Humbrol Acrylics

[IanF]

Help please! I have recently started using the Humbrol acrylic range of paints. They claim that they can be thinned by water, but I have found that when being airbrushed they tend to break down. I know that Humbrol sell a thinner, but for the amount you get it seems to be excessively expensive. Does anyone know of a suitable alternative, or am I doing something wrong with the thinning of the paint for airbrushing? Advice please....

[Des]

I have never used Humbrol Acrylics but from what I have heard they are excellent for brush painting especially with figure painting. As far as thinning your Humbrol acrylic paints I don't know, but I use Gunze acrylic paints and thin them with lacquer thinners, it works beautifully, that might work with the Humbrol acrylics as well, I use lacquer thinners to thin the Humbrol Enamel paints with excellent results.

Hopefully someone who has used the Humbrol acrylics will step in here.

Des.

[Misterfriend]

I had trouble when I first started airbrushing with Humbrol acrylics but that was because I was adding a drop or two of isopropyl to them, which is what I normally do when using acrylics. Unfortunately they react very badly to that and clump and clog and just go nasty. Someone over on Britmodeler pointed out my mistake and now i just use water and they work fine. I sometimes add a drop of acrylic retarder. Also i have heard that the quality of them can vary quite a bit so it could be that you got hold of a duff batch.
And i still hate the design of the pots as i always manage to spill more than i get in the cup!
Cheers
Segan