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Hi all,

I'm looking for some help. I thinking about buying a spray gun kit and want to know how to mix the paints, and what thiner to use with Games workshops paints, the ratio's rtc.

Thanks for any help.

There is not exact ratio for the paints, due to them being different consistency.. You want the mixed pain to be about the consistency of skim milk.. I use a mixture of windex at 75% and 25% water, I take that and then mix it into the paint to bring it down to the consistency that I am looking for..

For most acrylic paints EXCEPT TAMIYA / GUNZE SANGYO, water and acrylic flow improver will do the job. I like to thin with about a 3-2-1 mix of paint, water and flow improver. But it depends on the thickness of the paint to start.

Tamiya paints airbrush beautifully with their own thinner, but will gunge up if you try it with water.

I find vallejo airbrush thinner works well with citadel

Skip that junk gun and buy a basic airbrush (its actually a badger external mix airbrush).

You can get a basic brush and compressor for about $80 some places.

There are TONS of posts about beginning airburshing...check em out.

Thin about 50% (like milk, as said) using water, or windex, or 90% alcohol. Once you get serious, then try flow aid, or airbrush matte medium.

Best of luck!!!

I like 1 part paint: 1 part windex: 1 part liquitex ab medium, flows well, doesn't tend to clog the tip up and you get that nice matte finish that windex gives.

If youre low on cash(as I am ATM) just water down the paints as suggested, I havent used paint thinner and it turns out ok still. The mini nozzle at the end of regular air brushes clogs after each use so have a sink nearby and some plumbers tape to clog any leaks. To prevent clogging the feed after each use I place the sink faucet on full unscrew the two metal pieces front so only the fine tip nozzle is left and remove the paint holder lid. Place it underneath the sink 8-20 seconds (inks and washes 8-10 paints 10-20) .The pressure from the water is similar to the air pressure so it forces the paint (and any clogging) out. I have yet to try paint thinners but free tap water works fine. I should warn youo though, Im not sure this is healthy for your air brush as I just started doing this last week.

I would pass on the citadel spraygun... (it just screams shoddy spray device!) and go for any other conventional airbrush.
A china special dual action brush with something around 0.3 or 4mm tip would probably shoot citadel paints just fine.

To thin them I use Liquitex Airbrush Medium, it comes in 8oz bottles for just under £10 ish, the tamiya thinner/medium mentioned above is probably something similar. Other brands to try are createx (they do reducer, transparent and opaque base mediums for acrylic airbrushing) and Golden Acrylics also make a reducer for acrylics.

Avoid using just water, this will destroy the surface tension of the paint and give an odd looking finish at best.

Water with flow aid can be used sparingly. As can windex (or indeed any window cleaner that does not contain vinegar - usualy stuff for cars rather than household windows) vinegar will corrode the chrome inside your airbrush, so avoid that like the plague.

A consistency to aim for will depends on the airbrush and tip you'r using, aswell as the effect you want to achieve. but a rule of thum is 'like milk' which can be tricky to picture in your head, but its just practise and experience - Im at a point of just pipetting a few drops of this, that and the other into the cup and shaking it.. then thinking merh thatle do!

One thing acrylics will certainly do is clog your nozzle, the sheer amount of air rushing through the brush will litterally dry paint up inside the tip, and around the needle (known as tip dry) this will affect your spray pattern negatively and will need frequently cleaning, even mid usage.
A decent cleaner and some micro fine brushes/picks are useful for cleaning the nozzles, just be careful not to deform it or melt the o-rings with harsh chemicals.