*What Paint For Hand Brushing Interiors*

[Zippi]

Seems like I always run into this problem.  For my interiors I normally air brush or use a rattle can for the major color of the interior.  For the detail work I've used Tamiya which has pretty good coverage and the paint seems to level out nicely but lacking on color choices.  Arcylic's have a much better color selection but it streaks when brushing it on and it take many many coats to get a solid color.  I tryed thining it and right out of the bottle.   I just don't care for the end result.  How do you hand paint your interiors and what paint do you use?

[Dave G.]

2 hours ago, Zippi said:

Seems like I always run into this problem.  For my interiors I normally air brush or use a rattle can for the major color of the interior.  For the detail work I've used Tamiya which has pretty good coverage and the paint seems to level out nicely but lacking on color choices.  Arcylic's have a much better color selection but it streaks when brushing it on and it take many many coats to get a solid color.  I tryed thining it and right out of the bottle.   I just don't care for the end result.  How do you hand paint your interiors and what paint do you use?

I just use craft paints mostly for brushing interiors and engines. Thin it maybe about 30% or so.Paint my engines the same way. I makes washes from either craft paints or artist acrylics too.  But prime first before anything, don't try to cover bare plastic.  I don't thin a whole batch of paint, I put some on a painters palette and either water or my home brew thinner in one of the wells,usually the thinner. grab some thinner on the brush then the paint mix that up. Add paint or thinner as needed till it flows off the brush right. One to two coats should cover fine. If you want to use model paint try Vallejo model Color for brushing. You'll need some flow aid too.

I thin Tamiya with Liquitex retarder for brush painting, works great. Just enough so it flows off the brush, don't overlap your strokes but butt them together and they will flow right out. Yep, even Tamiya suggests retarder for brush painting, course they want you to use theirs, Liquitex works fine and I always have it on hand. 25-40% retarder in the blend, nothing else. That might work in the craft paint too but I haven't tried it .

Course you can always use Testors flat enamels, the old standard. Just buy a set of flats, mix as needed. I'm not afraid to mix colors, be that acrylics or enamels. Then I airbrush a mixed up batch of Liquitex varnishes to get the sheen I want. Course with acrylics you can mix them right into the paint.

Edited January 6, 2022 by Dave G.

[espo]

Except for an accessional decal here and there I just use Tamiya paints. As for thinning, I'll sometimes put just a dash of paint in a pill type plastic cup and add a little water as needed. I will also outline the character lines using a #11 blade on the interior where I want the paint to stop. This gives a nice clean break between two different colors on the interior. 

[afx]

3 hours ago, Dave G. said:

I just use craft paints mostly for brushing interiors and engines. Thin it maybe about 30% or so.Paint my engines the same way. I makes washes from either craft paints or artist acrylics too.  But prime first before anything, don't try to cover bare plastic.  I don't thin a whole batch of paint, I put some on a painters palette and either water or my home brew thinner in one of the wells,usually the thinner. grab some thinner on the brush then the paint mix that up. Add paint or thinner as needed till it flows off the brush right. One to two coats should cover fine. If you want to use model paint try Vallejo model Color for brushing. You'll need some flow aid too.

I thin Tamiya with Liquitex retarder for brush painting, works great. Just enough so it flows off the brush, don't overlap your strokes but butt them together and they will flow right out. Yep, even Tamiya suggests retarder for brush painting, course they want you to use theirs, Liquitex works fine and I always have it on hand. 25-40% retarder in the blend, nothing else. That might work in the craft paint too but I haven't tried it .

Course you can always use Testors flat enamels, the old standard. Just buy a set of flats, mix as needed. I'm not afraid to mix colors, be that acrylics or enamels. Then I airbrush a mixed up batch of Liquitex varnishes to get the sheen I want. Course with acrylics you can mix them right into the paint.

Please post a picture of the Liquitex product you use with the Tamiya paint.

[Zippi]

4 hours ago, Dave G. said:

I just use craft paints mostly for brushing interiors and engines. Thin it maybe about 30% or so.Paint my engines the same way. I makes washes from either craft paints or artist acrylics too.  But prime first before anything, don't try to cover bare plastic.  I don't thin a whole batch of paint, I put some on a painters palette and either water or my home brew thinner in one of the wells,usually the thinner. grab some thinner on the brush then the paint mix that up. Add paint or thinner as needed till it flows off the brush right. One to two coats should cover fine. If you want to use model paint try Vallejo model Color for brushing. You'll need some flow aid too.

I thin Tamiya with Liquitex retarder for brush painting, works great. Just enough so it flows off the brush, don't overlap your strokes but butt them together and they will flow right out. Yep, even Tamiya suggests retarder for brush painting, course they want you to use theirs, Liquitex works fine and I always have it on hand. 25-40% retarder in the blend, nothing else. That might work in the craft paint too but I haven't tried it .

Course you can always use Testors flat enamels, the old standard. Just buy a set of flats, mix as needed. I'm not afraid to mix colors, be that acrylics or enamels. Then I airbrush a mixed up batch of Liquitex varnishes to get the sheen I want. Course with acrylics you can mix them right into the paint.

Thanks for the info Dave.

[Zippi]

3 hours ago, espo said:

Except for an accessional decal here and there I just use Tamiya paints. As for thinning, I'll sometimes put just a dash of paint in a pill type plastic cup and add a little water as needed. I will also outline the character lines using a #11 blade on the interior where I want the paint to stop. This gives a nice clean break between two different colors on the interior. 

Thanks for the feedback Dave.

[Dave G.]

4 hours ago, afx said:

Please post a picture of the Liquitex product you use with the Tamiya paint.

[Sandboarder]

I only brush paint Citadel paints as that’s what easiest for me to buy. I would highly recommend any miniatures line of paints tho. Scale 75, the Army painter, Vallejo and of course Citadel. They settle very smooth and are easy/friendly to thin, use and clean up. 

Edited January 7, 2022 by Sandboarder

[Zippi]

6 minutes ago, Sandboarder said:

I only brush paint Citadel paints as that’s what easiest for me to buy. I would highly recommend any miniatures line of paints tho. Scale 75, the Army painter, Vallejo and of Citadel. They settle very smooth and are easy/friendly to thin, use and clean up. 

Thanks for the input Chris.