Paint types for airbrush

Hi All
As I mentioned in a different thread a while back, I received an airbrush for Xmas and have fooled around a little bit with base painting etc. However I only bought 3 different colors of paint at the time while in Red Deer and the fellow there mentioned Reaper paints which is what I bought. Just curious if any of you use an airbrush and what type of paints do you use. I'm hoping to maybe try it with basecaoting and shading afterwards on some warhammer scenery buildings. Any points would be welcome. And by the way, I spoke with the manager at Compusoft and Keiren no longer works there, but still helps run the grots club. I didn't get to see him at the time so I was unable to give him a kick in the arse as you suggested. Maybe next time I'm out that way.

Hate to tell you but reaper paints are horrible for an airbrush. The pigment is not as fine as GW or velljo and it's seperates VERY quickly from the binder esp. when thinned down for brushwork or airbrushing.

I just got an Iwata Hp-B to try and use it much more to speed up my basic work as well. It's a great machine (allegedly) and I look forward to using it!

Hey Scott
Thanks for the input. I was wondering about the reaper paints, I found the red seemed to clog a little bit even when I watered it down more than I did the black. The black and blue seemed ok but you say vellejo and gw work better? I was planing on trying out the velljo and the gw paint but I think the gw paint would be harder to mix in the airbrush bowl, I like the squirt bottles velljo have. Do you use any particular kind? I noticed on their web site that they do make a brand for air brushes although I'm not sure where to get it yet. Anyway I hope to experiment with the other paints soon. Thanks again

Try thinning with alcohol, I find that its worked the best. Gives a very smooth paint for the airbrush.

Any certain type of alcohol. I personally prefer the spiced rum type I was going to try and find a thinner as well. What ratio would you use when using the alcohol? Thanks in advance

Rubbing alcohol? Carson? Really? I would not reccomend using this, but if Carson likes it then let him justify his lunacy.

It actually gives the best results out of what I have tried. I have only used it with Tamiya paints though.

Oh, fair enough, I used to use it with their stuff as well. I DO NOT reccomend doing that with fig paint. It gums up somthin' powerful.

What are tamiya paints? And do suggest I just water the paint down then?

Luckless Diceman wrote:What are tamiya paints? And do suggest I just water the paint down then?

Yes, use water for the reaper but beware as the paint will start to seperate rapidly. Keep a toothpick handy to keep stirring it up.

Tamiya is a high quality brand of Jap model paints. Very good stuff for airbrushing etc. but it's not as ideal for bursh painting as the pigment isn't ground as fine as we need for our little stuff.

Thanks I will indeed keep stirring. I picked up a few Vallejo paints today to try out on the scenery pieces from the boxed set. Hopefully I will get a chance to try them out this weekend. Working on the basement, the wife keeps me going sometimes

I have an air brush and have used it several times. I just use the gw paint thined with rubbing alcohol. It ends up being pretty dry when it is on the model, so I recommend sealing the models when you are done with the air brush (even if the model isnt done). The sealer I have you can paint over quite easily. Make sure the paint is diluted enough or it will be chunky. You cant really dilute it too much, but if there is alot of alcohol in it you will need to wait for it to dry a bit on the model, or else it will accumulate and drip/run.

Also make sure your paint is fully dissolved in the alcohol with no paint on the bottom of the flask. I just use a tooth pick and stir for a minute.

and alcohol works JUST FINE at least with GW paint despite what Scott says. If you use water it is alot harder to dilute the paint and you need to use demineralized water or else you will get hard water spots in places.

Lord_Stash wrote:I have an air brush and have used it several times. I just use the gw paint thined with rubbing alcohol. It ends up being pretty dry when it is on the model, so I recommend sealing the models when you are done with the air brush (even if the model isnt done). The sealer I have you can paint over quite easily. Make sure the paint is diluted enough or it will be chunky. You cant really dilute it too much, but if there is alot of alcohol in it you will need to wait for it to dry a bit on the model, or else it will accumulate and drip/run.

Also make sure your paint is fully dissolved in the alcohol with no paint on the bottom of the flask. I just use a tooth pick and stir for a minute.

and alcohol works JUST FINE at least with GW paint despite what Scott says. If you use water it is alot harder to dilute the paint and you need to use demineralized water or else you will get hard water spots in places.

Uhm..... Stash..... the reason you're painting is binding to the model so poorly is because you've used rubbing alchohol to dilute the paint. Also, you're using a single action, or a double action?

I still reccomend water. Tap water shouldn't be a huge problem, but maybe your area is different to our area.

ScottRadom wrote:

Lord_Stash wrote:I have an air brush and have used it several times. I just use the gw paint thined with rubbing alcohol. It ends up being pretty dry when it is on the model, so I recommend sealing the models when you are done with the air brush (even if the model isnt done). The sealer I have you can paint over quite easily. Make sure the paint is diluted enough or it will be chunky. You cant really dilute it too much, but if there is alot of alcohol in it you will need to wait for it to dry a bit on the model, or else it will accumulate and drip/run.

Also make sure your paint is fully dissolved in the alcohol with no paint on the bottom of the flask. I just use a tooth pick and stir for a minute.

and alcohol works JUST FINE at least with GW paint despite what Scott says. If you use water it is alot harder to dilute the paint and you need to use demineralized water or else you will get hard water spots in places.

Uhm..... Stash..... the reason you're painting is binding to the model so poorly is because you've used rubbing alchohol to dilute the paint. Also, you're using a single action, or a double action?

I still reccomend water. Tap water shouldn't be a huge problem, but maybe your area is different to our area.

It is bonding just fine. What I mean by dry is that it is dryed out more than when painted with a brush. Sorta like parched dirt. A sealer fixes this though and restores the gloss.

Why do you want to add gloss to your mini? I don't understand you and your crazy ways.