When using craft paints like Americana and Apple Barrel what is the best way to clean up and thin them for airbrushing?
Thanks in advance.
oldline1
I've used such paints, but only with a brush and often well-thinned with water. If you want to use them for airbrushing, water (or distilled water, if yours is exceptionally hard) for thinning.
Clean-up when using a brush is normally water, perhaps with a bit of dish detergent added, especially if it's been allowed to dry in the brush. For cleaning-up an airbrush, I use lacquer thinner, regardless of the type of paint is being used - I haven't found any type of paint that it won't clean out of an airbrush.
I also use lacquer thinner for cleaning brushes, again, regardless of the type of paint being used.
Wayne
I use distilled water with some Vallejo acrylic thinner. I clean the airbrush with Windex.
Simon
Not a good idea, the pigments are rather large. Not that you can't do it but the finish is not that great.
I use my airbrush and craft paints for buildings. Not ideal, but also on some locomotives.The finish is OK, but I don't know how durable it will be.
oldline1When using craft paints like Americana and Apple Barrel what is the best way to clean up and thin them for airbrushing?
Both Americana and Apple Barrel paints lack the bonders that make them suitable/durable on non-pourous surfaces. Same for Delta Ceramcoat. Apple Barrel also shrinks as it dries and has been known to develop cracks on large surfaces because of this. If you want to use craft paints, Deco-Art's Folk Art line has good bond as it cures, but it is very thick and and has a high pigment load.
If you do not need a lot of paint, I would strongly suggest you seek out Vallejo's Model Air line instead.
I do not have actual experience with any of these in an airbrush ( I use Scalecoat 2 90% of the time), but I do talk to a lot of model painters and we share notes. Vallejo model air gets good remarks.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I would go further and say that it depends on the color. I haven't really kept records on that, but it appears that within a single line, like Ceramcoat, some colors seem to be easier to work with when using an airbrush than others. I think it has to do with pigment density. In most cases, it's just a matter of adjusting the amount of solvent in the mix after testing on a piece of wood. In some cases, I need to put additional coats to achieve what I want.
But in terms of smoothness of appearance, I don't see much of a difference between craft paints and more expensive paints. There IS one, but not by much if you take your time to get the right ratio of paint-solvent and number of coats. Polly scale was a lot easier to use... and it stuck to just about anything.
snjroyI would go further and say that it depends on the color. I haven't really kept records on that, but it appears that within a single line, like Ceramcoat, some colors seem to be easier to work with.
This is true of all lines of paint. I cannot think of a single line of paints where I am happy with every colour.
Scalecoat oranges are frustrating, especially MILW orange and SP Daylight light red.
Citadel yellows are terrible.
Vallejo bright reds are not as good as Citadel's.
Delta light blues do not cover well.
And so on...
I have used Craft paints through an airbrush. The following is what I use.
Thinning: I use Golden Airbrushing Medium, split 75-25 with Distilled water, with a couple of drops of Flow-Aid added in (Airbrush Medium 75%, Distilled water with flow aid drops 25%.) but very heavily thinned. (Works great for weathering, etc..., OK on models.) Thinned to consistency of skim milk.
Clean up: Blue Window Washer Fluid, along with regular old Soap & Water. Final wipe down is either filtered drinking water or Isopropyl.
I much prefer the actual "Model" lines for painting models though. Better consistency that way.
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
I have been using craft paints on my layout, structures and rolling stock for years with quite satifactory results. I especially like the fact that I can get significantly more paint for a fraction of the cost of model paint. I usually hit all of my models with a thin coat of cheap rattle-can automotive primer before I add any color coats. All of the different craft paint brands seem to adhere well to the primer.
I apply these paints using both regular brushes and airbrushes. I find plain water does just fine as a thinner along with a few drops of 71% alcohol as a flow aid. Add the water first as adding the alcohol first will cause some brands/colors to clump up. Aibrush cleaning is accomplished using Windex.
One big advantage of using craft paints is that you can choose the final finish. If you want a smooth paint over sheet metal look, apply these paints with an airbrush. If you want a wood building look, apply these paints with a regular brush with your paint strokes parallel to the direction of the "wood grain" even if your model is styrene. Extra texture can be added to brick or stone structures with random directionl brush strokes. Finally, I model Southern California in the 1950's so stucco is the norm. Applying craft paints with a brush using a stippling technique produces a pretty fair representation of stucco.
Hornblower
I have used the Apple Barrel paints for the last year or so.
I thin the paint with Gemini Masterpiece brush cleaner& conditioner ( purchased at hobby lobby)
The container reads...
" a high quality brush cleaning fluid and conditioner for all types of acrylic paints".
I also use it to thin Vallejo paints.
A word ( or two) of advice...
Prime your parts first. ( I prefer a laquer based primer ) Apple Barrel DOES NOT LIKE BARE PLASTIC!!! I have had the misfortune of the paint just not sticking to bare plastic.
Also, once the paint has dried I HIGHLY recommend sealing it with a gloss or dullcote. I have had the paint " rub off" with my fingers as I was trying to put the parts together.
Rust...... It's a good thing !
Railroad Model Craftsman had an article on using craft paints for models in the June 2015 issue.
I also found an older MR forum thread on craft paints if interested. I had great results using craft paints on smooth it plaster to create a paved road (liquorice black satan base with country gray top coat lightly sponged on). But not so good results today with a laser wood kit. I primed the wood with good gray primer and applied a sky blue Apple Barrel multi surface paint to the siding with a makeup sponge. First coat was like nothing, still saw primer. Did this for two more coats and same result, was like I was painting on nothing. Last coat brushed on and might be dark enough to call it done. Seemed like I might end up with so many coats the siding would disappear. Did not have this happen with light colored Model Master acrylics.
I have used a few craft paints on my layout as well. (Apple Barrel and Folk Art) I would still recommend brush painting them though. As mentioned they are quite thick but with brushing you can "thin" them out so to speak as you paint on your structure. I also will paint after I assemble as I have gotten very good at detail painting. But I have been painting my own equipment for many years so I have gotten lots of practice.