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Hey all,

Any input on why some people in some situations suggest adding PVA glue to paint? Is it a way to make the paint thicker?

This could be really useful for watery colors in certain situations, but I hesitate to try in favor of awaiting your collective wisdom.

I've experimented with (H20 + PVA + Acrylic paint) in an attempt to find a ratio which works good for fixing sand to a base while giving everything an undercoat and be able to spray through a nozzel. Never quite stumbled onto the right formula. It's also questionable whether it helps anything. PVA watered down works fine without adding paint.

I believe people that try that is actually trying to make a one shot paint/clear coat. PVA dries clear, and Ive messed with a similar idea on the black trim around the front of my bases. I dont know if you would want to try that on an actual mini painting tho. Guess you should bust out the ol piece of junk mini and give it a try.

I've heard that it can be used as a dull-ish gloss when you mix it with paint but... I have yet to have this outcome

This mix is most useful for terrain in my opinion. Add some sand and get ma to fetch your biggest brush.

As a qualified painter and decorator, mixing paint and PVA is a new one to me. You'd usually use PVA mixed with water to seal surfaces - in wargaming terms, fancy bases or terrain using things such as plaster. The only reason I can see for mixing PVA and paint would be to make a satin (semi-gloss) wash. Even then I don't think it will work but then again I've never tried it.

I can't see it being added to improve chip resistance as PVA is useless against any form of knock.

I would really like to know of the reasons people use it, curiosity has hit.

I use pva mainly to glue down and seal my terrain.

Raw foam is shaped and then liberally painted with PVA.
Sand is sprinkled over. Often two coats are needed to get adequate coverage.

A watered down PVA mix (with a drop of dishliquid to break the surface tension) is then used to hold the sand down, and when it is dry, paint is applied. Without the dishliquid, the glue mix just skimcoats the sand, and can be peeled off. With it, it allows the mix to flow in between the grains and around them, properly coating them).

The multiple coats of glue, sand and paint also help to protect it when it is varnished (locking all of the layers together) with spray estapol matt.

Excellent responses guys, keep anything you've got to say on the matter coming.

For those interested, what made me curious about this in the first place, specifically, is a tutorial from the old How to Paint Citadel Miniatures. This might be in the new one, too. When describing how to paint the hair for a Rider of Rohan, it says:

"Paint the skin Bronzed Flesh and the hair Bubonic Brown leaving enough black undercoat to define the different areas and provide shading in the hair.

Apply a flesh coloured shading wash to the flesh and hair. This is a dilute mix of Flesh Wash with a little Scorched Brown paint and PVA glue."



Postscript:
In the same tutorial, might I add, it says after painting a cloak goblin green to:

"Apply a green shading wash to the green cloak. This is a dilute mix of Dark Green Ink, Scorched Brown paint, and PVA glue. Allow this to dry thoroughly."

Both the aforementioned hair and cloak are considered "done" after the steps that include PVA glue (and Scorched Brown--Might that have significance, too?).

I think PVA mixed with the old washes meant that they would flow better (ie no pooling or creep over time).

I've never used it on models, however I use it quite a bit at work, mixing PVA and poster paint to create a sort of 'cheap acrylic' paint. Either to give a slight gloss finsih or to prevent cheap school style poster paint from peeling a flaking depending what I'm making at the time!.

infilTRAITOR wrote:I would really like to know of the reasons people use it, curiosity has hit.

Besides the aformentioned undercoat? I use it only on terrain, it just combines a couple steps, but I still primer spray everything as well.

bubber wrote:I think PVA mixed with the old washes meant that they would flow better (ie no pooling or creep over time).

You're thinking of soap, see....

chromedog wrote:...A watered down PVA mix (with a drop of dishliquid to break the surface tension)...

I know the soap trick but PVA also works but in a slightly different way.
I think trial & error is the best way to answer these sorts of questions - who here hasn't got a spare mini lying around?

I use paint for coloration, sand or other basing materials and pva for a paint/smear on dirt effect. Makes great dirt for tank tracks and drys to a rock hard finish.

I used a ridiculous amount of PVA to make a river...
I've also heard that heavily watered down PVA can make a matt varnish, but i've not tried it.

I have seen many tutes that talk about using PVA as a flow aid. It is supposed to work similar to the future floor wax idea. I think the use is so it affects the surface tension on the paint and it settles better instead of pooling. I have also seen dish soap used in a similar fashion.

1. Paint.
2. PVA.
3. ??????
4. Profit!

I can see this yielding interesting results on terrain and/or vehicles, but I'm not sure how you'd go about it.

Somebody's been watching south park underpants gnome seminars.