Brush Painting with Testor's Enamel Paint

Brush painting is about 60% learned skill, 30% tool and paint quality, and 20% art. Just do the math………

First of all, use good quality brushes and maintain them properly.

Second, use good quality paint. On this, I will not comment in your case—you have to use what's available. Haven't heard any serious complaints about MM enamels, anyway.

Third, paint on a reasonably clean surface. While enamels do a better job of dissolving skin oils and form release agents on the plastic surface, getting rid of these will make painting much less frustrating—you're removing variables, and that's always a good thing.

Paint in an environment where the temperature is cool, or raise the relative humidity, or both. Raising humidity also helps eliminate dust problems. 

Decant a small amount of paint and add a few drops of a slow evaporating solvent (mineral spirits is a good choice). On a piece of clean scrap, try painting a few strokes. If the paint levels, it is the proper viscosity, if not, add a little more thinner. Repeat until the paint levels. At that point, you will know what the right viscosity looks like.

Don't try to get full coverage with one coat. Count on at least two, and follow recoat times recommended by manufacturer. If none are given, allow paint to cure fully before recoating (overnight to 24 hours to be safe.)

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!! 

Jan wrote:

I am hoping someone can shed a little light on the problem I am having with the enamel paint on the model.  I have tried several times to fix the problem but I keep getting brush stokes and thick in some spots and thin in others.  I have read some articles and I haven't used a primer  but maybe this would solve my problem.  I thought maybe I wasn't mixing the paint good enough but it continues to happen.  I really don't want to invest in an airbrush yet maybe in the future.  I also understand that I could add some thinner to the paint.  Can anyone help me out on the problem and make a recommendation? Thank You Jan

Being a brush painter(one of my past builds all brush painted: /forums/1133448/ShowPost.aspx) I've gone through the same problems you're experiencing. First and foremost, Testor's enamel or any enamel for that matter is not a paint one can really brush with(doesn't matter if you use primer or not.) Enamels are good for dry-brushing and small surfaces if you use a brush, but not for large surfaces. However if you feel you have to use an enamel, then get some paint conditioner and add it to the enamel paint you're using. The conditioner will cause brush strokes to dissapear and the paint to spread a bit more evenly.

However, if you really want to brush paint I recommend looking at ModelMaster Acrylics. They have a great color selection, brush strokes are a thing of the past, and the paint spreads evenly straight out of the bottle(no primer needed.) Their just as durable as enamels and overall I don't have a single complaint about them. Hope this helps, if not just ask.

I'm glad someone has experience the same problem as me.  Thank you mg.mikael for the response and I think I will take your advice and switch to the acrylics because it is very fustrating when you are trying to make the paint look smooth.  By the way who makes this conditioner that you are referring to and where can I get it?  The tank looks great, I only wish that I could do that kind of work on the models that I attempt to build.  I am just a beginner and trying to learn how to do things so that they come out looking great.  It does take time and effort but I am willing to put the time and effort into it. 

Thank you again mg.mikael for offering your advise.  I am going to see if I can get acrylics in the colors I need to complete the model I am currently working on.  

Jan

I disagree with mg.mikael about the difficulty of brushing enamels—most of the complaints I hear from brush painters are about acrylics! Go figure. I have little trouble with either.

However, the acrylic paint you use does make a difference. Tamiya and Gunze benefit greatly from the use of an acrylic retarder, whether airbrushing or applying to large areas with a brush. Any of the artist's acrylic retarders work well. These two brands in particular have a tendency to surface dry rapidly, so you have to paint with a wet edge and never go over an area you've just painted. Both are alcohol solvent systems, so it helps to dip your brush in 90% isopropyl or Tamiya thinner before you dip it into the paint.

Polly Scale acrylics have a wide assortment of military colors and are rapidly becoming my brand of choice.

Clean acrylics with Windex, the kind with ammonia, or a mixture of Simple Green, water, and Windex. Rinse thoroughly in distilled water after cleaning.

Regardless of whether you use enamels or acrylics, using a little hair conditioner on the bristles when you're done will prolong the life of the brush. 

Triarius wrote:

I disagree with mg.mikael about the difficulty of brushing enamels—most of the complaints I hear from brush painters are about acrylics! Go figure. I have little trouble with either.

absolutely 100% agree. acrylics suck for brush painting (imo). i thin my enamels with just a drop of mineral spirits and i get a nice clean, thin, even (no brush marks) coating of paint! and i would have to say for a start if your getting brush marks, your paint may be too thin already. secondly, clean the surface really well and yes, for what your doing prime the vehicle!!

Jan wrote:

By the way who makes this conditioner that you are referring to and where can I get it?  Jan

Penetrol Paint conditoner, just follow the mixing tips on the can and you should be okay. But of course it's always wise to test it first. Here's a link that may help a bit more: http://paint-and-supplies.hardwarestore.com/50-280-paint-conditioners/penetrol-paint-conditioner-101287.aspx

I have been modeling for several year and can honestly say i have only had luck brush painting with Vallejo acrylics.  My LHS does not sell them, so i have to get them online.  they are definatly worth ir.  I thin them with distilled water that I bought in a gallon jug from CVS.

I have had no luck painting with enamels- i always get globby, strokey, yucky fineshes.  I no longer buy enamel paint.  I have not had any luck with MM Acryls either- they are very thin and dont cover well- i found it took near 5 applications to get it reasonable.

Tamiya is useless, unless you can wait an entire day to re-coat, and will take around three applications to get good color.

Thats were Vallejo comes in.  This stuff is thick and needs to be thin- i do a very precise thinning ratio of a blob of paint to a drop of distilled water.  Only thing is you have to shake the eyedropper bottle they come in very hard, and once they come in contact with the water you have to stir it a lot and quite frequently.  This small chore is definatly worth it- Vallejo covers in no more than two or three coats, and, best of all, once they are touch- dry, you can re coat it.  Im sold.

HTH

well, i cant speak for the rest, but here is a copy of my figure painting tutorial and you can see first hand the results i get from my enamels, both thinning them and painting with them!!

/forums/1174885/ShowPost.aspx

you can decide what paint you want to use and where you want to take this. good luck!

That question has also been plaguing my mind, I've always just shook up the bottle, opened it up and begin painting... Until that similair question came up. Same problem, the paint would be too thick still and I would have a sticky model with brush strokes still showing... Perhaps you are right to add a little thinner. But I recommend experimenting in a small cup as apposed to the entire bottle. (made that mistake already and waisted a good 3 dollars)

Don't know about you but Acrylics are difficult to come by... At least in Pennsylvania.

So much has to do with the surface area your trying to cover. Brush is fine for figures and small details. I would never dream of trying to do an aircraft or vehicle entirely by brush

I got my September FSM yesterday, and in Aaron's column this question comes up, and Aaron makes an extensive answer. I think reading Aarons answer will give some pretty good advise.