Hi Folks
Started getting back into the hobby after a long absence. I painted my first model with enamels and spray cans, like I used to 'back in the day'. Turned out ok. Then for my next two I thought I would use Tamiya acrylics and an airbrush. I've never used acrylics before and wanted to try them out. I also had little experience with an airbrush and would like to start using it, and figured acrylics would be easier (cleanup and all that).
So the airbrushing with the Tamiya acrylics is going well. However brush painting is ... something else. I find it hard to get good coverage with a first coat, and the second coat ends up doing more harm than good. Now, poking around here, I read some recommendations to use a paint retarder when brushing Tamiya acrylics (I've got the Tamiya retarder on order). I guess that added complication has got me wondering now if acrylics are really the way to go (anyway I'll have to figure that out myself).
However I do have a question and I hope someone can tell me if I have done something wrong or if it is an effect of the Tamiya acrylics: after airbrushing a model (airplane) I had a few touch ups to make which I did with a brush ... and the touchups are a lot more glossy than the rest of the paint.
Plus, on a ship model that I am also working on, I brushed acrylic (flat black XF-1) on part of the hull, and it seems to be more of a semi-gloss than flat. Yet the flat dull red that I sprayed on looks fine. Strange. (I'm going to redo the black section with the airbrush).
I painted both models with primer before doing the finishing coats.
Any observations and/or suggestions would be much appreciated!