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Reducing Artist Oil Paint Drying Times


Gazzas

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After letting my 104 pilot sit for over a week waiting to de-gas, and considering using more oils, I went web searching for a faster drying method.

 

I'm late to the party, having only been modelling for the last two years after a 35 year hiatus.  (so all of you probably know all about this)  I've only been using oils the last six months as I strive to improve finishes and add more interest to my models.  Every time I've used an oil wash or oil streaking I'd have to wait 1-2 weeks for the paints to de-gas. 

 

I am not a patient man.

 

Two days ago, I read of a substance called Liquin.  It can be painted on after painting with oils.  I watched a YouTube video seeing it done.  After further reading, I headed to my local art supply store to get a bottle after checking them out on the web to see if they carried it.

 

Alas, the spots on the shelf for Liquin were empty.  Asking the clerk about how soon it would be restocked left my impatient self unhappy with further wait, but fortunately the clerk directed me to a product by the brand name Art Spectrum.  (this is an Australian brand)

 

The product is called Liquol (No4 Medium)

 

So, on to an experiment:

 

The control group was three gray styrene surfaces airbrushed with white oil paint thinned with Turpenoid.  (All surfaces had been marked with black Sharpie to ensure coverage)

 

The variable group was three gray styrene surfaces, again marked with black Sharpie to ensure coverage, with white oil paint thinned by the Liquol.

 

A word about temperatures:  It is early winter here in Australia.  Night temperatures are dipping down to around 55 degrees F (13 degrees C) and daytime highs around 70 degree F (21 degrees C).  There is no furnace in my place, so paint drying temps are a little lower than optimum.

 

After 6 hours, the Control group was easily smeared by light touching.

 

After the same 6 hours the variable group was what I'll call very tacky.  The kind that you think will lift off on your finger, but doesn't.

 

After 12 more hours the control group could still be marred by a firm touch.

 

After the same 12 more hours the variable group was only lightly tacky.

 

After 24 more hours the control group is easily removed to-the-plastic with a light scrape of the fingernail.

 

After the same 24 hours the variable group feels dry enough to sand.  However, light scraping with a fingernail will leave marks on the top layer of paint without pulling the paint from the plastic.

 

To be continued....

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Uschi's Blitz Dry is the only drying accelerator I've used that reduces drying time of oils to an hour or two for dry to the touch. I've tried most all of the one's you listed and they all work to varying degrees (and help) but Uschi's is the only one that reduces drying time significantly. 

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Try looking for Japan dryer. It's a catalyst for oil paints and makes them dry almost as fast as acrylics.

Add it in when you thin the paint for airbrushing.

Carl

It looks very interesting. I'll definitely put it on my 'to get' list.

 

Gaz

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Why making it so difficult? Oil paint manufactures like Talens and Windsor and Newton, also make a thing called siccative, mix a few drops in the oil paint and it speeds up drying time.

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Why making it so difficult? Oil paint manufactures like Talens and Windsor and Newton, also make a thing called siccative, mix a few drops in the oil paint and it speeds up drying time.

 

What's difficult about the suggestions made so far? How are they any different to your own suggestion? Ultimately, the solution to the lengthy drying time of oil paints is to add a chemical accelerant to the paint; what exactly that is will be down to local availability. For example, I've never been able to find any kind of product called Japan Dryer here in Australia, but I'm pretty sure I'd be able to source some of the Uschi product if I had a Iook around.

 

Kev

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Why I make it difficult is because before I started this post, I just didn't know.  I don't have a local model building buddy to ask all the questions I get as I try to learn to make my models look as good as those I see here.  This thread has opened up a lot of knowledge to me that I can use, and given another question:

 

As all of these suggestions are chemical catalysts, if I have to leave my airbrush for a few hours will I find it clotted with a solid lump of chemically fused paint? 

 

So, I appreciate all of the responses.  You've all been immensely helpful.

 

Kev, you can buy Japan Drier for 62$ AU for 74ml at Fishpond.  I looked it up, but I'm not keen to spend that much as I have a full bottle of (17$AU for 150ml) Liquol

 

Gaz

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Thx Kev, I will shut up and not suggest anymore that you can buy siccative at any store they sell good oil paints. Your right, better to buy rubbish at higher price. Yep. Ushi knows what they are doing old company's does not. I not know what is available in your country you live, as I don't know, I just tried to help. Iff that is considered rude, then I will shut up, Kevin.

get A Life

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I've used them. Yes, they speed up drying time, but not in the time frame of an hour. Uschi's Blitz Dry is the only product I've used that delivers that speed. And I wasted a lot of money at art stores with a boatload of products that can't give me the drying speed I need. If you need dry to touch in an hour, Uschi's is the only product I've used that can do that. 

 

Why making it so difficult? Oil paint manufactures like Talens and Windsor and Newton, also make a thing called siccative, mix a few drops in the oil paint and it speeds up drying time.

Edited by modelingbob
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Thx Kev, I will shut up and not suggest anymore that you can buy siccative at any store they sell good oil paints. Your right, better to buy rubbish at higher price. Yep. Ushi knows what they are doing old company's does not. I not know what is available in your country you live, as I don't know, I just tried to help. Iff that is considered rude, then I will shut up, Kevin.

get A Life

 

 

That's it, I will delete my account right away, my god I am an artist that uses oils for 40 years, but you know it better

 

Your first post wasn't rude, just a little presumptive. Your second post (the first one quoted above) was definitely rude, and a sure sign that you've misunderstood the entire discussion. Your last post is simply irrational. Your holier-than-though, smart-arse responses are not appreciated.

 

Kev

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I don't use artist oils in my airbrush but I think you might have a valid concern. I mixed up a batch of oils using Blitz Dry and thinner to about a thick wash consistency. I had to go away for about 2 hours and when I came back it had solidified to about the consistency of heavy tar on my palette. Fortunately, this palette was plastic based, so the next day I was able to pop out the now rock solid chunk!  I definitely would not want to clean that goop out of my airbrush! 

 

<<<As all of these suggestions are chemical catalysts, if I have to leave my airbrush for a few hours will I find it clotted with a solid lump of chemically fused paint?>>>

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After feeling the same way about drying times with the oils I was using on my WnW models for wood, I tried some "Japan Drier"

 

It supposedly sped up the drying times of oils from weeks or days to a couple days or even hours depending on amount applied and so forth......

 

Lets just say it worked SO well, that I stopped mixing it in with my thinned oils, and just started thinning the oil WITH the Japan Drier.

My parts are usually dry within a day or two,sometimes even sooner.

 

Get yourself some, you won't regret it.

Edited by Out2gtcha
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