Brush Painting

[Von Schlepp]

Ok, I still like brush painting.
I have been trying to switch to acrylics from enamels but the result is not the same. Enamels "lay down" so much different than acrylics do.
It's very frustrating.

I've been using Vallejo because I have a ton of it for figure painting. I airbrush my Tamiya and Gunze with no problems...Vallejo air is pretty good too.
Has anyone had this problem?
-Roger

[uncletony]

Ok, I still like brush painting.
I have been trying to switch to acrylics from enamels but the result is not the same. Enamels "lay down" so much different than acrylics do.
It's very frustrating.

I've been using Vallejo because I have a ton of it for figure painting. I airbrush my Tamiya and Gunze with no problems...Vallejo air is pretty good too.
Has anyone had this problem?
-Roger

For sure, the acrylics brush much differently than enamels. You have to approach them with a different mindset I think. Advantages -- they dry very quickly and lay down really well, even if you puddle it on -- disadvantages -- well, they skin over quickly and you can't brush them out the way you are used to with slow drying enamels.

You can add retarder from the art supply store which really helps; also always make sure your brush is wetted before dipping it into the pot. Avoid going back and forth -- instead, let it dry and come back.

[Von Schlepp]

Thanks Tony i'll try it for sure.

[Dave W]

As a brush painter I have only found two acrylics which brush nicely and don't leave awful brush marks but settle into a nice uniform coat.

Foundation, the old formula side range to the Citadel ( Warhammer) paints is my favourite. Thins with tap water, brushes perfectly and often one coat is enough. As good as the ancient and lamented Humbrol Authentics enamels. There is a new formula Citadel out now but I have not used it yet. Note my praise is for the Foundation brand range of acrylics, not the parent brand Citadel, although the two lines can be mixed. Citadel does not brush as nicely as Foundation.

The other acrylic I love is Humbrol. Thins with tap water, brushes very nicely, nice uniform coat. I have been a Humbrol user all my hobby life and am now converting from Humbrol enamels to acrylics.

Dave Wilson
Gold Coast
Australia

[Des]

Thanks David for the hints and tips on the acrylic paints. You say that the Humbrol acrylic paints brush very well, how do they spray, if you haven't had the opportunity to use an air brush have you heard any reports from people who have. Like you, I have been using Humbrol paints (enamels) my whole modeling life and have found them to be excellent, slow drying though. If the new Humbrol acrylics are as good I would certainly make the change especially if they spray well, I presume they are quick drying like Gunze acrylics.

Des.

[petero]

Des, I don't have a whole lot of experience airbrushing Humbrol acrylics, but I've done it a few times.  I thinned them with about 40% plain tap water, and they airbrushed very nicely.  The only problem I found was that the finish, both airbrushed and hand brushed, was quite rough, and needed to be polished with very fine wet-and-dry.  One of the colors I've used is yellow, and the color was very dense even with one coat.

For hand-brushing acrylics, which I've been doing for decades now, my biggest rules of thumb are:

Thin the paint slightly with water, which I do simply by dipping the brush in water, wicking off the excess, then dipping it in the paint.  This insures a minimum of brush strokes, but generally requires two coats, brushed at right angles to each other.

Never, ever brush back over the paint until it has set hard.  Doing so will remove the partially dry paint rather than adding more on top.  I still re-learn this one on nearly every build 

Peter

[Dave W]

Des, sorry I have no experience with airbrushing Humbrol acrylics so I cannot answer your question. I have heard mixed reports from others about spraying Humbrol acrylics but my experience is only in brush painting and in that regard this is an excellent paint.

Kind regards

Dave Wilson
Gold Coast
Australia

[Jan K]

The only problem I found was that the finish, both airbrushed and hand brushed, was quite rough, and needed to be polished with very fine wet-and-dry.

It sounds like you need something to break the surface tension, this is the reason why water does not work.  You could try thinning with isopropyl alcohol, tamyia acrylic thinner, or almost any other acrylic thinner.

For hand brushing you need some liquid with higher boiling temperature to slow down drying. Ethylenglykol (antifreeze) will help you.

[Des]

I use a small amount of lacquer thinners in my Gunze acrylics, it makes the paint spray beautifully and it settles to a perfectly even surface, would the same apply if I use lacquer thinners in the Humbrol acrylics.

Des.

[Ian from Doncaster]

I rarely use my airbrush at present, but that is for a few reasons - not least my laziness! Also, since we moved house last summer I no longer have a back porch where I can spray "outside" with plenty of ventilation (door open) but under shelter from wind and blowing dust and other detritus.

I use humbrol and revell - both thinned with water.  At present I prefer revell aqua and hand brush in 2 or 3 thin coats.  The nascelle on my Fe2B and the Roland fuselage are all hand brushed.  I will often use a plastic primer from a rattle tin, as this gives an excellent key for the paint, but does need rubbing down for the smoothest finish.

[Rizzo]

I find Vallejo ModelAir great for brush painting with. Yes it's designed for airbrush use, but it also creates really smooth paint layers with a brush, straight out of the bottle. Thinned Model Colour doesn't seem to have the same pigment density, and I don't really get on with it.

Winsor and Newton series 7 brushes really improved the finish I was getting too. Expensive, but they last so long they're actually good value too.

[Des]

Thanks Rizzo for the tip on the paint brushes, these will be next on my must have list.

Des.

[uncletony]

Yes, W&N series 7 are my favorite as well.

[Von Schlepp]

Hey guys, thanks for your responses!
Dave, i'm well aware of Citadel! I still own a number of the "foundation" paints.
All their new and old ranges mix well. I do own some of the 'base" colours in the new range are similar to foundation. Then the others are called 'layer" are much thinner. they are designed to be built up with their style of highlighting etc.
I will try these and post a pic.

Also, I've used W&N series 7 and Floquil brushes as long as I can remember. Worth EVERY cent.
And although I love airbrushing Gunze and Tamiya i'll stick to that.
As I said before I like Model air. It has been suggested that I brush paint model air before...I'll give it a shot as it where.

Again, i'm glad I found this forum.
-Roger

[Von Schlepp]

Des, what colour is CDL??