So my last two projects have been hand painted with a brush and Vallejo acrylic paints as I don’t have an airbrush or means to do any spraying with a rattle can or airbrush anyways. I’d like to hopefully change that sooner or later, but in the meantime I have been painting by hand. I’ve produced serviceable results but I‘m not as happy with the final products as I could be. What sorts of advise can you guys offer to improve the quality of my painting? Are there any particular products you guys would recommend? What’s your workflow look like when you do hand painting? Literally anything would be incredibly helpful.
Not sure what you're painting, Amanda. Rolling stock, maybe? Locomotive?
For areas where I want a smooth, consistent layer of paint, I find an airbrush is best, and really, a must have.
However, after that base coat is on, I don't mind picking up the paint brush for detail work, weathering, or painting with washes. When I do, however, it's not normally full-strength paint, it's diluted. I'm always ready to hit what I've painted with a little bit of alcohol (I only use acrylic paints (my preference)) to pull the paint off if I've overdone it. I'm also big on installing a layer of "base coat", which in my case is usually Tamiya X-21 "Flat Base", which I apply liberally and dries to a chalky white. I then rub it down with a hard brush and remove the "white look", which gives and instant "fade" to any painted surface, and as a bonus, the surface is great at accepting other diluted colors.
There are a ton of YouTube videos out there and a lot of them are really great a pointing out techniques that work.
My last two projects can be found here:
https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9776 for EBT Coach 8 and here:
https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9400 for EBT motor M-3.
I have been diluting my paints with water (the instructions with them from vallejo indicated water to dillute them). I also have a primer base coat in grey and another in black that I’ve used. That definitely helped but I am still struggling to get an even colour out of the paint and when I do the paint looks too thick with noticeable brush marks in places. I’m really not sure why. I would love to use an airbrush but it’s just not feasible right now.
I see you say an air brush is out of the question right now but have you seen these?
air brush I have a compressor and a paasche air brush but after my wife got one of these I got one too and it works great and is very easy to clean. No compressor needed. set up in seconds. You just have to thin a little more than normal but there is very little overspray too. The trick is to lay the paint on wet.
Charlie
I have nowhere to use an airbrush or set up any kind of spray booth.
(10-02-2023, 01:10 AM)Amalynn Wrote: [ -> ]I have nowhere to use an airbrush or set up any kind of spray booth.
I wasn't aware that was your problem. I don't have a spray booth either, I just put the last models I painted in a cardboard box on my work bench. If I was spraying lacquer type paint I would take them outside
Charlie
It’s a multi-faceted issue. I don’t have one but could get one, the lack of space to use one is the bigger issue. My workspace is just kind of setting everything out on a tv tray to work in the living room or dining room, no outside space currently otherwise I would set up outside and do it like you mentioned.
Regardless, even if I had an airbrush I want to be better at hand brushing anyways. I know it’s possible to turn out nice models with hand work, so I want to do so.
Any time I ask for help it typically just turns in to a whole thing about how I should just use an airbrush, to the point of being told not to bother if I can’t use an airbrush. That feels extreme but honestly it’s starting to feel that way anyways…
Amanda:
I don't airbrush either. I don't feel I have a proper exhaust system.
Unfortunately, my favourite paints were discontinued and the old ones I have don't always work. All I can say is "many thin coats" but not so thin that it runs all over the place.
(10-02-2023, 05:12 PM)Amalynn Wrote: [ -> ]It’s a multi-faceted issue. I don’t have one but could get one, the lack of space to use one is the bigger issue. My workspace is just kind of setting everything out on a tv tray to work in the living room or dining room, no outside space currently otherwise I would set up outside and do it like you mentioned.
Regardless, even if I had an airbrush I want to be better at hand brushing anyways. I know it’s possible to turn out nice models with hand work, so I want to do so.
Years ago Testors paints were made for brushing as well as many other brands. They were not water based. Paints today are designed to be environmentally friendly and for the most part are water based. The trick to a smooth finish here is proper thinning. I have had some acceptable results using alcohol but I had to use several coats. I found that it took at least a day between coats and sometimes more drying time in order not to loosen the first coat(s). Like you I would like to know how to get good results brushing with the new materials. It would save a lot of work. I was not trying to deter you, I just wasn't aware of your lack of space.
Charlie
I know you weren’t trying to deter me, it’s just frustrating how challenging it can be to get people to help with this or find any resources on it.
The main challenge I’ve been running in to is finding the right brushes and the right paint to thinner ratio. Vallejo acrylics are water based so I have just been using water to thin them.
You made me give this some thought. First thing I thought a surfactant would be a help. I thought about soap and there are some sites that mention using soap to reduce surface tension which would improve flow.. then I found this and it is worth a read. I am not commenting because I have not tried these items and I don't know if they would harm the durability of the paint.
golden
Charlie
Hi, I brush acrylics on just about everything, I do have an air brush but haven't used it in years. I also rarely paint cars, mainly because I like scenery and structures more than trains. I probably have close to 100 brushes, many of which I picked up at Walmart, all sold specifically for use with acrylics. I do N scale, so most of my smaller brushes get used, the smallest has about four strands, the biggest about 2". I also buy my acrylics from Walmart. Using it on structures and scenery does not usually require thinning unless the bottle has been open for a while and sometimes just dipping the tip of the brush in water is enough. I think the key to getting a smooth finish is using the right brush for what you're painting, wood vs. plastic or metal, detailed vs smooth. Too narrow and you can get brush strokes, too wide and you can't control what you're doing. Using primer, especially on plastic and metal is a good idea
There is a show on PBS, "Paint This with Jerry Yarnell". he works in acrylics and I watch it because he explains a lot about brushes and the consistency of the paint. I know, it's about painting pictures, but there are still a lot of good pointers to pick up there.
This may not be much info, but I hope it helps a bit.
(10-03-2023, 01:25 PM)Charlie B Wrote: [ -> ]You made me give this some thought. First thing I thought a surfactant would be a help. I thought about soap and there are some sites that mention using soap to reduce surface tension which would improve flow.. then I found this and it is worth a read. I am not commenting because I have not tried these items and I don't know if they would harm the durability of the paint. golden
Charlie
Might be worth a try! I definitely need to let my coats dry longer. I have only been letting them dry for like an hour or two or possibly overnight at most.
(10-04-2023, 09:31 AM)ezdays Wrote: [ -> ]Hi, I brush acrylics on just about everything, I do have an air brush but haven't used it in years. I also rarely paint cars, mainly because I like scenery and structures more than trains. I probably have close to 100 brushes, many of which I picked up at Walmart, all sold specifically for use with acrylics. I do N scale, so most of my smaller brushes get used, the smallest has about four strands, the biggest about 2". I also buy my acrylics from Walmart. Using it on structures and scenery does not usually require thinning unless the bottle has been open for a while and sometimes just dipping the tip of the brush in water is enough. I think the key to getting a smooth finish is using the right brush for what you're painting, wood vs. plastic or metal, detailed vs smooth. Too narrow and you can get brush strokes, too wide and you can't control what you're doing. Using primer, especially on plastic and metal is a good idea
There is a show on PBS, "Paint This with Jerry Yarnell". he works in acrylics and I watch it because he explains a lot about brushes and the consistency of the paint. I know, it's about painting pictures, but there are still a lot of good pointers to pick up there.
This may not be much info, but I hope it helps a bit.
I will check it out. A good breakdown on brushes would definitely be really helpful.
hi kind of late in this thread but i found when hand painting the best results are when you use the largest softest brush you can find also brush in one direction only and if possible end stroke off the end. if you are doing a structure don't worry if a few areas are looking different (read as} off color looking as in the real-world paint ages differently on o large flat surface.
Jim