Airbrushing with GW Paints?

[GrandmasterRay]

I've got a small airbrush that has been collecting dust for some time. I never really got around to learning how to use it because it seemed too complicated and didn't want to buy new paints.

Is it possible to EFFECTIVELY and EFFICIANTLY airbrush using GW paints? If so, how would I go about doing it? If someone who has some experiance could post a small little guide, that would be great.

[Aldramelech]

Games Workshop paint is far to thick to be used straight from the pot, you'll need to water it down. Buy a pot of Tamiya (designed for airbrushing) and you'll get an idea of the correct consistency needed. In my opinion GW paint is too expensive for airbrushing.

[crazyredpraetorian]

GW paints are all that I use in my airbrush. I have had no problems with them at all. The key is finding the right consistency for the paint. It varies depending on color.

[Skeletay]

Games Workshop paint is far to thick to be used straight from the pot, you'll need to water it down. Buy a pot of Tamiya (designed for airbrushing) and you'll get an idea of the correct consistency needed. In my opinion GW paint is too expensive for airbrushing.

The problem with using tamiya paints is that they suck for hand painting, so once you've done your base coat with the airbrush, you have to match the colour with GW paints ( or whatever paint you use). It's easier to just airbrush Gw paints. GW paints are okay to airbrush just thin them down a lot and practice on some crappy old models you have lying around until you're comfortable.

[GrandmasterRay]

how do you store them once you mix them? do you use all the paint or keep them in the gw pots or in a new one? what do you thin the paint with? water? thinner or some sort? how fast do you go through pots?

[crazyredpraetorian]

how do you store them once you mix them? do you use all the paint or keep them in the gw pots or in a new one? what do you thin the paint with? water? thinner or some sort? how fast do you go through pots? is it worth using them to apply bases or no?



I only spray big jobs. So, I usually don't have much paint left over.

I use water to thin them. Milk consistency is a good starting point.

I base coated my entire SW army and used 3 pots. I was spraying Shadow Grey over a white primer

[Skeletay]

how do you store them once you mix them? do you use all the paint or keep them in the gw pots or in a new one? what do you thin the paint with? water? thinner or some sort? how fast do you go through pots? is it worth using them to apply bases or no?

I've heard of people having good results with tamiya thinner with GW paints, but personally, after having a very bad experience with tamiya thinner with P3 paints, I stick to water. Distilled water is better, but tap water is okay in a pinch.
Paint goes a long way with an airbrush so just mix a bit at a time and you'll be surprised by how little paint you actually use.
One other thing, you NEED a strong thinner like lacquer thinner or something like that to clean your airbrush every time you use it. Especially with GW paints. I find the biggest problem with airbrushing GW paints is not how it sprays, but how much it gums up your airbrush.

[Aldramelech]

The problem with using tamiya paints is that they suck for hand painting, so once you've done your base coat with the airbrush, you have to match the colour with GW paints ( or whatever paint you use). It's easier to just airbrush Gw paints. GW paints are okay to airbrush just thin them down a lot and practice on some crappy old models you have lying around until you're comfortable.

Wasnt suggesting he used Tamiya, advised him to buy one pot to see the consistancy.

[Aldramelech]

I've heard of people having good results with tamiya thinner with GW paints, but personally, after having a very bad experience with tamiya thinner with P3 paints, I stick to water. Distilled water is better, but tap water is okay in a pinch.
Paint goes a long way with an airbrush so just mix a bit at a time and you'll be surprised by how little paint you actually use.
One other thing, you NEED a strong thinner like lacquer thinner or something like that to clean your airbrush every time you use it. Especially with GW paints. I find the biggest problem with airbrushing GW paints is not how it sprays, but how much it gums up your airbrush.

Spot on! It cannot be stressed enough, you must clean after every spray.

I find I use more air cleaning then painting lol

[Skeletay]

Wasnt suggesting he used Tamiya, advised him to buy one pot to see the consistancy.
Fair enough:p, no offense intended. That's not a bad idea actually, buying a pot of tamiya or model master acrylic( my favorite) to get used to how your airbrush should work.

[mchawkeye]

Just set up my airbrush in a permanent sort of a way (and I am loving it. loving it), though it's worth noting I use Vallejo paints (both the standard ones and the specific airbrush variety) buying fully fledged thinners and airbrush solvent is a solid way to go.

This, however, is not the point of this post. Someone mentioned finding comparison colours between GW paints and, say Tamiya isn't great, well there is more than one comparison chart out there. This site, though:

http://www.paint4models.com/paintchart/paintconversionchart.html#

Is top hole and allows you to compare colours between just about any manufacturer -including GW- complete with FS number for sure fire accuracy.

Of course, when I started painting my Eldar I think I discovered the one colour in the world than has no equivalent any where.

Typical.

[GrandmasterRay]

Awesome! Off to basing some flesh tearers!

[Dave38x]

Personally i find the best acrylics to use in the airbrush are vallejo game paints. Thin them with distilled water, and the beauty is is that they are cheaper, better and come in larger quantities than citadel paints, but come in exactly the same shades, thus making the transition painless!

[vman]

ive recently purchased alot of vallejo air paints as im finding citadel paints difficult to get right with a/b

[fade_74]

I use GW paints with my airbrush and I find that they work quite nicely. I thin them out with rubbing alcohol until they are about as thin as milk (others have posted this to). I don't thin the whole jar of paint though. Grab yourself some cheap eyedroppers from the pharmacy or walmart. Use those to suck up your paint (from the jar), then deposit them in something suitable. I use a cheap plastic painting pallet with round depressions in it. Thin them out and give em a try on something that isn't important. A spare piece of model works great. I use the top from a chimera that came out of my basilisk box about 10 years ago lol. Experiment with it. If it covers well and doesn't run....you got it. You can also run clean alcohol through your brush to clean it between colors. Get yourself odorless thinner for cleaning your airbrush when you are done using it.

[doctorahhnold]

there was a good starters guide to airbrushing on the dakka dakka forums recently...here is the link
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/251253.page


hope that helps you out

[Mindless-Focus]

I'm an avid airbrusher. I use Iwata (think mercedes of airbrushes). Also, it should be noted that gravity-fed, internal-mixing, double-action AB's is THE best way to go. you will get the finest spray then with many other type of 'brushes. Liquitex makes an AB thinner that is pretty cheap and works GREAT with both vallejo and GW paints. Also note that some GW paints (like white and some yellows) actually need alcohol to thin. Oh and Silly Putty is great for masking for any thing from cammo designs to isolating armor segments. hope any of this helps. been ABing for over 12 years and love it.

[mchawkeye]

Oh and Silly Putty is great for masking for any thing from cammo designs to isolating armor segments.

Yeah! Blue tac works well too and there is a home made putty, made with borax, that works quite well also.

[Forge]

I use GW paints with the Tamiya Thinner using the Citadel Gun and a cheap compressor, no problems,
I first used water but it caused the paint to run alot.

I must agree with other posts, tamiya paints are very poor, it took me 6 coats to get up to a
decent colour using airbrush. Their spray cans however are very good and I'd recommend.

Vallejo Air paints are ok, they only take one coat (maybe 2) but are very heavy, and you can loose a lot of detail.

Only based on my own experience, I use airbrushing for basecoats only not the final cover, not even
on tanks, for some reason I can never match the handpainted colours, I am pretty fussy :)

Tamiya also do a good and cheap masking tape, its just a pity their paint is crappola.

[volrath8754]

I've got to ask is their a better way to get propellant for your airbrush than using GW's propellant?? And yes I know about compressors but I simply don't use the AB enough to justify a couple hundred burned on a compressor... any help appreciated...

[themurphyfella]

I've got to ask is their a better way to get propellant for your airbrush than using GW's propellant?? And yes I know about compressors but I simply don't use the AB enough to justify a couple hundred burned on a compressor... any help appreciated...

I picked up a cheap airbrush and compressor on eBay for about 150 euro.
http://cgi.ebay.ie/COMPLETE-AIRBRUSH-KIT-AIRBRUSH-COMPRESSOR-WITH-TANK_W0QQitemZ370247900035QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Cr afts_DrawingSupplies_EH?hash=item56347e9b83&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262

I'm pretty sure there's a Us based equivalent.

I've heard of people using innertubes as air resovors but from the reports it's pretty much a desperation measure

[Siquid]

i agree with several of the previous posters.....gw paints work great in an airbrush (even foundation paints) if thinned properly. tamiya x-20 does work well with GW paints( i also find that it reacts strangely with both p3 and Vallejo paints), and rubbing alchohol is good too. Both work well because they have no surface tension, as opposed to water. Also thinnig and spraying inks with pledge with future shin works great too. the key to success is experametation. use a peice of paper and try to spray a thin line. If it is choppy, the paint is too thik, if it catapillars the paint is too thin. Also try to play around with your compressorpsi settings. some where in the range of 15-25 psi should work great. Also make sure to thin enough paint to finish what you are doing in one go, that way you wont have to play around with trying to get the mix just so again. Finally one of the best tricks that I can offer is using a digital sclae. It works great for mixxing custom colors and thinning paint. put a container on the scale, ture it on, then keep track of how much the wiegt is as u add colors and thinners. write down ur formula, and next time you try to make the same color, or thin paint just reffer back to notes....hope that helps!

[Siquid]

SorrY for bad spelling. Trying to respond to thread from phone whilst working. :D

[Danno]

@ those who airbrush frequently: Do you find it easier to clean your airbrush if you thin your paints with alcohol/paint thinner than if you used water (distilled or otherwise)?

[Siquid]

I don't think it makes a noticable differance either hay. But I do soak my iwatA in alcholol after each use