A brief interlude into weathering with acrylics ....

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Western Thunderer
Morning Chris,

Wow! Thanks to your good self and Dave, I will certainly give it another go after reading all the helpful advice.

There’s no time like the present, so I will go and make myself a “ wet palette “.

Cheers,

Martyn.
 

class27

Active Member
Trying to get a grip on the different working times is difficult. I have also found that I really struggle with acrylics and a brush, but the covering power with an airbrush is excellent. The water tip is something I will try as I can see how it will give better working times (slower evaporation time). The only other issue I have is that it does not adhere as well as an enamel, it does scratch off easily. I accept that it may be my method that is the problem when using acrylics to weather on top of an enamel colour coat.
 

SimonT

Western Thunderer
I make extensive use of make up pads when weathering with acrylics, both to put on washes and to remove; use the foam ones. For paint I use the AK/MIG range and Windsor & Newton artists acrylics. I didn't get on the the Tamiya paints and very fierce thinners.
I use a limitated palate of colours and mix to achieve the colour I want. I use a beige base for all colouring and, judging from the comments I received, it seemed to work on Aberbeeg.
To make rusts am I using the AK pack but mix clours every time. I try to have models at different stages of weathering and put some of each mix on each model, as appropriate. You rapidly end up with a wide but range of tones and I tie it together with a thin dull wash to finish the apinting.

The wet palate is new and will be copied. Thanks Dave.
 

steve50

Western Thunderer
Def have to try a wet pallete, I've seen them used with artists acrylics but didn't know you could use them for modelling. Is that the Lifecolour stone paint set you've got there Chris?

Steve.
 

Pencarrow

Western Thunderer
Def have to try a wet pallete, I've seen them used with artists acrylics but didn't know you could use them for modelling. Is that the Lifecolour stone paint set you've got there Chris?

Steve.

Yes, Steve that's right. I'm also using various Vallejo paints - they come in great little bottles that you can squeeze to get a drop or a dollop.
 

GrahameH

Western Thunderer
I think it's been mentioned before but the military modellers are well ahead of us in terms of how they use acrylics. Well worth searching on YouTube for films showing how they do it. Vallejo and AK also have tutorials.

Yes, Steve that's right. I'm also using various Vallejo paints - they come in great little bottles that you can squeeze to get a drop or a dollop.

Totally agree with Chris about the tutorials if anyone needs further confidence and easy to follow, and if used with a "wet" palette there is far less waste despite being able to squeeze only the amount that you need.

Whilst I have adapted and prefer these products I do still use other mediums.

G
 

Pencarrow

Western Thunderer
A few more of my recent painting projects using acrylics:

IMG_20210214_135629_1.jpg
A repainted RTP, roof untouched.

IMG_20210214_141020_1.jpg
A mixture of concrete huts from plastic and white metal kits.

IMG_20210214_220151.jpg
Ratio concrete fencing - a work in progress.

All in 4mm scale and using a limited palette of 5 stone colours plus a green and a red-brown.
 

Rob Pulham

Western Thunderer
The only problem is the speed of drying and the fact that you cannot dissolve it after it is dry. Your final result looks great, btw. :)

Michael

Hi Michael,

The good news is that you can. Acrylic paint can be dissolved and rubbed of with a cotton bud in the same manner as enamels with either meths or IPA.

With much experimentation I prefer IPA as it's less aggressive than meths but both can be diluted with water to make them less aggressive to paint layers underneath.

I do all my weathering with Vallejo acrylics, but unlike Martyn I am too tight to buy the Vallejo Air. I much prefer to use the same colours in the Model or Game Colour ranges, diluting them with Vallejo thinners. - They go much further for the money....:cool: (Yorkshireman mode fully on!)

PS. My good lady paints in acrylics and makes use of a wet palette as Dave describes - she uses a box with a plastic grid in the bottom sold for storing bacon in.
 

Keith Phillips

Western Thunderer
I'm with Rob on the use of Vallejo standard paint. I dilute 50/50 with the airbrush thinners to spray them or use the wet palet method.
I have found that some colours don't go through the airbrush quite so well as the pigment pieces are too large. Trial and error in that case.
Model Air paint has a much smaller range of colours so the standard range can be quite useful.

Vallejo do something called Flow improver which also helps but is a bit more expensive than the thinners. However you only need one or two drops at a time. It slows down the drying time to stop the paint from clogging the air brush.

Cheers,

Keith
 
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