Testors Model Master Acrylics - how to make them Matte

[Faust]

Hey Everybody!

I generally use Testors Model Master Acrylics for my models. I like them, generally, and have almost always used them. I don't like Tamiya or Gunze, and I don't like to use lacquers at all.

However, there is one thing about Testors MMAs that bothers me.

Some colours are NOT flat, that I think should be. I mean, military greens and browns should be flat, but they're not; they're semigloss or worse. I prefer using flat/matte colours, especially for interiors of cars and for mecha (robots - another passion of mine) or anything else that I want to paint by hand. I find that hand painting with matte colours goes better, faster and easier. The semigloss colours all seem to be thick, sticky and no matter what I do to them, they don't seem to work all that well, drying lumpy and taking more time to dry than their matte cousins.

Does anyone know what to add to Testors MM Acrylics in order make them matte. I mean really, really matte? I've tried Tamiya Flat Base and Golden Fluid Matte Medium, both to little effect. I find both make the Testors even stickier and more prone to tearing itself.

Now, oddly, they also make some colours that are almost TOO matte, but some Future fixes this easily.

It's driving me crazy, so if anyone has any solutions, i'd appreciate it!

Thanks!

[Miatatom]

I just finished a little experiment that may help you.

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=88741&hl=

[Guest]

After you've painted your parts etc. spray them with Testors Dull Cote. I've yet to find a paint that it can't be sprayed over.

[Brett Barrow]

Tamiya X-21 Flat Base. Add small amount to acrylic paints to make them dead flat. I've never used it in MM Acryl, but I use it in Vallejo all the time. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work in MM Acryl.

Edit: just noticed you said you tried Flat Base. I don't know why it's not working for you. Give Vallejo Model Color paints a try if you can. They hand brush much easier than MM Acryl, and if they're not as flat as you like they can be made flatter with Flat Base (but they're usually very flat out of the bottle). They are thick out of the bottle, but thin easily with water.

Edited April 28, 2014 by Brett Barrow