How to wash with paints that arent wash?

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**Zelph**

How do i wash with paints that arent considered washes such as abaddon black or kantor blue? Just add water?

**Ma55ter_fett**

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/261541.page

This dude knows where it's at.

**ScootyPuffJunior**

You do a 10:1 water to paint ratio and add a drop or two of flow aid to help it run on the model. That's about as basic as it gets for making a simple wash. However, there are more things you can do, like add glaze medium and the like.

Just Google search and you'll find plenty of tips and recipes out there.

**oadie**

If you're using a more generalized definition, then yes, just add water. If you want it to behave more like the ready-made washes, you're going to need additives like matte medium and flow improver (dish soap being the cheap, DIY alternative surfactant).

It should be noted that LBursley's wash recipe uses inks, not paints, but the point of the additives is the same. From the linked thread:

LBursley wrote:
WingWong wrote:Also, could you just use normal paints for this?
Normal paints are only good for simple washes as you can thin them and make transparent but only to a point. A real wash is ink or dye. So no to using paint for this. The ink you are looking for in your area should be acrylic based non-toxic and water proof. You can try it but I only know what works for me.

**fenrir1997**

It works, but not to the extent you want it to. A decent wash will have the additives others have listed above (matte medium, flow improver, etc). I've done it myself in a pinch. No Thrakka Green Wash?.... (*splash mix splash*) done...

Definitely check out Les Bursley's recipe. Well worth it. I'm actually mixing up a few more colors after I get off my laptop.

Awesomepaintjob.com, check the "Resources" tab.

**Skippy**

Generally easier to just buy some proper washes.

**lord_blackfang**

Vallejo Glaze Medium, end of story.

**rigeld2**

Skippy wrote:
Generally easier to just buy some proper washes.

Washes don't come in all colors.