Paint Mixing Tips?

[Hiryu02]

Hey guys, I was just wondering what techniques you use to mix paint? The paint charts my models have show percentages: 80% Midnight Blue + 20% Neutral Gray, etc.

I have a syringe with measuring marks on it, its not that easy to use.

I also have some glass eyedroppers.

Well, any suggestions? I just can't seem to come up with a technique to get consistent amounts and percentages. I mean, the only other thing I can come up with without counting drops in my paint cups is to do a coat of one color, then paint over the "mixer" color.

Anyway, I would be very interested in learning some new techniques.

Thanks very much for your time.

[Joseph Osborn]

I also have some glass eyedroppers...counting drops in my paint cups

It's a pain in the arse, but that's the ticket. Glass pipettes also work well. Or you could always buy 8 bottles of Midnight Blue and 2 bottles of Neutral Gray and mix them together. Model paints are normally too opaque to blend colors by overlaying directly on the model, but the motorcycle airbrush artists like Mike Learn and Vince Goodeve use this technique with transparent paints over a white base. Nothing says you can't try it on a model.

[admiralcag]

I also have some glass eyedroppers...counting drops in my paint cups

It's a pain in the arse, but that's the ticket. Glass pipettes also work well.

That's what I do. I got a bag of plastic pipettes from the thrift store and use those.

Vern

[TREKKRIFFIC]

Rather than trying to measure paint by looking at demarcations on a styringe or pipette I've taken to laying pieces of tape around the outside of the mixing bottle. I estimate the total amount of paint I need for the job and place a section of opaque masking tape just above that line on the bottle. Then I put a second piece of tape below that to indicate the maxing fill line for one of the colors. So if I want an 80/20 mix ratio I put the second piece of tape either 20 or 80% of the way up to level of the first piece of tape above it. You have to be careful not to slosh paint up along the inside of the mixing jar though or it makes it hard to get the level exact. Once you've poured in your first color just add enough of your second color to reach the level of the top piece of tape. It gets a little more complicated but this would work for more than 2 colors too.