When changing my paint water yesterday after noticing what was growing in it, I wondered how lazy dakka is about changing paint water.

I usually wait until the water evaporates enough so that there is just some sludge in the bottom of my egg cup (which I believe is a Smarties egg cup from a childhood Easter long ago).

Although to be fair, since I paint so infrequently (as I hate painting) that usually means I need to change it before every painting session.

When I am painting a lot, I will change it every time I change from painting a darker colour to a lighter colour.

Llike Silver above , I normaly change between light and dark , but when doing char models I change the water between colours

I keep a large 2l bottle full and swap out the old water into a larger mug before dumping that

I have to clean the cup after every session or the wife gets angry (she drank a mouthful once by accident).

whenever i accidently drank it....

You're too lazy changing the paint water if you use the same jar to pee in.

When the water goes all murky and the sludge at the bottom starts trying to escape the jar.

Too dark or clouded for me.

I don't use water. I mostly use Testors and ModelMaster enamels as it's what I'm used to using. I did a lot of 1/35 military before I got into 40K. I already had all the stuff when I started.

I dipped the brush in my coffee at least a dozen times in one session before I realised what the hell was going on.

I change it very time i'm using a new colour

I either do 2 cups on for metalics and one for non or switch out inbetween the two types of paint. Nothings worse than mithril flakes in your black wash. I also get water per session.

At one point the sludge at the bottom of my pot became so thick i used it as a paint, it looked good to!

I change every session or if i have used metallic paint.

Nothings worse than mithril flakes in your black wash

Very true!

Da GeneruL wrote:At one point the sludge at the bottom of my pot became so thick i used it as a paint, it looked good to!

Ork players...

When it spill all over my desk.

I don't paint that much and I really don't notice how clean water affects my painting. When painting characters or when I can be arsed I change the water but i've got a plastic cup for it that is now stained red and other colours so no chance of drinking that then ^_^

I just use the washtub in my utility room. I find running water works much better than still for cleaning. Just don't fray the brush!

legoburner wrote:When changing my paint water yesterday after noticing what was growing in it, I wondered how lazy dakka is about changing paint water.

Are you serious? I've been painting for several hours this morning and have changed my paint water more than 10 times.

evaporation or odor is the only thing that prompts me to change my water.

Two jars of water : Metallic/nonmetallic. When in Doubt: replace.

Clean a brush of metallic in the nonmetallic? replace both
Turns opaque? replace.
Switch from dark colors to light? Replace.

I paint once in the two weeks, when I return to my hobby desk after two weeks the water has simply vaporised.

I use an old plastic frosting container for water, and if I leave it sitting around, my cat tips it over, so I change my water every time I paint.

I've got a small glass beer mug I use, fresh water every session and a few changes while I'm working when it gets a bit too murky, or after I've done mettalics.

I think im super OCD about my water... Im almost ALWAYS changing the water every few brush rinses, and if I hit metallics I wash the brush with new water twice.

I change the water every painting session, but I only started doing that recently. The reason, I now have a pot of skull white that is no longer white but closer to codex grey.

I have a cup for metallic, warm colors, cold colors and super saturated (inks and some high pigment paints).
All changed multiple times a session.
It keeps my whites whiter and your brights brighter.

I voted other because Enamel & Laquer paints don't use water for clean-up or thinning. I still don't like Acrylic paints. Tamiya paint is OK for airbrushing but thats about it. To me Acrylic paint is way over priced & doesn't store well over time, since I rarely get a chance to paint anymore, I need paint that will be there when I get the off chance to paint. For example I have several Floquil Lacquers & Pactra Enamels (before Testors bought them in the 80's) that work just as good as the day I bought them. I also have Testors bottles from when the price was part of the logo on the cap; 25 cents, & that goes back to the 1970's I think.

Painted 3 killa kans today, no water change.

It turned blue , then black , then back to gray

Thanks for reminding me. It's getting way too moldy. Time to change it.

I think i have a phobia of disgusting paint water.

Between myself and my roommate and my girlfriend we use about five or six different cups of water that are sitting around the house in various stages of evaporation/growth. I tend to leave my cup in the sunlit window, and as such, when I return to painting (I have time to paint once or twice a week) it's bone dry. Otherwise, if it doesn't smell bad, I keep going.

every pallet change

At the end of each painting session I empty both glasses out, and whenever the water gets too dirty. 1 Water pot is for metallics, but as I dont paint metals taht much it more so turns into a spare pot so I can sit down for longer

shrew wrote:I voted other because Enamel & Laquer paints don't use water for clean-up or thinning. I still don't like Acrylic paints. Tamiya paint is OK for airbrushing but thats about it. To me Acrylic paint is way over priced & doesn't store well over time, since I rarely get a chance to paint anymore, I need paint that will be there when I get the off chance to paint. For example I have several Floquil Lacquers & Pactra Enamels (before Testors bought them in the 80's) that work just as good as the day I bought them. I also have Testors bottles from when the price was part of the logo on the cap; 25 cents, & that goes back to the 1970's I think.

While mine are not that old, most of my enamel paints are 5+ years old. I have only had a few dry out and go bad. And they were almost empty anyway.

As soon as you get more paint on the brush by washing it than you do by putting it in the paint pot!

I'm an Enamel guy too. Whats water?

I picked up a bunch of cheap shot glasses which I use for paint water. I usually fill about 3 or 4 every time I sit down to have multiple ones. Once one gets too dark, I'll use the next one. They get washed out after each session when I also run all my brushes under the tap.

Depends what I'm painting, I'd probably say on average once a session. Although I do have different water for Metallics and mixing.

littleboyblues & Morathi's Darkest Sin & Oldgrue & Belphegor wrote: ...two cups one for metalics and one for regular...

yeah,
I have the same system.
2 glasses of water with one marked for 1 metalic use, and the other for non-metalic ... emptied after every session.
Also I use 2 sets of brushes one set for metalics and one set for regular paint. I dip the handle of the metalic brushes in chainmail silver to mark them.

Panic...

if i'm painting frequently, every couple of days, or when the water looks like sludge.

during less frequent times, evaporation means i need to change out the old concentrate

I change mine when it starts to taste funny. O.o

I change my water at least every time I start a painting session, and I empty the water when I'm done. I don't want to accidentally spill that crap on anything!

I will change the water mid-session too, if it starts to get too murky.

definitely for mettalics

I get a fresh disposable cup every time i start painting. By overfilling it, i get a refreshing drink before i start painting. Studies have shown that keeping hydrated ensures better mental concentration. Does feth all for my painting skills though.

I left my paint once by accident and i came back 1 hour later to find it had evaporated!

I also put some washing up liquid in my water just to further clean the brush espessialy after using metallic paint.

Whenever I've finished drinking it.

Interesting poll, it really got me thinking...I really need to change my paint water more often

Every time my cat drinks it.

I hope that foundation paints aren't toxic.

I keep a separate jar for metallics and start each session with clean water. I'll change it once my brush no longer becomes clean after rinsing.

I put 'other', for me, when the water attains sentience and tries to kill me, I know it's time to change it.

I change it when someone needs to go.

I never change my water I simply add more when my cup is almost emty

studderingdave wrote:evaporation or odor is the only thing that prompts me to change my water.

Same here. Is this wrong?

Oldgrue wrote:Two jars of water : Metallic/nonmetallic. When in Doubt: replace.

Clean a brush of metallic in the nonmetallic? replace both
Turns opaque? replace.
Switch from dark colors to light? Replace.

This.

i replace when it get coloured...

I'm with the dark cup/light cup method (and rerolls for metallics)

I just change it when it gets really murky.

I have 4 cups of water when painting.

Metallic
Lights
Darks
Final rinse

When i have to clean my pallette i also change my water...

Course i also use separate brushes for metallics so that helps.

Keyasa wrote:I dipped the brush in my coffee at least a dozen times in one session before I realised what the hell was going on.

thank god - I thought it was just me. I picked up a cup of tea last week which looked distinctly shiny... after swigging most of it down I realised I'd had it next to my paintwater, and had just done the metal on a lot of new Goblins

Whenever it needs it, really, which varies. If too much evaporates since I haven't been painting, clean the cup and start fresh. If I'm switching over to white from any darker colors, start fresh. If it's cloudy and I'm done using the color that clouded it, start fresh (no point worrying about cloudy blue water when painting blue or black, but if I switch to yellow which needs a lot of thinning, I don't want to make green). I use two separate cups, so fresh water for metallics doesn't really apply. I only replace that water when it evaporates, as the particles just settle to the bottom and I'm not worried about shiny contaminating shiny. No matter how much Tin Bitz I've painted beforehand, Boltgun never looks any different.

Almost always after I use a metallic.

Only when I'm thirsty...

Gulp!

Tastes like Ultramarine Blue!

I use good old spit to clean mine. I hope the GW paint's not toxic :/

aromasin wrote:I use good old spit to clean mine. I hope the GW paint's not toxic :/

Foundation yellow and reds are very high lead content. I would advise avoiding the use of spit, especially with yellows and reds.

Which is okay, because yellow generally tastes the worst anyway.

Yea Ive dipped the brush in the wrong glass a few times, even tho I use a pickle jar at the moment...

I dont drink pickle vinegar tho!

Probably should change it more often, but I probably suck any reminants of paint off when I bring the bristles to a point with my mouth which is a common bad habbit.


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Wow, lead!?

Ok, definately have to stop doing that..

I change it every time I paint. I am afraid to leave it lying around because my son might drink it. It often resembles purple gatorade.

This is hilarious. I'm pretty bad, basically when the club president comes down to find a bunch of paint-water-sludge-monsters fighting on the painting desk. I should change it more often, considering I picked up the habit and putting my brushes in my mouth after rinsing them...devlan mud tastes like but I have a particular fondness for boltgun metal...

I change after about a month or so.

Weird thing is, I have an old paint water vat that's sealed and is like 3 months old... so I wonder what's in there... O.o

Hello,
I change it every time and I run 3 differnt one, one for darks, lights and washes, that said I am kinda wierd.

Regards,
Carl

I'll normally rinse my brushes then wipe them dry on some cloth/paper towel. If it discolours the cloth (and I'm about to use a different colour) I'll rinse it again. If it's still not coming clear I'll change the water.

When the nurglings get out. Its so hard cleaning after they escape.

Oh great. my 200th post was about nurglings.

Multiple times per session, but that is mainly attributed to a very small porcelain cup im working out of

I usually have 2 water pots for metallics and non. thats said i like to change them fairly often in each session. forces me to take a break from staring at little models and give my hands a rest!

I put the bristles of my brushes in my mouth, so I can't have mould on my water... though I don't think I've ever seen mould grow on my paint water, not entirely sure what the mould would be eating...

I change it about every 4 times I switch colors. How the hell do some of you guys keep your paint water until mold grows in it?! I change it about every 5-10 minutes when I'm painting.

Whenever I can be bothered.

After my cat has drunk all of it, the little s***.

I change it after it has evaporated a bit and by then it is usually very coloured

When the water turns to a brown colour, with a silver sheen over the top (metallic paints can work wonders in that sense)

I change it...rarely. Looking at an old glass of paint water right now and it's a strange green shade of black. I should probably change it more often.

grantosjones wrote:

Keyasa wrote:I dipped the brush in my coffee at least a dozen times in one session before I realised what the hell was going on.

thank god - I thought it was just me. I picked up a cup of tea last week which looked distinctly shiny... after swigging most of it down I realised I'd had it next to my paintwater, and had just done the metal on a lot of new Goblins

Sometimes, after I realise the cats have been in the water pot, I just use my tea anyway.

When its empty...

I change it quite often, because as it happens, the murky paint water was inches from my lips. Question: Does Hormaguant purple foundation paint have a high lead content? *Glances around nervously*

Whenever it starts to taste bad

Seriously I change it after a stage of base colours for the wash or before I do metallics, or else I have two mugs/glasses for metallics & normal. It does make a difference to the vibrancy of a brighter colour if your water's dark & murky. If you're going 'grimdark' then it doesn't matter so much...

Completely off topic but my Dheneb Stone is starting to smell like rotten cabbage - I'm not impressed

I checked when it becomes to coloured - but I get clean water for every session, and use a seperate pot for metalics

Before useing white paint.

I use the paint water to thin out my paint (drop of paint i n a bottle cap followed by a few drops of water) it doesn't affect the color of any paint other than white.

Edit: Oh didn't realise I had posted in this thread yonks ago. (>.<

New water everytime I paint.

sometimes i drink it by accident.i have also rinsed my brushes in my coffee...thats not an accident though. im lazy and coffee made a nice wash.
Garglechum

I change after metalics and when changing from dark to pale, such as when changing from red to white etc.

Always after using metallics, and usually at least every other use too.

I never change after doing metallics and have NEVER noticed flecks of metal in any other colors. Seems like a myth to me.

I voted mouldy, because I don't change water even after it goes black, though I do maintain two separate pots for metallic and non-metallic paints.

now and then, when i remember

I've been using the same water for at least a couple weeks. I usually just use my mouth to get paint off of my detail brushes, which really cuts down on the amount of water I use up. I usually wait until I need to do a light color, where the dark water would actually screw it up

Whenever I finish one colour and start a new one.

I change water for several of the choices actually (But I couldn't pick them all)

I always change for each session, in fact, I throw the water out when I'm NOT painting.
I change whenever the water gets too dark, (in other words, when I can't see through the water anymore)
I change when I use metallics because I don't want to get the little shiny bits in my other paints (I like to water down my paints with about 1 or 2 drops of water on my pallete)
I also change whenever I paint with white, because I don't want the water to change the color

Whenever the water gets to dark, or i start a new session.

I pack away after each painting session thus empty water, heavy mug under sink, fills up next time I paint.

Married with kids means leaving paints around is not very smart.

I always empty my water jugs after every session. I have to store my stuff when I'm not using it as I have no painting tale yet. Although I will probably continue to keep them empty when not in use after the fact.

Brother Gideon wrote:Every time my cat drinks it.

I hope that foundation paints aren't toxic.

Same here, my cat has decided that the paint water (and the toilet) are the only acceptable sources of water in the entire house. Put a bowl of water for him on the floor and within minutes it's a giant puddle in the floor and a wet cat that wants to snuggle.

So I tend to change the paint water at least twice a day, even when I'm not painting, and any painting session can be disrupted by a large black mass leaping onto the desk, pushing minis and paint pots aside and getting a drink.

I just add water from the cup that I didn't drink the night before sitting by my bed to the cups on my paint station while also using that waer to water my plants...never actually changing the water it just kind of evaporates slowly because I don't do long painting sessions anymore. Just a few minutes now and then throughout the week...
Is it clever...
...
...
That's what I really do...

I had to say "other". It's usually every time I start a new painting session, or a couple of times if it gets too murky during a long painting session, but also when the cats have drunk it all.

Apparently water is so much better with paint in it. Doesn't matter how much water is in their waters bowls, they will dash to paint water every time.

Lukus83 wrote:I have to clean the cup after every session or the wife gets angry (she drank a mouthful once by accident).

I regularly start cleaning a brush in my drink... happens sometimes when I am fully concentrated. Other than that I usually change the water once a session or if I used much of a dark colour and then want to paint white or yellow.

I usually paint with 2 jars of water. One for cleaning brushes, and one for diluting paint. I try to keep the second one clean. I will change them both at the start of every session (don't want bits of dirt and dust getting mixed with my paint). I will sometimes change them if I feel one is getting too dirty, especially if I'm about to paint with white. I also avoid washing larger brushes in the jar as they tend to just muddy the water instantly. I will usually take larger brushes straight to the tap and rinse them there.

I don't often change water after painting (why would I?), so it can still end up sitting for a while if I haven't been painting.

I dont use water at all, I just suck my brush.

I have a cat, so every time I finish painting (or even just take a break) I dump out the water.

I also change it out if I use metallics, if it gets too dark, or if I'm drastically changing colors (going from dark blue to light yellow, for example). I know I don't need to change out the water that often, but it doesn't hurt anything.

I voted for, When the water get When the water becomes too dark or coloured. I do change it when I start aswell, Its just I use a jam jar lid for my water, (Yea weird) so its not really that far between water changes anyway. especally if I'm using black or other dark colours.

No need to change water when you're airbrushing or using oil paints, unless you're thirsty...

and even then, there's beer.

How many people wash brushes in their tea and drink their paint water?!?

Spaced, make that beer instead of tea, and yes, acrylics taste much worse...

Every couple of days.

Voted "Every time I use a metallic / multiple times per session", I'm pretty hysteric about getting those metallic chips onto places they shouldn't be in.
I don't change the water when not using metallics, though.

When it evaporates, I simply can't be bothered

assultmarine wrote:whenever i accidently drank it....

If your paint water isn't safe to drink you're not changing it often enough

Acrylic paint is non-toxic so your water is always safe to drink, it's just your teeth might not look right for a few days afterwards...

Always at the start of a painting session. I tend not to paint a lot in one go, but if the water looks a bit dirty I will change mid session too.

I use jam jars that are about to be recycled for water, so at the end of the session if it's short. In long ones, whenever I use black. It always hides in the brush and comes off at just the wrong time...

I change it when the diluted paint starts to act weird. (If I were you I wouldn't go any further than that.)

I change it when I need to apply effort to get the tip into the water. So basically when its mostly evaporated

Change it multiple times per session, usually when switching from dark -> light or vice-versa or from metallic -> non-metallic. I paint like 10 steps away from the kitchen sink anyway.

I lick it off, it sticks better to the pencil and dissapear better

I'll keep using the same water indefinitely as long as it makes sense. If it gets too sludgy or I switch to a drastically different color I change it. The only other time it gets changed is if I'm doing general cleaning of the desk area, then I'll dump it.
Fun story. We were cat sitting for a friend (never do that) and I had left my water pot on the dining room table. I get home from work and it's bone dry and licked clean. I wake up the next morning to Thousand Sons blue diarrhea/turds all over the living room/dining room. If only it would have been toxic.

I change my water before every painting session and every time I finish painting metallics. Those metal flecks are really annoying when they get mixed into things.

Wait... People change the stuff in there?

(tells you something about my painting skills... )

since I clicked "other"

I change the water every session I paint, but I have 2 bowls on hand (yes I use a bowl not a glass)

I keep one with warm(ish) clean water all the time. I use a dropper to thin out colors, so this water is always clean.

I use the second one to remove paint colors, usually a larger bowl or jug, and this is almost always hot in the beginning and warm by the time I finish. this helps to break down the paint on the brush faster/better.

I have thought about using one of those coffee cup warmers to keep my water warm.

Dedrith wrote:Interesting poll, it really got me thinking...I really need to change my paint water more often

Agreed.

Whenever the water looks too yucky to use, which comes to about 3 or 4 times when I'm painting. I should really consider keeping a second cup for metallics.

Water is essential for me, with the use of inks and washes, and diluting, (not to mention cleaning the brush between uses) so I usually change it every time I switch to a color my paint water would tint funny (yellow to red, white to black etc).

Sometimes I'll use 2 paint water cups, one for cleaning the brush, one for after I get most the paint off/diluting my paints.

I rinse my brushes under the tap.

I usually change out my water between light and dark colors or just use different water pots.

I don't use water. I use 91% alcohol.

I put "when it evaporates" but I should have said "other" because I often just add more water to replace what evaporated.... how terrible is that? P.S... it's usually the water from whatever I'm currently drinking, my last tank has Orange Tang on it. Is their an award for laziest painter?

After any dark or metallic colour's
Whoooo 100th post!!!

when there is nothing but sludge left ;D


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 DemetriDominov wrote:
I put "when it evaporates" but I should have said "other" because I often just add more water to replace what evaporated.... how terrible is that? P.S... it's usually the water from whatever I'm currently drinking, my last tank has Orange Tang on it. Is their an award for laziest painter?

Mate! I do just that my room is littered with empty drinks cans/bottles cos of it!

I only use a water pot to wet my brush, I always clean my brushes under a running tap, and between colour changes...

Whenever it gets too dark. Of course I use two glasses of water, one for metallics and one for all other colors.

I change it after I'm done painting a certain number of models. Basically, whenever I finish the session I set for my self. Could be 1 model, could be 100.

I can't change my water often enough some days. I keep two pots specifically for metallics and non-metallics.

I normally change water multiple times a paint session. I get really anal about that kinda thing. Especially if I've just used a metallic paint, then it's boom straight to the bathroom to replace the water.

I don't change it enough...

I use one pot for metallics, one for others, and I have a dropper bottle of fresh water for thinning.
I change them whenever the washed brush leaves a residue on the paper I wipe the brushes on.