Measuring/dispensing paint and storing it.
Hi
I'm new here, and new to airbrushing. I've read some of the excellent articles and FAQs posted here, but still have some fundamental question.
Overall, it seems the process of changing colours throughout a model build involves a lot of wastage of paint and cleaner/thinner. What's the besy way to minimse that so I can concentrate on painting itslef and not measuring-out and cleaning-up.
Typically, I build Model cars (single flat body colour) , but also have some WW2 aircraft which call for either camouflage or a silver/alu finish.
Perhaps I'm just being too cautious and should just j.f.d.i but the following points are bugging me.
1. I'll probably use Tamiya acrylics as I have a lot already acquired. I've read about stirring and thinning, but what's the best way to get the correct amount out of the Tamiya jar and into the mixing jar. Do you pour, measure with a syringe, a teaspoon ???, or it it not too impartant ?. Ditto for the thinner (tho' I understand that it sort of depends on the paint consistency I need)
2. Once I've mixed it in my airbrush jar and used what I need, do I store that paint or discard it. I often find that I will need to 'touch-up' or reuse that colour at some point later in the model build sequence (ie maybe days later) and ideally I don't want to measure/mix and new load for this.
3. If I store it, I've read that I could use 35mm film canisters (now a dying breed - I've gone fully digital photos) or find spare airbrush mxing bottles. Any tips where I could find these in the UK (I have a very basic, in fact probably the most basic/cheapest), Badger brush), or what other alternates are (I guess it just needs to be a small airtight container)
4. If I discard it - I obviouly have to clean everything out before I change over to the next colour, and am then faced with remixing later in the model build.