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Acrylic Paint -and- Air Brush Technique

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  • #1

    Acrylic Paint -and- Air Brush Technique

    OK - I am tired of the "shake & rattle" cans from wally-world.

    I do have some limited experience with a Paasche double action air gun, syphon fed from a bottle. I have ordered a single stage airbrush kit as well. I have painted quite a few old fishing lures back to thier original colors, and even made a few of my own design.

    So, my question is: "What do you do? Do you buy the jars of paint (ie Micro-Mark) or do you use artists (tube) paints. Do you thin then with water or what?

    Please keep in mind, this post is for acrylic paints, not for lacquer or enamel.
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Geez

    I would normally jump in here with both feet, I paint in Floquil, but I am moving towards adding Vallejo paint because it has a air brushable mix to it. I will be listening...I do alot of painting and most of its not by brush, little is by rattle can.

    Les

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    • #3
      I am interested in this too. I think Acrylic has a whole lot more variety of color than Floquil has.

      Arthur
      Arthur

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      • #4
        Here is some interesting reading on acrylic painting. http://www.rexart.com/appairbr.html It may be helpfull.


        Louis L&R Western Railroad
        Pacific Northwest Logging in the East Coast

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        • #5
          Vallejo Model Air acrylics!! Try and enjoy!! Ask Graffen (he's a full time pro airbrusher and uses the Vallejo too...)
          Troels Kirk

          Näsum, Sweden

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          • #6
            having been just reading this evening in one railway modeling rag about airbrushes, (and paints) i have to admit im leaning with the same train of thoughs as young mr geezer, i dont use spray cans as much as i used to because i was un happy with the finnish, and the only primer i'll touch is rust-olum so i do as good as i can with brush (floquils') but ive often thought "i could do better"

            judging by my reading, you can use any acrylic so long as it is thinned right, although the guy didnt say a clean amount he said if you mix up paint, 2 drops of thinner at a time till you get something like cream, that will drip of the end of a cocktail stick (toothpick?) in uniform drops, that isnt "sluggish, or one long stream" then it'll probley be ok.

            feel free to not follow that advice from a non airbrush user :P just what ive been reading latly

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            • #7
              I quess I have a question for those using acrylic...can you get the textures we can with laquer based paints...I don't like the plastic skim like coat...why I like vallejo paints for characters vice pollyS

              Les

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              • #8
                Good! Now that I have some interest, how bout a couple

                "Suggested Ratios"...ie paint to water ratio, or do you

                just wing it? Gaffen is invited for sure!

                Also, inquiring minds want to know, How about matte or "flat"

                finishes? Are thay available or is there some dark secret to

                mixing them?

                Thanks for joining in guys.....

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                • #9
                  Geezer,

                  Great topic ..... keep the info flowing.

                  Appreciate the input provided so far. Hope there will be more.
                  Tom M.

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                  • #10
                    I learned to airbrush with Floquil and Scalecoat. I've done some work with ModelFlex acrylic; I found that it needed more air pressure and multiple coats, because the water doesn't evaporate as fast as lacquer thinner etc. Airbrushes generally don't behave well with thick paint - it takes lots of air and comes out in little drops rather than a mist. The ModelFlex is the right viscosity out of the jar. If I run into a product that's more viscous than maybe whole milk, I'd thin it before spraying. I suppose you could use artist's tube acrylics, but you'd need to add a "mix with water to the right consistency" step before loading them into the airbrush.

                    For a Paasche H-series single action using the smallest tip, I thin Floquil & Scalecoat with 1 part thinner to maybe 4 of paint, and spray at about 15 pounds pressure. For Modelflex, I use it out of the bottle at 25 pounds and plan on three coats with a minute or two to dry in between instead of one. And I take my airbrush to the sink immediately when I'm done - acrylics set up fast in the nozzle and are hard to dissolve when dried.
                    James

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                    • #11
                      Hi Bill

                      I remember a few years ago I started using an air brush to stain a load of timber for a trestle bridge. Mixed some acrylic paint with water and hoped for the best. It worked and saved so much time in lieu of using a brush.

                      These days there are so many good ( and bad ) You Tube vids on a range of topics.

                      Here is one of many, that I saved for future reference.

                      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1n64...eature=channel

                      I will be getting back to air brushing one day, and gaining my skills by simplying pre staining timber ( instead of using a brush ). It's safer for me, than trying to work on a detailed completed project.

                      Good luck

                      cheers

                      Mario

                      " Stay Motivated in Life "

                      http://www.modvid.com.au/html/body_mario_rapinett.html

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                      • #12
                        Geez

                        I chatted with the wife unit, she is a decorative painter and uses craft paints of all kinds. The medium the guy suggests one adds to water is very much like photoflo or a drop of detergent to break surface tension...which stands to reason. I have enough airpress and 3 different kinds of airbrushes. I will be doing some experimentation with my dual action and my aztec brush ment for acrylics.

                        Les

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                        • #13
                          quote:

                          Originally posted by visman48

                          Geez

                          I chatted with the wife unit, she is a decorative painter and uses craft paints of all kinds. The medium the guy suggests one adds to water is very much like photoflo or a drop of detergent to break surface tension...which stands to reason. I have enough airpress and 3 different kinds of airbrushes. I will be doing some experimentation with my dual action and my aztec brush ment for acrylics.

                          Les

                          I think that stuff is called Flo-aid(?) and Practice, practice, practice.
                          Karl Scribner-Curmudgeon

                          Cedar Swamp
                          SW of Manistique, MI

                          Avatar image by Savannah Lyn Burgess 7-15-2022

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                          • #14
                            The Rexart link that Louis posted is really full of good information, IMHO. They mention FAW (Flow Aid Water) and I like that stuff a lot - even for regular brushing. I keep a pre-mixed bottle handy and find it works really well. (It probably *is* a lot like PhotoFlo.)

                            Don

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                            • #15
                              I too, am a professional airbrush artist. I have probably used every water soluble paint imaginable - from artists tube paints, through Polly S to house paint. (I have used many solvent based paints as well) They all work, as long as you thin them down to the consistancy of milk. I have never used anything but water to thin them either, although, I will occasionally spray a coat of the clear medium for whatever paint I am using, just to make sure everything sticks together. I will sometimes raise the air pressure to 40 or 50 psi, if I am spraying thinned house paint for a mural or something. Other than that, don't sweat it so much! If you can thin it enough to go through the airbrush, you can use it. I have routinely blended artist's paints with craft paints with house paints on the same mural - with nary a problem. For fine art work, I do use artist's grade paints, because they are much more permanent.

                              Lance
                              Lance Russwurm

                              http//www.lancerusswurm.com

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