Best acrylic paint for brush painting

[Guest]

Hi there,
I am wondering what acrylic paint I should use for brush painting is and also the best thinner/thinning ratio is for that paint.

[Guest]

It all depends on your budget, and how much time you are prepared to put in practising. First and foremost, I recommend you find a paint that is available easily, has a wide range of colours, and doesn't cost an arm and a leg! Once you find it, stick with it, it's the only way you'll master it. As for thinning it, water is as good as anything if brushing, or use a good acrylic medium, which helps keep the viscosity even. Have a look at Grumpa's builds, he uses craft paints that can be found in every town: http://www.scale-models.co.uk/thread...0/#post-354845

There is always a large rack of them, and they're around £1.20 uk. I've used them too, and once you are used to them, they are excellent. As you will see from Grumpa's builds, they certainly don't restrict what you can do, but you do need to use them in thin layers! This can be disheartening for the beginner, as your model will look terrible for the first few coats, but keep at it and you'll soon have a surface that is complex and deep, and therefore, far more realistic.
You can also use Vallejo for brush painting, and the Revell and Humbrol acrylics, but you'll spend a lot more money on them for a lot less paint, so if you are on a budget, have a go with these - after Grumpa posted about his method, I had a go on an old T62 that hadn't come out as well as I hoped, I was amazed at the results:

[Guest]

If you do go for the Vallejo / Humbrol / Revell option, I'd recommend a proprietary acrylic thinner, or windex to clean your brushes.

[Guest]

Hi there,
I am wondering what acrylic paint I should use for brush painting is and also the best thinner/thinning ratio is for that paint.

I use Tamiya acrylic paints for both airbrush and brush. I fine a little water with a couple of dribs if retarder works well for brush painting.

[Guest]

In many ways, the question is impossible to answer! Everyone is different, with different styles & expectations, so any recommendations might not work for you.

For instance, Alan likes Tamiya for brushing while many people hate them anywhere outside of an airbrush!

Your best bet is to buy a pot from a number of different brands. Vallejo Model Colour, Tamiya, Reveal Aqua Colour & Humbrol (shiver!).

Until you settle on one particular brand, they can all be thinned with distilled water. Try each one on a test kit & see which suits you best. Then buy the colours you require & some proprietary thinners.

[spanner570]

Patrick's observations are spot on.

.....But don't forget Vallejo Model Air - brush applied straight from the bottle, it works a treat.

[Thorbrand]

I use a mix of revell and humbrol acrylics mainly for ease of availability (i live a short walk from a hobbycraft) i will say thinning the paint is a good idea. I put some in a clear plastic shot glass and drop a few drops of water from a pippette and mix it. You get a smoother finish by thinning the paint but with lighter colours like yellow or white you will probably need 3 or 4 coats to get an opaque effect. I always do at least two thinned coats for other colours.

[Guest]

Thanks for all the replies everyone!