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hello dakka! i finally graduated onto an airbrush for my painting method, and i decided to share some of my first attempts!





for this one I wanted to try a simple masking practice... not happy with it, but for some reason I want to go to TGI Fridays


also had a stormraven lying around from an old army (that i had put dark angels symbols on) that i wanted to be my second test paint.
it's a bit of a different method where I paint in the center of the panel.

Looking really good.

I'm loving how many people are getting into airbrushing.

Couple questions:

- What airbrush and needle size did you use?
- What paint did you use?
- What did you use for a thinner?

I've been having fun on my own airbrush adventure, but there's one nagging problem. I simply cannot get anything but Vallejo Model Air paints to flow consistently through a 0.35 needle. Both Model Color and Citadel Layer paints very nearly instaclog (tip dry) when I use them regardless of thinner type or amount of thinning. I have since upsized to a 0.5 needle and the problems have largely gone away. But I would really like to go back down to the 0.35 if I could figure out how to solve the clogging problem.

It's pretty liberating to see how ultra thin the dried paint is on the model though, isn't it? Unless you flub it badly, it's literally like you haven't changed the surface at all. All those details remain pristine. MMmmmmm.

Cowbellicus wrote:
.............. Both Model Color and Citadel Layer paints very nearly instaclog (tip dry) when I use them regardless of thinner type or amount of thinning. I have since upsized to a 0.5 needle and the problems have largely gone away. But I would really like to go back down to the 0.35 if I could figure out how to solve the clogging problem.

It's pretty liberating to see how ultra thin the dried paint is on the model though, isn't it? Unless you flub it badly, it's literally like you haven't changed the surface at all. All those details remain pristine. MMmmmmm.

Sorry to OT Op but I run most Vallejo paints at 1:1 up to 1:2 paint/Vallejo airbrush thinner without issue (18-20psi). I only have issues after a prolonged session and the airbrush itself starts to clog; though this is entirely down to my own laziness trying to get as much done without stopping to clean.

Vallejo is quite a thick paint but thins well enough with most mediums (I used Tamiya x20, concentrated windscreen wash and distilled water before settling on Vallejo thinners - all were okay though)

Back on topic, OP they all look good except the hazard stripes as you point out. Do you consider this the finished job or are you proposing to do more coats?

I'm not sure what you masked with but don't use that product again! I have used Low-tac masking tape and Tamiya masking tape before with satisfactory results (see my Griffons in my gallery), though you might consider Blu-tac for getting around the raised surfaces. It is important to do light/thin coats and spray at a distance so that the paint is hitting the model and drying rather than pooling which will make it seep under/into your mask. This should also be done at an angle from behind the edge of the mask (if that makes sense?). This will really help when dealing with uneven surfaces.

Don't get me wrong I am no great expert, its just a few thing I have picked up along the way.

I would heartily recommend Fine Scale Modellers "How to Use an Airbrush" book, there not a huge amount on tanks but it covers techniques nicely; and Forgeworlds Modelling Masterclass Volume 1. Its a bit expensive (£28?) but the amount I learnt from this book on detailing 40K models was immense. It is not specifically about airbrushing techniques but it shown stage by stage the detailing on some amazing FW/GW models that I found very informative. Added to the technical bits learn from the other book/online It gives a great in sight in stepping your models up.

The green and metals look great . Though the red and white striping comes off a bit odd, were you planning on putting some other color over the white?

I can only hope when I start airbrushing next month that I do half as good as you have, that is a great start.

Do you paint the basecoat and highlights before doing the panel lines?

The airbrush needle is .3 mm I think, I picked up a cheapo airbrush/ compressor combo pack for $60, just to see if I like the medium.

As far as the vindicator, I'll consider it done for now. I received it in the best model trade of my life (vindicator tank for a cyclone missile launcher!) so I have no real solid plans to use it. That being said, it's supposed to be for dark angels, but it came out far too bright, almost a salamanders green.

The paints were all citadel. Started with caliban green watered down 1:2 with water, then worked white in (which made it have that white highlight) I knocked down the white by redoing the mix with good ol dark angels green.

the stormraven was an attempt at making a darker dark angels paint scheme, as I like the fluff's description of the armor "almost back except for where the light hits, then it's a dark green"

Actual dark angel models are in the pipeline, but I'm currently practicing on a couple of leman russes I recieved in a trade.