Additives you use and why

[Roddo]

Was just wondering what different people use to add to thier paints, inks and water to get some of the effects they do. Currently I use flow improver when I water down paint. Thanks in advance for any answers.

 

[Einion]

Water.

With a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid in it usually.

Einion

 

[Ritual]

I use water mostly. When I\'m doing things that take a long time I use retarder to keep the paint thin for longer. On some occasions I use flow improver, mostly when I do glazes over areas I\'ve spent a long time on already and want the best possible properties to the paint.

 

[vincegamer]

Generally water and a dash of Future.
I have something called \"thickener\" that I\'ve tried, but I was not impressed.
I\'ve been known to mix a little varnish into the paint on rare occasion as well.

 

[supervike]

I use 1 part flow improver to about 20 parts water.

It seems to make the paint go on a bit easier. I still have problems with surface tension at times, but then I just drop a little more improver into the mix.

 

[tzor]

Water, dash of dish soap, drop of generic flow enhancer. I started adding the flow enhancer when I realized it helped spread out the paint more uniformly in the water.

 

[Kendaric]

Matte medium for washes... If find it helpful to spread the paint uniformly over the area it\'s washed upon (no huge amount of paint on the edges of the wash anymore). Otherwise, only water. When using acylics that is...
Turpentine with oils.

 

[EricJ]

nothing but water for me. I never figured out what all that other stuff was helpful for...other than to make my brushes taste funny

 

[generulpoleaxe]

water for me, i don\'t need fancy stuff to extend the drying time as i paint quite quickly. not as quickly as some, but fast enough.

i found matt medium good for keeping the tide marks at bay when doing washes on say wolfen skin etc. (saves me having to tidy it up after)

 

[Valander]

Well, it kind of depends on what I\'m doing at the moment as to what additives I use.

If it\'s just general thinning, I usually use either distilled water or Vallejo Thinner. The thinner is actually kind of nice, as it (supposedly) won\'t weaken the bonding agents, unlike water. I use distilled water because it doesn\'t seem to make the paints go as chalky (probably due to high mineral content in my tap or possibly Chlorine).

If I\'m doing washes/glazes, then I use Vallejo Glaze Medium, and possibly some \"wet water\" (a mix of distilled water and Future Floor Finish or other flow improver). If it starts to look shiny, then I\'ll sometimes add some Matte Medium, too. I find this really helps reduce \"tide marks\" better than using water alone.

 

[Modderrhu]

What do you use when tweening, Valander?

Flow improver is the general purpose additive for me. It really does make the paint go on more smoothly. When I want to do a wash, some future floor wax performs a magic that flow improver does not.

 

[Trevor]

Vallejo glaze medium, its the dogs bollocks*.

Why? Coz it acts as a retarder which is essential in the 30+ temps I have to paint in, and its great for washes and glazes, makes the paint/ink go in the dips and not end up everywhere.

* not literally of course, that would be disturbing.

 

[orctrader]

Plain Old Tap Water. Big ratio to paint, even bigger ratio to ink.

I have used washing up liquid a couple of times - experimenting. And future once - experimenting. Both with ink washes. The WULiquid to see if it would keep the ink from flowing into the recesses, the future to see if it would draw it down into the recesses.

I want to experiment more but need time to have three minis at the same stage and do a wash on each one with POTW, one with WUL and the other with future to see with my own eyes the real differences it might make.

But I find water actually very good for most of my needs. (Makes nice tea too.)

 

[DrEvilmonki]

I use ffw and drying retarder. Found both very useful.

 

[Valander]

Originally posted by Modderrhu
What do you use when tweening, Valander?

Flow improver is the general purpose additive for me. It really does make the paint go on more smoothly. When I want to do a wash, some future floor wax performs a magic that flow improver does not.

Damn, I just can\'t get away from it, can I? lol

Actually, the glaze medium is a godsend for tweening. It pretty much is exactly what you need to do that technique--it makes the paint more transparent, but still controllable.

Eventually, I\'ll get around to writing an article about this mysterious tweening. As soon as work doesn\'t make me want to slit my wrists as soon as I get home...

 

[Tinweasel]

I use a general purpose thinner mixture of water, Future Floor Finish, and extender - 1:1 paint/thinner for basecoats, up to 1:20 for glazes on occasion.

When doing straight washes, I have a separate bottle of just water/Future.

I\'ve occasionally added straight extender and/or Elmer\'s Wood Glue when I want a thicker, non-flowing consistency to my paint.

I also find GW Inks work like a charm when mixed directly with paints for obtaining certain tricky colors and effects.

 

[Dragonsreach]

Originally posted by EricJ
I never figured out what all that other stuff was helpful for...other than to make my brushes taste funny

It\'s the taste that always makes me go cleam my teeth in the middle of my painting day.
Used to have to do it quite regularly after using GW\'s flesh wash.

Addatives, Vallejo Matte medium, Winsor & Newton Flow improver and Liquitex Drying retarder are the usual stuff I throw into the mix. (But not all the time).

 

[bayrodney]

Nothing..

Just some nice clean water does the trick for me

 

[marineboy]

Vallejo glaze medium, seems to help keep pigment in suspension when using extremely thinned paint. W&N flow enhancer. And lots and lots of water.

 

[Legacy Account]

Just water.