Vallejo Model Paint

[Guest]

Keith no disrespect the paint is not the problem it is the technique. All paints work or they would not be on the market.


These are a good lot of tutorials advice on how to hand brush. This is the side that needs lots and lots of practice. Whether hand or airbrush each needs attention to technique and practice. It is a skill and takes time and patience to gain but once attained all is open to you.


http://www.finescale.com/~/media/import/files/pdf/c/f/9/basicsofbrushpainting.pdf


http://www.acrylicosvallejo.com/en_US/painting-figures-with-model-color/blog/1/36


http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/6168-how-to-hand-paint-larger-areas-of-a-model/


You may be able to find tutorials in video form which may help more.


If you are using Humbrol you also need their thinners to obtain the best results. Also any paint in a pallett needs constant topping up with thinners or a retarder added to keep the paint fluld otherewise it dries quickly and your results will not be good.


Laurie

[Guest]

Hi Laurie. I do not disagree with anything you say and many thanks for the useful links. Reading through this thread, and others I have started, you will note that for every recommendation made be it AB v brush or enamel v acrylic, or even the brand of paint to use, someone else has contradicted it. All very confusing for a beginner. The only way forward is to try these things for ourselves and learn through personal experience. I have already learned I am a brush person and that I prefer acrylics to enamels, all through personal experience. I now need to discover which make of paint best suits my style of painting so I will try a few and form my own opinion. I am however certain you are totally correct in saying that there is nothing wrong with Vellejo paints, after all they must have sold tons of the stuff, so it must be me, agreed! Thanks again for your advice which I always value. Cheers, Keith.

[Ian M]

For what it is worth why buy gloss paint....I only ever buy the ordinary one, Matt I s'pose. You get better coverage and you are going to varnish over it with gloss any way...


Also you can get a gloss medium which you can add to all the colours you have, thus doubling your paint locker..thinking about it you can get a metallic medium so you can have all your paints in any finish from mat to metallic.

[Guest]

For what it is worth why buy gloss paint....I only ever buy the ordinary one, Matt I s'pose. You get better coverage and you are going to varnish over it with gloss any way...
Also you can get a gloss medium which you can add to all the colours you have, thus doubling your paint locker..thinking about it you can get a metallic medium so you can have all your paints in any finish from mat to metallic.

Never knew that. That is worth knowing, thanks. Cheers, Keith.

[Guest]

I use gloss Xtracolor paints - no lumpy stuff at the bottom, and no need to apply multiple coats of gloss varnish! Takes longer to dry though

[Guest]

I use gloss Xtracolor paints - no lumpy stuff at the bottom, and no need to apply multiple coats of gloss varnish! Takes longer to dry though

Hi, why do you not need to apply gloss varnish?

[Guest]

Hi, why do you not need to apply gloss varnish?

Well, the gloss varnish serves 2 purposes - reduce decal silvering & allow washes to flow more freely.


If the paint is already gloss.... job done!


Having said that, a coat of acrylic-based gloss varnish wouldn't hurt to protect the paint if using oil paint washes.


But whereas it might take 3-4 coats to get a good gloss finish over matt paint, just one is required over gloss.

[takeslousyphotos]

I usually ease the spout off ......... drop a small nut in there then put the nozzle back on ......... Then give it a good shake.


Peter

[Guest]

I usually ease the spout off ......... drop a small nut in there then put the nozzle back on ......... Then give it a good shake.
Peter

I'm beginning to think that in my case the small nut is on the outside.

[BarryW]

Well, the gloss varnish serves 2 purposes - reduce decal silvering & allow washes to flow more freely.
If the paint is already gloss.... job done!


Having said that, a coat of acrylic-based gloss varnish wouldn't hurt to protect the paint if using oil paint washes.


But whereas it might take 3-4 coats to get a good gloss finish over matt paint, just one is required over gloss.

I rarely apply more than 1 coat of varnish over Vallejo Model Air before decalling. A second sealing coat goes on after decalling before I do a wash.


I never bothers me at all whether the base coat is gloss, has a slight sheen or is matt. The Tiffy main camo (see in the 2015 24 scale 'Super SIG) has a sheen sufficient to take a wash or decals (AKI acrylics) while the invasion stripes are matt, very matt in the case of the black (Vallejo Model Air). I will be painting in the roundels and these will have different finishes but at the end before I decal it will all get a coat of gloss varnish.

[Guest]

I rarely apply more than 1 coat of varnish over Vallejo Model Air before decalling. A second sealing coat goes on after decalling before I do a wash.
I never bothers me at all whether the base coat is gloss, has a slight sheen or is matt. The Tiffy main camo (see in the 2015 24 scale 'Super SIG) has a sheen sufficient to take a wash or decals (AKI acrylics) while the invasion stripes are matt, very matt in the case of the black (Vallejo Model Air). I will be painting in the roundels and these will have different finishes but at the end before I decal it will all get a coat of gloss varnish.

Well I guess that's fine for you Barry, but people on here & other forums have often reported difficulties with decalling & washes, hence my reasoning for applying the gloss coats.


And as I said, in my experience, one coat of any gloss coat isn't sufficient over matt paint. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong!

[Guest]

I rarely apply more than 1 coat of varnish over Vallejo Model Air before decalling. A second sealing coat goes on after decalling before I do a wash.

I agree Barry just one coat of varnish before decals.Especially the Polyurethene which also gives a more robust finish if a number of events are to take place on the gloss varnish. Where practical I cut out the border that silver and on the Merlin 1/48 I did not have to varnish at all. With the small decals the border did not show up. I think it helps if you have a nice smooth base coat you diminish the risk of silvering. Wet and dry between coats.


On washes I now apply directly to the matt coat but I do practice before doing that. If I have erred I just panic and get a big brush and using water remove. Making sure the base coat has had as long as possible to cure really hard. Also I am using Lifcolor washes just thinning the matt paint down to suit. Find that way I get a better effect. Also cheaper. Not constructed a 1/24 so techniques, I suspect, will be amended for that scale.


Laurie

[Guest]

so many different ideas of which paint is the best i was going to change my paints to model colour but the missus said if it's causing you to much stress to decide just stick with the ones you have so i'm taking her advice and sticking to Revell Aqua Colour and Humbrol Acrylics also using enamel for things like rear lights, indicators, tinted windows, and fluorescent colours i say go with what you prefer it sounds like a dodgy bottle to me and they are not cheap vallejo

[Alan 45]

so many different ideas of which paint is the best i was going to change my paints to model colour but the missus said if it's causing you to much stress to decide just stick with the ones you have so i'm taking her advice and sticking to Revell Aqua Colour and Humbrol Acrylics also using enamel for things like rear lights, indicators, tinted windows, and fluorescent colours i say go with what you prefer it sounds like a dodgy bottle to me and they are not cheap vallejo

We all want to improve our builds but ive found if you have a way and it works for you stick to it because if it works for you it can't be wrong can it

[Guest]

Keith, I'm afraid it's the nature of the beast! Ask 10 modellers their opinion & you'll get 10 different answers!


When I got back into modelling after a lay-off, I needed new paints just like you. And like you, I wanted ones that would double for both hand brushing & airbrushing.


So after sounding out forums, I decided to give Vallejo Model Colour a try, for all the positive reasons as expressed in this thread. However, I found MC impossible to airbrush due to clogging. No amount of thinning or flow enhancer helped. So now after that expensive mistake , I have 20-odd bottles that I rarely use, & have gone back to my trusty enamels.


If you want to try Vallejo MC, I'd be happy to send you a few bottles. You just cover the postage. At least someone would get some use from them, instead of them gathering dust!


Cheers


Patrick