GSI Creos Mr Hobby solvent based paints

[Marc @ MPC Motorsports]

The Hobbytown USA in Tulsa OK has a brand new rack of GSI Creos solvent based paints. What are they like and how do they compare to others like Testors and Humbrol or acrylics like Tamiya? I would like to buy some but I want to know what I'm getting into first.

[Brett Barrow]

The Hobbytown USA in Tulsa OK has a brand new rack of GSI Creos solvent based paints. What are they like and how do they compare to others like Testors and Humbrol or acrylics like Tamiya? I would like to buy some but I want to know what I'm getting into first.

They're very similar to Tamiya Sprays or the Testors Lacquers, but thicker and in a bottle! They need to be thinned for airbrushing - the Mr Levelling Thinner (yellow label) is the better all-around thinner, the regular Mr Color Thinner (blue label) can cause some wierd things to happen - like "spider-webbing" in certain climatic conditions. I think Tamiya Lacquer Thinner (yellow cap) can also be used, but I haven't tried it out yet, I have a bottle of "Super Italian Red" that's going to get used soon, and I'm going to test it out.

[Marc @ MPC Motorsports]

They're very similar to Tamiya Sprays or the Testors Lacquers, but thicker and in a bottle! They need to be thinned for airbrushing - the Mr Levelling Thinner (yellow label) is the better all-around thinner, the regular Mr Color Thinner (blue label) can cause some wierd things to happen - like "spider-webbing" in certain climatic conditions. I think Tamiya Lacquer Thinner (yellow cap) can also be used, but I haven't tried it out yet, I have a bottle of "Super Italian Red" that's going to get used soon, and I'm going to test it out.

HTUSA had a sign on the rack suggesting regular Mr Color thinner for brushing and the Self-Leveling Thinner for air brushing. I'll probably try some myself.

[Brett Barrow]

HTUSA had a sign on the rack suggesting regular Mr Color thinner for brushing and the Self-Leveling Thinner for air brushing. I'll probably try some myself.

That sounds about right. I haven't used any of their gloss colors,(yet) but I've used some flat and semi-gloss. I like them as an alternative to colors I can't decant (or when I don't feel like decanting) from Testors lacquer or Tamiya spray cans. They have a lot of military semi-gloss colors that might work well for vinyl interiors.

[simonr]

As I told before or at least to me, "the best all around paint" for models,although...it take some cautions and mastering. The amount of different colors(almost 200), goes way over the tamiyas, and aldo over the model master line. Actually, I've been always surprised, why Tamiya doesn't bottle their spray line? About the GSI thinners, they are the same ones, the only differece it's that the Mr. Leveling one contains an amount of Mr Mild Retarder on it. This one allows the paint(being lacquer)to stay wet and leveled for more time, specially in weird weather countries. Either for airbrusing or palin brushing, you can use any of them, but, as you guys know, with or without any thinner, lacquers are not so good like good enamels like Model Master, or acrylic like the Gunze Sangyo acrylics.To me, if this maker should market this fine paints around the world, like Tamiya does like anyone, will be #1 paint in the world, no doubt about.

In my experience using them, if you mix them from 1:1 to 1:2-paint/thinner ratio, you will get awesome results. Some of the best colors I use on my modeling time are: #92 semi gloss black, #2 Black, #1 gloss white, #8 red. These brand of paint mix without problem with it's Japanase couterparts like Tamiya, Modeler's or Gaianotes, just to name a few. I don't feel that they could mix with any domestic lacquers like Testors or Model Masters. Actually, give a look to that GAIANOTES ones..they're cheaper that the GSI an also has a long line. This one has something I haven't seen in any brand of model paint, they have the basic colors of the spectrum like Magenta, Cyan, etc. And also, the work of the metallic thinner T-09 is unique.

Recentlly, GSI had have some problem entering to the USA because of some problem on it's formula and labeling I guess.

My advise, don't be afraid to give a try to something new like these paints. I almost had change all my basic paints to these line. I wish to live in Japan where this paints cost about 120Y, that it's about $1 for us, and you can paint easylly a body with just 1 10ml jar.

Here's a Tamiya Boxster I painted last year with #80 Cobalt Blue with Modeler's Super Clear over:

Simón Rivera

Edited June 19, 2010 by simonr

[simonr]

Some final thoughs on this...I love GSI should ship their sprays here in America. I hae try some and like I had read in other websites, they not just only work way better than Tamiya's, but,that they work almost like an airbrush and has a line specialized on real cars like FERRARI and BMW.

Simón Rivera

Some final thoughs on this...I would love GSI should ship their sprays here in America. I hae try some and like I had read in other websites, they not just only work way better than Tamiya's, but,that they work almost like an airbrush and has a line specialized on real cars like FERRARI and BMW.

Simón Rivera

[charlie8575]

Mr. Mild Retarder???

That sounds like the butt and/or source for entirely too many junior high jokes. (After attempting to teach at that level, I can make that remark as an expert.)

From what I've been told, these paints are very, very nice. They flow out and cover well and look really good when they're dried. A word of caution: use ONLY their thinning agents based on the reports of others. Attempting to use anything will cause disaster.

Were it not such a closed (and expensive) system, I'd be willing to give them a shot.

Charlie Larkin