Christmas Present


Firstly, welcome to the boards!

I find that Tamiya paints work well for me in the airbrush. They are alcohol based and work very well for me without thinning at about 14psi.. Tamiya paints don't brush worth a darn, but they are very good in the airbrush.
Besides, Tamiya has a very good selection of colors. They mix well together, in my experience, if you wish to alter shades.

Isopropyl alcohol seems to work as an airbrush cleaner for these paints. I don't much like it though, as I believe it contains too much water. Tamiya X-20A thinner is expensive. So I prefer Mr.Color Thinner 400; cheaper than X-20A and sold in bigger bottles. I believe the Mr.Color is the same stuff as X-20A thinner.
 
I've used 97% Isopropyl from the drugstore with great results to thin the craft type paints sold at Hobby Lobby and other stores. (good luck finding any paint right now, racks are empty)
As McLeod said, the common off the shelf Isopropyl has to much water.

For learning to use the airbrush I would go with name brand paint (Tamiya / Vallejo ect) and the recommended thinner to get familiar with using the AB. No need for bad mixes to cause frustration.

I myself paint modeling subjects more with enamel paints. I mainly use acrylics for painting Halloween props.
 
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I like Tamiya paint too. I wouldn't say they brush horribly. I think they just need two coats, with plenty of drying time. They airbrush beautifully in one coat. I would say they make the best true white paint I have ever seen.
 
I use Vallejo Air in the airbrush. I can’t handle the solvent smells even though I use the paint booth. Always IMO
use the paint thinner that is the same brand as your paints. After a few years of using the airbrush you can use any thinners
you want. Have fun.

TomO
 
Welcome to the forum!
Your off to a good start, your asking questions. I have some Vallejo Model Air paint, water clean up, and some Tamiya paint, Isopropyl Alcohol clean up, & Tru-Color paint, Acetone clean up. What kind of solvent do you want to deal with? I prefer the Vallejo because it is water based, comes in enough colors to suit my needs and the bottles are plastic so you can dispense paint one drop at a time. (Important when mixing colors)
On craft paints like AppleBarrel, the paint pigment isn't ground very fine, which is what you need for air brushing. For me, the little bit of airbrushing I've done, I look at coverage, color selection, clean up in choosing a paint.
 
Here's a good site that has a lot of information and tips about airbrushes:
Don's Airbrush Tips (google.com)

One of the tips he has that helped me when I was learning to airbrush is to use distilled water with food coloring in it to practice with. It's really easy to clean the brush afterwards, it's cheap, and you may already have the needed supplies in your house. Practice painting lines, dots, etc. Once you've learned how to use (very few ever truly master) the airbrush, you'll wonder how you got along without one!
 
Welcome to the forum!
Your off to a good start, your asking questions. I have some Vallejo Model Air paint, water clean up, and some Tamiya paint, Isopropyl Alcohol clean up, & Tru-Color paint, Acetone clean up. What kind of solvent do you want to deal with? I prefer the Vallejo because it is water based, comes in enough colors to suit my needs and the bottles are plastic so you can dispense paint one drop at a time. (Important when mixing colors)
On craft paints like AppleBarrel, the paint pigment isn't ground very fine, which is what you need for air brushing. For me, the little bit of airbrushing I've done, I look at coverage, color selection, clean up in choosing a paint.
My mancave is pretty basic and not including a vented paint booth, sooooo safety is a consideration for me and the grandkids. Water based paints sound like the safest.
 
Start slow and simple and work your way up.
Indeed, experiment! That's one of the ways I've approached model railroading. There are a lot of different facets to it, and this "sport" ;), can get expensive! Research can help tremendously. Take your time, don't get in a hurry. See what works best for you and your situation. When I picked up an airbrush, I had never used one before, that's what the professionals use I thought! It was intimating! I also got a "Air Brushing for Beginners" book., dove into it, and now airbrushing a new paint job on a car is something I look forward to and really enjoy.
 
Also before jumping off on that special car practice on a few inexpensive, easily disposable cars. I started by going to garage, tag, yard or estate sales looking for old Tyco sets that have seen better days. The cars can be had for a few bucks and you can test distance and air pressures to see what works for you. That way you avoid orange peel finish or paint pooling while learning how to spray at different angles to get paint into the corners, cracks and crevices. Also good to practice decaling so you avoid leaving air bubbles or too much adhesive behind. Good luck and remember to have fun. Post some photos showing results! Merry Christmas!
 



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