What is your favorite BRAND of paints?

I use Tamiya Acrylic and Gunze Sangyo for airbrushing. 

I find the Tamiya dries nice and fast, but can be a bit brittle, even with a primer.  The Gunze has a great range, but does seem to take longer to dry.

I use Humbrol for brush painting.

Chris.

Sad but true, panzerpilot..........

Model Masters enamels for everything -- air brush and paint brush.

"I'm in a transition period at the moment. For years my favorite was Polly S / Scale.....  now going out of business (#%&# !!),,, "

Pollyscale is going under?? I agree...&*#$#^!!!

I wrote a blog post awhile ago about how there's no perfect paint. All excel or suck at something.

But for the best all-around, I'd have to give the nod to Testors/Model Master.

• Excellent color selection - check
• Airbrushability - good to great
• Brushability - good (and excellent for drybrushing)
• Color accuracy - okay to great
• Availability - great (relative)
• Adaptability (i.e. doesn't totally wig out if it's hot, or if it rained three weeks ago, or if the zodiac signs are out of alignment) - good to great.

I've had massive problems with Tamiya flats (and Gunze to lesser degree) this summer. I'm pretty sure it's the heat in the garage. 

I enjoy Vallejo, but find getting it to airbrush reliably can be a challenge. I've also recently changed my mind about Lifecolor, but need to use it on a full paint job (upcoming on my Pz.III) before I render final judgement.

Tamiya and Pollyscale acrylics. Mixed with 70% isoprophyl alcohol at around 40/60 paint to alcohol. I buy the the 32oz bottles for a few bucks. I put a few drops of hand soap in it , which supposedly makes it a bit more tactile.

Model Master enamels in both bottles and rattle cans...

Since the Tamiya shortage,  I find I have switched over to Mr Color for spraying. Still pretty smelly but tolerable with a booth. I also find that Mr. Color is able to withstand handling better than the Tamiya. Like Tamiya not the best for handbrushing, but... if you keep the brush strokes to a minimum, the solvent evaporates more slowly giving you a better levelling effect. I try to brush in one direction only if possible.

I usually hand brush Valleo Model Color and like how well they level out when properly diluted.

 With air brush medium they spray pretty well also, but need several days drying in a heated cabinet as the paint film wears away quickly. Some of this is pilot error as I probably use too much medium

I have  been starting to use Model master acrylics and like how well it sprays and brushes but need more experience with these

Very impressed with Allclad lacquers but require careful surface prep for sure to get the expected results

I try to stay away from spray cans as it generally comes out like a frikin fire hose. Switched to a Paasche Talon with the .66 eliptical spray head or the much more expensive $$ Iwata Kustom TH  WOW!!

Testors/ MM enamel

I'm in a transition period at the moment. For years my favorite was Polly S / Scale.....  now going out of business (#%&# !!),,,         Have always liked Tamiya too. Now broadening with Vallejo, Model Color, Humbrol acrylic, etc.

Not decided on what my "new" favorite brand will be      (yet)

I understand Humbrol has just released a new line of Acrylic Matte sprays, and I was very eager to purchase them for a large U-control model of the TA-152-H1 which I have almost finished. Unfortunately, they are not allowed to ship to the United states. The 3/4 ounce paints available here in the hobby shops just won;t work for me. I prefer Acrylics for easy wash up. Any Ideas?

Tamiya for the easiest to use indoors and easiest to clean up.

Testors Model Master for the best performance actually coming out of the airbrush.

VanceCrozier

I wish I could magically combine the qualities of all the paints I have in my supply, then I'd have a favourite single brand...

• Humbrol enamels - I love them for brush-painting, but despise the little tinlets they come in. I've had a bunch get all gummy on me in the past few months - new formula, or user-error?

new formula without leads i fear the old black 33 was the best color of ever for me (15-20 years ago) was absolutely perfect with brushes without thinning, the latest i buy come ever almost a strange slime but after thinning work good..... i want the lead back on humbrol colors   

lead in the bullets is more dangerous

I wish I could magically combine the qualities of all the paints I have in my supply, then I'd have a favourite single brand...

• Tamiya acrylics - I've switched to these for airbrushing over the past few years. I love the quick dry-time & easy cleanup, hate brush-painting with them though & wish they came in RLM colours. (Up until the spring they were also available across the road from me, not any more though....)
• Humbrol enamels - I love them for brush-painting, but despise the little tinlets they come in. I've had a bunch get all gummy on me in the past few months - new formula, or user-error?
• Model Master enamels - I still have some from 10 years ago, love the RLM colours for airbrushing & hand-painting but I try to airbrush only acrylics now.
• Testors enamels - what can I say, they are available at the local Michael's which I have to drive past on the way to work. With a coupon, $1.50. That availability is suddenly a big thing with me!
• Vallejo..... I just picked up some of these from my "local-ist" hobby shop 90 minutes away. If I like them for both methods, I may switch over as I deplete my other options.

yikes, my paint stash may be catching up with my kit stash?!?!

I've been using Tamiya acrylics and Model Master enamels in the AB along with the small Testors bottles for brush painting details.

I like acrylics, Model Master Acryl is great and all my color needs are basically there. In rare occasions if the color I need is not available from Acryl (like the Pink/Sand for my Strawberry Beach), the Polly S shelf is next to the Acryl one. Airbrushing with Tamiya Acrylics is a breeze and their big 23ml bottle is a bargain compared to Model Master Acryl or Enamel. Only downside I find is that Tamiya doesn't brush too well.

Hercmech

I use them all I would say but have favorites for AB and hand painting. For AB I like Tamyia the best for hand painting I use valeijo.

  i haven't tried airbrushing vallejo yet but would like to.  i especially like the bottles as they are easy to dispense small amounts with little waste.

as much as i like MM acrylics they need to add more colors to their line. 

Tamiya acrylics are my "go to" paints. I also like Gunze Aqueous acrylics, which have very similar properties to Tamiya's acrylics, but have a better range of colours.

I also brush paint with Vallejo.

crayola

stikpusher

For handbrushing, Humbrol. For airbrushing my favorite was Gunze Acqueous, but I am up in the air for sole favorite there these days. Both lines have large selection and superb performance for me. If Vallejo came in a bottle that was more conducive to mixing (stirring, not shaking for 10 minutes), maybe I would like them better.

Double yes to Humbrol for hand-brushing. I prefer acrylics for ABing and therefore like Tamiya followed by Testors Model Master Acrylics.

model master acrylics and tamiya. going to give gunze a try. 

WET.

Tamiya acrylic - excellent for airbrushing, isn't overly toxic, dries quickly & I do next to no brush painting.

As long as you don't mix brands and types in sequential coats, I have found that "paint is paint."  And always use the same brand of thinner made for the paint you're using.

I will use acrylics if there is a chance of a mess up, as it can be cleaned up easily, even after it dries.  Other than that, I have no preference. 

For very large models, I have used Krylon rattle cans with good results, for economic reasons.

My prefered colors are humbrol enamels, more grip even without primer and really tiny thickness and large colors choice, second choise are model master .

I use acrilycs only to paint figures (tamiya and lifecolor) , i had too many easily peeling-off using it on planes , chopters etc..

Bish

Xtracolor enamels are my main paint, at least for aircrfat and armour paint schemes. I have been useing them for year. What got me hooked is they are gloss, so no worries about decaling, and come in the colour ranges i use, RLM, RAL etc and i have just carried on useing them.

i brought some xtracolor for specific subject or specific color, as su-27 camouflage and the sand for first war gulf buccaneer . Normally i hate to paint with gloss colors because cannot use drybrush, and thickness are major than matts colors.... but xtracolor was great ,really tiny, easy to brush paint and no thinner needed great!

Testors (1/4oz) get brushed, and Model Master for airbrushing and some brush painting. Enamels.

For handbrushing, Humbrol. For airbrushing my favorite was Gunze Acqueous, but I am up in the air for sole favorite there these days. Both lines have large selection and superb performance for me. If Vallejo came in a bottle that was more conducive to mixing (stirring, not shaking for 10 minutes), maybe I would like them better.

Xtracolor enamels are my main paint, at least for aircrfat and armour paint schemes. I have been useing them for year. What got me hooked is they are gloss, so no worries about decaling, and come in the colour ranges i use, RLM, RAL etc and i have just carried on useing them.

My second choice is Tamiya, which i use for uniforms, tools, equipment and general colours.