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So I watched Awesome Paint Job's YouTube video where Les used a red ink to base color a model and it was astounding!

I tried it on a model and the ink just beaded out onto the model. I was using it at 30psi and dropped it down to 20 with the same result. I even tried with half trigger on the air side to slow it down more.....

I was using P3 ink if that makes a difference.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Mix it with some matte medium.

 ScootyPuffJunior wrote:
Mix it with some matte medium.

Sounds reasonable. Should it be thinned after the medium or do you think it will still be thin enough to shoot?

I'd guess its a combi action of too high pressure and too close to the model.

I have to confess I've not had the same issue, but the only time I've used a bona fide ink, rather than a wash, was over paint on a rough surface, and it worked fine.

My best results though, have been with very, very low pressure. Unfortunately I have an adjuster on the brush itself, so can't give a PSI, but I would guess less than 10 PSI.

Was going to say, ink goes through an airbrush like a knife through butter. Your shouldnt need to thin at all (assuming it is an ink and not a clear). Pressure should be very low, most my inks are sprayed at 10 PSI or less.

Lowering the pressure should handle a lot of the issue, after that apply the ink in thin mists. You should barely see any change in color at first and build it up slowly. Inks will bead up and get pushed around really easily, so you want to keep the air pressure as low as possible. They dry fast, but if you apply it too thick, too fast it will also bead up.

Sean, Azreal thank you guys. I'll give it a try at 10psi, hopefully that fixes the issue.

Yeah ink is very very thin already, it's basically water consistency - at 10psi or even lower you can shoot 1"/2.5cm away and if you have a good primer base the ink shouldn't blow everywhere.

These suggestions are all off the mark. I use inks frequently through my airbrush at 25psi, like I do any other material. The only time you lower psi is when you are DECREASING distance between the model and the airbrush.

If the ink is "beeding" up on the surface of the model, then the ink is not having anything to bite into, meaning your surface prep needs attention, not the material being used.

Did you use any putty on the model, did the lubricant on the putty not get cleaned off fully?

Did you apply your primer in a nice smooth opaque layer? If so this is not ideal for ink application. The primer should have some tooth to it and be applied in a manner where the metal or plastic underneath is just visible, here is an example of proper priming;



Notice that the color of the underlying resin still peeks through the primer a bit.

Finally, dont pull the trigger back as far when you spray. Ink is thin, and should be applied in a thin manner, so take your time and work slowly with it until you get the hang of it.

Ashton

Not being funny mate, but just because you haven't experienced an issue, doesn't mean those of us who have posted differently are "way off the mark"

I didn't make my post up, it was my own personal experience!

Your suggestion has merit, but just because you do things a certain way, it doesn't make everyone else's approach wrong. In addition, your method wouldn't necessarily work if you wanted to lay some ink down over another coat of paint (not what the OP is doing now admittedly, but may want to do so)

There are often many ways of achieving the same goal, you shouldn't dismiss other methods just because you do it differently.

OK, OK, no reason to fight it out on the interwebs. There are plenty of ways to make things work. I'm willing to try them all.

 azreal13 wrote:
... your method wouldn't necessarily work if you wanted to lay some ink down over another coat of paint (not what the OP is doing now admittedly, but may want to do so) ...

paint and primer surfaces are not equal, ink over paint adheres just fine

 azreal13 wrote:
There are often many ways of achieving the same goal, you shouldn't dismiss other methods just because you do it differently.

Could not agree more.


As far as "my method", well, I have used airbrushes in one form or another for about 20 years, 10 of those in professional settings doing gas tanks, cars and murals. What I say is definitely not the be all and end all, but it certainly has weight to it. Now if you want to get your panties in a bunch for being told that your doing something wrong, or that you are "off mark", grow some thicker skin and stop crying about it, this is the interwebs, rudeness, abrupt points and sarcasm laden comments are par for the course, multiply that by 10 because this is Dakka...