Before we cover more model airbrush techniques, you’ll need to choose the type of airbrush – single-action or dual-action, which we’ve covered below. For larger 1/72, 1/48, and 1/32, I use a 0.4mm tip. Acrylic medium is commonly much thinner than acrylic paint by itself. It’s the nature of the acrylic beast. Avoid standing the needle on its point, as this cause it to bend. No pressure is exerted beyond simply moving the brush. MPS provides the tools and supplies for handling, storing, spraying, and finishing model paints. The different types include glass jars which plug into the brush from below, or fixed or interchangeable cups for small quantities of paint. How to hold a dual-action airbrush: Rest the first joint of your index finger on the trigger, press and pull back all at once to control the supply. Good. How to paint with AMMO Acrylics – Problems and Solutions with Mig Jimenez - VIDEO DEMO Humbrol Acrylics and how to spray them - VIDEO DEMO Using Ultimate Airbrush Thinner - 2 VIDEO DEMOS Vallejo Model Color – How to airbrush tutorial - VIDEO DEMO What paint what thinner? With regards to other additives, Vallejo produces two reagents Thinner Medium (#73.524) and Airbrush Flow Improver (#71.62) that are described as wetting agents. In addition Vallejo paints come in handy dropper-cap bottles making measuring more accurate and easy. Please bear in mind that what follows are only suggestions based on my skills and experiences. Wicked Colors Airbrush Set. Conversely, I usually spray clear coats and primers at a higher pressure of ~15 psi. Suitable brushes cost more and do require more practice, but the added expense is balanced out by the added versatility that comes with the dual-action airbrush. In contrast, Vallejo is less fragile when dry and likewise slightly less prone to dry on the needle—slightly. I’ve not tried the Flow Improver but I have tested the Thinner Medium as a means of diluting Vallejo for fine-line work but that’s for a future article. Moreover, when compared to established standards (RLM color chips), LifeColor is surprisingly accurate. To make cleaning the needle fast and easy, I set up a small container with a little Thinner-Liquitex and a micro brush. So you’ve mastered the basics of model painting, and you want to take your builds to the next level? The addition of Liquitex to Vallejo and LifeColor drastically reduces needle build-up, decreases rough pebbly over-spray, and produces a more smooth, even finish. By tip I’m referring to the combination of nozzle and needle. Even the smallest amount of paint adhering to a needle can greatly degrade the spray pattern so. To operate the dual-action airbrush, press the trigger to introduce the air, and slide it back to release paint. in ml)                            Liquitex Drops                                     Liquitex Milliliters Suitable brushes cost more and do require more practice, but the added expense is balanced out by the added versatility that comes with the dual-action airbrush. The installation of a different size nozzle and needle takes 2-3 minutes allowing you to easily and quickly configure your brush for the job at hand. Mazda Cosmo - History of the Rotary Engined Pioneer If you have any questions or want additional information just drop me a line at j[email protected]. Blow the thinner through your airbrush until there are no visible paint particles. All three of the aforementioned tips (.15, .20, .40) are available for the Evolution, Infinity, and Grafo airbrushes. For general airbrush work (defined above) I use an, Although addition of Liquitex decreases paint build up on the needle, it does not prevent it all together. All rights reserved. Brand (Vol. If you’ve had enough practice, or you’re feeling bold, you can adjust the paint supply with your free hand while spraying. You’ve confirmed your airbrush type? For more info on airbrush paint options, refer to my latest post on the topic, Paint Types Ideal For Airbrush … Acrylic paints are the most popular paints on the market now. Add 2-3 drops of paint to the airbrush cup. Shake your chosen paint, and use a toothpick or similar to loosen any pigment and mix it with the solvent. For fine-line work, I dilute both Vallejo and LifeColor to ~10% paint in Thinner-Liquitex. Give it another shake, then add thinner – this will ensure it runs through your airbrush without any hiccups. However, acrylic paint is not as durable as spray paint or enamel. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. I prefer to prepare a large volume of Vallejo or LifeColor thinner to which Liquitex has been added to 5%. Thankfully this isn’t too tricky, and if you’ve ever held a pen or pencil then you’re off to a good start. Color accuracy is a big consideration for me. Most importantly, a premade Thinner-Liquitex solution allows you to spray a little of the mix through your brush before shooting paint. For general airbrush work however, Vallejo and LifeColor acrylics are just as good as lacquer/enamels and they don’t stink the house up. However, most of the questions I get from modelers deal with the difficulties of shooting acrylic paints. Next, preparation is key. For fine-line work, the ideal pressure is down around ~8-10 psi (more on this in a future article). This requires 2ml (or 40 drops) of Liquitex to make a 5% solution. Brace yourself for the shameless plugs. Acrylic Based Paint. In contrast, primers are best applied using a 0.4mm tip. It is not that it needed more thinner, the paint just turned into a rather gummy and lumpy mix. Vallejo Paint (17)                                     17                                                          0.85 It is made by adding color pigment to an acrylic polymer then emulsified with water to create the final product. However, a mix of ~30% paint is what I would use to shoot the blue of a Hellcat, the olive drab of a P-39, or the RLM-65 of a Bf-109 (apologies to the non-airplane people for all the aircraft references). I shot Model Master Acrylics for years with great results. There are 3 basic methods for applying the paint to the model: brush painting, spray cans, and airbrush. Basic Colors: Acrylic 16 Airbrush Paint Set for Model & Hobby (Vallejo 71178) 4.7 out of 5 stars 205. Similar to priming, airbrushing paint provides you with a great way to apply thin and smooth coats of acrylic paint on your models. Acrylic modelling paint is the standard paint of choice for most model enthusiasts. You can use an airbrush thinner to reach the best results. With my brush fitted with a 0.4mm tip and filled with my 30% paint mix, I’m going to dial in ~12-15 psi on the ole’ air compressor dial. Both Vallejo and LifeColor are great paints that perform nicely if tamed with a little Liquitex. Brush. Airbrushing is an excellent, efficient way to give your scale models a professional finish. In this situation, I reduce the paint to ~20% in Thinner-Liquitex. A constant paint volume makes it fairly easy to use, and means you can focus on controlling the air supply. Repairing a bent needle: Hold the needle against a flat surface at the angle of the point; run your fingernail across the point while revolving the needle. Both make good thinners for acrylic paint… It is 80% water and can be thinned with anything water soluble. You don’t want to have to throw out an otherwise perfectly good airbrush. Avoid standing the needle on its point, as this cause it to bend. First things first, choose your ammunition – acrylic, enamel, or lacquer – your airbrush can handle all of these. Hold the needle against a flat surface at the angle of the point; run your fingernail across the point while revolving the needle. This results in a much finer atomisation, and enables you to create accurate, consistent patterns. As always, we love to see your ongoing projects too, so please share your build photos with us on our social media channels! I routinely use Windex to clean my airbrush, paint brushes and, if necessary, acrylic paint from a model. Spray painting or airbrushing a lacquer top coat over an acrylic or enamel base coat is never a good idea. Use a rag or tissue paper to wipe out the reservoir, then half-fill it with thinner. Simply speaking, airbrush paint is just acrylic paint that has been thinned out. For some applications where I want better coverage, I might use 40% paint. Vallejo Model Color is much thicker than is Vallejo Model Air and requires diluting to ~10-15% paint. Dual-action airbrushes. This … A quality bottle is perhaps why Vallejo paints also have a long shelf life. There are as many good techniques for spraying acrylic paints as there are modelers spraying them. Here, a trigger is used to control both air and paint. Check out our, Scale Modeller Spotlight - World of Wayne, Volkswagen Beetle History - The Little VW That Could, How to Build Model Ships – Part One | ModelSpace, Our Selection of Models to Build at Home | ModelSpace, Mazda Cosmo – History of the Rotary Engined Pioneer, Best Christmas Gift Ideas for Craft Lovers. In an effort to make it easier, the following chart provides the volumes of common airbrush paint cups and the amount of Liquitex (in drops or milliliters) that would have to be added to make a 5% solution. 95 $52.95 $52.95. Brushes: Choose the right brush for your painting task and the thickness of the paint. To mix into your airbrush cup, you should: Add 2-3 drops of water or thinner to the airbrush cup. It can be used stand alone, or incorporated in with one of the following options listed above. After mixing, the solution is poured into a 40ml bottle, marked with a Sharpie, and stored for use. Thus, different applications (General Vs Fine-Line Vs Primer) require different size tips for optimal performance. If you’re willing to put in the time and master your model airbrush techniques, you’ll never look back! Alclad (29.5~30)                                       30                                                          1.5 After use, run a mixture of soap and water through the airbrush to remove all paint traces. Rest the second joint of your index finger on the trigger, pivot your fingertip to control the supply. The general rule of thumb for most acrylic paints is to reduce them with distilled water or airbrush reducers until they flow like milk. Apply whatever method of measurement you prefer and enjoy. Pastels: Excellent for tinting other liquids. It’s easy to work with and can easily be thinned by mixing it with water. Model Master (14.7~15)                         15                                                          0.750 I shot Model Master Acrylics for years with great results. Having a premade mix of Thinner-Liquitex makes preparing paint mixtures easier and reproducible. In general, I err on the side of lean or less paint, especially if I’m going to be shooting on top off pre-shading. 10ml                                                      10                                                            0.50 Scrape some of the pastel into a fine powder, and add it to water for use as a detail enhancer. 40m                                                       40                                                             2. The paintbrush is the simplest method of applying paint. The thing is, be sure your airbrush is thoroughly cleaned after each use and make sure you use the correct cleaning products when you. Airbrushes can have any type of reservoir; spray guns are normally available with jars only. This isn’t something that will come to you right away, but if you master these model airbrush techniques in the beginning you’ll be all set for your future projects. For average airbrushing jobs, I dilute Vallejo Model Air (not Vallejo Model Color) and LifeColor to roughly ~30% or ~1/3 paint in the appropriate Thinner-Liquitex mix. Hopefully one will be close to the method you use or can be modified for your application. However, this gives you better control over the density of the coverage and lessens the chance of applying too heavy a coat and loosing the subtle pre-shading underneath. Because airbrush paint is also acrylic, you can quickly thin down any acrylic paint you use and then put it into an airbrush. 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