Need advice on Thinning Paint for airbrush

Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 6:33 pm

I am a noob to airbrushes so excuse my dumb question...

I had my local paint store match some colors i needed and I got some 'latex acrylic' in the colors I needed. Now I need to thin it for the airbrush and Im not sure what best. Should I use water or alcohol? How do I know how thin to make it?

Thanks in advance

Stilgar

irishtrek · Post by **irishtrek** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 7:22 pm

Well first, when you say "latex acrylic" are you talking about paints from a craft store? Because if you are they are better for detailing with a brush, IMHO any way.
Second what ever type of acrilyc paint you use it should be thinned to the consitancy of milk.
The only acrilyc paints that I know of that need to be thinned for an airbrush are the ones you get from a craft store.

Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 8:49 pm

Well...I needed to exactly match some decals....so I took a sample to Sherman Williams and they used their computer system to match the colors. And the paint they have is called 'latex paint' but I verified that it IS acrylic.

DX-SFX · Post by **DX-SFX** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 9:29 pm

It might be designed for fabrics.

Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 10:40 pm

lol....no...no...its house paint!

irishtrek · Post by **irishtrek** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:28 pm

DX-SFX wrote:It might be designed for fabrics.

The only place I know of to get paints for fabrics is a craft store. Just in case you didn't already know.

eeun · Post by **eeun** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 12:43 pm

Maybe not the most convenient advice, but I'd do up several experiment batches of paint and try them on an old model or scrap of plastic.

You're dealing with an unknown paint, and alcohol might work better than water, or vice versa. My guess is the pigment isn't going to be as fine as model paints, so you might not be able to thin it too much.
I've used methyl hydrate with Liquitex acrylics, as well as Windex.

Just don't aim it at your model until you've got a working mix

Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 3:10 pm

Well...
This stuff is really thick (its house paint). I tried an experiment with rubbing alcohol and it seemed to be helping but then I think I added too much. Ill have to try another test.

Is there a better way to get exact matched colors? I have some decals that I have to match exactly and matching it 'manually' just doesnt seem to work. The local paint store matched it great....but the paint is this thick house paint stuff (at least its still acrylic)

All help appreciated.

Stilgar

Lt. Z0mBe · Post by **Lt. Z0mBe** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 10:41 pm

IT ain't gonna be pretty trying to airbrush it. THe latex house paint is a coarser pigment, and a longer chain than used in hobby applications.

TRy this. Go to Wal-Mart. Buy a color wheel, Future floor polish and Apple Barrel acrylic paints (NOT DELTA CERAMCOAT). You'll walk out spending less than ten bucks.

do the color match yourself, drop by drop, and record the number of drops in a notebook for color matching for the drops you need to match the color. Once you get the recipe right, then add Future to the mix for airbrushing. The Apple Barrel acrylics airbrush beautifully when mixed with Future.

I hope this helps.

Kenny

Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 12:02 am

Thanks for the suggestion Kenny. The only problem is I dont really want to use Futura. I dont want a glossy finish. I need semi-gloss at best.

Stilgar

DasPhule · Post by **DasPhule** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 12:36 am

DO NOT spray the latex through your airbrush! It'll be a nightmare to clean, and I doubt the super thinned paint would dry correctly anyway. Even if it did, it wouldn't stick to the plastic. Even dry, if you touch it it will come right off. Latex is designed for pourous or semi pourous surfaces.

Yer gonna have to mix it by eye, and use the correct type of paint. Testors MM line is easiest, they probably already have the color you need in a bottle waiting for you.

Erin
<*>

Lt. Z0mBe · Post by **Lt. Z0mBe** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 2:56 am

Stilgar wrote:Thanks for the suggestion Kenny. The only problem is I dont really want to use Futura. I dont want a glossy finish. I need semi-gloss at best.

Stilgar

You'll need the gloss coat to make the decals adhere properly without silvering.

When everything dries, seal with a clear flat coat. I use Krylon clear flat or acrylica flat and Future.

I hope this helps.

Kenny

Shinnentai · Post by **Shinnentai** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 6:57 am

When Future is mixed with other acrylic paints, the result tends to be a slightly smoother version of the paint's original texture, not a gloss. Future can't and won't convert your matt or satin colors to gloss by mixing alone: it's just too light. You'd only get a glossy finish by clearcoating with it, and even then you have to do multiple coats.

You've got nothing to worry about. Future is probably the best way to thin acrylic paints.