New paints, old modeller!

PhilP

PhilP

G Scale, 7/8th's, Electronics
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Hello all..
Long, long ago, in a bedroom not too far away..
I 'built' Airfix models, and then used the equivalent of a mop in a tar bucket, to apply Airfix / Humbrol enamel paints straight from the jar / tin!

I recently bought a 'pot' of Tamiya acrylic paint, and a bottle of 'Acrylic Thinners'..
The paint is a revelation to start with! Lovely consistency, nothing like the enamels of yore.. :)

Now, here was me expecting the paint to be the consistency of Poster-paint, and was thinking acrylic equals water-based, why do you need special thinners?? :think:

It is my intention to use 'rattle can' primers. Hopefully the Milliput I bought a while back. - Can you 'thin' that down? I think mine may be a little past-it. Then brush-paint the colour-coats.

I also have a cheap set of ?8 possibly? small tubes of acrylic paint. - These are fairly 'primary' plus black and white, of course.

Are there any 'Acrylics 101' lessons anyone can pass-on please?

Thanks
PhilP.
 
PhilP said:
Hello all..
Long, long ago, in a bedroom not too far away..
I 'built' Airfix models, and then used the equivalent of a mop in a tar bucket, to apply Airfix / Humbrol enamel paints straight from the jar / tin!

I recently bought a 'pot' of Tamiya acrylic paint, and a bottle of 'Acrylic Thinners'..
The paint is a revelation to start with! Lovely consistency, nothing like the enamels of yore.. :)

Now, here was me expecting the paint to be the consistency of Poster-paint, and was thinking acrylic equals water-based, why do you need special thinners?? :think:

It is my intention to use 'rattle can' primers. Hopefully the Milliput I bought a while back. - Can you 'thin' that down? I think mine may be a little past-it. Then brush-paint the colour-coats.

I also have a cheap set of ?8 possibly? small tubes of acrylic paint. - These are fairly 'primary' plus black and white, of course.

Are there any 'Acrylics 101' lessons anyone can pass-on please?

Thanks
PhilP.
Click to expand...
You can thin acrylics with water, you can mix acrylics easily, but if you have acrylic thinners, you can also thin the paint down much more effectively for weathering washes, and for use in an airbrush.

As to brush or spray - if you're making a laser cut wooden kit, I'd brush every time, because you can apply the paint slightly thicker where it needs to soak into any joints.

Plastic or metal - if you have a good airbrush (I only have a cheapy) then thin your acrylics and spray - otherwise use rattle cans.

Primer - I try to always use an etching primer (rattle can), 'cos it seems to work on anything, and you can top coat it with anything.

Acrylics can dry very quickly - don't expect to be able to go back over it and work it with the brush.

As with all paints, some colours don't cover well - like yellow or orange (don't ask me how I know :devil::devil: )

You need to be careful if you then spray a varnish - from memory an enamel varnish will cause acrylic paint to craze
 
Thanks..
Have done a little (car) spraying, many moons ago.. I guess the proper thinners are similar to using 'fast' thinners for car spraying? - I go back to the days of cellulose paint / thinners for automotive use. There were two paint-types, and one would cover the other, but if you got it the wrong way round, the paint would craze. :(

I know all about yellow not covering well. - Think old Renault 5 in bright yellow!
Tended to use grey primer when filling, then white, before the yellow top-coats.. :nerd:
 
Chuggy is darned close.
You have to thin the acrylic to use with an airbrush, water is possible but the real gear is way better. If you do use acrylics with an airbrush you will need acrylic cleaning fluid too. I use decent airbrushes* with a small compressor, don't waste money on a poor job - it has to be at least dual action - meaning you press for the air and pull back for the paint. A couple of light coats works, one thick one definitely doesn't.
For bright colours do a white or pale grey undercoat first. Don't try mixing acryls and enamels together, it just doesn't work.
* As Chuggy said acrylics applied thinly dry lightning fast so I often have two airbrushes hooked up and can do two colours straight after each other - ace for weathering!
 
PhilP said:
Thanks..
Have done a little (car) spraying, many moons ago.. I guess the proper thinners are similar to using 'fast' thinners for car spraying? - I go back to the days of cellulose paint / thinners for automotive use. There were two paint-types, and one would cover the other, but if you got it the wrong way round, the paint would craze. :(

I know all about yellow not covering well. - Think old Renault 5 in bright yellow!
Tended to use grey primer when filling, then white, before the yellow top-coats.. :nerd:
Click to expand...
I used to thin acrylics with water, but I think acrylic thinners are just a tad better - the Tamiya thinners are not expensive, a smallish bottle has lasted me a good long time.

I think the main difference for a skinflint like me is that you can resurrect old dried paint with thinners, so you don't waste anything :nod::nod:
 
PhilP said:
Thanks..
Have done a little (car) spraying, many moons ago.. I guess the proper thinners are similar to using 'fast' thinners for car spraying? - I go back to the days of cellulose paint / thinners for automotive use. There were two paint-types, and one would cover the other, but if you got it the wrong way round, the paint would craze. :(
Click to expand...
No Phil, cellulose, two-pack and any other kind of paint are nothing like acrylics. Oh, and acrylics are save-the-planet friendly :clap:
 
I use the acrylic tubes to paint my population. One of the best things about them, is that you can easily wash the brushes in water, I find enamel paint is a bugger to clean off
 
PhilP said:
Thanks..
Have done a little (car) spraying, many moons ago.. I guess the proper thinners are similar to using 'fast' thinners for car spraying? - I go back to the days of cellulose paint / thinners for automotive use. There were two paint-types, and one would cover the other, but if you got it the wrong way round, the paint would craze. :(

I know all about yellow not covering well. - Think old Renault 5 in bright yellow!
Tended to use grey primer when filling, then white, before the yellow top-coats.. :nerd:
Click to expand...
Wel done for discovering Tamiya acrylics Phill. Been using them for years and they are my paints of choice for weathering, particularly dry brushing. Water works quite well for letting them down a little in application but for freshening up, brush Cleaning and serious thining down Tamiya Thinners are impossible to beat.
 
dunnyrail said:
Wel done for discovering Tamiya acrylics Phill. Been using them for years and they are my paints of choice for weathering, particularly dry brushing. Water works quite well for letting them down a little in application but for freshening up, brush Cleaning and serious thining down Tamiya Thinners are impossible to beat.
Click to expand...
How do they stand up outside?For example my buildings stay outside 365 days a year,some freight cars too so does it fade,need varnishing etc as never used these paints before,I have thought of picking a few pots in the past but always end up at the Humbrol stand in the shop,any advice would be helpful and maybe just maybe enough "poke" for me to buy some and give them a go.:clap:
 
I have had some things that are painted with acrylics outside for a year or so now with no change in color or anything yet, but I do seal all my paint jobs with Plastikote Matt clear sealer, I use that as it's cost effective for a 400mm can but it is the most obnoxious smelling paint I have ever used :)
 
All useful information, thanks..

Whether I will weather, will (I think) depend a lot on how well the initial paint-job turns out..
Probably better to get competent at 'just painting' things to a reasonable standard first?

Now, I have asked this one before, but.. (I am watching this thread, so can find the info in the future) :rolleyes:
Painting people:
Dark to light, or light to dark?
 
Light colours first then darker. Use appropriate colour undercoat/primer for top clour coat. Always prime. Max
 
Riograndad said:
How do they stand up outside?For example my buildings stay outside 365 days a year,some freight cars too so does it fade,need varnishing etc as never used these paints before,I have thought of picking a few pots in the past but always end up at the Humbrol stand in the shop,any advice would be helpful and maybe just maybe enough "poke" for me to buy some and give them a go.:clap:
Click to expand...
Not sure I have used Tamiya outside on anything left outside other than rolling stock which is only out for the duration of running. But this building an old Tom Cooper Pottery job has been outside since at least 1990 and was painted with Rowney PVA Tube Colours because they are better value for much larger areas. As you can see they are now begining to wear a little thin so a repaint is on the cards.
image.jpeg
 
I have used a variety of generic "acrylic" paints bought at model railway shows and from "craft" shops. And oil based paints too. The important bit is the preparation, a good clean substrate and priming and an all over coat of matt/satin coat to seal it all in at the end. It helps if you keep your buildings out of full sun and stow away in the winter, otherwise a periodic bit of touching-in is inevitable. I also use exterior masonry paints too.

My "Woody Bay" GRS resin/styrene building, shown, was done with the methods described. Stonework is grey rattle can automotive acrylic primer with a lighter grey acrylic rollered over it and some acrylic accenting of ledges. For the roof tiles I used a roller again, with masonry paint and picked out individual tiles with brushed on mixed shades of oil based (Humbrol) paints. Oil based paints are better suited to brushing as the can carry a greater density of pigment compared to acrylic types. There is some dry brushing on the stonework. The "woodwork" is all sprayed Humbrol oil based paint. Everything is then all sealed with a uniform dead flat acrylic top coat. Max

2016 new season 001.JPG
 
I may just give these a try.
 
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