Problems Painting Figures

Well I think I have a enough information to start painting. Im ordering a few mini bottles of Tamiya Acrylics and a #00 brush to get me started. I think I might order some MM enamel after that to see how I like that compaired to the acrylic. If I feel the need to get an airbrush ill probably get that Paasche because you can find it pretty easy on eBay. Thanks alot G-Man!

There are numerous good single-action airbrushes out there, such as the Passche H. It can and will spray anything from inks to all the hobby enamels, even laquers with ease. It is a bottom-feed airbrush, meaning that the paint is feed to the air passage from a color cup or bottle under the airbrush. It is also a external mix-type airbrush, that mixes the paint with air outside of the airbrush at the tip. Clean-up is very simple also, it takes me less than 2 minutes to strip the nozzle, clean the parts, and reassemble for the next painting session. I've been using mine for over 25 years, and it still works as good as the day I got it from my dad when I was 8! The Passche H is widely concidered as the classic single action airbrush, Passche's best selling single action, time tested and true. It is also the same airbrush used by FSM Senior Editor, Paul Boyer and Pro-modeler/FSM author; Pat Hawkey. Other very good "starter" airbrushes include:

Paasche H Set (Described above)
http://www.paascheairbrush.com/cgi-bin/store/search.cgi?category=Single+Action+Airbrushes

2. Badger 200 (single -action internal-mix, bottom-feed)
http://www.badgerairbrush.com/airbrush.htm

3. Iwata Revolution HP-SAR (single-action, bottom-feed)
http://www.iwata-medea.com/products/airbrush/revolution/sar_info.jsp

ATM I dont have an airbrush. What would be a good starter brush/compressor?

QUOTE: Originally posted by Beaker Thanks a bunch. Now are air brushes good for painting detail?

Certainly! Depending on what type of airbrush you are using, ie.. fine-tipped detail types with small, .2mm tips and nozzles can really be usefull for exhaust stains, gun gas residue, varying the shade of panels, and other neat special effects. However you can likely achieve most of the same type of detail with the airbrush you probably already own. You can learn ways to utilize masks, practice with your airbrush to learn how to spray fine lines and dots, and stincils. For example, I have a Iwata Revolution that has a large .5mm tip. I have (over many years..in my case) practiced and learned how to get those same effects with simply stencils and masking techniques, most of which I have picked up from other modelers in this forum, in the pages of FSM and from my members of my local IPMS Chapter. Taking the time and plenty of practice is the key here. It really can't be taught in this format. You'll have to experiment a bit. Have fun!

Thanks a bunch. Now are air brushes good for painting detail?

There are numerous good web sites to purchase acrylics online as I have, but you may want to check out your local hooby shop first. Some very excellent acrylics many modelers give kudos to are:
1. Polly Scale
(a very good over-all modeling acrylic, that fits the bill for brush painting and airbrushing. Excellent variety of colors matched to FS standards, German WWII, etc..)

2. Tamiya acrylics
(very good acrylic that brushes ok, airbrushes very well. Takes getting used to. Colors are limitted but custom mixing are possible with recipes)

3. Vallejo "Model Color" and "Model Air Colors"
(A relative newcomer, brush paints and airbrushing is top of the line. Large variety of colors-with some matched to FS standards as well)

4. Testors Model Master Acryl
(A very good acrylic with a large color variety as well, like their enamel counterparts. Brush painting is very good, as well as airbrushing. However, balancing thinner, air pressures, and paint came be a chalange for some airbrushing tasks. Takes getting used to.)

5. Gunze Sangyo Acrylics
(A amoung one of the original modeling acrylics, a favorite and more available in Japan-becoming more available in the US. A "Huge" variety of FS, German, British and Russian colors. Airbrushes and brush painting is excellent!)

6. "Xtracrylix" from Hannants of England
(A new kid on the block with a surprisingly large variety of colors matched to FS,Britsh, German, US and Russian colors. Easy to brush and airbrush. Thins with distilled water and alcohol.)

I like to use Tamiya Acrylics to suppliment my huge variety of Model Master enamels.


Check these links for availability:
1. http://www.internethobbies.com/internethobbies/inhobpain.html
2. http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?CATEGORY=&DIVISION=&MANUFACTURER=&CODE=&TYPE=Paints%2C+16ml+acrylic&SCALE=&KEYWORD=&NUMPERPAGE=25&order%5B%5D=arrived+desc&order%5B%5D=code+asc
3. http://www.testors.com/catalog_browse.asp?ictNbr=47

I just checked my paint and they are indeed enamels. I really would like to work with acrylics. Where would be a good place to buy acrylics online with a large variety of colors? Also what is a good brand to get.

Very informative! Where would I get one of those tiny drills? Also, are airbrushes good for painting detail? I want to focus mainly on figures and if they are good for figures and I can get one for a resonable amount of money then I will.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Beaker In that picture what are you using to hold your figure up. One of my problems is I dont have anything to keep the figure still so I just hold it. Also would it be better to buy acrylics or enamels. I will probably just go ahead and buy a new set of some nice paint because I plan on painting a good deal of WWII and medieval figures.

In the photo (and routinely) I use toothpics to hold parts while I paint. Sometimes I wrap a small amount of masking tape, or silly putty around the toothpic to hold the part. Sometimes I drill a small hole in a inconspicuous part of the part and insert the tip of the toothpic to hold it. It all depends on the part being painted. I then place the toothpic paint handle in a block of wood to rest the part for drying.

Here I drill tiny holes in the attachment points of the bombs
to insert toothpics to hold the part while I paint. This way I won't
run the risk of damaging the paint or part while I paint.


Here the toothpic serves as a paint handle for airbrushing.

Oh, WOW they might just be enamels. I read that acrylics can be washed out with water and the paint I have is really hard to get off with water. Im currently at work but when I get home I will double check so I know exactly what paint I am using.

I will try to find some nice brushes today. My problem is there are no hobby stores around me that sell modeling supplies. The best store that I have seen is Michaels but they only carry a limited selection.

Also, remember that brushes are not a "one size fits all" solution. Using the right size for the job makes things a lot easier (like not trying to use a No.6 for hands/faces on a 1/35th figure)

Just going back to one of your earlier questions - if you are just cleaning your brushes between colors, if you're using enamel paints it might be cheaper to buy mineral turps to wash out your brushes.

(Edit:)
I just remembered that you said in your initial post that you bought Testors Acrylics. The enamels come in exactly the same bottles - it may sound silly but you should be sure of the type of paint you have before buying any thinners. If you are having trouble washing out your brushes with water then it is very possible you have actually bought enamels. You can't thin enamels with acrylic thinners nor can you thin acrylics with enamel thinners.

Thanks for the reply. I will try to find one of those and buy it.

I tend to use water color brushes. They have the small tips I like. My favorite brush is a Pactra Dover B-305 made with red sable.

Any ideas anyone?

Oh, and btw my brushes are really horrible. What brushes would you recommend for painting figures. Brand / Type.

In that picture what are you using to hold your figure up. One of my problems is I dont have anything to keep the figure still so I just hold it. Also would it be better to buy acrylics or enamels. I will probably just go ahead and buy a new set of some nice paint because I plan on painting a good deal of WWII and medieval figures.

When brush painting, try to keep a bottle of thinner close by to dilute your paints for better performance. What I do is first is; moisten the brush with thinner to prepare it for the paint. Next I will wipe the bristles with a paper towel, then dip the brush in the paint and swipe the side of my resevoir to check to see if the paint is too thin or thick. When the paint's viscosity appears just right, I'll start brush painting. If the paint starts to thicken on the brush or in the reseviour during the session, I simply dip the brush bristles in thinner to re-establish or "re-wet" the paint and continue painting.

Here I'm using Model Master enamels to brush paint a
1/16 german officer figure from Dragon. The same method
is used for acrylics. Use distilled water for MM Acryl. For clean-up
use windex for Acryls and enamel thinner/ Laquer thinner for enamels.

get some Enamel Thinner or if u want a bigger thing of it get the Testors 1/2 Pint Airbrush Thinner it will clean your paint brushes and it will thin your paints so..your paint isnt thick

It is Testors paint but not the MM kind. It comes in small square bottles and is only $1.70 each.

what kinda paints r u using?

Also, another problem I am seeing with this paint is that it is difficult to get off my brushes. When I am done using a color I have to get some soap and run the brush though it to get the paint to come off. Could this be due to the paints thickness, or the cheap brushes?

No, I have not tried using any thinner. What would be the best to use with the testors paint I have.

are u mixing any thinner in your paints? if not try that see if that do the job for u if not, warm up your bottles of paints if there cold

I am letting the paint dry for 24-48 hours before adding more paint. The problem seems to be that the paint is to thick. When it drys it adds a layer to the figure so its harder to make out the details. Maybe its just the cheap square bottle testor paint.

u letting the paint dry before added a other color of paint on? if not i will say let the paint dry for few days and add other color so..u will know it is dry and ready to add other color on and what kinda problem u having anyways? so..we know what u talkin about too