Airbrushing woes: GW Greens. How do I mix them??

[GraveRisen]

So in an effort to speed up my 170 orcs, I'm trying to airbrush them. But I cannot for the life of me find a paint to water (no medium handy) ratio that will go on smooth. I keep getting mixes that just spatter or go onto the model extremely wet and just bead up (like watery snot green over black).I have a 2 gallon tank compressor (1-100 psi adjustable) and a dual action pasche.Has anyone tried airbrushing these colors and has found their secret?

 

[gohkm]

Have you tried diluting the paint with rubbing alcohol instead of water? I remember reading somewhere that just diluting with water in an airbrush is not very effective, as the primary intent of using an airbrush is to quickly build up layers of paint.

 

[GraveRisen]

That's been my first thought. I may actually go get a bottle of gOlden airbrush medium to try it out. I'm still curious though how much GW snot green needs to be diluted. The paint is thick, but the pigment is very weak especially over black.

 

[freakinacage]

if it is too blobby, i think you need to up your psi. also, are you doing the green over a chaos black spray? if so, you may want to try an auto primer. it'll stick better and also a grey may be easier to paint up from (you can get the primer in black and white also)

 

[finn17]

I've never even tried to use GW paint in an airbrush as it always seems far too thick. Personally, I'd either invest in some Vallejo Model Air Colour, which may well work out cheaper in the long run or....being a lazy git... I'd most likely buy a can of Army Painter's 'Greenskin' and aerosol the buggers

 

[Einion]

I keep getting mixes that just spatter or go onto the model extremely wet and just bead up...

There's a sort of rule of thumb with airbrushing that there's no such thing as too thin (there is for our kind of work but don't worry about it for now). Just spray more lightly (less paint, more air) and/or back off from the model.

It's very similar to the difference between washing and glazing - same watery paint mix but flooded on in one case and just lightly applied in the other.

Might help adding a drop of dishwashing liquid to your diluting water if you don't add some already. You might need to clean your nozzle too.

Einion

 

[RuneBrush]

I use pre-mixed screenwash that is used in a car for thinning all my paint. It contains alcohol and the soap acts as a form of lubricant for the paint - this evaporates by the time it hits the miniature. However, I've not tried any of the proper mediums so they may do this better I have found some GW paints have a habit of clogging the end of the needle (which you have to keep cleaning with your nail) - Fenris Grey is a sod for this.

Out of curiosity, what colour(s) have you tried?

 

[GraveRisen]

Haven't tried anything recently, but I had tried dark angels green/snot 50/50, and straight snot green. I'm thinking I'm just not using enough pressure. I've been using around 20-25 psi, but I'm thinking I should be using around 35-40.

Enion: I've heard that too, the GW paint just throws me off a little because the pigment is so weak but the paint is so thick. I may have to get the valejo model air equivalent for this one. Either that or as stated before, just not enough air. I know 2 of my firends have sprayed snot green using the games workshop.... "airbrush" and the compressed air cans successfully, and they only had to use a few drops of water in the green to dilute it. I'll probably just grab another 2 pots on the way home and experiment

 

[Einion]

Enion: I've heard that too, the GW paint just throws me off a little because the pigment is so weak but the paint is so thick.

Okay, well that is a problem. You could mix an opaque green undercoat that would help you get your initial coverage - any yellow or yellow earth that's decently opaque with a mid blue that gives good coverage. Then much thinner coatings of your finish colour will be all that's required.

By all means go with something better if you have to, but you might be able to work around the problem.

Einion

 

[Hasdrubal]

Black primer is very unforgiving when airbrushing, a zenithal priming with white over black might help get a better coverage. I've actually switched to grey of white primers since I stared airbrushin my basecoats, it certainly helped me.

Some colors are more opaque not others, I suspect Snot Green might not be much! As Einion suggest, try using an undercoat that quite opaque before spraying your final color. A brown could also do the trick.

I'm mostly using VAC and VMC color when airbrushing, but have also occasionally sprayed Citadel Colors. Try using a 1:1 paint to thinner ratio as a base, when re-thin as necessary. The PSI should be OK (go for 15 PSI if using VAC).

 

[GraveRisen]

I may have to substitute in the vallejo model air equivalent methinks. Snot green is just far too weak to get a solid basecoat. And I think I'll also re-prime them with a thin layer of grey.

 

[RuneBrush]

Snot green has quite a high amount of yellow pigmentation. Have you tried goblin green or the foundation (orkhide flesh I think)?

What undercoat are you using on your mini?

 

[Baz]

I always found Game colour paints ran better through my airbrushes than GW's. You can match the colours pretty well too and they're pigmented highly enough to be thinned well.

 

[finn17]

At the risk of repeating myself...I wouldn't even try and shoot GW paints....they are good, but not readily suitable for airbrushing IMO

I am sure some people have had great success however...just to head off criticism at the pass

 

[Dragonsreach]

At the risk of repeating myself...I wouldn't even try and shoot GW paints....they are good, but not readily suitable for airbrushing IMO

I always found Game colour paints ran better through my airbrushes than GW's. You can match the colours pretty well too and they're pigmented highly enough to be thinned well.

The primary problem with GW paints & Airbrushes is that GW paints are far thicker as opposed to the Vallejo Game colour and therefore don't dilute as well for airbrushing.
Go for the Vallejo Game if you really want to Airbrush in close to GW colours or go to Vallejo Model Colour or Airbrush Colour for even better responses.

 

[Avelorn]

I've used foundation paints with great success. I just use some extender/retarder in the water to increase the drying time a bit, else the airbrush clogs up.

 

[Psyberwolfe]

Ok rubbing alcohol will work but it doesn't always play well with paint. Windex is pretty good but now you're mixing in detergent to the paint and well aerosolized Windex can be a touch hazardous. (Go Find the MSDS on Windex if you have doubts.) Liquitex Airbrush medium is ok but it will lighten your colors. Personally I use 3:2 paint to water and I condition the water with Liquitex flow improver as per the bottle instructions. Oh and put the PSI to 20. Also test on a primed paper plate to get the hang of your airbrush action. It's cheaper and not as frustrating as trying to do it on figures.

 

[Hasdrubal]

I should add that Foundation range paints are prone to un-bind quickly. To prevent it from hapening in your airbrush cup, I'm adding a small amount of matte medium to the mix.

 

[airhead]

Haven't tried anything recently, but I had tried dark angels green/snot 50/50, and straight snot green. I'm thinking I'm just not using enough pressure. I've been using around 20-25 psi, but I'm thinking I should be using around 35-40....

That is getting close to t-shirt ranges.

Dilute more. 5 reducer to 1 paint would be where I'd start. You need something to keep the paint pigment together - airbrush medium, magic wash, etc.


Top feed gun? 10-15 psi for fogging.
Bottom feed? as much as 20 psi.

 

[Einion]

Paint thickness & airbrushing

Just wanted to mention that as far as thickness goes in relation to suitability for airbrushing, it really isn't an issue by itself - if a thicker paint won't airbrush well it's really due to other issues, because you can successfully spray with thick paints.

The majority of the airbrushing I've done has been with artists' acrylics, which are usually somewhere around the consistency of toothpaste but can be even denser than that.

Einion