What type of wash to use on enamel (Testors MM)?

[Edbert]

I'm seeing success in applying Tamiya or AK washes, but I understand they are safe to apply to Tamiya acrylic (XF) paints with or without a varnish.

My question is, do I use a diluted Tamiya XF as a wash on top of a new gloss coat of Testors Model-Master insignia white?

I think the answer is yes so, followup...do I dilute the XF wash with X20 or something even milder like water? I think the hardened enamel is close to bulletproof but I dunno, so I ask.

 

[dave]

Not too sure i know most of these products are perfectly safe over acrylic paints but not recommended over lacquer paints ,what are testors I'm sure someone will give their answer to this hopefully not learnt the hard way. Dave

 

[Edbert]

Not too sure i know most of these products are perfectly safe over acrylic paints but not recommended over lacquer paints ,what are testors I'm sure someone will give their answer to this hopefully not learnt the hard way. Dave

I've a tendency to oversimplify things, like "enamels and oils use turpentine as thinner and acrylic uses water". It might have been true at one point, or in art class, it is not today. The Testors (both the small square bottles and the model-masters ones) worked fine with turpentine, just had a 24-hour drying period.

I know that today things are insane where some acrylics use acetone or lacquer thinners and some use water or alcohol. I'm thinking the wise thing to do is apply a gloss varnish before proceeding.

I thought I could cut a corner by using some old gloss white, I'm burning through XF2 like crazy, and the gloss surface would avoid the need for a varnish.

 

[BlackSheepTwoOneFour]

Acrylic based wash go over enamels, enamel based wash over acrylics.

 

[urumomo]

Acrylic based wash go over enamels, enamel based wash over acrylics.

why ?

 

[BlackSheepTwoOneFour]

Let me enlighten you, Professor. Washes ought to be opposite of what your paint base coat is. Everybody knows that.

Shocking that you don't know this…. LOL!

 

[urumomo]

Nope .
and if it was that way there would be a reason .

 

[the Baron]

I'm seeing success in applying Tamiya or AK washes, but I understand they are safe to apply to Tamiya acrylic (XF) paints with or without a varnish.

My question is, do I use a diluted Tamiya XF as a wash on top of a new gloss coat of Testors Model-Master insignia white?

I think the answer is yes so, followup...do I dilute the XF wash with X20 or something even milder like water? I think the hardened enamel is close to bulletproof but I dunno, so I ask.

To clarify a little on "use the opposite of what your paint base coat is, " you want to pay attention to the solvents used to make the wash, and make sure that they won't attack the color coat you already have down. In your example, over a coat of enamels, a wash of Tamiya's X/XF acrylic, which is an alcohol-based acrylic (Momo, please correct me if I've misstated that), made with isopropyl, should be fine. A water-based wash would work, too, like using a craft store brand like Folk Art, Americana, or Apple Barrel, and water..

 

[Jim62]

You can make a wash with pastels water and a drop of dish soap. No nasty chemicals to deal with and always clear coat first to protect your paint.

 

[the Baron]

I should have mentioned that besides a wash made of a water-based acrylic and water, I also make washes from the oil paints I have, and mineral spirits. Here is another example of using a solvent for the wash, that could impact the color coat. The mineral spirits can attack an enamel. So I'd use a water, or alcohol-based wash, or, seal the enamel with DullCote.

 

[urumomo]

No , mineral spirits will do nothing to cured oil base or acrylic

 

[urumomo]

" odorless "
I image there are some cheap , poorly refined mineral spirits / paint thinner that contain enough solvents to make a difference .

 

[Edbert]

THANKS FOR THE HELP FELLAS!

I think it worked great, I could make a case that this was better but there's one major drawback. I diluted (about 20 to 1) the Tamiya XF with isopropyl, so the drying time was pretty much instant. That makes the wipe a bit harder, so if you try this, start out light and add darkness gradually. not that it cannot be wiped down, just that it cannot be done while the wash is still wet.

But, I think they way the wash flows when an alcohol solution hits cured Testors gloss enamel is better than Tamiya panel liner or AK washes in the way it applies to a gloss varnish.

 

[the Baron]

No , mineral spirits will do nothing to cured oil base or acrylic

Thanks.....Perfesser!