What paints are you using?

I'd just like to add Andrea miniatures for hand brushing to the list of paints folks are using.  This stuff is kind of miraculous.  You can put it on thick if you'd like, but you can also water it right down to a glaze with water only (no medium needed).  I prefer to put it on very thin and it's nice being able to just use tap water.

Like the others, I'm slowly using up my reserves of the Model Master Line.  I've not been impressed with the Tamiya acrylics, I do love their lacquers in the rattle cans.  Their fine gray primer is the best on the market as far as I'm concerned.  I prefer some of the colors in their AS series over breaking out the airbrush.  I can't wait to try their lacquers in a bottle once they get past their labelling problems.  I've used some Vallejo and Vallejo Air colors and found them to be satisfactory.  I have some Hataka lacquer sets on order, so that will be an interesting experiment.  I've been playing with Mission Models Clear paints on the last couple of models I've built.  I like the fact that they mix easily and the ratio is easy to remember.  I thought that I would have a pooling problem the first time I applied the gloss and would have to reshoot after I tried to wick away some of the excess which left a streak in the finish.  I let it sit for about an hour and when I came back, it had levelled out and the streak was gone.  Their flat is almost a dead flat, which I like.  You have to use their thinner and retarded/hardner, which makes using them more expensive than other brands.  They do not smell, which is a big plus. Basically, I'm looking for a replacement for the Model Master military line that I've used and loved for the last 20-30 years.

Started ising a new color yesterday.  I have long wanted a better steel color.  To me most steels are too light.  I have been mixing Testors Steel with Testors Gunmetal.  I was ordering some Alclad and decided to try their Steel.  Love it.  It is just right.  More opaque than most Alclads, so I am using it right over bare plastic (I figure lacquer doesn't have an adhesion problem and the casting of these parts was great, so I tried it.  Love the results.  So, Alclad steel from now on.

Just found out that SprueBrothers is now carrying Mr. Hobby Aqueous Acrylics! Looks like I'll be getting a few of these very soon. 

rtodd

I've been away from modeling for a few years and just got back into it about a month ago. I picked up a new kit to build after I got it home I checked out all my paints I've had from years passed and not to my surprise, they were shot. So stated looking around at local shops and online for Model Master and Testors paints just to find out there out of business. My question is what are modelers using? any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Just to clarify, Testors isn't out of business, and Testors brand paints are still available.  The Model Master line was finally discontinued, after having been reduced over the past couple of years.  So for example, you can still get Testors enamels in the square bottles.

As far as what's in my paintbox, I have:

• Tamiya acrylics, which I use for airbrushing and hand-brushing, thinned with Tamiya's acrylic thinner
• Testors enamels in the little square bottles
• Andrea and Vallejo water-based acrylics, for hand-brushing
• craft-store water-based acrylics:  Apple Barrel, Americana, and Folk Art. I call 'em "craft-store" paints, because they're carried at the arts&craft stores like Michael's, HobbyLobby, and the now-defunct AC Moore.  Apparently WalMart sells them, too.  I use them for figures, and for weathering, applying them by hand.  I have experiemented with airbrushing them, but there are other paints that work better, in my experience
• Some Lifecolor water-based acrylics
• Model Master acrylics and enamels
• Pactra water-based "acrylic enamels" that I bought back in the 70s (and which I'm gradually using up)

I also have a collection of Schminke-Mussini oils and some water-based artist's acrylics in tubes.

When hand-brushing my water-based acrylics, I use a wet palette, too.

Hope that helps!

Mr Hobby primer.  Mostly Tamiya acrylic paints and MM enamels for detail painting.  Heard great things about MRP and will try that for airbrushing.

A better question for me would be, what paints are you NOT using :-P

My go to paint is Vallejo Model air as the colours are always chipset accurate and not "scale correct" of most other brands. I don't usually thin these paints, but occasionally I will depending on the colour. The darker the paint a little thinner is needed. I will use with bot gstandard tap water or their flow improver.

However, I will use others depending on needs and so, for Japanese aircraft where Aotake is needed I use Tamiya X-13 which is the best rendition of this colour and is always applied by paintbrush (Tamiya doesn't go through airbrush well unless really thinned!). Originally, this paint was always hand made and applied by paintbrush, so I am using the original application method!!

Clear paints for lights (red, blue, green, yellow, orange) is Tamiya and always applied by paintbrush. If painting onto clear parts then just apply but onto normal plastic parts then I will put a base coat of white aluminium down and with the clear colour on top makes it look like a bulb.

When it comes to metalics I use either AK Xtreme Metal or Vallejo Metal Color. Both spray fantastically with no thinning. If I need tt paintbrush a metallic then Vallejo Model Air metals from their range is used as they tend to be a little thicker and so more paintbrush amenable.

There are colour crossovers betweed AK Xtreme Metal and Vallejo Metal Colour, but the shades are different and so you can use them together on the same model to show replacement panels etc. Neither range, despite the official blurb likes being masked or handled and so I always put AK Internediate Gauzy Agent Shine Enhancer over them as a protection before continuing. THis can be sprayed and turns totally clear on application. It can also be paintbrushed too!

I am tempted to try Molotow liquid Chrome, but until I know what I can use to clean my airbrush then the refill bottle stays closed!

I am not averse to use any paint brand if I need it, but I always do my colour research very carefully and stick to original accurate colours as the scales I work with are 1/35, 1/32, 1/24, 1/16.

I am just waiting for some Lifecolor to turn up as I noticed a colour that will be useful for some of my Panzer interior builds and want to try it and sacrifice a spoon to the great white paint god!

James

Tamiya is my go-to paint. I'm starting to add Mr Hobby paints  too. I have Vallejo which are OK but I won't be investing too much more on them. I bought Model Master recently and they  are the worse if you are masking because they peel off / flake off so easily. 

Don Stauffer

I mainly use Enamel (I am using up my stock and will probably stock up on the Testors stuff).  I use it because I build many genre- planes, cars, ships, etc. Some of these require gloss finishes, others flat.  I find it hard to get a good gloss with acrylics.  I know I can clear coat it, but a transparent gloss over flats has a distinct, different look than a true gloss surface.

I may have to find another enamel, switch to solvent lacquer, or find a way to make a glossy but not wet look with acrylics.  I've got my fingers crossed.  I have used acrylic flats without a problem, and will switch to them if need be, but as long as I can get enamels I will be sticking with them.

 

 

I've been using some Tru-Color recently and am impressed with it. It is an acetone-based enamel.  Air brushes well.  Good color selection for air, armor, ship, railroad, and auto colors.    Read in an article in the Phoenix IPMS newsletter that the paint was being used by a US Naval museum (didn't indicate which one) so the colors might just be spot-on.   

Thanks for all the info guy's

I just started using MRP paints for airbrushing and have been impressed!  They spray beautifully.  They'll be my go-to from now on.  Prior to that Gunze and Tamiya were my go-tos.

I mainly use Enamel (I am using up my stock and will probably stock up on the Testors stuff).  I use it because I build many genre- planes, cars, ships, etc. Some of these require gloss finishes, others flat.  I find it hard to get a good gloss with acrylics.  I know I can clear coat it, but a transparent gloss over flats has a distinct, different look than a true gloss surface.

I may have to find another enamel, switch to solvent lacquer, or find a way to make a glossy but not wet look with acrylics.  I've got my fingers crossed.  I have used acrylic flats without a problem, and will switch to them if need be, but as long as I can get enamels I will be sticking with them.

For the sake of simplicity I use only one acrylic paint, less complication and less inventory that way. Tamiya has been the best, of the few I've used. I find it very user friendly, provides great finishes and durable, relative to handling and adhesion.

Badger Stynylrez for primer, I like everything about it, (except the name.) Great for pepping model for finish application, sands very easily, never any tape lifting issues.

Alcohol cleans up the airbrush with both the Tamiya and the primer.

Mostly Tamiya and my huge stock of MM and others.  I even have a bunch of Humbrol and others.  Once in while I use some old Floquil paint, yes, it's still good.  I have some paint that is 30 years old.  It could be bad, I like surprises.  I guess low humidity (Colorado), and being in a basement helps.

Recently moved over to mostly Vallejo paints. Still use Tamiya and Gunze/Mr. Hobby as well as Creatix for autos. All have their pros and cons. I do prefer the way Vallejo hand paints for details and small bits. I can't get Mr Hobby locally, but many of the others I can. I have more than enough paints for nearly all my stash.

BK

Tamiya exclusively for me.  Mostly airbrush and brush paint details with their retarder.

Scalefinishes for car models.

I'm using Tamiya,Vallejo and AK for my military builds. Testors/model masters enamels for my car builds.

As a rattle can and brush  painter I use Humbrol and Revell with a brush and Humbrol, Tamiya and Plasti-Kote (Valspar) in rattle cans, both acrylic and enamel.  

Yeah, the local HL hadn't either when I did the same thing.  Going to hit the LHS in a couple of close by towns this week and do the same.

Matt, I used to subscribe to a couple of British model magazines.

Modelers there really have mastered brush painting.

It's not the peak in all applications at all, but...

it's a skill to be proud of.

Bill

I am pretty new to building models. Just completed my first one actually. Already started on my next. But I have been using Tamiya acrylics, as well as a few Mr. Hobby. I am strictly doing brush painting for now (plan on jumping on the air brush soon). Both go on well with brushes and I have no complaints. I have about 20 different paints now in my aresenal with an abundance of different brushes.

Also using up my supply of MM.

I'm trying AK Interactive. It's great paint but I'm not 100% on the colors.

Bill

    Just changed over to Ammo by Mig acrylics, they seem to perform well, easy clean up, no thinning required,(( however it can be done with thier thinner), cleans up between colors with tap water and no bad effects after a good cleaning at the end of a paint session.

   I like them, but I have to order them online as my local HS nor Hobbytown carry them. With the Covid online stores are out of stock and awaiting shipments. Even after I let them dry for 24-48 hours they seem easy to scratch so a solid clear coat is probably recommended.

Besides using up my stock of Model Master Enamels.

I mainly use Tamiya and Vallejo.A little Life Color,X-Tracolor,Mr Color

I also have some Mission Model colors I am going to try out.

There are a plethora of new types out there now