isopropyl alcohol will easily remove dried acrylics but has zero effect on cured enamel .
I do use enamels for brush painting sometimes although I prefer the alcohol based acrylics .
A lot of this hobby is personal preference .
Adding a retarder ( small amounts ) to acrylic paints when brush painting allows for blending of colors by extending the dry time and making them more like oil paints with their long open time .
I'm sure some others here can fill in the blanks .
Lacquers dry fast since their vehicle is very volatile and there is no " cure " time , only dry time .
When brush painting , applying a lacquer over another will dissolve , or " reactivate " , the base coating and allow for blending and nuanced effects .
They also allow thin , transparent coats to be put down much like alcohol or water based acrylic allowing for color gradients etc .
There are plenty of colors available and they can be blended easily .
The drawback is the high solvent ratio so you really need a fume extractor if you're working with much of it .
I use enamel primers on a lot of builds so that I can easily blend or remove acrylic color-coats without affecting the primer .
Isopropyl alcohol will easily remove dried acrylics but has zero effect on cured enamel .
I do use enamels for brush painting sometimes although I prefer the alcohol based acrylics .
A lot of this hobby is personal preference .
Adding a retarder ( small amounts ) to acrylic paints when brush painting allows for blending of colors by extending the dry time and making them more like oil paints with their long open time .
I'm sure some others here can fill in the blanks .
Well i have been doing more research and found a guy who did a test with Revell Aqua Color in a airbrush and used distilled water, lacquer thinner and isopropyl. The lacquer thinner didnt work at all, made the paint go gloopy. The water was good but he said the isopropyl was excellent. So might be way to go. Got two models today, a Citroen 2CV and a truck so might try airbrush on one and brush painting on other.
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