Paints

[bigern26]

I was wondering what you all use for paints.

brand, type, ect.

When I built models before I just used testors paints for parts and testors spray paint for bodys.

[Harry P.]

Wow... that's a wide open question!

That's like asking what's your favorite movie or your favorite song.

Get ready for a million different answers.

[bigern26]

Wow... that's a wide open question!

That's like asking what's your favorite movie or your favorite song.

Get ready for a million different answers.

Thats what I am looking for, I like to get a general idea of what others use.

I have never used an airbrush but I am going to buy one and have no clue of the good paints to use to get awesome finishes.

Also is there anything better than regular little bottles of testors model paints for brushing the parts?

[southpier]

i like Tamiya rattle cans. i use the military matte finishes exclusively because they suite my building style. in the rare event i use a "regular" spray bomb (love the term) i'll hit it with clear matte afterwards. brush paint detail work is either Tamiya jar (dig the smell!) or railroad colors x Floquil Polly S line. regular Floquil is just too nasty smelling and the tuoline thinner will drive me out of the room; worse than Goof Off.

i've had an airbrush & compressor for years and have never gotten around to using it. some day....

Gamers seem big on Vallejo and i intend to try them when i get about 300$ to invest!

Edited November 12, 2010 by southpier

[Longbox55]

Well, you're going to get plenty of opinions, like Harry said. Seems everybody has their favorites, ans I'm certain that most of us on here are like me, using whatever brand has the specific color/finish required to get the look we're after.

Primarily, I use Testors and Tamiya in both their bottle paints as well as the hobby laquers from both brands. I used to use Testors spray paints, but haven't used them since i got an airbrush. Now, if I use Testors enamel for spraying, I use the bottle version, usually Model Master, and airbrush it. I also use the Apple Barrel acrylics, mainly for interiors, and recently have started using Citadel Paints, which is aimed more at the miniature RPG crowd. They do have exellent washes in that line.

[Harry P.]

Any paint can be airbrushed as long as it's thinned correctly.

For brushing, I like acrylics. Water washup, and they dry much faster than Testors bottle paints (enamel). Doesn't matter what brand... Testors, Tamiya, whatever... I prefer acrylics.

[highway]

Get ready for a million different answers.

Well, let me be the first of a million!

I personally use Testors Model Master line enamels and the good old stand by Testors enamels for most of my brush painting needs, but I also highly recommend Tamiya's acrylics as well. Pollyscale acyrlics are also very nice, you can find them in the model railroad area of your favorite hobby shop, hopefully! The Pollyscale paints are nice for weathering colors especially, because they offer colors such as mud, dirt, concrete, aged concrete, and so on. Here's just an idea of the diversity of my paint box.

As for spray paints, I've had nice results with most all of Testors sprays, from their regualr and Model Master lines to the "Colors by Boyd" and the new Custom Lacquer system. My old stand by has always been DupliColor auto paints, especially for factory stock colors. Nothing replicates the 1:1's color better than the paint made for the 1:1!

EDIT: Well at least I was the first when I started typing this post!!!

Edited November 12, 2010 by highway

[charlie8575]

Brush paints: Testors, Humbrol, Tamiya and the Testors Model Master line are all good choices, provided they're used correctly. That means prime underneath and following the mixing directions.

I've used Model Master Acryl also, and found it to be quite good.

For primer, I almost exclusively use either Valspar/Plasti-Kote or Dupli-Color if I need to, I prefer Plasti-Kote, it's thinner and the solvent isn't quite as strong.

Spray paints: I've used Testors and Model Master enamels, and they work well, again, if you prime underneath them. I also use Dupli-Color and Plasti-Kote automotive touch-up paints. I haven't used the Model Master lacquer or Tamiya lacquers, but both are said to be very good.

Airbrushes: I've used Badgers before, and they're all right. I have an Aztek A320 now, which is nice because it's very easy to clean. I'm thinking of trying a Paasche next time. Whatever you do, try to get a compressor, it's well worth it. I have the Testors Mighty-Mite. It's small, not particularly powerful, but it's good for airbrushing, and it's not too expensive.

As previously stated, any paint will airbrush well if you thin it enough. Acrylics airbrush very nicely, just be sure to use the manufacturer's thinner for it, as I've found alcohol can flatten the paint. For cleaning, 91% alcohol works beautifully.

To remove dried acrylic paint, use Model Master Acryl Dried Acrylic paint remover. It works like a charm- BUT FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS TO THE LETTER!

Good luck.

Charlie Larkin

[Greg Cullinan]

Spray I like Testors One Coat, Tamiya and Model Masters

Airbrush- House of Kolors

Brush - Tamiya, Testors and Model Masters

[MILD]

I spray with Tamiya rattle cans. For brush paint I like working with Tamiya enamels- yes they take much longer to dry (and you really need to give them all the time they need)and clean up requires thinners or turps but I think the end result is worth it.

I recently got a Mr Hobby (Model Colour line maybe?) acrylic for brush painting as my LHS didn't have colour I was chasing in enamel and although it took a fair effort to get the required coverage the end result looked pretty good.

In my mind it's a little like this:

Enamel Pros - Good coverage with a nice smooth finish.

Enamel Cons - Long drying time and turps or thinners for clean up.

Acrylic Pros - Quick drying time, water clean up, smells better

Acrylic Cons - Typically more coats for coverage.

Anyone got any other pros or cons to add? I was thinking of creating a similar thread recently.

[Guest]

For brushing I use Testors enamels, but I use everything from Testors enamels to Duplicolor laquer fro spraying and airbrushing.

[GeeBee]

For most of the time for spraying bodyshells I use regular cellulose or single pack acrylic lacquer which I get mixed up in small quantities, yes it smells really bad, and you need a respirator at all times, not easy to clean up, but the results for me are worth it.

For painting small parts I use either Tamiya acrylics, Revell enamels, Citadel (Games Workshop)Paints and even artist acrylics,when mixed with the correct airbrush thinners gives a slow but good coverage, some of the colour range you just can't get in hobby paints.

[2002p51]

I'm an old poop who's well set in his ways.

I use Testors Model Master line almost exclusively, both for brush painting and airbrushing.

Spray cans are for painting patio furniture, not model cars.

[davyou5]

I started with Testor's, Then moved on to Model Master's, I got my first bottle of Tamiya Paint yesterday, I think I will order more of that later on and add it as my Spray paint collection .

[GeeBee]

Spray cans are for painting patio furniture, not model cars.

The only time I buy paint in aerosol form is if the local auto store has the correct shade on the shelf, which I then decant into a glass jar for airbrushing, you have to let the paint de-gas for a while, but it's already thinned for spraying.

[2002p51]

The only time I buy paint in aerosol form is if the local auto store has the correct shade on the shelf, which I then decant into a glass jar for airbrushing, you have to let the paint de-gas for a while, but it's already thinned for spraying.

I've done that too. You're not using the spray can, just the paint that was in the spray can.

There are two main reasons for not using spray cans;

1) You have no control over the spray pattern

2) You're trying to apply a 1/25 scale paint job with a 1:1 scale spray nozzle. It just puts out way too much paint!

[bigern26]

So what are the better airbrushes, Gravity or siphoned?

[Harry P.]

Today's aerosol paints generally have better spray patterns, especially "real" car paint like Duplicolor, than the "model paints" from the old days. It's true that with proper prep and technique, you can get just as good a finish using a spray can as you can using an airbrush.

Using an airbrush correctly is an art unto itself... you have to thin the paint correctly, you have to set the pressure correctly, you have to apply the paint correctly, etc. Using an airbrush does give you the ultimate in control, but it's harder to use an airbrush than a spray can, especially for a beginner.

It all boils down to what you're used to. The airbrush offers more control, the spray can offers more convenience. Either way, airbrush or spray can, can give you an excellent paint job. The trick is using either of them correctly.

[Harold]

Lemme see- for spray paint, I usually use Dupli- Color or Plastikote, though at times I'll use Tamiya or Testors. For clear, I use Dupli- Color. For brush paints, I use Polly S acrylics, along with Tamiya acrylics. Then there's the Testors Metallizers (bottle and spray can).

[Jason Vandergriff]

Brush work when it happens for me is Testors enamels, Tamiya Acrylics, or Model Master enamels.

For rattle can is mostly duplicolor for me.

Airbrush is what ever I need to spray but usually ppg dupount Nason etc. I have a line on mismatched and left overs from a few body shops in the area and I get my pick every once in a while.