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... and for some odd reason, that Madonna song about a virgin comes up.

Anyways, like the title states, starting up with a couple of Vallejo paints- I noticed that they don't thin down too nicely using just normal water, as they do with my GW paints. It was rather... gloopy and nasty.

Can anyone shed some light on this? I plan to use it in my airbrush and using a standard brush..

What sort of things do you all use to mix Vallejo for painting AND for airbrushing (in case they're different?)

Also thinking about mixing Vallejo with GW paints to make a grey-black-blue base color for most of my new Eldar army, like a variation of Midnight Blue.. any tips, warnings, etc. for doing this? - this will primarily be used as an airbrush mix, but either for standard brushing/airbrushing is also acceptable!


Thanks all- I appreciate the help, as I'm stuck as to where to proceed from here!

-Izzy

I have no experience with vallejo and considered changing to them myself; but, the problem with the inability to dilute them with water could pose a huge problem for me (basically every paint I use is watered down). Thanks for sharing the info, hope someone posts a solution for you

get some windex, get some distilled water, mix the 2 to a 1:1 ratio, put it in another storage bottle, and baam, you have a thinning agent for vallejo paints that can also be used to airbrush.

Ashton

Give them a damn good shake. I plonk a bit of medium (matte/gloss - whatever the job calls for). This adds a bit more body. A drop of water to thin and you're set. The medium helps retain some consistency and good flow off the brush, and will evaporate as the paint dries.

I prefer Vallejo Matte medium, but also recommend liquitex.

I have noticed that some vallejo, especially the reds can be slightly thinner straight from the bottle. GW paints are a bit of a handicap, as they're thicker. If you're used to using them, your normal thinning methods can go awry with other paints.

Which vallejo? There are game color and model color which have very different properties. Model Air is the airbrushing range on top of that. They also have the heavy and wash ranges too.

vallejo do a thinner to be used with their range of model air paints. The ration is 1:3 drops thinner to paint. I havent tried it myself as i prefer to go for several thin coats.

I have mainly used the model air paints for my airbrush for IG tanks etc and scenery (bastions and landing pads).

Thank you all for your help!

@ Element- don't give up on Vallejo. I think there's something to be said about the dispenser bottles, instead of having to pull off dried rings of paint from the Citadel pots. That, and the colors are sooo purty.

@Redfinger- I'll give it a shot, that sounds pretty good. I also use straight Windex on GW... I'll have to see how that reacts to the Vallejo Game and Model types. But I definitely want a separate bottle of pre-made airbrush mixer to keep it quick and simple.

@Legoburner- I've got a couple of bottles of color for both Game and Model-type paints. It was the white-topped Model color got all wierd with water.


@Phayse and Brainscan- I'll give that a shot- I did shake it but it didn't come out totally mixed... mix a bit of water, and it went to juicy hell. Also, I did get a bottle of the Airbrush thinner stuff from Vallejo. White bottle, black label, milky white watery stuff in the bottle. I heard it can be used with Model/Game as well? Any truth to that?

Also, using thinner, can that be used in lieu of windex to make an air-brush ready paint? Or should I stick with the straight windex/water-windex mix?

Thanks for all the support! I now have an idea of what to use my article space for...

-HF Iz

Hey if worst comes to worst just buy some paint thinner.

I think but dont quote me but i think that vallejo makes a thinner. I have been thinking about trying vallejo because im going to start flames of war so i will need some diff colors.

I've got about 2 dozen VGC paints that I use regularly and I always thin with tap water, same as I do with my Citadel paints. Well, I use the same water to thin. The amount varies significantly, depending on the color, conditions, and the task at hand. Only time I use mediums is if I'm going for a specific effect (dropping opacity with extra matte medium, for example).

In my somewhat limited experience, I've found out two things about VGC paints: First, there appears to be a few problem colors that simply refuse to behave the same way as the rest of the line (Gory Red and Bone White spring to mind). Second, never complain about a Vallejo paint issue unless you've tried shaking the hell out of the bottle, then shaking it some more. Seems like the majority of problems (by frequency, if not also variety) stem from insufficiently mixed paint. If it's a fresh bottle, especially, it's tricky to mix without an agitator, as the paint doesn't have room to slosh around.

@ Hershey- Yea, I got the airbrush paint thinner- I've been experimenting with it and the windex- almost got it... regardless of if it's right or not... almost got it.

@Oadie- Yea, I thin down my Citadels as well with straight tap water or whatever I've been using to wash my brushes for homogenization.

Like I said before, it's my first time trying to go to Vallejo... didn't think it was gonna be such an unforgiving little bottle... - so true about the lack of room in a new bottle.. Thanks for the advice though! I'll be sure to keep it in mind when crossing over between the two as I plan to do in the future!

-HF Iz

Haven't had a problem with thinning them with tap-water, dont have many model color though mostly game. But as people point out, they really need a lot of shaking. I think on average that they are better than citadel paints but I really love the foundation paints and I'm not that fond of the skin colors vallejo has.

Mizeran wrote:Haven't had a problem with thinning them with tap-water, dont have many model color though mostly game. But as people point out, they really need a lot of shaking. I think on average that they are better than citadel paints but I really love the foundation paints and I'm not that fond of the skin colors vallejo has.

The off browns and off whites make excellent base pigments for skin. Try using the fleshtones mixed in.

The blood raven in my studio gallery started with a base of Terra and fleshtone, and then had a couple of layers. One with extra fleshtone added, and one with bonewhite added.

I haven't made my mind up between foundation and the vallejo equivalent super opaques yet.

The major problem with Vallejo Game Color is that you have to shake the hell out of them. I often pull off the dropper top and stir them with the end of a brush as well. A small glass marble or bead really helps with agitation too.

HAHA lmao to the Madonna quote.
Apart from that no pertinant information.

Whoo hoo! Someone actually caught that reference!