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Howdy. Any of y'all use airbrushes much? Wife got one for me and I've been trying to learn to use it. Problem I have been having so far is using the acrylics that we all use for models. It seems that after I get it mixed to a workably thin consistancy, it doesn't stay that way. The stuff needs to be as thin "as milk" to properly shoot through the gun. However, after only a few minutes, it begins to settle. This obviously screws up the shoot. What am I doing wrong? Yes, I am cutting the paint with water instead of acrylic medium, but I would think acrylic medium would thin out the pigment without reducing the paint to a low enough viscosity to shoot.

I've never had much luck spraying acrylics, vastly preferring enamels for this kind of work. Certain companies (Tamiya, for example) do lines of "airbrush acrylics" - I also use their acryl airbrush thinner as opposed to water.

I strongly recommend finding yourself a well-ventilated area and some enamel paints of the appropriate colours (I use Testors, and their airbrush thinner). Remember also to clean out your airbrush thoroughly after every spray session (especially the nozzles) or you'll clog them fast (water does not clean acryl nozzles sufficiently - I learned this the hard way. Again, enamels seems to clean up better too).

Anyway, good luck, and if you start getting great results with your acrylics, please post your techniques!

I've pre-ordered the overpriced GW airbrush that comes out in 16 days time, and am interested in seeing how well it works with GW's paints. I have high hopes as the base coat is my least favourite part of the painting process, and hopefully as more people start experimenting with them we will get some good advice in an article here on dakka.

Vallejo also makes an acryllic airbrush line of paints. If your local shop doesn't carry it, you can get them at the Warstore.

The advice I've received from those who have used airbrushes for awhile is to thin the acryllic paint with distilled alcohol and to get it to the consistency of skimmed milk. I've personally not tried this as I've had pretty good luck just using airbrush paints.

Also, a pressure regulator is very helpful. Keep your PSI about 15-20 and it produces a very smooth paint surface.

Good luck.

DIstilled alcohol, eh? I'll give that a go. I will switch to a specific line of paints if I HAVE to, but that would keep me from using SO many of the paints that I already have (I just realized that 200 paint pots at 3-4 dollars apiece is a crap ton of cash!) Thanks for the suggestions! I'll let you know what I find out.

I don't use acrylics much @ all, but I've had luck w/rubbing alchohol (you know for boo boos) from the pharmacy. It has some water in it like between 10-30% & that water is purified, & you can get a quart for like a $1.00. As for everything else I have to agree w/Sarigar. I have used lots of different acrylics over the years (still like my oil based best) & the best for airbrushing IMHO is tamiya, although I've even gotten away w/even craft & poster paint, you just have to experiment w/the ratios of paint to alchohol.