Hello all. I am currently building a star wars snowspeeder by bandai. And I am having a real hard time painting the pilot figures. I am currently using Vallejo brand paint. Just what I use in my airbrush. The problem is its either too thick, and thus leaves horribe brush streaks or to thin and pretty much won't stick to the primer layer. It just pools in the lowest point of the models surface leaving the higher surfaces with no paint at all. What am I doing wrong?
Help Painting Pilot Figutes/Miniatures
- Thread starter JLKahn
- Start date
Forgive me is this sound like a dumb question, is it Vallejo Air, or the regular Vallejo acrylics?
If the Vallejo Air versions, then they are definitely too thin to brush paint with
For regular Vallejo paints, I paint right out of the bottle.
Note, some colors cover better in one coat than others.It also depends on what you base coat is. For example, it may take several layers of colors like red or yellow to get a good base coat over black or white primer. on the flip side, painting black over white, or white over black can sometimes require more than one coating. I have found trying to get total coverage in one coat will lead to the problems you mention
Like with the airbrush, it is sometimes better to build up several layers of paint.
I often apply darker shade colors, then paint over it with the base colors and then highlight colors
For example, if painting red, I might actually paint a brown base coat over the primer, then put the red on top of it. Or if painting white, I will first lay down some grey and build up to white
Sometimes though, the opposite is called for. Yellow tends to be a hard color to get good coverage with, so I often paint that area white first, then the yellow over it
If the Vallejo Air versions, then they are definitely too thin to brush paint with
For regular Vallejo paints, I paint right out of the bottle.
Note, some colors cover better in one coat than others.It also depends on what you base coat is. For example, it may take several layers of colors like red or yellow to get a good base coat over black or white primer. on the flip side, painting black over white, or white over black can sometimes require more than one coating. I have found trying to get total coverage in one coat will lead to the problems you mention
Like with the airbrush, it is sometimes better to build up several layers of paint.
I often apply darker shade colors, then paint over it with the base colors and then highlight colors
For example, if painting red, I might actually paint a brown base coat over the primer, then put the red on top of it. Or if painting white, I will first lay down some grey and build up to white
Sometimes though, the opposite is called for. Yellow tends to be a hard color to get good coverage with, so I often paint that area white first, then the yellow over it
Jimmer
Well-Known Member
Not sure if this will help, but I've found it helps to paint a thin first coat (not at all perfect, just lay down a "base"), let it dry completely, then come back and add 2nd coat which is where I go for detail and neatness. Seems like 2nd coat lays down much better. Let that coat dry and cure and then clear coat to keep from chipping off.
Also, picked up a 20/0 brush which does great for fine details (actually got 2 of the 20/0 brushes - a "spotter" and a "round").
EDIT: Sorry, blakeh1. I'm on my phone and while scrolling somehow slid past your post. I basically gave a novice version of your much more professional answer.
Also, picked up a 20/0 brush which does great for fine details (actually got 2 of the 20/0 brushes - a "spotter" and a "round").
EDIT: Sorry, blakeh1. I'm on my phone and while scrolling somehow slid past your post. I basically gave a novice version of your much more professional answer.
That's great advice! Never thought of using flow enhancer that way before!
Ah, I was just on Vallejo's site reading their FAQ's and apparantly Game Color and model color are intended for brushing.
While they say model air and premium color are intended for use with airbrushes they supposedly can also be brushed on.
Here is where it gets interesting. The thinner intended to be used with Model Color and Game color is a different formulation than the one made for air brushes. Here is what it says about that,
10.10. Is there a difference between the Thinner in Vallejo Model Color, Ref. 70.524 and Vallejo Model Air, Ref. 71.061?
Yes, there are important differences in these two products. The Model Color Thinner (Ref. 70.524) is transparent but has the same consistency and formulation as Model color; it is intended to be used with a brush.The new formula Airbrush Thinner (Ref. 71.061) is intended for use in an Airbrush, it contains ingredients which can be safely airbrushed but may damage the paint coating if applied with a brush: the movement of the brush causes friction which, combined with the Airbrush Thinner, may damage recently applied paint.
I've been using the airbrush thinner to thin my paints thinking thinner is thinner. Apparently I can't do this. Guess this explains why everything has been going on like crap. Guess this is the price I pay for never reading instructions. Course it says non of this on any of the bottles labels. I had to go digging in their FAQ section to find this out.Yes, there are important differences in these two products. The Model Color Thinner (Ref. 70.524) is transparent but has the same consistency and formulation as Model color; it is intended to be used with a brush.The new formula Airbrush Thinner (Ref. 71.061) is intended for use in an Airbrush, it contains ingredients which can be safely airbrushed but may damage the paint coating if applied with a brush: the movement of the brush causes friction which, combined with the Airbrush Thinner, may damage recently applied paint.
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Voodoocaster
Well-Known Member
When your paint pools up on lower areas and doesn't stick/builds up to the aimed at areas,.i think either your paint mixture is to thin to build up layers in several pases or your airpressure is to high.
I your case probably both.
When paint is to thin the air will blow the paint to the sides and the solvent in the mixture will dissolve the paint that managed to stick to the surface.
Putting several layers with sufficient drying time in between is the way to go.
When your airpressure is to high the air will just blow the paint to the side and it will pool up on the sides of your spray direction leaving the pointed at spot without paint(spiderleg effect).
I suggest especially with thin paint airbrushed close to the painted surface ,that you lower your air pressure enough so you can paint a point or thin line even on a rounded surface without spiderleg effect and clogging the needle to fast.
Clogging the needle will happen due to too much air which will make the dryer in the paint dry faster or due to too little air wich will give the paint a chance to dry/build up on the needle.
When misting paint when spraying from quite some distance to the aimed at surface your pressure can be high especially with thick paint mixtures,but with thin mixtures aswel,..more air equals thinner layer/more atomisation of the paintmixture
Thicker paintmixture need sufficient airpressure to leave the airbrush so in most cases the airpressure will be higher than with thin mixtures.
With thin paint mixtures you can also mist from up closer to the painted surface but this requires again less airpressure and probably several coats.
For detail work(airbrush close to the painted surface) like on small scaled objects,thin paint is better build up in layers(if more coverage is wanted)but i personally prefer normal(milk consistence or a little bit thinner) mixtures with just enough airpressure to be able to spray a good coverage in one go without spiderlegs or too frequent clogging of the needle(almost unevidable)
Almost touching the painted surface with my needle(aircap removed)
When your needle gets clogged(in this case due to low airpressure) you can easily clean the needle during work with a tissue and some solvent that is if your aircap is removed.
When your aircap is attached you can use a cottonswap with some solvent,.but like i said i prefer the cap removed.
I hope this helps and solved your problem.
Happy airbrushing!
,
I your case probably both.
When paint is to thin the air will blow the paint to the sides and the solvent in the mixture will dissolve the paint that managed to stick to the surface.
Putting several layers with sufficient drying time in between is the way to go.
When your airpressure is to high the air will just blow the paint to the side and it will pool up on the sides of your spray direction leaving the pointed at spot without paint(spiderleg effect).
I suggest especially with thin paint airbrushed close to the painted surface ,that you lower your air pressure enough so you can paint a point or thin line even on a rounded surface without spiderleg effect and clogging the needle to fast.
Clogging the needle will happen due to too much air which will make the dryer in the paint dry faster or due to too little air wich will give the paint a chance to dry/build up on the needle.
When misting paint when spraying from quite some distance to the aimed at surface your pressure can be high especially with thick paint mixtures,but with thin mixtures aswel,..more air equals thinner layer/more atomisation of the paintmixture
Thicker paintmixture need sufficient airpressure to leave the airbrush so in most cases the airpressure will be higher than with thin mixtures.
With thin paint mixtures you can also mist from up closer to the painted surface but this requires again less airpressure and probably several coats.
For detail work(airbrush close to the painted surface) like on small scaled objects,thin paint is better build up in layers(if more coverage is wanted)but i personally prefer normal(milk consistence or a little bit thinner) mixtures with just enough airpressure to be able to spray a good coverage in one go without spiderlegs or too frequent clogging of the needle(almost unevidable)
Almost touching the painted surface with my needle(aircap removed)
When your needle gets clogged(in this case due to low airpressure) you can easily clean the needle during work with a tissue and some solvent that is if your aircap is removed.
When your aircap is attached you can use a cottonswap with some solvent,.but like i said i prefer the cap removed.
I hope this helps and solved your problem.
Happy airbrushing!
,
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