Paint Flow
- Thread starter Aliengod3
- Start date
laurence
Brushlover
Go with the flow.
Hi Aliengod3,
The only tips I can think of (which you\'re probably already aware of) are to water your paints down a little with good clean water, use a good quality kolinsky sable brush and use an absorbent paper towel (I use coffee filters) to first get most of the excess water off your brush after rinsing it, and get the excess paint out off the bristles after loading your brush with paint. This should help with flow. Occasionally I use flow improver for either black-lining or freehand stuff. This also improves flow but I wouldn\'t use it for base-coating or highlighting. Practicing brush control will also help you heaps. Hope this helps!
Happy painting!
Hi Aliengod3,
The only tips I can think of (which you\'re probably already aware of) are to water your paints down a little with good clean water, use a good quality kolinsky sable brush and use an absorbent paper towel (I use coffee filters) to first get most of the excess water off your brush after rinsing it, and get the excess paint out off the bristles after loading your brush with paint. This should help with flow. Occasionally I use flow improver for either black-lining or freehand stuff. This also improves flow but I wouldn\'t use it for base-coating or highlighting. Practicing brush control will also help you heaps. Hope this helps!
Happy painting!
ScottRadom
Shogun of Saskatchewan
You\'re a demon winner and you\'re complaining about paint flow issues? Your stuff looks fine to me. So maybe it\'s something really finnicky that\'s causing you headaches. Some tips I\'ve heard but disregarded as they were for people out of my league were hard water for mixing paint can cause troubles, and to use a mix of distilled water with some paint medium in the mix. I think it was Einon\'s recipe? Maybe?
Can\'t imagine after looking at your stuff that something as seemingly huge a problem as paint flow from your brush would be a problem. Your stuff looks sharp as hell!
Can\'t imagine after looking at your stuff that something as seemingly huge a problem as paint flow from your brush would be a problem. Your stuff looks sharp as hell!
Aliengod3
Active member
Paint flow has always been a problem for me. I can get my paint smooth but I am not very consistant.
@ Laurence: I just bought a small eye dropper type bottle that I am going to start using for my paint dilution. Until now I have been using the water I use to clean paint off of my brushes.
I am wondering if it is the paint I am using. I heard the P3 paints tend to dry out on the bristles of the brush before you have a chance to paint your mini causing clumps and bad blending.
@ Laurence: I just bought a small eye dropper type bottle that I am going to start using for my paint dilution. Until now I have been using the water I use to clean paint off of my brushes.
I am wondering if it is the paint I am using. I heard the P3 paints tend to dry out on the bristles of the brush before you have a chance to paint your mini causing clumps and bad blending.
ScottRadom
Shogun of Saskatchewan
I\'m a big fan of the Vallejo game and model color ranges. Just picked up some P3 for the first time yesterday so I\'ll watch for that. Thanks, and good luck!
i\'ve not had any problems with p3 dryin\' any quicker than gw paints, and i paint straight out of the pot!!!
i use a litle bit of the water from my rinsin\' pots, in a small puddle on my ceramic tile...
i tip the brush in the paint lid, and dip it in the puddle, and then mix on my thumb...
i know this is the worst, unorthodox, habit, but i don\'t get problems with clumpy paint...
i do notice that paint has a tendency to dry fast on a small brush...it\'s just a matter of patience, and more patience...
it\'s just as easy to get paint that is too thin, as too thick...
when i mix a colour on my tile, i do throw in a dash of mixin\' medium...
gives the paint longer life on the pallette...
cheers
jah
i use a litle bit of the water from my rinsin\' pots, in a small puddle on my ceramic tile...
i tip the brush in the paint lid, and dip it in the puddle, and then mix on my thumb...
i know this is the worst, unorthodox, habit, but i don\'t get problems with clumpy paint...
i do notice that paint has a tendency to dry fast on a small brush...it\'s just a matter of patience, and more patience...
it\'s just as easy to get paint that is too thin, as too thick...
when i mix a colour on my tile, i do throw in a dash of mixin\' medium...
gives the paint longer life on the pallette...
cheers
jah
Shawn R. L.
New member
One of the problems you could be hitting if this has been a long term problem is - what\'s the temperature and humidity level in your painting area. Remember, we\'re dealing with such tiny amounts of paint and water.
Sometimes, if you\'re going to a large area it can help to wet the whole area, then go in with your wash. That way the SURFACE being painted dosn\'t need the water that\'s in the paint......it\'s already there and the water in the paint can be used to keep things smooth.
Some of these problems can be like riding a bike - I can tell you how but it\'s in the doing that you will find your own \'balance\'.
Good luck....
Sometimes, if you\'re going to a large area it can help to wet the whole area, then go in with your wash. That way the SURFACE being painted dosn\'t need the water that\'s in the paint......it\'s already there and the water in the paint can be used to keep things smooth.
Some of these problems can be like riding a bike - I can tell you how but it\'s in the doing that you will find your own \'balance\'.
Good luck....
Einion
New member
All brushes? If so, are they all of the same type?
Flow improver or blending medium. A little dishwashing liquid in your rinse water will help somewhat. If you need to use something with greater effect than this there are a few types of additives/mediums for artists\' acrylics but I\'ve heard good things about W&N\'s Watercolour Blending Medium used with hobby paints.
BTW, hard water in your area do you know?
I\'d recommend a double-bath system for rinsing (and dilution, if you stick to using tapwater for diluting).
Einion
I am fairly certain I read somewhere that bottled and distilled water are not synonamous, but I could be wrong. I believe it was an article about how distilled water is actually bad for your health. Either way, bottled has to be better for painting than tap!
I picked up a few extra Vallejo bottles and filled one up with distilled water, I use that to dilute paint. Allows me to take notes and recreate mixes later. 1:2:1 is easier to do when you can actually drop everything IMHO.
Einion
New member
Okay, well at least we can rule out the brush being the main cause of the problem. If you were using synthetics they have less capillary action so that can have an effect.
Once you\'ve tried something to improve flow - even just some dishwashing liquid in the dilution water - if that doesn\'t help next thing to look at I think is brushing technique, then the paints you\'re using.
Einion
RuneBrush
New member
Bottled water and distilled water aren\'t the same. Bottled water is filtered differently to make it fit for human consumption whereas distilled water is distilled for other applications. I use a a dopper bottle full of battery top-up water (which is purified).
Good thread so far though I really only have problems with grey and white colours when it comes to paint flow.
pete
Good thread so far though
I really only have problems with grey and white colours when it comes to paint flow.pete
Aliengod3
Active member
I will look into purchasing water that is actually labeled \"distilled\" then. That might help.
It is strange that I am having trouble with these paints. I have seen the MM dvd that Julien Cassis made and he uses P3 paints with great results.
I will also try out some mediums and flow improvers.
It is strange that I am having trouble with these paints. I have seen the MM dvd that Julien Cassis made and he uses P3 paints with great results.
I will also try out some mediums and flow improvers.
laurence
Brushlover
Choppy/blotchy??
Hi again Aliengod3,
I just took a look at the fantastically painted minis in your gallery and can\'t see any evidence of choppy or blotchy painting. Looks amazing! Obviously it\'s something that you\'re noticing when looking at your minis close-up under your painting lamp.
It just occurred to me that it may be the prep work you\'re doing.? Applying paint on rough surfaces causes many problems. Do you spend time sanding and polishing your minis before applying primer? Also, try Tamiya \'fine\' gray primer. It\'s the best spray primer out there.
Drinking water will work just fine. But \'yes\', I\'m careful not to mix water from my brush rinsing cup with my paints. I also use an eye-dropper bottle (old vallejo dropper bottle) with drinking water in it as my water for thinning my paints.
P3 paints are really good, and I can\'t imagine it\'s the paints. Although, I have read of painters having \'chalky\' results with some of these paints, however, I think this is a result of poor prep, over thinning of paints (with water) and average brush control. Definitely try other brands of paint. You may find one that really feels good.
Also, be aware that many flow-aids will gloss up your paints and the finish you get on the mini.
With your painting talents it\'s apparent that you\'re able to overcome these obstacles through highly advanced brush work and natural talent. I wish you success with this stuff mate!
Hi again Aliengod3,
I just took a look at the fantastically painted minis in your gallery and can\'t see any evidence of choppy or blotchy painting. Looks amazing! Obviously it\'s something that you\'re noticing when looking at your minis close-up under your painting lamp.
It just occurred to me that it may be the prep work you\'re doing.? Applying paint on rough surfaces causes many problems. Do you spend time sanding and polishing your minis before applying primer? Also, try Tamiya \'fine\' gray primer. It\'s the best spray primer out there.
Drinking water will work just fine. But \'yes\', I\'m careful not to mix water from my brush rinsing cup with my paints. I also use an eye-dropper bottle (old vallejo dropper bottle) with drinking water in it as my water for thinning my paints.
P3 paints are really good, and I can\'t imagine it\'s the paints. Although, I have read of painters having \'chalky\' results with some of these paints, however, I think this is a result of poor prep, over thinning of paints (with water) and average brush control. Definitely try other brands of paint. You may find one that really feels good.
Also, be aware that many flow-aids will gloss up your paints and the finish you get on the mini.
With your painting talents it\'s apparent that you\'re able to overcome these obstacles through highly advanced brush work and natural talent. I wish you success with this stuff mate!
