paints...

[Maverick]

Sorry if Im beating a dead horse here but I had a quick question. Ive been reading a lot about peoples' preferences when it comes to paints (most prefer either tamiya or vallejo it seems) but what about testors/model masters paints? Are these amateur brands compared to the other stuff? My only local hobby shop is a Hobby Lobby which is ok but limited in scale modeling selections. Most of their stuff is testors/model masters.

As far as their models go...99% Revell. Won't find anything nicer. Which brings me to another noob question...are tamiya models that much better at quadrupal the price? Why?

Thanks!

 

[arohk]

for myself I use mainly Testors/model master paints even though the model shop sells pretty much all types. I have had no real issues with them myself and from my understanding they work fine in airbrushes but that I have no experience in myself. as far as models and which is better for me I have found they both have their strengths and weeknesses when it comes to say automotive ones revel always from all I seen have a engine and good interior detail. But my main area that I build are military and sci-fi and in that area I have had no real complaints with revell kits they are pretty detailed and the new 1/350 Bismark I got is pretty sweet for the price.

 

[Maverick]

Thanks Arohk. Im really into detail but if tamiya or others are no more detailed than the $8-$20 revell models...then I guess its a no brainer!

 

[Quaralane]

It's still a valid question, Maverick
Me, I use acrylics for ease of cleanup. Which tends to rule out most of the Testors line

 

[arohk]

It does help if you have a good hobby store in your area for supplies like where I am they carry pretty much any brand you can think of and price wise there all within a few dollars of each other not to mention the staff is very well knowledged with the products.

 

[Maverick]

Thanks guys. Yes, unfortunately I am limited to Hobby Lobby which is more like a glorified craft store. I suppose the local economy has dumped on any and all small business hobby shops. Thank God for the internet.

 

[arohk]

I remember those stores I was in one near Seattle a few years ago we have something similar here in Canada called Micheals. The internet is a good thing for you in that case.

 

[the Baron]

I use Model Master paints, too. The ones I have, I bought for specific color choices.

With their acrylics, I'll use isopropyl to thin them for airbrushing, or water.

With their enamels, I'll use mineral spirits or lacquer thinner.

Those are my usual formulas for acrylics and for enamels, except for Tamiya acrylics. I use Tamiya's proprietary acrylic thinner, with their acrylics. That has given me the best results, with their acrylics.

 

[Grendels]

I use a wide mixture of paints. To me different brands of paint work best for different uses. For example Tamiya paint works great in the airbrush but not so good for brush painting. You can brush paint Tamiya paint, but it take practice to get it to work right.

What is best is to just try a few different paints and get a feel for what works best for you.

 

[the Baron]

...For example Tamiya paint works great in the airbrush but not so good for brush painting. You can brush paint Tamiya paint, but it take practice to get it to work right...

Hi, Grendels, if you're still interested in brushing Tamiya paints by hand, may I recommend using their thinner, if you haven't tried it?

I used to use them out of the jar, on my toy soldiers, and I noticed that they had a tendency to clump and dry too quickly, and not to adhere so well. Second coats would pull up previous coats.

Then I read somewhere that they're formulated for airbrushing, and intended to be thinned before using. I tried using isopropyl, first, because it was cheaper, and some fellow curmudgeon somewhere said, "It's the same thing!" But I found that even thinning with isopropyl, the Tamiya paints still clumped. So I broke down and bought their proprietary thinners, and I found that I can work with them just as easily as Vallejo and Andrea work for me. I just mix the color and thinner on my palette, then apply it to the subject.

 

[Grendels]

I do have their thinner and I use it with the airbrush all the time. I never thought of using it with brush painting.

The big problem with Tamiya and the brush painting is that it will loosen the underlying layers of the paint. For example if you are trying to paint silver over yellow you end up with a mix of those two colors. This happens because Tamiya is lacquer basid. The thinner in lacquer paints will dissolve the previous layers if it is applied too heavily.