Hello Don!

What you write seems pretty logical and sound to me. One thing - flat paints seem to cover better and dry faster - maybe that's why they do it. Those glossy paints would probably have to come thinned, airbrush ready - a la Alclad - how about that?

Thanks for sharing and have a nice day

Paweł

That why i use Xtracolour.

You don't actually expect the paint makers to do what the customers want - do you?

~ Cobra Chris

Cobra 427

You don't actually expect the paint makers to do what the customers want - do you?

 

~ Cobra Chris

 

Nope. Never gonna happen. That's like telling Testors to bring back the old PollyScale acrylics colors.

Pawel

Hello Don!

What you write seems pretty logical and sound to me. One thing - flat paints seem to cover better and dry faster - maybe that's why they do it. Those glossy paints would probably have to come thinned, airbrush ready - a la Alclad - how about that?

Thanks for sharing and have a nice day

Paweł

 

I use glossy paints a lot, for cars and for civil aircraft.  I mostly use Testors enamel, and it needs to be thinned at the same ratio as their flat enamels.  It does take a lot longer to dry, so I built a simple homemade drying box- solved the problem.

I have used acrylic gloss paints and they seem to work about the same as the flats there too- drying time does not seem long for those. I find the acrylic glosses don't give me as high a gloss as the enamel gloss, but the acrylic glosses do work fine with decals.  For military aircraft and armor, I am open to using either acrylic or enamel.

Bish

That why i use Xtracolour.

 

I am not familiar with Xtracolour.  What type of paint is it?  Do they make the same colors in both flat and gloss, or does the flat somehow not silver decals?

skipping a gloss clear coat wouldn't work for me. I apply my camo colors in thin, light layers, then build up some additonal fading and darkening coats in strategic areas. This means, light, close in passes with the airbrush, which would not lay down an ideal gloss coat. My clear gloss coat gets put on heavy and wet, with a larger needle/nozzle size. I would never consider applying base camo paint that way, whether its a single color camo or multiple color. Also, Gunze Mr. Color paints have a full range of Military colors and almost all of them comin semi-gloss/Gloss. 

Don Stauffer

 

Bish

That why i use Xtracolour.

 

 

 

 

I am not familiar with Xtracolour.  What type of paint is it?  Do they make the same colors in both flat and gloss, or does the flat somehow not silver decals?

 

 

Xtracolor is an enamel paint produced by Hannants in the UK and come in gloss colours., There are a couple of matt colours, mainly interior ones such as RLM 66 and RLM 02, though the latter also comes in gloss. There is also a range of Acrylic paints, Xtracrylix, which i think is also gloss, but the range is smaller.

There is also the colourcoats range which used to be produce by White Ensign and is now in new hands, that comes in a satan finish.

I have a vague recollection that a line of semi-gloss aircraft colors was produced some years ago by an American company that also produced excellent decals. But my poor old memory doesn't recall the name of it.

I have no idea where to buy Xtracolour in the U.S. I know the brand has a fine reputation in Europe.

Wouldn't it be nice if some hobby paint company sold a substance that we could mix in with flat colors to make them glossy - without changing the hue?

JTilley, I believe you're thinking about the Aeromaster Warbirds Colors line. According to a quick websearch they're now out of business. There is another line I found called Warbirds Colors for R/C models but there doesn't seem to be any connection. 

That's it! Thanks, Gamera.

jtilley

 

Wouldn't it be nice if some hobby paint company sold a substance that we could mix in with flat colors to make them glossy - without changing the hue?

 

 I began modeling in the balsa wood days, before plastic.  Model paints and dopes were not available then in flat colors.  If you wanted flat finish, you mixed talcum powder in with the paint.  Tried that a few years ago, mixing some talcum with a gloss enamel, and it still works. 

BTW, talcum has another use- weathering vinyl tires (hard to paint with most types of paint).  Dust some talcum over the tire to make it look dusty.

Bish

 

There is also the colourcoats range which used to be produce by White Ensign and is now in new hands, that comes in a SATAN finish.

 

Don Stauffer

 

 

jtilley

 

Wouldn't it be nice if some hobby paint company sold a substance that we could mix in with flat colors to make them glossy - without changing the hue?

 

 

 

 

 I began modeling in the balsa wood days, before plastic.  Model paints and dopes were not available then in flat colors.  If you wanted flat finish, you mixed talcum powder in with the paint.  Tried that a few years ago, mixing some talcum with a gloss enamel, and it still works. 

BTW, talcum has another use- weathering vinyl tires (hard to paint with most types of paint).  Dust some talcum over the tire to make it look dusty.

 

 

~ Cobra Chris

Tamiya makes a clear gloss you can mix with flat colored paint for a gloss finish. There are two different clears they make; often people mistake the gloss mix for gloss topcoat. 

Tamiya X-22 is for making flats glossy and X-21 is for making glossy paint flat. I understand you can also mix Future with flat for the same effect, which may also work for other brands of acrylic paint.

jtilley

I have a vague recollection that a line of semi-gloss aircraft colors was produced some years ago by an American company that also produced excellent decals. But my poor old memory doesn't recall the name of it.

I have no idea where to buy Xtracolour in the U.S. I know the brand has a fine reputation in Europe.

Wouldn't it be nice if some hobby paint company sold a substance that we could mix in with flat colors to make them glossy - without changing the hue?

 

I have not come across many people who use it and am uncertain of its future. There are a few colours that have been absent from the range for quite some time. And the guy in our LHS, which does stock a small selection, says he had heard they were going to do away with the enamels and concentrate on Acrylics because of the issue with postage.

Cobra 427

 

Bish

 

There is also the colourcoats range which used to be produce by White Ensign and is now in new hands, that comes in a SATAN finish.

 

 

 

 

  SATAN finish?!?!?! God I hope not! If Satan starts making paint I think I'll never paint anything again!! Unless you mean SATIN finish.

 

 

 

~ Cobra Chris

 

O, i don't know, could be interesting.

Bish

 

 

Cobra 427

 

Bish

 

There is also the colourcoats range which used to be produce by White Ensign and is now in new hands, that comes in a SATAN finish.

 

 

 

 

  SATAN finish?!?!?! God I hope not! If Satan starts making paint I think I'll never paint anything again!! Unless you mean SATIN finish.

 

 

 

~ Cobra Chris

 

 

 

 

 

O, i don't know, could be interesting.

 

marketing.Sell more stuff,more money.

Don Stauffer

 

Bish

That why i use Xtracolour.

 

 

 

 

I am not familiar with Xtracolour.  What type of paint is it?  Do they make the same colors in both flat and gloss, or does the flat somehow not silver decals?

 

 

Don -

Spruebrothers carries XtraColor paints in both acrylic and enamels.

Don Stauffer

Seems to me it would be easier to have the colors available in gloss paint- put it on, then decal, then the flat coat.  Seems like it would save a step with no loss of authenticity in the final appearance.  Seem like a good idea to anyone else?  Why do we need the flat colors, since there are almost always decals to put on.

 

I have thought about the same thing before and would love to have a full line of gloss paints in FS and RLM colors. I find that gloss paints spray on smoother almost like glass while flat paint goes on a bit rough needing to be polished to smooth out the surface.   

Cobra 427

 

 

Bish

 

There is also the colourcoats range which used to be produce by White Ensign and is now in new hands, that comes in a SATAN finish.

 

 

 

 

  SATAN finish?!?!?! God I hope not! If Satan starts making paint I think I'll never paint anything again!! Unless you mean SATIN finish.

 

 

 

Don Stauffer

 

 

jtilley

 

Wouldn't it be nice if some hobby paint company sold a substance that we could mix in with flat colors to make them glossy - without changing the hue?

 

 

 

 

 I began modeling in the balsa wood days, before plastic.  Model paints and dopes were not available then in flat colors.  If you wanted flat finish, you mixed talcum powder in with the paint.  Tried that a few years ago, mixing some talcum with a gloss enamel, and it still works. 

BTW, talcum has another use- weathering vinyl tires (hard to paint with most types of paint).  Dust some talcum over the tire to make it look dusty.

 

 

 

 

 

MICA - not talc. This is what manufacturers put in paint commonly referred to as a "flattening agent" to create a dull look. This is how they can create semi-gloss, satin, matte, and flat finishes.

 

~ Cobra Chris

 

I'm talking about homebrew flattening.  Talc is much easier to come by than fine ground mica- just stop at the drug store.