Frugal airbrusher- Transparent paint(s) recipes anyone?

deepcore · Post by **deepcore** » Sat Jul 03, 2010 2:23 am

Hi
Any recipes for mixing up transparent paints using Michael's
store acrylics paints?
Thanks

Joseph Osborn · Post by **Joseph Osborn** » Sat Jul 03, 2010 8:15 am

How about food color and Future?

Squall67584 · Post by **Squall67584** » Sun Jul 04, 2010 12:33 am

Food color and future sounds like it would work. Long time ago, I used really thinned testor's enamel to put a thin transparent coat over a ship that had some panels painted ranging from white to dark gray. The overall effect looked like it was different shades of the transparent color. Back then I used a cheap single action brush, but haven't been able to replicate the effect with the acrylics I use now.

eeun · Post by **eeun** » Sun Jul 04, 2010 12:42 pm

Are those Michael's paints just regular craft acrylics? The pigments might be too large to make an effective transparent coat.

I've used Future with Tamiya acrylics as well as various inks.

What are you painting? If you're trying to tint clear parts, then I wouldn't use paint, no matter how thinned, and stick with inks or food colour.

Post by **TER-OR** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 9:15 pm

Future with India Inks. You might want to use something like the Liquitex airbrush media, though, Future is pretty thin. Be careful and you'll get great results, though.

Get real India inks, though, not calligraphic inks. You don't want any pigments, just dyes. Those little jars are expensive, but they go a long way.

modeler1964 · Post by **modeler1964** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 8:48 am

I agree with the above. I have mixed food coloring with future but you have to be patient and use multiple very light coats and build up to the translucency that you want. Haven't tried the inks but it sounds like a great idea.

Wug · Post by **Wug** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 4:31 pm

Hi deepcore,

With all the colors of cheap acrylics available at Micheal's I'd be surprised if they don't sell cheap transparent paints.

Depending on what you're doing you might try mixing your paint with airbrush medium from Liquitex or the paint's manufacturer. I frequently mix Tamiya or Gunze acrylics with clear acrylic for shading. It probably won't work very well for tinting clear parts. You could test it on clear sprue.

Mike