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I just got an Iwata Eclipse and the accessories needed to use it, but I'm wondering if I can use GW paints with it. If so, is there a general ratio of water/paint I should use when filling the gravity fed pot? Thanks!

Yes you can use them, and depends on the paint. I find windex makes a good thinner. rubbing alcohol works also but can dryit on the needle with is bad. Water just makes it a bit runny. I suggest youtubing, there are a lot of good starter videos.

I have real issues with GW paints through my airbrushes. I use other paints where ever I can when using an airbrush.

Here's a video that we did on exactly what you're asking about. Basically, the answer is yes but you'll probably want to use some airbrush medium for the GW paints as that are very thick. You can of course try to use water, but it can cause the pigment to separate from the binder if you use too much. I would recommend thinning it down to about the consistency of 2% mink. When you spray it make sure to allow each layer to fully dry before spraying the next layer.

yes, do a search on "thinning paint"

you will find several active threads on it.
This question is asked about every four days.

There are even videos posted up weekly on how to do it.

I use Tamiya's thinner to thin down GW paints, even "base range". Works well for me.

If you are using GW paints in an airbrush a popular idea is to get a mix of your chosen citadel paint and thinner in a dropper.

I work with Minitaire, GW, Vallejo and P3 with my airbrush.

All need to be diluted to a different degree. There is alot of trial and error at first.

Yes GW paints can work well with an airbrush if properly diluted. HOWEVER keep in mind the different between BASE and LAYER paints. BASE are heavily pigmented and tend to be thicker and require to be more diluted than when working with a LAYER paint.

Avoid Windex or if you really must use Windex make sure it is ammonia free.

For diluting my paints I use the following.

1- Grab an old rubbing alcohol bottle.
2- Fill with 2/3 Liquitex Matt Medium
3- Fill 1/3 with distilled water
4- 1 cap of flow-aid
5- Mix well then transfer some of the mix into a dropper bottle and work from there.

You probably shouldn't use Windex as an airbrush thinner. The active ingredient in Windex is ammonia and you don't want to inhale it.

Am finding Vallejo airbrush thinner to do a great job with citadels, better than my old favorite of Liquitex Airbrush Medium.

Both will get your citadels spraying easily.

Noctem wrote:
I just got an Iwata Eclipse and the accessories needed to use it, but I'm wondering if I can use GW paints with it. If so, is there a general ratio of water/paint I should use when filling the gravity fed pot? Thanks!

Is this Spencer?

I use GW paints in my airbrush just fine. I dilute them with Liquitex Airbrush Medium. Stuff is magic.

For ratios it really depends on the individual paint. Assume you want every mix to end up like skim milk, so pretty thin.

I would be the guy who needs the new compressor as mine is crap.

HairySticks wrote:
Am finding Vallejo airbrush thinner to do a great job with citadels, better than my old favorite of Liquitex Airbrush Medium.

Both will get your citadels spraying easily.

Nice to know.

barnowl wrote:

HairySticks wrote:
Am finding Vallejo airbrush thinner to do a great job with citadels, better than my old favorite of Liquitex Airbrush Medium.

Both will get your citadels spraying easily.

Nice to know.

np, I find the liquitex one gives a semi-gloss finish, and boosts transparency more. while the vallejo one is quite matte in finish and seems to be of a lower viscosity than the Liquitex one, lending itself to thinning more while diluting the colour less (hence better)

Both work fine though, you can always correct the sheen of the Liquitex one with varnish, Often my wash layer corrected it anyway. Swings and roundabouts, lots of people plan to gloss over the base before washing anyway, so to have semi gloss might be helpful to some.

I have got a new airbrush aswell and after a few initial hiccups I'm getting brilliant results with citadel and les bursleys airbrush medium recipé (it's the same as someone posted above)
Even managed to get a nice coat of metallic paint with it and didn't have any problems with clogging!!

It depends on the colour!

No two colours are the same with the citadel range. One of the greys is so thick I doubt it could be watered down enough to use.

If you really want to use the GW range, and it is a fantastic colour range, start really heavy on the water and move up slowly.

Persistence will be the key, personally I couldn't be bothered even as I do love the range. Rather use some of the air brush ready paints.

Knockagh wrote:
It depends on the colour!

No two colours are the same with the citadel range. One of the greys is so thick I doubt it could be watered down enough to use.

If you really want to use the GW range, and it is a fantastic colour range, start really heavy on the water and move up slowly.

Persistence will be the key, personally I couldn't be bothered even as I do love the range. Rather use some of the air brush ready paints.

That thick grey will thin down just fine, only itle take more thinner than a paint that is already thin. The inconsistency is present in all paint lines tbh.
Although your use of the word 'watering' down worries me... dont use water for thinning paints to spray. water dilutes more than it thins, Purpose designed thinners include extra acrylic polymers to aid in the curing process. Acrylic cures by forming long strings of molecules (polymer chains) when theres too much water and not enough binder present, the chains forming dont all meet up, the film strength is weakened and the paint is at risk of flaking or peeling. Its all basic chemistry really.

But if your one of those who wont learn to thin paints (its a matter of wont, not can't) then pre-thinned paints are great, really convinient if you do thin your own colours, Vallejo Model Air are doing be fine atm, Acrylic inks spray lovely, but dry glossy, badger minitaire is another brand getting high accalim lately.

Sorry I'm meant thinners when I said watering. I admit I am pretty lazy when it comes to these things, I enjoy painting and modeling but I only have a limited time I can allocate to it and would rather spend it painting than watering (sorry thinning!) and cleaning spray guns.

Have nothing but envy though for those with plenty of time to model and paint.

Try Future , it leaves a satin finish when used as a thinner.
Future is great for thinning craft paints.

For the thicker paints, I use windex as a thinner. A little spray goes a long way, especially with vallejo black paint. Thats the thickest stuff there is, and gunked my airbrush a lot. for the rest of the paints, I use vallejo thinner. For cleaning, I just spray windex into it, then blast it into my airbrush cleaning station. Works like a charm.

Small Tip, avoid the Texture Paints, I found that out the hard way, with a bottle of Tamiya "Desert Sand" once..