Acrylic Paint: Tips and Brands

It's not surprise that acrylics have taken over the modeling industry, both for military stuff and miniature painters. But with that comes dozens of paint companies, dozens of issues to deal with, and double-dozens of opinions. So, realize everything here is just my opinion. I have a good bit of experience, but everyone is going to have their own methods that work for them. Best advice - try with what you have.

My favorite acrylic for airbrushing is Tamiya.

• I may airbrush ProAcryl or Archive-X on occasion.

My favorite acrylic for hand-painting is ProAcryl.

• The new Vallejo line in 2024 is a close second.
• I'm also trying out the new Atom and Ionic lines.

Suggestions for ALL acrylics:

1. Prime
2. Paint in thin layers
3. Dry doesn't mean it's ready to handle
4. A wet palette is best for hand-painting
5. Airbrushing requires a respirator
6. If at first you don't succeed, a sacrifice in blood to the paint gods may be required.

Tamiya (acrylic line)

• Sprays best with Mr. Levelling Thinner (MLT)
• Sprays really well with custom thinner mixes
• Start with 50/50 mix
• Easy to get and mix
• Grainy if undermixed

Tamiya (lacquer line)

• Sprays about as well as the Acrylics
• Must thin with a lacquer thinner
• Different colors than Acrylic line
• Odor!

MRP (lacquer)

• Airbrush ready 99% of the time
• Airbrushes beautifully
• Most dry satin
• A little too thin sometimes
• ODOR!!
• Costly to get

Pro Acryl

• Thinner than Vallejo
• Super high pigment density
• Very limited color range
• Sometimes will airbrush, but not great
• Definitely one of my favorite lines

Vallejo (2024 new formula)

• Thick paint with high pigment density
• Works best when thinned on a wet palette
• AMAZING range of colors
• Air bubble issue with new formula - paint slowly to avoid
• Older formula was inconsistent and often rubbery, not great at all

AK 3rd Gen

• Better matte finish than Vallejo
• Still best with a wet palette
• Color range lacking, especially for fantasy subjects
• Poor durability, but good at chipping

You can airbrush or hand paint with any brand with enough thinner, reducer, or voodoo. But here are some that can do both decently.

Mig Ammo ATOM & Ionic

• Atom paints are a little thinner and geared for military
• Ionic paints are thicker and geared for fantasy
• Both adhere well, spray well, and level well

Archive-X

• Paints matched to ILM standards
• Hard to get sometimes
• Sometimes temperamental to deal with
• Pigment settles out quickly, so must stir frequently

Life Color

• Interesting paint with insane color range
• Very costly to import
• AMAZING Rust Set
• Weak adhesion overall

Forget James Bond, stirred is just as good as shaken when it comes to paint. But paint designed for miniatures is often thicker and requires even more thinning to get the right consistency. See my page on Thinning Paint for more info.

Tips:

• Vortex Mixers are worth the price, especially for narrow bottles like Vallejo.
• Use an old paintbrush if you don't have a Vortex Mixer.
• For airbrushing, mix the thinner/paint OUTSIDE the airbrush. Mix in medicine cups before pouring into the airbrush. This prevents a lot of issues.
• If you must mix inside the airbrush, add thinner FIRST, then add paint. Use an old paintbrush or sprue stick to mix - never anything metal.

I LOVE using 8mm hematite beads for agitators. They are heavy, they cannot rust, they don't affect any paint types, and the density makes them excellent at mixing paint. They are also quite cheap. I have added them to nearly all of my paints at this point. But many companies make stainless steel balls as well, which will work. I just prefer the hematite.

Metallic paints require fine pigments to create an even sheen simulating metal. Lacquer paints tend to give the best metallic finishes. However, there are some acrylic metallic paints that I like, but I often alternate depending on what I need. Keep in mind - a gloss black base tends to give the best results. Lastly, metallic pigments or graphite pencils give great metallic sheens to surfaces as well.

Vallejo Metal Color

• Hands-down my favorite overall
• They brush and airbrush well
• Can be buffed for additional sheen

Tamiya Metallics

• Great when airbrushed with MLT

Alclad Metallics

• Lacquer-based & thinned for airbrushing
• Requires buffing to get best sheen

If you want your acrylics to bind to the surface of your model and NOT lift up from tape or handling, you need to prime. Priming gives the surface an even finish, shows you where you may have some mistakes, and gives the acrylics a good base to bite down on.

Tamiya Primer (rattle can)

• My go-to primer
• Lacquer-based & available in grey and white
• Lays down great, doesn't obscure details, dries fast, easy to use
• Works best when you sit the bottle in warm water for about 10 minutes before use

Badger Stynylrez

• Easily the best acrylic primer on the market
• Designed for airbrush use at 20 PSI or higher
• Do not thin, use straight out of the bottle
• Sands well unlike most acrylic primers
• Great for protecting foam from harsher paints

Mr. Surfacer (bottle or can)

• Lacquer-based available in bottles and spray cans (comes in black unlike Tamiya)
• Like Tamiya, it is near-perfect with excellent adhesion and levelling
• Airbrushing it REQUIRES a lot of ventilation

Look, if you're really going to get into painting, you have to have something to test it on. So, take an old model, prime it in grey, and use that as your "paint mule". You can paint as much as you want, test colors, decals, varnishes, weathering, etc.

When it's overcome with paint, re-prime and start over.

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