Brush painting acrylics

Thanks - I had really good success with brushpainting acrylics on my model railroads - but my current project is a M4 Sherman - in the past I used Humbrol oil based, but decided to go "green" with acrylics without much success on my first attempt - at least it was only figures which are easy to correct.

Kevin

Thanks for the valuable tips - I was thinking that the rapid evaporation characteristics of the alcohol I was using to thin the paint was adding to the problem.  

Kevin

Thanks for the feedback.

Kevin

i find brush painting tamiya acrylics is generally a PITA, it just globs up and comes off the surface. i only had success using ipa as a thinner, and lots of it. Xtracrylics seem to brush much better.

When brush painting with Tamiya acrylics, thin the paint using Tamiya's X-20A thinner about one part thinner to three parts paint. Isopropyl is often used as a substitute for X-20A thinner, but the X-20A is a blend of Isopropyl alcohol, Proylene Glycol (which acts as a co-solvent and retarder) and other solvents.

When brush painting:

• Brush in short, smooth, even strokes, preferably in the same direction. Only brush back as far as the last wet edge. IMPORTANT: Do not brush over previously painted areas which may appear dry. Doing so will roll it up in big ugly chunks. If you need to overcoat an area, allow it to dry and cure overnight before recoating.
• If the paint is starting to dry on the brush, stop for a few minutes and take the time to clean the brush. Not doing so will mean degraded brush performance, resulting in streaks and brush marks and the possibility of dry chunks of paint flaking off the bristles onto the surface you're painting.
• Allow to dry overnight before painting any successive layers or colours.

When brush painting with Vallejo acrylics, a flat primer coat is recommended to give the paint something to bite on. Vallejo acrylics thin better with distilled water than they do with alcohol.

You'll have to look for a retarder product, usually found in craft stores.  I've never used it, but it would be wise to try it on some other surface to see how well it reacts with different paint brands you have.

Another option is to airbrush your main colour first, and rely on this as a primer coat at the same time.  If you want to go further with the airbrush, mix a darker shade of the main colour and spray from underneath, catching the shadow areas.   Follow this with a lighter shade mix and spray only from atop, like a light source, this would represent highlights.  Then you can go in with the brush for finer details.

regards,

Jack