Model Color vs Model Air

Niko

 Thank you Jon, I haven't bought my paint yet, but I'm plannign on picking up some Model Air from Free Time Hobbies. They are having a sale and the paints are discounted to $1.39 a bottle! I'll take a look at MIG, but its priced at $3.39 on ScaleHobbyist. 

 

Greg, I feel ya as I've got 32 paint bottles (from two boxes), most of which have been re-released with a new stock number and sometimes even name description.  Should stress these were Aircraft sets with the black top bottles.  

You are probably fine with the other sets, aka Model Color,  that have the white bottle caps.   You can always check the numbers, if it's still listed then it's unlikely to have changed.

regards,

Jack

jgeratic

.....they changed many colours to improve accuracy. So avoid the boxes that have the clear plastic on the front.

Well that's great. All of my sets have the clear plastic on the front.

Supposedly the pigments in the Model Air series are a finer grade.  Yes you will save initially if you buy separate thinner and do your own mixing.  Over the long run though, that saving will diminish, and may cost more due to the process of zeroing in on a correct ratio for spraying.  If you are new to airbrushing,  then it would be advantageous to use the Air series.  

If you do choose Model Air, specifically the boxed sets, be aware they changed many colours to improve accuracy.  So avoid the boxes that have the clear plastic on the front.

regards,

Jack

I agree with Jon.

I airbrush Model Color only when I have to (color not available in Model Air line or I don't have the correct Model Air color or whatever), but as Jon said the process is finicky at best and he is also spot on in suggesting that you mess up the intented chemistry of the paint when overthinning Model Color.

I suppose the latter is arguable, but is my opinion nonetheless.

That was the long opinion;  My short opinion is stick to Model Air for airbrushig whenever possible.

Jon_a_its

 

If you haven't already bought your paint, see if you can get hold of AMMO acrylics by MIG, (yellow top) a lot easier to handle, & does the UK armour colours I need, and are a lot more durable. 

Thank you Jon, I haven't bought my paint yet, but I'm plannign on picking up some Model Air from Free Time Hobbies. They are having a sale and the paints are discounted to $1.39 a bottle! I'll take a look at MIG, but its priced at $3.39 on ScaleHobbyist. 

Niko

If I thin Vallejo Model Color in the airbrush to the consistency of Model Air, would it have the same quality?

Thank you

Not Quite....

They are formulated slightly differently.

Model AIR (Black Top) are airbrushable, although I still find I need to thin them slightly with their thinners & retarders.

Model Colour (white Top) are designed for brushing, you 'can' thin them for airbrushing, BUT Vallejo are 'twitchy' and you need a lot of experiments with thinners & retarders.

They will also colour-shift lighter, and are more fragile, in that they will rub off more easily.

If you haven't already bought your paint, see if you can get hold of AMMO acrylics by MIG, (yellow top) a lot easier to handle, & does the UK armour colours I need, and are a lot more durable.