Acrylics

What brand of acrylics are you using?  What type of airbrush?  Generally, if you are using acrylics such as Tamiya or Model Master have both gloss, semi-gloss and flat paints which may or may not use the same general thinning ratios as the flats.

Like BigSmitty said...virtually all brands of modelling acrylic paints come in gloss and satin finishes as well as flats. However, I wouldn't necessarily agree about the thinning...Testors recommends a 3:2 ratio of paint to thinner for gloss and 3:1 ratio for flats.  I know those are enamels, but I use that as an example, as I find that even different brands of paint thin differently, regardless of whether they're in the acrylic or enamel families...so truly, experimentation and the first-hand recommendations from other modellers is the surest way to find the mix that shoots best through your AB.

BTW, I wouldn't kid yourself that acrylic paints are non-toxic just because you use water as a thinner. They are less toxic yes, because you aren't necessarily atomizing a solvent in addition to the paint...but it isn't safe to inhale any chemical (I know a bit of what I speak; I do air quality testing at the day job)...I wear a half mask respirator with organic vapour cartridges regardless of paint type.

Hope that helps...cheers

Brad is essentially correct with regard to toxicity. Many acrylic paints do contain small amounts of various hydrocarbon solvents, some of which may be quite toxic, or have unknown toxicity. Remember that legally, any product not "proven" to be toxic can be labeled as nontoxic—that doesn't mean that it is not toxic. Also, some acrylics use alcohols as primary or secondary solvents (Tamiya and Gunze for example).

Gloss paints, regardless of binder/solvent system, may contain a different binder than the same color of the same brand in flat, or they may contain the same binder but a flatting agent. A flatting agent is a transparent pigment, usually microsilica. Gloss paints, however, may have a lower pigment load than flat paints, because the gloss forming component is the binder, and having more pigment in and near the surface creates a slightly rougher surface, reducing gloss. So it may take more coats to cover with a gloss paint. Gloss paint also tends to skin over more rapidly than flat, which makes it a little harder to brush paint.

There is also a potential problem when painting over gloss paints with another color. Gloss paints often contain gloss enhancers that make the surface very slick, with the result that paint applied to the gloss paint may crawl, producing an alligator hide-like pattern. Tamiya and Gunze paints are known for this. 

ok, got it about the toxicity, now since i am a beginner with the whole airbrush technique, i followed some of the advise a got in this forum and i started using the most commom simple acrilycs paint that you find on the shelves at Michaels store, i know there not the best choice but it's all i got arround here. i'll try some of the gloss paint the have and see, if there is amy othre advise regarding safety or  my choice of paint please let me know.

Thanks again to you all!

Daniel.

Polly Scale and Tamiya are my preferences, in that order. They're expensive—and worth it.

Metallics: Hawkeye's Talon

I've heard good things about Vallejo, too, but never tried them.