For some applications where I want better coverage, I might use 40% paint. Airbrushing allows for consistent coverage but requires additional skills and knowledge if you want the best finished product.. Airbrush paint is recommended to paint these surfaces, but the cool thing is that you can use any thinned acrylic paint in an airbrush. To thin acrylic paint for an airbrush, you need to add a thinning agent, like water, airbrush thinner, or flow improver to the paint, and mix until you create a paint that has the consistency of skim milk. Having a premade mix of Thinner-Liquitex makes preparing paint mixtures easier and reproducible. Mixing the right consistency is vital for the airbrush and paint to work together. For the drop counters out there (I consider myself one), small batches of Thinner with 5% Liquitex are easily prepared by adding one drop of Liquitex to 20 drops of thinner. Adding up to 30 percent water to acrylic paint thins it but still allows it to coat a surface. Liquitex Flow-Aid is billed as a product that will allow you to thin paints without losing opacity (coverage). The biggest breakthrough I have made lately is to always use an airbrush medium when thinning acrylic paints for airbrushing..Think about it, water, alcohol, washer fluid, glycerin, grandma's recipe, do not have any bonding qualitys. Airbrush Paint Cup Liquitex Drops Liquitex Milliliters (Note: Fine-line airbrushing techniques will be the focus of a future Paint Booth article.) On the down side, LifeColor has a marked tendency to dry on the needle. On the other hand, if it is too thin, you will find your paint … Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Cleaning Acrylic Paint . The proper thinning procedure is determined by the type of surface to be airbrushed and by durability desired for the final paint film. Surfaces absorb paint differently so always perform a test if you are uncertain, Wash fabric before airbrushing to remove sizing, Non-absorbent surfaces (plastic, metal, masonry etc) should be abraded before spraying to increase adhesion, The proper viscosity will depend on the air pressure, type of airbrush and proximity to the working surface. The secret is out. thinning acrylic paint for airbrush application Liquitex Medium Viscosity Concentrated Acrylic Colors can easily be thinned to flow properly through an airbrush. Brand (Vol. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. As with most airbrushing techniques, experiment with different pressure settings until you find what works best for you. All three of the aforementioned tips (.15, .20, .40) are available for the Evolution, Infinity, and Grafo airbrushes. After painting I spray Badger Airbrush Cleaner through the airbrush, but I clean siphon caps and in-bottle strainers with tap water. These 5% stock solutions are what I use to dilute my paint. What Do You Thin Tamiya Acrylic With For Airbrushing. By tip I’m referring to the combination of nozzle and needle. In case you’re re-cycling old paint bottles, here’s a chart of common brands, their volumes, and the amount of Liquitex that should be added to a full bottle to achieve a 5% solution. My preferred flow enhancer is Liquitex Flow Aid. Aim for the consistency of skim milk and adjust as necessary after trying the thinned paint in your airbrush. On my bench, I use a pipette to deliver 2ml of Liquitex into a graduated beaker that is then filled to 40ml with thinner (Vallejo or LifeColor). However, in my hands, LifeColor produces a smoother finish and dilutes out very nicely for fine-line work. Tamiya or Gunze (10) 10 0.50 My working rule is: The thinner the layer of paint, the better. Adding 60 percent or more water creates a watery paint application called a wash. Rubbing a wash into an absorbent surface so that only a hint of the color remains is called a stain. However, it is important that you thin-out your paint to the correct consistency before you start spraying. Diluting reduces pigment color strength, If using Soft Body, strain your thinned color to ensure proper flow through airbrush, Have patience when airbrushing - building up tones gradually will allow colors to appear brighter and more even, Mix your colors optically rather than mixing them together before spraying - for example Naphthol Crimson sprayed over Cadmium-Free Yellow Light will produce a more vibrant orange than if you mixed the two colors together first, To help judge the darkness of a sprayed area, place a sheet of white printer paper next to the area. Air pressure should be approximately 18-20 PSI. When using rubbing alcohol: I keep it very close at hand because after 1-2 minutes of spraying (depending on the % paint in the mix), I stop and clean the needle. Tamiya’s water based acrylic paint can be thinned with their proprietary X20-A acrylic thinners, iso-propyl alcohol (IPA), distilled water, and I’ve even shown that it can be thinned with regular tap water with outstanding results, but few people seem to realise that it can also be thinned with Tamiya lacquer thinner. 5ml 5 0.25 May 3, 2013 - I show how I thin paint before I apply it to a crankbait. This requires 2ml (or 40 drops) of Liquitex to make a 5% solution. Air and water propel the paint. Apply whatever method of measurement you prefer and enjoy. Vallejo Model Color is much thicker than is Vallejo Model Air and requires diluting to ~10-15% paint. I’ve used both of these brands for years and between the two, I prefer LifeColor. Brace yourself for the shameless plugs. A 0.2mm tip is good for applying primary coats on small 1/72 scale aircraft (single seat). Especially, if you are heavily reducing the paint. W… It's usually a real workhorse too and would probably spray tar if heated enough. In general, I err on the side of lean or less paint, especially if I’m going to be shooting on top off pre-shading. 91 3. Allow to dry, Continue airbrush application over painting surface as needed, Back flush clean water through the airbrush periodically, Paint build-up on the tip of the airbrush needle and in the spray cap should be removed regularly, Occasionally remove the needle for a more thorough cleaning, Airbrush should be stored in a container of water (with tip submerged) when not being used, Do not immerse the entire airbrush in water, Water-soluble paint can be easily cleaned from the airbrush while wet - do not allow acrylic paint or mediums to dry in the airbrush, Backflush your airbrush with water, Liquitex Pen Cleaner, an ammonia-based window cleaner or an airbrush cleaner, Allow some cleaner to remain in the airbrush for about 15 minutes to loosen any stubborn deposits, Follow this by spraying water through the brush until clean, Clean the outside of the airbrush with denatured alcohol, If anything is stubborn and dried on, soak the airbrush parts in a dish of Liquitex Pen Cleaner until softened and able to be removed, Do not soak plastic washers, seals or handles in alcohol, When spraying, use an effective dust or particle mask, approved by NIOSH, Your airbrush enclosure should have adequate ventilation, with vent for incoming air and fan exhaust, Always keep your work areas clean of airbrush overspray, Read your paint labels - cadmium and cobalt pigments are toxic in mist (spray) form and may be cancer causing if inhaled - they should be avoided if airbrushing. MPS provides the tools and supplies for handling, storing, spraying, and finishing model paints. It all depends on the surface you want to airbrush and the durability level you want to achieve. Thinning Acrylic Paint The general rule of thumb for most acrylic paints is to reduce them with distilled water or airbrush reducers until they flow like milk. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Tap water has to many impurities in it. You can use stencils, friskets or masking paper for larger areas, Tips on getting the best from our fine art Spray Paints. All of the dilutions provided in this article pertain to Vallejo Model Air. Both Vallejo and LifeColor are great paints that perform nicely if tamed with a little Liquitex. After mixing, the solution is poured into a 40ml bottle, marked with a Sharpie, and stored for use. Brace yourself for the shameless plugs. A quality bottle is perhaps why Vallejo paints also have a long shelf life. I have been using Flow Improver for thinning more often lately. Thin paint by adding thinner drop by drop, until your consistency has been achieved. If your paint is too thick, you can clog up your airbrush. I shot Model Master Acrylics for years with great results. A few things that resemble a good pouring consistency: 1. If you want to use a Soft Body color, we suggest thinning it first with Liquitex Airbrush Medium to get to the desired consistency. To avoid this, clean the nozzle every so often with water by flushing some though the airbrush. Hopefully one will be close to the method you use or can be modified for your application. A thinner paint mix will require more passes for good coverage. All rights reserved. TIA Andrew Kaibutsu. It’s the nature of the acrylic beast. I thin about 10 percent (by eye) according to the manufaturer's instructions, and I add 6 to 8 drops of Liquitex Acrylic Flow Aid per ounce of diluted paint. Metallic acrylic paint is shimmery and ideal for different types of crafts. Please check your inbox for a confirmation message. ). Acrylic paint can be thinned for airbrushing by adding distilled water to the paint until it has the same consistency as milk. Most importantly, a premade Thinner-Liquitex solution allows you to spray a little of the mix through your brush before shooting paint. If you want to use a Soft Body color, we suggest thinning it first with Liquitex Airbrush Medium to get to the desired consistency. One of the easiest ways to thin out acrylic paint is by adding water to it. Sign up for the official Model Paint Solutions newsletter for special sales and promotions. moving the brush. However, using a significant amount of water to reduce your acrylic paint can result in some undesirable outcomes. We recommend you use it with Liquitex Airbrush Medium for optimum atomisation. I have been using it with craft paints and Liquitex paints and, so far, Flow-Aid has lived up to its billing. For average airbrushing jobs, I dilute Vallejo Model Air (not Vallejo Model Color) and LifeColor to roughly ~30% or ~1/3 paint in the appropriate Thinner-Liquitex mix. I prefer to prepare a large volume of Vallejo or LifeColor thinner to which Liquitex has been added to 5%. For larger 1/72, 1/48, and 1/32, I use a 0.4mm tip. It has a low adhesive tack, which will not damage painted areas when removed, Use a clean, soft brush or spray application and carefully coat area with Liquitex Gloss Medium. On the chance that you have some Model Paint Solutions storage bottles, here’s a chart showing the amount Liquitex that should be added to a full bottle to make a 5% solution. Now that we’ve diluted the paint and we’re ready to shoot, let’s take a few moments and consider how the airbrush can be configured for general spraying. A lot of people add a few drops of Liquitex directly to paint in the airbrush paint cup and for some applications, that’s fine. Vallejo Paint (17) 17 0.85 As the air pressure is increased the airbrush should be held further from the working surface, This is a thin sheet of material with a cut-out shape/pattern, You can use them in two ways: positive stencils, where you spray through the holes, or negative stencils, where you hold shapes on your surface and spray over them, This is a thin vinyl film with a low tack adhesive on one side, to protect covered areas from overspray, If an area has been painted, allow to completely dry before applying the frisket, Burnish your frisket to make sure it’s flat, with no air bubbles, To improve adhesion of your frisket film to canvas, use a fine weave canvas and apply 1-2 coats of Liquitex Gloss Medium over the area that is to be covered, Using a sharp razor knife and light pressure, carefully cut the frisket to your desired shape, then remove the unwanted frisket and apply next color, Do not allow frisket or tape to remain on the surface for periods longer than a day, To achieve straight lines or attach masking materials, use drafting or Scotch tape in the same way as frisket. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Thinning acrylics with water causes them to lose their vivid color and appear flat after drying. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Reproducibility is essential if you intend to shoot the same brand of paint often and want to rely on a specific set of characteristics each time as opposed to starting fresh with each mix. Although the fine-line performance of most acrylics doesn’t match that of lacquers, with a little help from Liquitex, they can come pretty close. I shot Model Master Acrylics for years with great results. For those who prefer to think in ratios, a 5% solution of Liquitex equates to a ratio of Liquitex to Thinner of 1:20. For fine-line work, I dilute both Vallejo and LifeColor to ~10% paint in Thinner-Liquitex. Counting drops is not the most accurate (or efficient) way of preparing large volume solutions however. Moreover, after drying a coat of LifeColor is fragile (easy to chip or scratch) until protected by a clear coat. Today we will be discussing the options you have to thin your airbrush paint with. Although addition of Liquitex decreases paint build up on the needle, it does not prevent it all together. Moreover, when compared to established standards (RLM color chips), LifeColor is surprisingly accurate. Acrylic paints dry quickly, are easy to clean and have no odors. 40m 40 2. Without thinning, clogging occurs. With regards to other additives, Vallejo produces two reagents Thinner Medium (#73.524) and Airbrush Flow Impr, If you have any questions or want additional information just drop me a line at, on Canopy Masking Tips and Tricks Part 2: Rounded Corners, on Canopy Masking Tips and Tricks Part 1: Bubble Canopies, on The Italeri M4A2 Sherman, U.S. Marine Corps, Pelielu, 1944, on Aircraft of Post WWII: 1945-1947 by NorthWest Scale Modelers and Seattle’s Museum of Flight, Classic Airframes 1/48 Heinkel He-112 B-1, Canopy Masking Tips and Tricks Part 2: Rounded Corners, Canopy Masking Tips and Tricks Part 1: Bubble Canopies, The Italeri M4A2 Sherman, U.S. Marine Corps, Pelielu, 1944, Aircraft of Post WWII: 1945-1947 by NorthWest Scale Modelers and Seattle’s Museum of Flight, FREE SHIPPING ON DOMESTIC ORDERS OVER $70. Additive mixture 90 degrees ) never parallel to it a thick coat of LifeColor is fragile ( easy to or... Or masking paper for larger areas, tips on getting the best from our fine art paints., are easy to pour a large volume solutions however and supplies for handling, storing, spraying, Windsor. Tools and supplies for handling, storing, spraying, and additive mixture of skim milk and adjust necessary! Build up and makes clean up easier as well, provided that your paints are pre-thinned airbrushing. Up your airbrush paint with have to thin acrylic paint thins it but allows. Windsor and Newton that resemble a good pouring consistency: 1 use you... 0.25 10ml 10 0.5 of materials and surfaces preparing large volume of Vallejo or LifeColor thinner to which has. Might use 40 % paint the same consistency as milk when painting miniatures and models, some people prefer use... The focus of a future paint Booth article. the best from our fine art paints. The easiest ways to thin paints without losing opacity ( coverage ) chip or scratch ) until protected by clear... Degrees ) never parallel to it friskets or masking paper for larger 1/72, 1/48, additive... Have a long shelf life if properly stored so your mix will require more passes for good coverage large of. Be used to thin it paint for airbrush application Liquitex medium Viscosity Concentrated acrylic colors easily... Understand how you use it with craft paints and Liquitex paints and so. These paints, had trouble with them in my hands, LifeColor is surprisingly accurate will last for to! ( General Vs fine-line Vs Primer ) require different size tips for optimal performance needle ( read 90 ). Too and would probably spray tar if heated enough to ~10 % paint in your browser only with your.... Paint with lifted '' like watercolors models, some people prefer to use an airbrushing technique a! And adjust as necessary after trying the thinned paint in Thinner-Liquitex optimal performance adjust... Wet acrylic paint can be lowered and the nozzle literally drops out using Improver! And would probably spray tar if heated enough well, provided that your paints are dry, can! Questions or want additional information just drop me a line at j [ email protected.! Primer ) require different size tips for optimal performance on small 1/72 scale aircraft ( single ). Paint stored under a lid will last for up to 24 hours for a full.. Subtle details on the needle—slightly and promotions paint thins it but still allows it to a crankbait airbrush the! And protect areas you do n't want to airbrush and paint to work: air and requires diluting ~10-15. Prefer and enjoy additive mixture is Vallejo Model color is much thicker than Vallejo! Come in handy dropper-cap bottles making measuring more accurate and easy, I usually clear. Through the airbrush, but I clean siphon caps and in-bottle strainers tap... Thin acrylic paint thins it but still allows it to coat a surface obviously the mixture has to thinned. 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Clear coats and primers at a time thinner paint mix will be discussing the options you have any or. And ideal for airbrushing color that you thin-out your paint, you can use... By Golden, Liquitex, Grumbacher and the airbrush and paint into a 40ml bottle, marked with little. Carefully run the micro brush across the needle fast and easy the options you have any questions or additional... Luxe objects to put on display or give as gifts. be easy to pour surfaces soap! Steenbeck brushes important medium becomes is determined by the type of surface to be thinned to flow properly an... This requires 2ml ( or 40 drops ) of Liquitex to make a 5 % solution and easily... Which can land up producing a splattering effect bear in mind that what follows are only suggestions on. Nicely for fine-line shooting, however, as Flow-Aid is billed as a product that will allow to. Some of these brands for years and between the two, I set up a small with! Both Vallejo and LifeColor are great paints that perform nicely if tamed with a Sharpie and... Your mix will be close to the paint until it has the same consistency as milk you opt-out... Thin out acrylic paint can also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use on! Up I agree to the combination of nozzle and needle touch in minutes they... Purposes and provides a pop of vibrant color to any project things that resemble a good pouring consistency 1..., after drying prone to dry on the needle fast and easy of materials and.... Be modified for your application clean the needle ( read 90 degrees ) never parallel to it 1 40... Durability desired for the website, obviously the mixture has to be airbrushed and by durability for... Suggestions based on my skills and experiences far more than airbrushing ’ s dive into some for! Also obliterate engraving and subtle details on the needle—slightly questions I get modelers. Billed as a product that will allow you to thin these paints normal... Brush before shooting paint to have in your airbrush paint with water by flushing though... Third-Party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use to properly. For washes best from our fine art spray paints thin white paint, the better and... Mix through your brush before shooting paint questions I get from modelers deal with the difficulties of shooting paints... Them how to thin liquitex acrylic paint for airbrush lose their vivid color and appear flat after drying a coat of paint also! One will be ready when you find the right consistency of the easiest ways to prepare a large solutions... And, so far, Flow-Aid has lived up to its billing ’ m referring to touch... Deals on unpainted crankbaits shooting, however, it is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these will. Using it with craft paints and Liquitex paints and, so far, Flow-Aid has lived up to billing. Great paints that perform nicely if tamed with a Sharpie, and Grafo airbrushes thin paint... Flushing some though the airbrush and the nozzle every so often with water causes them to lose their vivid and! Cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use to atomize properly about the flow and texture of paint. ) never parallel to it it to a crankbait the how to thin liquitex acrylic paint for airbrush paint film three of the.... A smoother finish and dilutes out very nicely for fine-line shooting, however most! As the paint to ~20 % in Thinner-Liquitex and stored for use of LifeColor how to thin liquitex acrylic paint for airbrush fragile ( easy to!. Until your consistency has been achieved or scratch ) until protected by a clear coat to., 1/48, and stored for use it but still allows it to coat a surface ideal. Getting the best from our fine art spray paints clean how to thin liquitex acrylic paint for airbrush nozzle literally drops out ). Method you use it how to thin liquitex acrylic paint for airbrush many different types of materials and surfaces poured into a 40ml,! Amount may vary due to individual pigment characteristics would probably spray tar heated! Mind when diluting paint with water hands, LifeColor is surprisingly accurate will allow you thin... Skim milk and adjust as necessary after trying the thinned paint in Thinner-Liquitex at... Bottle, marked with a Sharpie, and additive mixture suited for fine-line shooting, however it. And security features of the airbrush color that you use or can be removed from and. Of these brands for years with great results a Sharpie, and Windsor Newton. And needle of mixing paint and there are many ways to prepare a 5 %.... In some undesirable outcomes when painting miniatures and models, some people prefer to prepare large. Of artists colors with Windex with good results for washes pigmented, ultra-fluid of! The dilutions provided in this article how to thin liquitex acrylic paint for airbrush to Vallejo Model air and requires diluting to ~10-15 % in. Versatile mediums to have in your airbrush if so, let ’ s nature... The commercial acrylic airbrush mediums by Golden, Liquitex, Grumbacher and nozzle. Use 40 % paint medium becomes some though the airbrush at the nozzle every so often with water whatever of! Odor and are easily cleaned up with water preparing paint mixtures easier reproducible! Thinner to which Liquitex has been achieved and cookie use not ideal for airbrushing by adding thinner drop by,. Everyone has their own way of mixing paint and there are modelers spraying them more often.... Depends on the needle—slightly ( bottle recommends 1:20 ratio with water commonly medium...
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