discussion What's the eye dropper called to mix (acrylic) paint with water?

[Guest]

I'm in the process of building my first model, and I'm learning a lot,
I don't have the eye dropper kind of tool (see screenshot), which is used to mix water with paint, are there any household items I can use to mix?
Or do I need to buy them and if yes what are they called?



Thank you.

 

[Wouter]

usually model shops sell pipettes which you can use for the same purpose

 

[Guest]

That looks like a syringe from a childs medicine (Calpol). I have plenty of those knocking around, that gives me an idea! :smiling5:

 

[Guest]

That looks like a syringe from a childs medicine (Calpol). I have plenty of those knocking around, that gives me an idea! :smiling5:

Glad I could help! Haha. I'm going to check out some general stores tomorrow and hope I can find one, I wonder how reusable it will be with acrylic paint?

 

[Ian M]

I just use a plastic bottle with a drip spout. Failing that you could use a drinking straw.

 

[Dave Ward]

Bulb Pipette! I got 50 x 3cc graduated plastic pipettes from China delivered for < £1 via Amazon - they're flimsy, but at that price disposable after a few weeks!
Dave

 

[Gary MacKenzie]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01C6M9J92 << i bought these ( typing just as i saw daves answer appear )

 

[Tim Marlow]

Third one on 3ml bulb pipettes from Amazon....cheap and effective....and much easier to use than syringes.....

 

[Dave Ward]

I also got 50 odd clear plastic shot glasses from Amazon - ideal for mixing up paints
Dave

 

[Gern]

Glad I could help! Haha. I'm going to check out some general stores tomorrow and hope I can find one, I wonder how reusable it will be with acrylic paint?

As long as you don't let the paint dry you'll be fine. I tend to rinse mine out as soon as I've finished using it - ie before I start actually painting.

 

[Guest]

That looks like a syringe from a childs medicine (Calpol). I have plenty of those knocking around, that gives me an idea! :smiling5:

Haha you're absolutely right! I just googled Calpol and it's exactly that, I might just go ask in a farmacy if they have some spare ones lying around. Good eye!

 

[Guest]

You can also buy small syringes from hobby shops, I think. I’ve got a 3 ml one (or was it 5 ml?) that I use when thinning paint for airbrushing. (Only thing is that I never look at the markings on it — I just use the syringe to draw up the thinner I use from the bottle, then squirt some into the airbrush paint cup )

 

[Guest]

You can also buy small syringes from hobby shops, I think. I’ve got a 3 ml one (or was it 5 ml?) that I use when thinning paint for airbrushing. (Only thing is that I never look at the markings on it — I just use the syringe to draw up the thinner I use from the bottle, then squirt some into the airbrush paint cup :smiling3

I bought a syringe from a pharmacy, I'm just wondering, if the Revell aqua paint is to thick, what's another good method of moving the paint from the tube to a mixing plate? Is it okay to use the back of a spoon, for example? And then use the syringe to add water to the mixing plate?

 

[Guest]

I use the old style glass pipette (eye dropper) with latex/rubber bulb. Really easy to clean if necessary.

 

[Guest]

I bought a syringe from a pharmacy, I'm just wondering, if the Revell aqua paint is to thick, what's another good method of moving the paint from the tube to a mixing plate? Is it okay to use the back of a spoon, for example? And then use the syringe to add water to the mixing plate?

You are making things far more complicated than they need to be If the paint is too thick, then pick up some paint with your brush from the bottle and put it onto your palette, then pick up water with the same brush and mix it in.

For mixing two or more colours, use your stirring sticks* to transfer paint to the palette instead of a brush, else you’ll end up with bits of paint in bottles it doesn’t belong in.

* You do stir your paint, right? Get a supply of cocktailprikkers (I have no idea what these are called in English and don’t feel like looking it up ) and you’ll be set for life. Well, almost.

 

[Guest]

* You do stir your paint, right? Get a supply of cocktailprikkers (I have no idea what these are called in English and don’t feel like looking it up :smiling3 and you’ll be set for life. Well, almost.

I bought a bunch of eyebrow waxing spatulas from ebay for about a penny each. About the same length as a cocktail stick but wider/flatter at one end. I've found them great for stirring and sticking small parts to. Like a mini lolly stick but pointed on one end.

 

[stillp]

You are making things far more complicated than they need to be :smiling3: If the paint is too thick, then pick up some paint with your brush from the bottle and put it onto your palette, then pick up water with the same brush and mix it in.

For mixing two or more colours, use your stirring sticks* to transfer paint to the palette instead of a brush, else you’ll end up with bits of paint in bottles it doesn’t belong in.

* You do stir your paint, right? Get a supply of cocktailprikkers (I have no idea what these are called in English and don’t feel like looking it up :smiling3 and you’ll be set for life. Well, almost.

Agree with Jakko about thinning. You don't need to measure exact amounts, just add some water until it feels right.For stirrers, just go to a coffee shop and pick up a few wooden coffee stirrers!

Pete

 

[Guest]

cocktail stick

That was the name I was looking for!

Flat sticks do work better for stirring, in my experience, but for the smaller model paint bottles, in my experience not enough that I’ve bothered finding better than cocktail sticks. For bigger bottles like Tamiya’s or Gunze-Sangyo’s, I use ice lolly sticks.

 

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

I use these for thinning,

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HDPE-Pla...hash=item41c70506c6:m:mhOs-wlw0hTiV8O6_3Q3_tQ

I have several all filled with the liquids I need, be it Mr Hobby thinners, isopropyl alcohol, leveling thinner etc, just label em up and they sit on shelf next to my paints, there ideal for a quick airbrush clean as well just squirt some in fire it through and wipe

As for stirring paints, I use an old airbrush needle, I bought a 1000 coffee stirrers cheap online but I cant stand seeing the paint on those rather than my model no matter how small an amount is wasted lol ( must be my Yorkshire heritage coming out )

 

[Dave Ward]

Ade,
I use the plastic dropper bottles as well - for mixing - I drop a ball bearing in to act as agitator - beats stirring!
To slightly misquote CJ Rhodes "To be born a Yorkshireman is to win first prize in the lottery of life"
Dave