Acrylics vs Enamels vs Laquers vs...

[flyboy9994]

Sorry about this as I'm sure this has been beat to death but I need some advice. I recently returned to the hobby after a long absence and have some questions about paint. I would really like to give the acrylics a try and have already invested in ALOT of Tamiya acrylics as a good friend of mine uses them with outstanding results. I have an Iawata and a Badger airbrush with all the supporting equipment however my main concern is with brush painting. This stuff is TERRIBLE for brush painting!! Now I understand most of the work will be done with the airbrush but I do like to detail etc. with a brush. I have heard the Tamiya acrylics don't brush well and I have heard suggestions of using Testors Model Masters acrylics for brush painting. How about using enamels for detail work and acrylics for the airbrush??

 

Also confused as to which flat clear to use as the final coat... Do the acrylic flat clears work well as a final coat?? My friend uses Testors flat clear over well cured acrylics with great results but it's a laquer!! Pulling my hair out for sure over here. Do I need 3 different paint systems now?? Oh yeah, I already know about Alclad 2 and metalizers but let's save those for later. Please advise.

[LSP_Ray]

Yup, Tamiya paints aren't that good for brush painting!

I have found Vallejo or Games Workshop paints are much better for brush painting details.

Many have good results with Testor's Dullcote. I personally use Humbrol Matte and Satin Cote for mine, they are enamels. Haven't had too good luck with acrylic clears.

[LSP_Kevin]

As you've discovered, Tamiya's acrylics are terrible for brush painting. You can make them a little more bearable by continually moistening your brush with some Tamiya X-20 while you paint, but they're still not great. As someone who grew up brush painting the old-formula Humbrol enamels, it's something I've still yet to crack successfully. I must try some of the Vallejo or GW paints, as Ray suggests. FWIW, Gunze acrylics brush paint significantly better than Tamiya's, but they're still not fabulous.

 

Haven't had too good luck with acrylic clears.

 

Yeah, what a bugbear that is! I've learned to avoid Gunze's acrylic flat, as it often leaves a dusty or frosty effect. So far I'm loving an old bottle of Aeromaster acrylic flat that I found in my paint stash. Superb! But of course, once that's gone, it's gone.

 

Kev

[Bryan]

I have experimented with most of the available paint because I came back into the hobby a few years back and there was a lot of new stuff to try.

 

IMHO, by far the best paint for airbrushing currently somewhat available is Mr. Color (acrylic laquer I believe). That stuff is tolerant of imperfect technique, inconsistent thinning ratios, and dries absolutely rock hard (ready to weather over) in about 10 minutes. It almost seems miraculous to me at times, the quality of finish it can produce. It also dries very durable and impervious to most other hobby paint solvents. The only drawback is the laquer base and relatively high toxicity.

 

The only brush paint I use is Vallejo. It brushes on extremely well. The only drawback to me is that it does not dry very durable.

[Nighthawk]

I too gave up on Tamiya Acrylics for brush painting. The old old old formula worked well, but now it's too gummy. The best flowing paint I've found is Testor's Acryl. Brushes on and leaves no brush marks - looks like you airbrushed it. Even with colors like semi-gloss black, it just looks perfect. Dries to a super thin layer, great opacity & coverage, large range of perfect match FS (& other military) colors. This is not the old Acryl formula many of you may have tried a few years back, this new formula is totally different. And, unlike Tamiya or Gunze acrylics, Windex won't strip it off. So no more worrying about the wife and a random spray of glass cleaner during housekeeping. The gloss colors are terrific, and the clear flat is so matte that I mix it 50/50 with semi-gloss clear to get a good looking finish.

[LSP_Kevin]

The best flowing paint I've found is Testor's Acryl.

 

Interesting! I'll have to see if they're readily available down under. How do they airbrush?

 

Kev

[DaveJ]

How do they airbrush?

 

Kev

 

They're thinned enough to spray straight from the bottle!

[flyboy9994]

O.K. Through much research, weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth it seem as as if I have determined a workable paint "system" as follows: Most airbrushing will be Tamiya acrylics as I have already tried them and very much like the results. (not to mention several bottles already purchased!!) Brush painting and detail work will be Testors Acryl and Testors Model Masters enamels. The general concensus is that a good lacquer based flat clear is preferred for final sealing etc. Also, need to start working with Future... Jeeezzz, I wonder who discovered that one!!

 

I guess the days of the little glass square bottles of Testors, a couple of paintbrushes and some of Dad's paint thinner are long gone huh?? Gotta move forward with the times and I'm actually looking forward to experimenting with these new systems as they are obviously producing stunning results as evidenced in these forums. I'll be starting a 1/32 Tamiya F-4J Phantom soon so I'll post some pics of my trials and tribulations using different paints etc.

 

Anyway, thanks for all the replies. Time to get out of here and go build!!