OK, so if you've read any of my posts sighting the wonderous praises of Createx's new AutoAir and AutoBorne acrylic airbrush paints, then you know I'm pretty fond of the stuff. But it can be pretty hard to find - until NOW. I was in A.C. Moore this morning (big chain art supply store here in the U.S.), and there on the shelf next to all of the crappy T-shirt quality Createx paint, was a nice selection of AutoAir paints. According to the sales person I spoke with, all of the stores should be getting the same paint, and with their usual 40% Off coupon each week in the newspaper, it makes the stuff pretty affordable - even for the bargain basement shoestring budget painters out there
Just to let you know, they have four different metallic aluminum and silver's to choose from (not to mention interference, pearls and metallics), all of them are super smooth and go on better than any metalizer or buffable lacquers I've tried. I'll be using these on my NX-01 project.
Are these for figures, or modeling or are they just marketed as "Airbrush paints?" Nothing bad about that, mind you, I was just curious in case I want to track some down.
It is designed as a low VOC aqueous automotive paint. You can spray it with with a gun and paint the entire car, or use an airbrush and create some stunning murals and artwork. However, due to it's Super Fine pigment, it is PERFECT for modeling and illustration work. I've only worked on models with it, but an artist friend of mine sprayed it beautifully through a 1.2 size needle - HAIRLINE with no spattering or skipping of any kind. He liked it better than going back into his work with a 000 spotting brush or pencil to bring out fine detail in his illustration. It covers really well, is super forgiving (any contaminates or debris virtually float to the surface as the stuff dries, and can be wiped off WITHOUT leaving nasty pit marks in the paint), and cleans up really easily with soapy water or Windex.
I don't see why not. They're used in automotive paint shops with urethane clear over them all the time. I use lacquer clear coats over them without any problem. The one "No-No" is that you can't mix the AutoAir with the AutoBourne paints. They're fine layered one over the other, but the AutoBourne is a solvent based paint held in a water suspension, while the AutoAir is straight acrylic - and the two will not mix in your color cup.
That, my friend, it the best part! "Prime" your surface, ANY surface (metal, plastic, resin, brass, paper, cloth, whatever) with one of their Base coats (dark base, white base, clear base, or aluminum base) and you are set! Spray a color, flash it over with air - takes all of about 15 to 20 seconds, and apply your tape. It will NOT peel up.
Once you like a painted effect or detail, spray another coat of the clear base over it as a protective intermediate coat. The paint cleans up or strips off easily with Windex, but the "base" is quite a bit more resistant. This is a life saver when it comes to fixing mistakes - Finished your aztec pattern and ready to start weathering? Clear coat first. Screw up something and need to redo a section of said weathering? Grab your paper towel and some Windex and wipe away your mistake. The paint below the Clear base will be just fine!
"Flash it over" refers to using your airbrush to blow air onto the surface of the wet paint. You'll see the paint go from a glossy wet to a flatter dry right before your eyes. once it "flashes over" to dry, it's ready to tape off.
You need to use one of their "Base" colors before you start applying your painted artwork with their regular paints. They have several base colors to choose from including clear, white, black, and a couple different aluminum silvers. If you already have your model painted a specific color, say from a rattle can, then just spray a coat of the clear base over it before you start airbrushing. Otherwise, think of the "base" as your primer coat. The fine silver is particularly nice.
Huh???? A lot of steps? No more than using any other airbrushing paint.
1. Prime / Seal /Basecoat
2. Masking
3. Secondary Coloring
4. Detailing
5. Weathering
6. Clear Coat
The only additional step is your choice of adding an intermediate clear coat between any given step allowing you to protect the work you're happy with before you move on to the next step. If you mess something up, you can "erase" your mistake without the need to start over from scratch. - HUGE time saver. Plus, you're not waiting 'days' or even 'hours' for the paint to cure, we're talking SECONDS, and you're ready for the next layer of paint.
I went to A.C. Moore today to check these paints out. They didn't have them, and the people that work there looked at me like I was speaking in forked tongues when I asked about them. Seems not all A.C. Moore's will carry them.
I saw these the other day in a Texas Art Supply... obviously only in Texas, or at least I assume. I'll have to give these a try whenever I build something that needs an aluminium finish.
"I never wanted to be anything else but an Engineer." - Montgomery Scott
