forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com

WW1 Aircraft Modeling => Hints and Tips/Questions about modeling => Topic started by: JimF on June 10, 2018, 03:17:51 AM

Title: One brand of paint??
Post by: JimF on June 10, 2018, 03:17:51 AM
I'm basically new to WWI aircraft modelling, in fact, aircraft modelling in general. Have done armor in the past, and railway modelling for the last 20 odd years.

One thing I see in all the 'how to' books, and magazines, is folks using all sorts of types and brands of paints, finishes, washes, etc...

Since I basically have to buy all new paints for aircraft, I'd rather not go that route. Is there one brand that would more of less suffice? Humbrol Enamels anr Acrylics, for example? One of the newer brands (by newer, new in the last 20 years), that work for airbrush and brush painting?

Thanks for any input.

Jim F
Title: Re: One brand of paint??
Post by: Borsos on June 10, 2018, 05:56:15 AM
Puh, I think there are as many answers as modellers out there. I personally use Tamiya and Mr. Color acrylics for spraying and Mr. Paint and Drooling Bulldog enamels. For brush painting I am using Oils and the ‚Spanish Acrylics‘ (Vallejo-AK- Mig-Andrea-Scale75). I only use isopropanol for thinning Acrylics for my airbrush and water with brushes.
Borsos
Title: Re: One brand of paint??
Post by: RAGIII on June 10, 2018, 08:22:13 AM
My advice is to use Tamiya as your default (readily available, versatile, non-toxic), but don’t restrict yourself just because of brand. Vallejo make great washes and some colours not mixable with Tamiya, Alclad do brilliant lacquer metallics, water-soluable oils still make the best wood textures imo, and if you come from an armour background you’ll know the advantage using different types of paint and finishes gives when weathering.

I agree 100% with the above! I also add my stash of OLD Polyscale and Aeromaster Acrylics and even some VERY OLD Floquil paints as needed  ;D
RAGIII
Title: Re: One brand of paint??
Post by: NigelR on June 10, 2018, 08:49:04 PM
There's no one brand IMO that is "right" for WWI modelling. Many paints are marketed as being suitable for brush and airbrush but don't really work out that way (the new AK Interactive range of WWI colours is rubbish for brush painting IMO despite them saying they can work for that).

Also, there are many paints that have "specific" WWI colours but the reality is there are no definitive sources on what the original colours actually were, and production methods in 14-18 meant there would be considerable variation between manufacturers.

I would say the best brand is the one that is most readily available for you. You will have to do some colour mixing so if there is a source of hobby paints near you, it may be best to give whatever they stock a try, because it's easy to go and get a few additional colours rather than have to rely on mail order. For example, I use a lot of Games Workshop paints for brush painting because they are readily available at shops in most large towns in the UK, have a good range of colours and work well.

I am just getting into airbrushing and so far I have found I got on best with Vallejo Model Air and AK Interactive.
Title: Re: One brand of paint??
Post by: krow113 on June 11, 2018, 01:18:20 AM
Tamiya , Polly Scale , Humbrol , Vallejo , Alclad , Mr Paint , Testors , Model Master , Mr Color , Lifecolor , Andrea , Mig , ComArt , Kcolor  , and the latest Drooling Bulldog are all in my collection.
Keep your options open if possible to help color selection and the ability to use the best paint for the job at hand.
Many of the sets coming available for WW 1 subjects are specially made for the sellers by paint manufacturers. Not every seller makes the paint they sell.
It takes years to amass a collection of anything , paint is no different , some of it may be useable for , literally , decades. A tin of Humbrol gloss clear comes to mind...
Good luck and don't forget the thinners , reducers , airbrush medium , flattening agent , gloss enhancer , and retarder!
LOL!
Title: Re: One brand of paint??
Post by: RAGIII on June 11, 2018, 02:37:49 AM
Tamiya , Polly Scale , Humbrol , Vallejo , Alclad , Mr Paint , Testors , Model Master , Mr Color , Lifecolor , Andrea , Mig , ComArt , Kcolor  , and the latest Drooling Bulldog are all in my collection.
Keep your options open if possible to help color selection and the ability to use the best paint for the job at hand.
Many of the sets coming available for WW 1 subjects are specially made for the sellers by paint manufacturers. Not every seller makes the paint they sell.
It takes years to amass a collection of anything , paint is no different , some of it may be useable for , literally , decades. A tin of Humbrol gloss clear comes to mind...
Good luck and don't forget the thinners , reducers , airbrush medium , flattening agent , gloss enhancer , and retarder!
LOL!

I forgot about Drooling Bulldog. Used on my Dolphin and the finish is excellent.
RAGIII
Title: Re: One brand of paint??
Post by: GazzaS on June 20, 2018, 08:26:06 PM
I would suggest you make the bulk of your paints the brand that is easiest to buy at a local store.  All of the brands have something to say for themselves, but you won't want to spend a lot of time waiting for them to arrive via courier.  After that you can branch into specialty paints like Alclad.

Acrylics like Tamiya are easy to use, robust, and usually don't need a primer.  I just tried AK acrylics for the first time recently and find they are very fragile and easy to rub off the corners.

Best of luck!

Gaz
Title: Re: One brand of paint??
Post by: Jeff K on June 20, 2018, 09:04:51 PM
I would suggest you make the bulk of your paints the brand that is easiest to buy at a local store.

for me, that'll mean Tamiya and Gunze Mr. Color...
Title: Re: One brand of paint??
Post by: JimF on June 26, 2018, 10:00:05 AM
Meant to reply before this, life just got in the way a bit.

Thanks all, for the replies, and input.

I have done very little airbrushing in the past, and that was with lacquers, so re-learning airbrushing, I decided I'd also learn about new paints. Doing lots of reading, seeing almost all positive comments and reviews, I'm going to use Mission Model's new line of paints, to as great a extent as possible.

I realize there are folks out there who just have to have, or at least try, each and every new flavor that comes out. More power to them, but that's not me, which is why I asked the initial question. I do know I will have to use a few other types, for certain things, but only when I have no choice.

As a note about the MM company, I ordered my first batch, along with primers, thinner and poly additive, today at 12:45 PM. At 2:00 PM, I received a email from them, letting me know my order had been shipped, along with the tracking #. Delivery is slated for Wed., the 27th. As there is no hobby shop closer than a one hour drive (a hobbytown-usa), and a pain to get to, with construction most of the way, this is almost as fast, for me.

Jim F
Title: Re: One brand of paint??
Post by: Jeff K on July 15, 2018, 10:45:23 PM
to continue this conversation...

i'm in the same boat, haven't made a paint commitment yet.

i'll be spraying with a small Iwata spraygun (nice smooth coat), and doing detail stuff by brush.

Gunze and Tamiya are widely available. *some* enamels ship to Thailand. i'll probably use some Drooling Bulldog specialized colors, for the basics....


Tamiya or Gunze?

i've been playing with Mr. Surfacer, me likey. they'd be going over that.

lacquers or acrylics?
Title: Re: One brand of paint??
Post by: rayb24 on July 22, 2018, 05:01:08 AM
Can’t disagree with Tamiya and looking in local stores.  Shipping paint now is becoming an issue in some countries. I used to use Mr Hobby acrylics but now they are impossible to get  cost effectively where I live. I’m not really into paying as much fir shipping as the paints cost.  I’m using Mission Models paints currently and I like them, but I wouldn’t use the primer.  It can skin under
Light sanding which can be catastrophic.  The paints  though over a primer that keys to the surface work perfectly.
Ray
Title: Re: One brand of paint??
Post by: JimF on July 22, 2018, 09:32:07 AM
I've only done a small bit of priming, as practice as I learn to use the MM paints. Some small 3"x5" panels of styrene. My results differed, the primer worked as John Miller at Model Paint Solutions described in his review of the oaints

Link: https://modelpaintsol.com/guides/mission-models-acrylic-paints

I did follow his ratio, instead of the suggested one from MMP.

Jim F
Title: Re: One brand of paint??
Post by: rayb24 on July 30, 2018, 12:01:28 PM
I've only done a small bit of priming, as practice as I learn to use the MM paints. Some small 3"x5" panels of styrene. My results differed, the primer worked as John Miller at Model Paint Solutions described in his review of the oaints

Link: https://modelpaintsol.com/guides/mission-models-acrylic-paints (https://modelpaintsol.com/guides/mission-models-acrylic-paints)

I did follow his ratio, instead of the suggested one from MMP.

Jim F


The issue is not that the primer doesn't stick, it mostly does, and yes i read that link last year and followed it.


But if you need to sand or mask in my case(I used parafilm which is about as gentle a mask as you can get).  It can lift. Not all the time but once is enough since you now have primer and topcoat skinned off the model. Happened on my N11 and I still haven't gone back to it, that wing had to be completely stripped sigh. This was with wing and tail edging in black that had to be masked as soon and as I took the mask off it started flaking and stripping in small sections on the wing edges.  Mission Models are better than most primers. But they are still an acrylic and not as durable at keying into the plastic as say Halfords spray can or all sorts of other more durable spirit based primers and when you consider the price I can get more models out of the spray can primer and I don't have to stress. I use Mission Models acrylics though a lot over spray can primers, just not had good experiences with the primers or any acrylic primer.


Just my opinion
Ray