Acrylic paint

[JimiJimi]

Hi all

Can anyone recommend a good make of acrylic paint? I don't know if it is the brand I am using but it is very transparent and no matter how many coats I put on it won't cover the grain.

Jimi

 

[MJOriginals]

Hi jimijimi
What area are you trying to cover and what's the wood?

Normally when I'm using acrylic I put a base on first either a grain sealer or acrylic sanding sealer and quiet often I use an under coat layer to improve grain coverage
Martyn
MJOriginals

 

[AES]

For toys, which are of course usually pretty small, I use artists' acrylics in tubes. Here they come from a French manufacturer who's name I've forgotten 8sorry) but I guess they're pretty common all over the place.

The upside of artists' acrylics is that the pigmentation is really dense so coverage is not a problem, provided A) the surface is really clean and finger-print free, and B) after a final raw sand there's been a coat of clear varnish (see below).

The downside is of course, the cost, but since I'm talking small areas here that's not a real problem. I would NOT want to pay for enough to cover a door though!

For a base coat, and for a "safety finish" after colour I use an ordinary water based clear varnish from the DIY emporium - satin or matt, as you wish.

BUT Peter Millard (whom I think is a member here) publishes an (IMO) excellent series of videos on Youtube under the general title of "10 Minute Workshop". He mainly covers his own professional activities which seem to be making and fitting built-ins in private houses around London. He uses a lot of MDF (which can in some respects be a bit of a PITA for finishes) and uses a lot of acrylics for his finishes, all of that being well covered in his various videos.

I suggest a quick look on Youtube for his stuff.

HTH

 

[Dalboy]

I use acrylic artist paints as well System 3 is the make but tend to thin it with flow aid rather than water, as water will make them become transparent by doing that I can spray them with one of my single action type airbrush this picture will give an idea of coverage normaly two coats and it covers well after a sealer that is.

 

[JimiJimi]

It is mostly either pine or birch ply that I am trying to cover. I have been using water based acrylics - are oil based better? I tried with a base coat and also with a grain sealer but that seemed to make it worse.

 

[AES]

Personally I've never heard of oil-based acrylic paint, sorry. A couple of obvious Q's:

1. I presume you're thinning with water? How much water? Should be enough to ONLY JUST allow the mix to flow out evenly as you brush, or run through the air brush without blocking or spattering if spraying. (I find a viscosity cup very useful when spraying).

2. Have you tried mixing just ONE tiny drop of washing up liquid, or car windscreen washer fluid, into the water before mixing with the paint?

3. Are you THOROUGHLY mixing everything together before applying the paint?

4. If brushing, not spraying, are you using GOOD brushes? And are you brushing the mix out too thinly?

5. Is the job THOROUGHLY free from grease/finger prints before painting?

Sorry if any/all of the above are teaching granny to suck eggs!

I can't think of any other reasons, sorry.

 

[JimiJimi]

I think it must be the paint. It doesn't require any thinning as it is is really runny to start with. I'll invest in some of the System 3 and give that a go. Thank you for all the good tips though

Jimi

 

[AES]

Yeah, I think it must be the paint. The artists' stuff I use comes in tubes and is about as thick as toothpaste at the start, hence me talking about thinning with water/washing up liquid.

And I don't know the System 3 paint that Dalboy was talking about, but if you look closely at his figures (posted above) that paint has covered very well indeed after "only" 2 coats. Dalboy is BTW, IMO, a 1st class modeller. Have a search for his half track model posted on here a while back.

Just FYI, normally I only use 2 coats of colour too (followed by 1 or 2 coats of clear varnish as sealer for toys).

 

[Dalboy]

Yeah, I think it must be the paint. The artists' stuff I use comes in tubes and is about as thick as toothpaste at the start, hence me talking about thinning with water/washing up liquid.

And I don't know the System 3 paint that Dalboy was talking about, but if you look closely at his figures (posted above) that paint has covered very well indeed after "only" 2 coats. Dalboy is BTW, IMO, a 1st class modeller. Have a search for his half track model posted on here a while back.

Just FYI, normally I only use 2 coats of colour too (followed by 1 or 2 coats of clear varnish as sealer for toys).

Thank you AES. Model making come to a halt as I have been making something for my woodturning club for a competition as well as making things for Christmas
I also cover with a finish after the paint
System 3 is an acrylic paint and yes it comes in tubes as stated that is why I use a product called Flow Aid to thin mine water tends to make the paint transparent rather than opaque if too much is used. Flow Aid that I use is made by Liquitex.

Once I have mixed it I put it through a very fine nylon stocking(not mine the wifes and not when she is wearing them) this makes sure there are no lumps in the paint for putting it through the airbrush. This is the airbrush I use for this type of work not my double acting one which I use proper airbrush paint.

Whatever you do DO NOT use artist oil paints they take ages to dry like weeks and months even longer

 

[AES]

Yes Dalboy, I've seen your turned Remembrance piece and already posted that it's a fine tribute.

Also, yes I too use my wife's (old) tights for straining paint - IMO that's essential if spraying. I use Badger myself, but that's only because when I started airbrushing, Badger was one of the few brands freely available back then. I use a model 350 for general work (and for varnish sealer) and a 150 double action if I need fine lines, etc.

These days though, for toys, which are generally pretty small, and which I normally only build as one-offs, I more often use artists' brushes or aerosols.

Cheers