Airbrush paint, what brand/type, and why.

[jason1976]

I've been using a spray can, even thought I've had an airbrush for some time now, but I've finally excepted that I just cant use spray cans in my apartment. :lol

And, so now I'm all about the airbrush. I find I can paint in side with my airbrush, and acrylic paint just fine, with no real mess, and no deadly fumes.

I've tried a few brands of hobby paint, and so far I really like Tomya. Though I was in Wal*Mart looking at the cheapy $.50 acrylic craft paint, and got to thinking, what is the difference? I mean I'm sure Model paint cost so much for a reason, but what is it?

Can I use the $.50 stuff with the airbrush? Whould it work for some projects? If not, what makes it so different from the higher end stuff? What brand do you like?

In short, lets talk acrylic paints, and airbrushes.

 

[nightrider]

I've used both and to me the Tamiya sprays far better without clogging the brush and lays extremely smooth, very tough as well. Sure, the other stuff will work fine, but the Tamiya paint is going to perform better all around in my opinion, especially for covering larger areas like doing base coats. It's just all around better paint, the best as far as I'm concerned in the acrylic department. Worth what they charge for the stuff? What else ya gonna do?:unsure

 

[Skidmarks_Diecast]

My favorite is Testors Model Master Acryl. Tamiya & Gunze Sangyo are also very good. The reason I prefer these manufacturers...

-When different colors are mixed, the component colors stay mixed-- they do not separate quickly as some other brands do (ie Vallejo).

-It's easy to maintain a steady flow through the brush

-They lay down very smooth and their texture remains smooth even after several coats.

-There is not a great difference between their color when wet vs when dry.

-When dry, they are not water soluble.

I haven't tried any of the Walmart craft acrylics but, hey, it doesn't cost much to give them a try on some scrap resin and plastic parts.

 

[superjedi]

I've also had really good results with Testors MM Acryl colors.
Another good quality brand is Polly Scale. I believe they're made by Testors as well.

The differences you'll find between "cheaper" paints and the more expensive hobby paints are the pigment grind and the type of carrier they use.
The pigments in hobby paints are more finely ground before they are mixed into their carrier, so that will give more evenness to the color.
If a cheaper carrier is used, it can affect how thick or thin the paint is. Most guidelines you see for airbrushing say something about "thin to the consistency of milk." Well, there's a lot more thinning involved with one of those Delta or Apple Barrel acrylics from Wal Mart.

 

[Hirohawa]

I like Tamiya as well. Very easy cleanup (run some windex through it) and low odor.

 

[jason1976]

Great info gang, thanks.

 

[PHArchivist]

Liquitex acrylic. Thinned a lot. No noxious fumes.

 

[vaderdarth]

I love Tamiya thinned with alcohol. Easy cleanup and it sprays such a light even coat.

Dave

 

[GrenadeKing]

I've used the Apple Barrel, Delta Ceramcoat, and Folk Art cheapo paints in an air brush with much success. It takes practice to get it thinned out to just the right amount. I use alchohol because it evaporates quicker than water and doesn't give the paint a chance to bead up or anything.
It lays down in a decent flat finish, you can sand it very lightly with 1000 grit to smooth it and then gloss coat it. I've used it for base coats, dry brushing, weathering, etc. It drys quick and its easy to clean up. Plus it's cheap so you can afford to screw up more often. :lol
The only down side I can think of is that if your working on plastic or any similar medium, you have to prime it. The paint just wont stick if you don't.

 

[Gigatron]

I've been using a spray can, even thought I've had an airbrush for some time now, but I've finally excepted that I just cant use spray cans in my apartment. :lol

And, so now I'm all about the airbrush. I find I can paint in side with my airbrush, and acrylic paint just fine, with no real mess, and no deadly fumes.

I've tried a few brands of hobby paint, and so far I really like Tomya. Though I was in Wal*Mart looking at the cheapy $.50 acrylic craft paint, and got to thinking, what is the difference? I mean I'm sure Model paint cost so much for a reason, but what is it?

Can I use the $.50 stuff with the airbrush? Whould it work for some projects? If not, what makes it so different from the higher end stuff? What brand do you like?

In short, lets talk acrylic paints, and airbrushes.

Alright, before we end up with a dead member, you cannot spray paints indoors without adequate ventilation. And I mean a fan venting outside moving at least 350 CFM.

The same way acrylics will coat your model, they will coat your lungs. Do not confuse "less smelly fumes" (compared to enamels) with "no deadly fumes". Anytime you are breathing in anything other than air, you are suffocating yourself. Airbrushing indoors without propper ventilation is nothing more than huffing on a larger scale.

Now as for the difference between modeling acrylics and the cheap craft acrylics is night and day. Modeling acrylics are designed to have a finer pigment for better distribution in the carrier. They also have retarder added to them to keep them from drying right away. Craft acrylics are like glue compared to modeling acrylics and need heavy thinning before you can get them out of the airbrush with any decent consistency.

Do yourself a favor and get yourself a propper spraybooth if you are going to insist on spraying indoors. Or learn the lost art of brush painting. Just don't take the easy way and end up ruining your health later on.

-Fred

 

[jason1976]

I have always sucked with a regular brush. It's not perfect, but I tap up trash bags on, and around my stove top, and then turn on the vent fan, to get rid of some of the fumes.

I usually only do small peices, and not that often, though I have to say, if I do way too much in a day, I do tend to get "the muchies". :lol

 

[dosveses]

Can I use any of the following brands in my paasche airbrush:confused
*apple barrel
*folkart
*delta creamcoat
*plaid
*americana

 

[TJackFx]

Do you realize it's been over 5 years since the last post in this thread?