Returning modeller confused by paint choices!

[StevieJ]

First time caller - returning modeller. Hi I have taken up scale aircraft modelling again after a 30 year gap. When I last did this hobby I'm sure that the only paint choice was between Humbrol paints in Gloss or Matt finishes and a semi-gloss Black (coal black?). However there now is a whole smorgasbord of choices and I am not sure on what goes with what!
My first attempt was to prime by Tamiya P38 Lightning interior with a can of Tamiya Fine Surface Primer Light Grey. This went on lovely with a matt finish and all the surface detail maintained. I the left it for 48 hours before airbrushing on Mig Ammo Zinc Chromate Interior Green which was described as Acrylic. I thinned this with Mig Ammo Acrylic thinners and sprayed it on. At first all seemed OK but 24 hours later the paint had 'dried' to a semi-gloss finish which still feels a bit tacky. I have tried brush painting over some areas but it still goes no semi-gloss not matt like the Tamiya primer. Is this usual for acrylics? Just for the hell of it I then tried an enamel wash by MIg which ran along the panel lines beautifully . However when I tried to remove some excess with cotton bud it removed all layers back to bare plastic!! Am I using the wring primer or is this an issue with the Mig Acrylic? or user error?
Any help would be most welcome.

[pjgtech]

Not a paint expert at all, but I tend to stick to one type, eg: if using acrylic then acrylic primer, paints and thinners.
Obviously if using enamel (eg: washes) then use an enamel thinner, likewise if using oils, then user an oil thinner, etc.
Most peeps seem to apply a varnish after each "layer" to seal stuff in.
Eg: prime then paint, then seal with varnish, then apply decals, then varnish again, then apply weathering, then varnish again, etc.
I'm sure someone with more knowledge will be along shortly....
Cheers

[Geoffers]

I think Peter has nailed it,

prime/paint/varnish/decals/varnish/weather/final varnish.

You can skip some of the varnish steps but if you stick to the above you shouldn’t go far wrong.

I use gloss varnish before decals as it makes it easier to move them around when applying them. The other varnish types depend on what sort of finish I’m after.

The final varnish can be either Matt /silk or gloss depending on what type of aircraft you are building.

I’m not familiar with Mig Ammo Acrylics, whether they are Matt or Gloss but putting them over Tamiya primer shouldn’t have caused any problems.

Hope this helps 👍

Geoff.

[stillp]

I had the same problem with Mig Ammo - didn't seem to be fully dry even after a couple of weeks. A guy at a local model shop told me that Mig Ammo is very sensitive to the humidity when it's applied. I binned the paints.
Pete

[Richard48]

Many swear by Tamiya Acrylics.A tip for them i got years ago from Ted Taylor was if you are using say Tamiya matt colours for say a Tiger 1 tank just add a bit of Tamiya gloss varnish in with the paint and then its ready for decals and weathering stages and then seal decals after decals and weather away.3rd generation AK acrylics are supposed to be good and great for figures as well.Lifecolour is good with many sets available from Airbrush company.Andrea is great for figures and Warhammer paints are great for figures and many vibrant colours.Then there are Lacquers and they tend to pong rather a lot along with Humbrol enamels in tins.Definately need a spray booth or mancave outdoors for these.Its a case of try a few and go with what suits you for your needs.
Richard

[StevieJ]

I have airbrushed Mr Colour GX100 over my tacky coat and that has dried shiny and dry, which is nice! I will be trying an oil wash to bring out the detail after letting it cure some more. Hopefully I can then apply a Matt varnish to seal everything and remove the unnatural glossy finish. Thanks for the advice I will let you know the final results!

[flyjoe180]

Hi Steve. I use Ammo acrylics every now and again. Shake them well to ensure the pigment is properly mixed. Spray them with Ammo acrylic thinner, use very light misting passes. You can spray another coat over these thin coats within a few minutes. To speed up the process you can use airbrush air to quickly 'surface dry' the previous paint. Sometimes they do dry with a sheen, but your final varnish should correct it to the finish you want.

I'm not loyal to any one brand, but I would suggest using that one brand's thinner with their paint or varnish.

Re the paint stripping, is Tamiya Surface Primer a lacquer? I ask because someone may have an idea about how that may affect acrylics on top. Also, did you use enamel thinner to remove the excess wash? If the paint is dry and varnished with acrylic, it should not be affected by enamel thinner, assuming the primer coat was not also enamel.

[BarryW]

Water based acrylics can take days to dry and cure. That tacky feel is not uncommon with those types of paint. Overnight in an airing cupboard might help.

Alternatively my recommendation would be to use lacquers through the airbrush. They have none of the foibles of water based paint and perform far better through an airbrush. My choice are MRP’s lacquer range, they are airbrush ready so no need to thin and spray like a dream at a very low psi (10-15 or even lower). These are dry in minutes and easy to mask and paint over, to play safe you could leave it 30 minutes though I rarely do. The colour range is huge with a comprehensive range of all colours needed for WW2 main six combatant air forces. They come in 30ml bottles and a such one bottle can be enough for the largest aircraft, as I build mainly 1/32 this is a real positive. The only downside is the smell, you do need a well ventilated space or better still a spray booth that you vent through a window.

other lacquer paint brands to consider include SMS and Mr Colour. Also other brands, even Tamiya, are now bringing out lacquer ranges. I don’t think any are as good as MRP though, for the ultra-small pigment size that offers a lot of advantages.