I've used Don Surato's (he used to be Vallejo's mecha painter) formula for a while. 2 parts thinner to 1 part flow improver, then paint in 2-3 thin coats and it was worked wonders for me. All I really use solvents for nowadays are metallics and clears, since there aren't any acrylics that perform as well in my opinion.
I use this formula as well and it has worked well for me. But depending on the paint, i may add a couple of more drops into it. I actually have a bottle of this formula that I keep full when I paint on the fly.
2 parts thinner to 1 part flow improver to how many parts paint? Do you just look for a specific viscosity that varies paint to paint or is their a rule of thumb?
@@jefferyw861 in general, darker colors require more thinner (black, blues and reds) while lighter colors require more paint (yellows and whites). I honestly couldn't give you a rule of thumb, it's more about practice and seeing how it feels cooking out of your airbrush and I'm still learning myself.
I spray cheap acrylics from Hobby Lobby because I'm so cheap and I use equal parts your thinner recipe and paint. I recommend mixing your cheap paint concoction very well or invest a mini strainer. Then I add 5 or more drops of Liquitex Flow Retarder, depending on how much paint I've mixed up. Works excellently and I love the results. I use the Iwata HP-CS Eclipse 0.3mm needle at 15-35 PSI depending on whether I'm doing an initial coat or final coat. No runs unless I screw up royally but that all retarder saves me from my newbieness. If you're new and accidentally apply too much, don't air dry it. You'll be defeating the purpose of using the retarder. I have used the flow improver or Flow Medium (Master's Touch from Hobby Lobby) like you mentioned with the retarder medium equally fine. I rather stick to your thinner so I can save my flow improver to make more of your custom thinner. 😂 Besides, it gives my parts a glossy finish which isn't what I'm always going for.
I only use acrylic for wargaming/D&D models (some I 3d print). The flow improver as the primary dilution agent is great, I tend to only use thinning agent for super thick paints. 0.4 needle is good, though you can super-thin acrylic into a glaze and go as low as 0.2 if you're crazy!!
Mr Color's Leveling Thinner is considered "Unicorn Tears" by most of the military modelling community. 3-5 drops with choice of thinner, works better than anything else i and many others have used, almost any paint types. Acrylics, 3rd gen, hybrids (Outlaw SMS etc lacquer acrylics), entire Tamiya's range. I even use it with primers.
I recommend essential oil/tattoo ink bottle cases. You can get 60-over 100 bottles in some of the cases and they're soft. Only flaw is they're not clear
Awesome tips! And now it makes sense, DONT use iso alcohol when rinsing out Vallejo Air from your airbrush. Gums up horribly, makes a huge mess for what should be simple color change in the cup. Thanks Robert!
I use a similar mix method with the airbrush mediums from Liquitex and Golden in combo with their artist paints. Add airbrush medium to a milk-like consistency and a little distilled water to finish. The advantages are that you get a slightly longer open time making the paint dry more evenly and the mediums are made of mostly acrylic binder, so paint adhesion doesn't suffer. I've yet to find a water-based paint they don't work with. Thus far I've tested professional artist paints (Liquitex & Golden), cheap craft paints, Angelus leather paint, FX cosplay paint, Jacquards fabric paint, and a cheap no-brand model paint (probably similar to Army Painter). All worked just fine.
I have many of my acrylic paints in cases designed for essential oils. The cases are cheap all over Amazon and there are tons of options to choose from.
I’m getting ready to paint some car kits. Always used solvent based paint in the past but due to health issues, I had to resort to using acrylic paints but have had limited success. Gonna try your tips on my next project. Thank for acrylic painting tips.
A good primer is the key to success with acrylics. Badger Stynylrez is absolutely unbeatable for water based acrylic primer. If you can use alcohol based stuff (vented spray booth) then the Mr. Hobby Aqueous Surfacer is fantastic as well. I've tried all the tricks thinning wise and nothing has beaten good old windshield washer fluid for the dollar, although for metallic colors I use a 50/50 mix of airbrush medium and distilled water. Anyways, theres a ramble on my experiences with using acrylics.
@@DaneSaysStuff I can use alcohol based stuff, it’s the harsher lacquer and enamel paints I have to stay away from. Wish I could still use the other paints, as that’s what I’ve sprayed for many years. I guess I just gotta learn/practice using acrylic paints. Thanks for the painting tips.
@@mountainapple5638 If you can use alcohol based stuff then Tamiya acrylics, Mr. Hobby Aqueous, AK Real colors, etc. are all great options as well. They brush and spray absolutely great. I use straight up 91% isopropyl alcohol to thin them for airbrushing. I'm not a fan of the way Tamiya X20A behaves and Mr. Hobby aqueous thinner doesn't perform any better (or worse) than 91% IPA so I keep it cheap. More money for more colors!
I've switched 100% to acrylics to avoid lacquer thinner/cleaner smell. I'm using a similar flow improver/thinner mix but also add a small amount of retarder to the mix.
I paint with Valejo mecha series which comes pre-thinned already. However, it still suffers from dry needling quite often, to mitigate that I use Valejo airbrush cleaner on a ratio of about 1:10. It works way better than using thinner or flow improver.
I remember watching this yesterday and I decided to only add flow improver with white vallejo primer and paint because those tend to pool before you even get full coverage. My new method is to only mix flow improver without thinner for white on very thin coats and blow drying between coats. It works alright but I'm not sure if there's a better way to paint white acrylics.
The first quarter inch to half inch of when you start to pull the trigger is just air. You can feel after that when it hits the needle and starts the paint spraying
I use about 50/50 color thinner and 1-2 drops of flow improver in a 0.5 Iwata Revolution, mostly use Vallejo Game Color. Because flow improver has some retarder it may take longer for the paint to dry. When using less paint doing 60/40 paint/thinner also works, using more paint will start to clog the airbrush and requires more thinner depending on the paint.
I haven't looked at AK too much since my FLGS doesn't have any of their paints, but as soon as I saw that "esmerald" I knew I'd have to track some down...killer colour!
Thank you. Having had to switch to pure acrylics because of health issues, I have been experimenting doing the same, and my results have been similar to yours,.....interesting eh?
The Mig by Ammo line doesn't need any thinners, These are truly the best paints I've ever used right out of the bottle, And are designed to do so. Use thin layers to build up that solid base.
Its worth noting that vellejo's flow improver includes some amount of drying retardent. So if you're used to quick drying times like many acrylic only painters are, youll need to be very patient and wait for them to dry completly. I cant speak for any of the other thinners or flow improvers as i have never used them.
I use Mig by Ammo acrylics and was having all sorts of problems until I saw a video on their channel. Thin with acrylic cleaner works wonders. They were even thinning with cleaner and thinner at the same time.
There is a good tip from Ninjon for his "airbrush juice" which is 10% flow aid from liquidex and 90% thinner. This stuff works great in thinning acrylics.
Truth. I've unfortunately used your alcohol based homemade acrylic thinner recipe with Vallejo acrylic primer. And indeed it's tacky and gummy on the piece I'm working on. Had to strip 3 times before I just stopped using it. Now I might attempt this again with this technique.
Vallejo acrylic primer is a polyurethane based paint...not the same formula as the regular paint! so...1. It doesnt need thinning (best applied with a 0.5 needle) 2. if you want to thin it...just use the vallejo thinner!
@@brunolopes9900 Sound like my "tackiness" is unrelated to alcohol then. I live in Vegas and the aridity has most things I apply flash off waay too quickly for how I like to finish things. Solvent based stuff has performed fantastically for me; enamels & lacquers. I'm currently building experience with acrylics and thought I'd try the Vallejo primers. First time out of the gate "unthinned" with my Badger 155 .7mm needle was too pebbly at anywhere from 15 psi to 30 psi with the primer not having enough time to level. So I "thinned" with the homemade recipe. Leveled nicely, smooth glassy finish on the test pieces; spoons, scrap styrene, and saved household plastics, etc. So I went for my actual project piece. Let sit overnight and came back to a smooth, good looking but tacky piece! Let it sit a further week, still tacky. Stripped it and went back to using Mr. Surfacer 1500 on the project to just move things along. Vallejo thinner is in my cart and ready to try this again.
Coincidentally I just found an art supply store in my town that sells Vallejo Model Colors and Mecha Colors, and I've been experimenting on these acrylics for the past week. So here's what I found. Some Vallejo Mecha Colors work great using just 98% alcohol, but some that I tested like Phantom Grey somehow have a crazy reaction to it. The white pigments separate and then clumps up, clogging the airbrush. Mecha Black Primer work great with alcohol, goes down smooth and dries fast. White Primer, not so much. Most Vallejo color work great just with Airbrush Flow Improver. You also need to make sure that your airbrush and psi setting is adequate, you have to build up the layers slowly but on high enough pressure. All in all I don't hate them and it's great that it's less toxic for my lungs but it does pose quite a bit of a challenge to thin properly and consistently. Their thinner is quite expensive too. With Tamiya Arcrylics or Mr. Hobby Aqueous Color I can just use Mr. Hobby Rapid Thinner on them and it works every time.
@@skycladobserver9246 all Mr. Hobby and Tamiya Lacquer thinners work well with their acrylic lines, I just prefer Rapid Thinner because it dries faster and prevents runny paints. The colors will dry a bit semigloss but that's the way I like it for most of my Gundam painting. They work on Tamiya Enamel paints too.
I use a hairdryer on low/warm between acrylic coats on larger items (e.g., 1/35 AFVs) to dry the paint in the tight spaces. Light, misting coats is certainly the go with acrylics. Thanks for all the interesting vids. 🦘🦘🦘
So i bought Vallejo Model Game color because it was way cheaper for me to get a fair amount of basic colors in my hands. I also bought 200ml of both Flow improver and Airbrush Thinner from Vallejo. I also have distilled water. How would you thinn this paint using these ingredients? It is for painting foshing lures, ABS plastic ones. Another question, shoult i use some sort of primer? Ive seen many lure painters that use only white airbrush paint as a primer on the lure body. I am out after a very tolerant result, and will use many coats of a Finnish unspecified well used lure coat, that can also be used as a primer on wood lures. I fish after pike and they reallly go hard on the lures..
Love your videos. Is it possible to get the image sent out of the mixture chart? Also, any updates on your acrylic line of paints? Thanks for all you do.
Just so everyone is aware I can attest to the 2k black , I use nothing else , I've tried everything else and Barbatis's 2k black is freaking awesome........also all his primers are kick ass as well ........amazing paint line........sorry im gushing .......lol
I have watched many of your videos, they fascinate me. But i notice you run your thumb over the spoon surface alot before painting. (I know its just a demo). Does this effect the final outcome at all? Ive always heard skin oils will seep through and cause problems sometimes months later. Im only wondering how cautious a person must be to get good results, im rather messy myself but you seem very organized (and you have a paint collecting problem! Lol). I thoroughly appreciate all the time you take to share your knowledge with everyone! It cant be easy to film, edit, and post all of these videos. Thank you!
Good tip that helps spraying acrylics. But most essential is the trigger technique. Never stop spraying air. Air-paint-air. When i do that i never get clogs or drytip 👍
A lot of commenters are swearing by their golden rule/way of thinning acrylics. If so many different people have succes with so many different products, my only conclusion can be that it doesn't matter much what you use. Although getting used to a product does matter, because you can predict what the result is going to be.
Tried this for the first time today and it is a huge improvement I was able to spray the brand two thin coats using this which I never was able to do with much success before this. I will say it seems to have added to the drying time I guess that's because of retarder in the flow improver?
I hope you don't take my question the wrong way, I mean no disrespect: So the "hack" is to use (A) flow improver with a few drops of thinner,(B) light dust spray for each coat,,(C) wait a minute or so between spraying each coat. I am a newbie and the only difference between this hack and my way is, I use 70% flow improver,30% thinner, add 15 drops of Glycerine, (learned the formula from others on youtube)maybe that's why a newbie such as myself seem to get the same result as you, at any rate I appreciate the hack, now I know I can go with more flow improver and less thinner , will give it a try.
I don't use acrylics behind the scenes, I use lacquers mostly. But I have a couple of friends who only use acrylics and they swear by this, they only use flow improver and nothing else
Is there anything inside the airbrush that hot water could damage? It looks like it works well, I just wanted to double check on this. Thanks so much!!!
At what ratio? I've used Stynlrez and it usually only needs a little bit of Vallejo thinner maybe 10 to 1. You'd be overthining it if you used flow improver at the ratio shown in this video.
The grey & Black is about 10 to 1, the White about 5 to 1. Even with my .5 needle and 25 psi, unless I use the Flo improver, I get some clogs. @@peterstaklis3712
I always thin Vallejo Model color with 1:1 thinner, then few drops of flow improver, just like Vallejo suggest. 1:0.7 on the chart imo is just too thick for 0.3 airbrush, easily get choked. I know some people use flow improver all the way as thinner to thin vallejo paint, but I've never tried that. Might try to use more flow improver as thinner next time.
@@Juan_Rivera835 The rubber black is a nice matt, with a dark greyish black colour. I use it for tyres and car radiator hoses. Also good for brake pedals etc.
The only time I've ever sprayed Vallejo acrylic I think I used Tamiya acrylic thinner which is mostly isopropyl, and it sprayed really nicely. It's possible that I used 99% iso, or even acetone (less likely). The first attempt I used water and it didn't spray well at all. The finish was terrible.
does this work with acrylic basecoats/undercoats? first undercoats i brought was stynalrez and it just keeps clogging and ended up buying Mr Surfacer instead as that seems to work far better
@@barbatosrex9473 I know that’s what you said in the video. I’m on about using the Vallejo flow improver that you tested - but on Tamiya/citadel paints and thinners. NOT Vallejo paints.
@@Seanrbg oh sorry for the misunderstanding. I use Tamiya flow improver, it's called Retarder. I've never attempted Vallejo's Flow Improver with anything other than Vallejo. I'm actually not sure it would work, as you know Vallejo is water based and Tamiya is Solvent based.
Here's a question for you REX and I'd like you to try this too . I watched a figure painter the other day , he painted a WWII US soldier he mixed his Vallejo Model color then used Mr Color leveling thinner ! I could not believe it . Have you ever tried this ?
The question is why do so. Lacquer thinners are meant for lacquer paints. Trying this would be a good recipe for gumming up your airbrush. At least thin the Vallejo paint in a cup first to see how it reacts with the leveling thinner.
@@peterstaklis3712lacquer and acrylic seem to work well together. Hybrid acrylics like tamia and mr color are lacquer based, and I've used lacquer thiner for thining down all kinds of paints just fine. Trick I picked up from my model car painting grandfather.
Yes the modeler on you tube was Biberhunter_scale_models and the model was a bust of a us soldier he used Mr. Color leveling thinner mixed with Vallejo model color ! I couldn't believe it , then he used oils in the details , I'm hoping Barbatos Rex tries it out and confirms a ratio .
Too many chemicals and chlorine in tap water that ends up breaking down the paint causing it to have trouble sticking to a surface or losing durability. Windex is a crap shoot, meaning not every paint is compatible with it plus it wreaks havoc with brass and some airbrushes have brass internal parts
Distilled water is fine. It's just water. Tap water has a myriad of minerals and chemicals that can effect paint. Windex has been used by a lot of people but I believe it's best to use a product for which it was intended. Windex is for cleaning windows, period. I don't just a screwdriver as a hammer either.
How would you go about mixing a color from CMYK, I'm trying to paint a 56' Chevy 210 like my grandpa had. It is Pinecrest green and Ivory. Or even the HEX code, I'm completely lost lol #83bcb3
I haven't forgotten about you, Robert. I will email you soon , i really don't like this technique at all. be careful not all flow improvers are the same concentration and the Valejo is the weakest flow aid . The strongest is Liquitex flow aid it needs to be 10 drops of water to 1 drop of flow aid..if you are a military model builder, don't use this technique .they use this a lot for war gamers .. Everyone, the best way to paint that kind of paint is misting light coats at a time. Fog the 1st and 2 coats and gradually increase each layer. I hardly ever use flow aid .
Quantity, I had tons of paints and actually gave lots away, I found I used basically the same 15 colours for whatever I was making. Ridiculous amount of stuff for model making, Ill assume most of that has been given to you by companies.
I like using the biggest needle with acrylics but I got many viewers telling me they have a 0.3mm. You just don't have to thin it as much with a large needle
My only issue with using water based acrylics for things like car models is that I can’t sand them to get the inevitable specks of dust or other things that get in the finish before it dries. They are great for miniatures or military vehicles where you aren’t replicating a showroom finish. Sanding to get a smooth finish just destroys them.
I found that the Vallejo acrylic was very easy to damage, so it really needs a clear coat over it. In contrast, I usually use SMS acrylics which are acetone based, and they are very hard-wearing, although I usually give them a clear coat as well to make sure. Some of them are not as hard-wearing as others, but generally they are very good.
I've used Don Surato's (he used to be Vallejo's mecha painter) formula for a while. 2 parts thinner to 1 part flow improver, then paint in 2-3 thin coats and it was worked wonders for me. All I really use solvents for nowadays are metallics and clears, since there aren't any acrylics that perform as well in my opinion.
I use this formula as well and it has worked well for me. But depending on the paint, i may add a couple of more drops into it. I actually have a bottle of this formula that I keep full when I paint on the fly.
2 parts thinner to 1 part flow improver to how many parts paint? Do you just look for a specific viscosity that varies paint to paint or is their a rule of thumb?
@@jefferyw861 in general, darker colors require more thinner (black, blues and reds) while lighter colors require more paint (yellows and whites). I honestly couldn't give you a rule of thumb, it's more about practice and seeing how it feels cooking out of your airbrush and I'm still learning myself.
I spray cheap acrylics from Hobby Lobby because I'm so cheap and I use equal parts your thinner recipe and paint. I recommend mixing your cheap paint concoction very well or invest a mini strainer. Then I add 5 or more drops of Liquitex Flow Retarder, depending on how much paint I've mixed up. Works excellently and I love the results. I use the Iwata HP-CS Eclipse 0.3mm needle at 15-35 PSI depending on whether I'm doing an initial coat or final coat. No runs unless I screw up royally but that all retarder saves me from my newbieness. If you're new and accidentally apply too much, don't air dry it. You'll be defeating the purpose of using the retarder.
I have used the flow improver or Flow Medium (Master's Touch from Hobby Lobby) like you mentioned with the retarder medium equally fine. I rather stick to your thinner so I can save my flow improver to make more of your custom thinner. 😂 Besides, it gives my parts a glossy finish which isn't what I'm always going for.
I only use acrylic for wargaming/D&D models (some I 3d print). The flow improver as the primary dilution agent is great, I tend to only use thinning agent for super thick paints. 0.4 needle is good, though you can super-thin acrylic into a glaze and go as low as 0.2 if you're crazy!!
Don Suartos has a recipe that he calls "thinning sauce" that I've had great luck with. Worth taking a look at.
Have not looked back with Acrylics since using Flow improver , really good tip.
Mr Color's Leveling Thinner is considered "Unicorn Tears" by most of the military modelling community. 3-5 drops with choice of thinner, works better than anything else i and many others have used, almost any paint types. Acrylics, 3rd gen, hybrids (Outlaw SMS etc lacquer acrylics), entire Tamiya's range. I even use it with primers.
For sure, I did an entire video on Mr Leveling Thinner
I recommend essential oil/tattoo ink bottle cases. You can get 60-over 100 bottles in some of the cases and they're soft. Only flaw is they're not clear
For storing paints?
I'm still relatively new to airbrushing and you have taught me a lot and I appreciate it.
Thank you Gordon
I just got an email claiming to be you saying that I won the give away. Is that true?
@@MrSnowman11022it's a scam, I will announce a winner today in a video
Awesome tips! And now it makes sense, DONT use iso alcohol when rinsing out Vallejo Air from your airbrush. Gums up horribly, makes a huge mess for what should be simple color change in the cup. Thanks Robert!
This information is absolutely awesome, should help my end results a great deal. Thanks again for your devotion to airbrushing excellence. 😎
I use a similar mix method with the airbrush mediums from Liquitex and Golden in combo with their artist paints. Add airbrush medium to a milk-like consistency and a little distilled water to finish. The advantages are that you get a slightly longer open time making the paint dry more evenly and the mediums are made of mostly acrylic binder, so paint adhesion doesn't suffer. I've yet to find a water-based paint they don't work with. Thus far I've tested professional artist paints (Liquitex & Golden), cheap craft paints, Angelus leather paint, FX cosplay paint, Jacquards fabric paint, and a cheap no-brand model paint (probably similar to Army Painter). All worked just fine.
I use mainly acrylics, this is a GAME CHANGER! will save me a lot of $$$.
I enjoy your videos and the education I get from all stuff you do And I'm glad your wife is doing better.
would be great to see some of the model kits you are working on and what colors you are using...
I have many of my acrylic paints in cases designed for essential oils. The cases are cheap all over Amazon and there are tons of options to choose from.
I’m getting ready to paint some car kits. Always used solvent based paint in the past but due to health issues, I had to resort to using acrylic paints but have had limited success. Gonna try your tips on my next project. Thank for acrylic painting tips.
A good primer is the key to success with acrylics. Badger Stynylrez is absolutely unbeatable for water based acrylic primer. If you can use alcohol based stuff (vented spray booth) then the Mr. Hobby Aqueous Surfacer is fantastic as well. I've tried all the tricks thinning wise and nothing has beaten good old windshield washer fluid for the dollar, although for metallic colors I use a 50/50 mix of airbrush medium and distilled water. Anyways, theres a ramble on my experiences with using acrylics.
@@DaneSaysStuff I can use alcohol based stuff, it’s the harsher lacquer and enamel paints I have to stay away from. Wish I could still use the other paints, as that’s what I’ve sprayed for many years. I guess I just gotta learn/practice using acrylic paints. Thanks for the painting tips.
@@mountainapple5638 If you can use alcohol based stuff then Tamiya acrylics, Mr. Hobby Aqueous, AK Real colors, etc. are all great options as well. They brush and spray absolutely great. I use straight up 91% isopropyl alcohol to thin them for airbrushing. I'm not a fan of the way Tamiya X20A behaves and Mr. Hobby aqueous thinner doesn't perform any better (or worse) than 91% IPA so I keep it cheap. More money for more colors!
@@DaneSaysStuff...windshield cleaner, huh?!?
@@thurow37 Yes. Plain, Blue, Cheap, Windshield washer fluid. Some people even use Windex but I can't stand the way it smells so not for me.
I've switched 100% to acrylics to avoid lacquer thinner/cleaner smell. I'm using a similar flow improver/thinner mix but also add a small amount of retarder to the mix.
Retarders are great for acrylics, I use it in my homemade acrylic thinner recipe I posted here on my channel
@@barbatosrex9473just want to ask how to thin vallejo model color?what kind of thinner and what's the exact ration?
@@mrniceguy0531 with Vallejo I would only use Vallejo branded thinner
@@barbatosrex9473 are you using 1:1 ratio?
Your channel is great, dude. Love your reviews/tips/recommendations
I paint with Valejo mecha series which comes pre-thinned already. However, it still suffers from dry needling quite often, to mitigate that I use Valejo airbrush cleaner on a ratio of about 1:10. It works way better than using thinner or flow improver.
I use Army Painter airbrush medium with Vallejo. Works well. It's supposed to be flow improver and thinner in one. It was free, so no complaints.
I remember watching this yesterday and I decided to only add flow improver with white vallejo primer and paint because those tend to pool before you even get full coverage. My new method is to only mix flow improver without thinner for white on very thin coats and blow drying between coats. It works alright but I'm not sure if there's a better way to paint white acrylics.
The first quarter inch to half inch of when you start to pull the trigger is just air. You can feel after that when it hits the needle and starts the paint spraying
Add this to the library of techniques!
I use about 50/50 color thinner and 1-2 drops of flow improver in a 0.5 Iwata Revolution, mostly use Vallejo Game Color. Because flow improver has some retarder it may take longer for the paint to dry.
When using less paint doing 60/40 paint/thinner also works, using more paint will start to clog the airbrush and requires more thinner depending on the paint.
I haven't looked at AK too much since my FLGS doesn't have any of their paints, but as soon as I saw that "esmerald" I knew I'd have to track some down...killer colour!
thanks for the painting tips
Love the channel, so clear. Nearly got rid of my airbrush until I watched the channel
Thanks Scott
Thank you. Having had to switch to pure acrylics because of health issues, I have been experimenting doing the same, and my results have been similar to yours,.....interesting eh?
Thanks!
You're welcome buddy 👍
Thank you for the hack an short cut an as always thanks for the time you invest for us on your video's
The Mig by Ammo line doesn't need any thinners, These are truly the best paints I've ever used right out of the bottle, And are designed to do so. Use thin layers to build up that solid base.
Flow improver works wonderfully with Badger paints as well.
Its worth noting that vellejo's flow improver includes some amount of drying retardent. So if you're used to quick drying times like many acrylic only painters are, youll need to be very patient and wait for them to dry completly. I cant speak for any of the other thinners or flow improvers as i have never used them.
I use Mig by Ammo acrylics and was having all sorts of problems until I saw a video on their channel. Thin with acrylic cleaner works wonders. They were even thinning with cleaner and thinner at the same time.
Is Floetrol a good substitute for the flow improver you show in this video?
There is a good tip from Ninjon for his "airbrush juice" which is 10% flow aid from liquidex and 90% thinner. This stuff works great in thinning acrylics.
Please test Pro Acryl paints! I've had so much trouble thinning it out.
Here's the test I did for them
ruclips.net/video/OhtoADsuvKQ/видео.htmlsi=Og8C-sfeaDN5GjPy
Paul from NB Canada. Thanks for the great info!! Anything to help with acrylics Is greatly appreciated!!
Truth. I've unfortunately used your alcohol based homemade acrylic thinner recipe with Vallejo acrylic primer. And indeed it's tacky and gummy on the piece I'm working on. Had to strip 3 times before I just stopped using it. Now I might attempt this again with this technique.
Vallejo acrylic primer is a polyurethane based paint...not the same formula as the regular paint! so...1. It doesnt need thinning (best applied with a 0.5 needle) 2. if you want to thin it...just use the vallejo thinner!
@@brunolopes9900 Sound like my "tackiness" is unrelated to alcohol then. I live in Vegas and the aridity has most things I apply flash off waay too quickly for how I like to finish things. Solvent based stuff has performed fantastically for me; enamels & lacquers. I'm currently building experience with acrylics and thought I'd try the Vallejo primers. First time out of the gate "unthinned" with my Badger 155 .7mm needle was too pebbly at anywhere from 15 psi to 30 psi with the primer not having enough time to level. So I "thinned" with the homemade recipe. Leveled nicely, smooth glassy finish on the test pieces; spoons, scrap styrene, and saved household plastics, etc.
So I went for my actual project piece. Let sit overnight and came back to a smooth, good looking but tacky piece! Let it sit a further week, still tacky. Stripped it and went back to using Mr. Surfacer 1500 on the project to just move things along.
Vallejo thinner is in my cart and ready to try this again.
Coincidentally I just found an art supply store in my town that sells Vallejo Model Colors and Mecha Colors, and I've been experimenting on these acrylics for the past week. So here's what I found. Some Vallejo Mecha Colors work great using just 98% alcohol, but some that I tested like Phantom Grey somehow have a crazy reaction to it. The white pigments separate and then clumps up, clogging the airbrush. Mecha Black Primer work great with alcohol, goes down smooth and dries fast. White Primer, not so much. Most Vallejo color work great just with Airbrush Flow Improver. You also need to make sure that your airbrush and psi setting is adequate, you have to build up the layers slowly but on high enough pressure. All in all I don't hate them and it's great that it's less toxic for my lungs but it does pose quite a bit of a challenge to thin properly and consistently. Their thinner is quite expensive too. With Tamiya Arcrylics or Mr. Hobby Aqueous Color I can just use Mr. Hobby Rapid Thinner on them and it works every time.
I use Mr. Hobby Leveling Thinner with both Aqueous and Tamiya acrylics and they lay down perfectly.
@@skycladobserver9246 all Mr. Hobby and Tamiya Lacquer thinners work well with their acrylic lines, I just prefer Rapid Thinner because it dries faster and prevents runny paints. The colors will dry a bit semigloss but that's the way I like it for most of my Gundam painting. They work on Tamiya Enamel paints too.
I use a hairdryer on low/warm between acrylic coats on larger items (e.g., 1/35 AFVs) to dry the paint in the tight spaces.
Light, misting coats is certainly the go with acrylics.
Thanks for all the interesting vids. 🦘🦘🦘
I had the same oil water issue yesterday due to thinning. Thank you so much
if you are using the term "hack"... it doesn't matter how good the content is...
So i bought Vallejo Model Game color because it was way cheaper for me to get a fair amount of basic colors in my hands. I also bought 200ml of both Flow improver and Airbrush Thinner from Vallejo. I also have distilled water. How would you thinn this paint using these ingredients?
It is for painting foshing lures, ABS plastic ones.
Another question, shoult i use some sort of primer? Ive seen many lure painters that use only white airbrush paint as a primer on the lure body.
I am out after a very tolerant result, and will use many coats of a Finnish unspecified well used lure coat, that can also be used as a primer on wood lures.
I fish after pike and they reallly go hard on the lures..
Love your videos. Is it possible to get the image sent out of the mixture chart? Also, any updates on your acrylic line of paints? Thanks for all you do.
If you search Ultimate Airbrush Thinner and click images, it should be there. The acrylics are still in development but it's coming along.
Just so everyone is aware I can attest to the 2k black , I use nothing else , I've tried everything else and Barbatis's 2k black is freaking awesome........also all his primers are kick ass as well ........amazing paint line........sorry im gushing .......lol
Convenient timing as I'm thinking of getting the gen 3 ak acrylics based off of your recommendation.
Keep up the good work!!!
Amazing. I’m gonna go get some
I have watched many of your videos, they fascinate me. But i notice you run your thumb over the spoon surface alot before painting. (I know its just a demo). Does this effect the final outcome at all? Ive always heard skin oils will seep through and cause problems sometimes months later. Im only wondering how cautious a person must be to get good results, im rather messy myself but you seem very organized (and you have a paint collecting problem! Lol).
I thoroughly appreciate all the time you take to share your knowledge with everyone! It cant be easy to film, edit, and post all of these videos. Thank you!
Good tip that helps spraying acrylics. But most essential is the trigger technique. Never stop spraying air. Air-paint-air. When i do that i never get clogs or drytip 👍
Thanks for sharing! What air pressure do you recommend to use?
Do you have any videos of Createx Wicked acrylic paint? Your teaching is just Awesome!
Here you go
ruclips.net/video/XXf0_jqZEVQ/видео.htmlsi=Bb4yHqZ-N6AGUWP0
I guess I don't understand the concept behind the trigger style gun. How are you able to only get air to come out?
Thanks I'm sure it will help can't wait to try it
I primarily only use flow improver to thin my acrylics.
Smart move
A lot of commenters are swearing by their golden rule/way of thinning acrylics. If so many different people have succes with so many different products, my only conclusion can be that it doesn't matter much what you use. Although getting used to a product does matter, because you can predict what the result is going to be.
Tried this for the first time today and it is a huge improvement I was able to spray the brand two thin coats using this which I never was able to do with much success before this. I will say it seems to have added to the drying time I guess that's because of retarder in the flow improver?
Yes that's what it does. Flow Improver slows the drying time
I hope you don't take my question the wrong way, I mean no disrespect: So the "hack" is to use (A) flow improver with a few drops of thinner,(B) light dust spray for each coat,,(C) wait a minute or so between spraying each coat. I am a newbie and the only difference between this hack and my way is, I use 70% flow improver,30% thinner, add 15 drops of Glycerine, (learned the formula from others on youtube)maybe that's why a newbie such as myself seem to get the same result as you, at any rate I appreciate the hack, now I know I can go with more flow improver and less thinner , will give it a try.
I don't use acrylics behind the scenes, I use lacquers mostly. But I have a couple of friends who only use acrylics and they swear by this, they only use flow improver and nothing else
@@barbatosrex9473 I'll give it a try, thanks.
Is there anything inside the airbrush that hot water could damage? It looks like it works well, I just wanted to double check on this. Thanks so much!!!
Nope, you're good to go. Hot water is the best. The hotter the better
what does flow improver contain?
Was the ratio for citadel for their pots? I’d be amazed if that ratio is for citadel air.
Another great video, especially for someone like me that only uses acrylics. Would this work with Tamiya acrylics?
Does the flow improver enhance leveling properties?
Works well with Stynlrez primers also!
At what ratio? I've used Stynlrez and it usually only needs a little bit of Vallejo thinner maybe 10 to 1. You'd be overthining it if you used flow improver at the ratio shown in this video.
The grey & Black is about 10 to 1, the White about 5 to 1. Even with my .5 needle and 25 psi, unless I use the Flo improver, I get some clogs. @@peterstaklis3712
I always thin Vallejo Model color with 1:1 thinner, then few drops of flow improver, just like Vallejo suggest. 1:0.7 on the chart imo is just too thick for 0.3 airbrush, easily get choked.
I know some people use flow improver all the way as thinner to thin vallejo paint, but I've never tried that. Might try to use more flow improver as thinner next time.
Did you add the flow impriver to the silver? I jus saw the thinner being added...but may have missed it
He forgot.
Asking about the distilled water, why use that instead of tapwater?
Where can I get the 2k gloss black?? That looks amazing!! Love your videos!!!
Hi, in your experience what paint brand best simulates black or tire rubber color? And thanks for your great video I always learn a few things👍
I mix black, white and blue or yellow to get tyre a colour.
Tamiya rubber black lacquer paint is quite good.
@@davidorr6627 Thanks I'll try that.
@@Juan_Rivera835 The rubber black is a nice matt, with a dark greyish black colour. I use it for tyres and car radiator hoses. Also good for brake pedals etc.
Can you clear coat an acrylic like ammo mig with a lacquer clear like super clear?
Hey! What pressure do you suggest for painting models??
I can’t get your paints to come up on the links provided?
Does the flow improver help with tip dry?
@@chrism89129 yes, that's it's purpose
Could you show a short or something With clear on top of that emerald green?
Great color. You'd like to see it with a Gloss coat on top?
Yes your 2k!
I have some Liquitex Flow Aid and it's more like water. Is that different than flow improver?
RO water work?
I wonder how this will work with pro acryl
The only time I've ever sprayed Vallejo acrylic I think I used Tamiya acrylic thinner which is mostly isopropyl, and it sprayed really nicely. It's possible that I used 99% iso, or even acetone (less likely). The first attempt I used water and it didn't spray well at all. The finish was terrible.
does this work with acrylic basecoats/undercoats?
first undercoats i brought was stynalrez and it just keeps clogging and ended up buying Mr Surfacer instead as that seems to work far better
i got a badger 150-4 used set and they dont work..not sure..its not rocket science,air comes out but no fluid..any ideas.
If I want to ratio all acrylic orange vallejo paint (show in this video) the ratio will be ?
The one shown in this video shouldn't be thinned more than 70/30 paint to thinner. Try less than that and go from there
70/30 like 70 paint / 30 flow improver or water if the paint is water base or thinner?
Don't use water. Regular Vallejo is 70/30, the Vallejo Mecha Paint in this video doesn't get thinned as much as that so 80/20 max
You can find anything in the US. Not up here in Canada.
I believe I got a bottle of the Universal Thinner at a place called Strike Force Hobby in Canada
Can I use Tamiya acrylic thinner (x-20a) with the Vallejo flow improver? (This is for Tamiya paints/citadel paints.)
No, it will destroy the Vallejo paint. Tamiya is a solvent alcohol based paint and alcohol destroys Vallejo, turns it into clumps
@@barbatosrex9473 I know that’s what you said in the video. I’m on about using the Vallejo flow improver that you tested - but on Tamiya/citadel paints and thinners. NOT Vallejo paints.
@@Seanrbg oh sorry for the misunderstanding. I use Tamiya flow improver, it's called Retarder. I've never attempted Vallejo's Flow Improver with anything other than Vallejo. I'm actually not sure it would work, as you know Vallejo is water based and Tamiya is Solvent based.
@@barbatosrex9473 thanks for clearing that up. All super helpful, my airbrush arrives today. Your channel has been super helpful to get me started!
Here's a question for you REX and I'd like you to try this too . I watched a figure painter the other day , he painted a WWII US soldier he mixed his Vallejo Model color then used Mr Color leveling thinner ! I could not believe it . Have you ever tried this ?
Never thought of trying that. A lacquer thinner with an acrylic. I will try that
The question is why do so. Lacquer thinners are meant for lacquer paints. Trying this would be a good recipe for gumming up your airbrush. At least thin the Vallejo paint in a cup first to see how it reacts with the leveling thinner.
@@peterstaklis3712lacquer and acrylic seem to work well together. Hybrid acrylics like tamia and mr color are lacquer based, and I've used lacquer thiner for thining down all kinds of paints just fine. Trick I picked up from my model car painting grandfather.
Yes the modeler on you tube was Biberhunter_scale_models and the model was a bust of a us soldier he used Mr. Color leveling thinner mixed with Vallejo model color ! I couldn't believe it , then he used oils in the details , I'm hoping Barbatos Rex tries it out and confirms a ratio .
Reasons to & not use tapwater or windex? Thanks
Too many chemicals and chlorine in tap water that ends up breaking down the paint causing it to have trouble sticking to a surface or losing durability. Windex is a crap shoot, meaning not every paint is compatible with it plus it wreaks havoc with brass and some airbrushes have brass internal parts
Distilled water is fine. It's just water. Tap water has a myriad of minerals and chemicals that can effect paint. Windex has been used by a lot of people but I believe it's best to use a product for which it was intended. Windex is for cleaning windows, period. I don't just a screwdriver as a hammer either.
Went to check out the universal thinner and the shipping stopped the purchase. "Express International at $24.28 USD" Sigh.
Tamiya x same process ?
No, Tamiya is a solvent paint even though it says acrylic, it's not.
@@barbatosrex9473 thanks stick with their tinner
Anyone listening with headphones, you might find a "play stereo as mono" to fix the voiceover drifting left/right in your OS.
Where to get the paint mixer.
Amazon
Here's the link
amzn.to/3EUE3fO
How would you go about mixing a color from CMYK, I'm trying to paint a 56' Chevy 210 like my grandpa had. It is Pinecrest green and Ivory. Or even the HEX code, I'm completely lost lol #83bcb3
3:01: "This is thicker than the thinner..." unintentional, but good one nonetheless😄
Too much flow improver can cause adhesion issues.
My vallejo special sauce : 65% flow improver 25% thinner 10% retarder
I haven't forgotten about you, Robert. I will email you soon , i really don't like this technique at all. be careful not all flow improvers are the same concentration and the Valejo is the weakest flow aid . The strongest is Liquitex flow aid it needs to be 10 drops of water to 1 drop of flow aid..if you are a military model builder, don't use this technique .they use this a lot for war gamers .. Everyone, the best way to paint that kind of paint is misting light coats at a time. Fog the 1st and 2 coats and gradually increase each layer. I hardly ever use flow aid .
No improver was put in the middle chrome color.. you skipped it. 😅
Insanely high shipping costs to Germany £21.99 GBP ! ! ! The Thinner 270ml cost 9,99 GBP
Wow you don't have Vallejo products for sale in Germany? It's a European company so I'm shocked. Sorry about that
Vallejo?, yes they are "cheap" no problem... but Ultimate products we dont have.@@barbatosrex9473
Quantity, I had tons of paints and actually gave lots away, I found I used basically the same 15 colours for whatever I was making. Ridiculous amount of stuff for model making, Ill assume most of that has been given to you by companies.
All purchased by me save for a paints here and there.
.3 needle at ?, 20psi ?. What about a .5 needle.
I like using the biggest needle with acrylics but I got many viewers telling me they have a 0.3mm. You just don't have to thin it as much with a large needle
A lot of Vallejo model color comes out like toothpaste.
My only issue with using water based acrylics for things like car models is that I can’t sand them to get the inevitable specks of dust or other things that get in the finish before it dries. They are great for miniatures or military vehicles where you aren’t replicating a showroom finish. Sanding to get a smooth finish just destroys them.
I found that the Vallejo acrylic was very easy to damage, so it really needs a clear coat over it. In contrast, I usually use SMS acrylics which are acetone based, and they are very hard-wearing, although I usually give them a clear coat as well to make sure. Some of them are not as hard-wearing as others, but generally they are very good.