Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Title says all. I've tried using windex as a substitute, and, well.... no. Just because it CAN work, doesn't mean it's ideal. I've used ready-to-go airbrush paint and the difference is astronomical. I'm assuming they're all acrylic paints, so now I'm just wondering what I can throw in there?

Also, I have a bottle of flow enhancer. Is that something I can rely on as well? I thought I could use acrylic medium, or whatever it was I picked up, but that's just kept the paint wet for much longer without really improving airbrush performance. So you guise. What do i use?

Windex is always a bad idea... that Les Bursley video has led so many folks on a bad path with that.

Liquitex Airbrush medium is heads above the rest and will make your life a lot easier, and you'll see smoother results with less headaches. Golden and Vallejo also make decent thinners, but Liquitex is the best.

.....nuts. Doesn't look like the FLGS has any. I'm getting really sick of ordering online, the shipping just kills me.

AC Moore / Michaels type places often carry airbrush mediums...

 Gunzhard wrote:
AC Moore / Michaels type places often carry airbrush mediums...

you have no idea how terrified I was of that answer. I was gouged hard already for the airbrush and pump at michaels >_<. Ah well. I'll just have to hope for the coupons.

What about mixing ratios consistency? I've got a paint that I keep pouring more water into, but I swear I've seen barely any change in it's consistency, and the airbrush is not liking it.

I use water or VMA thinner (even cleaner in a pinch).

All work fine

Use the coupons at Michael's... They have them every other week or so for 40% off. Makes their prices competative with online. Keep in mind they price and coupon match...so a coupon from Hobby Lobby will work at Michaels.

In terms of ratios...you can start with paint and add thinner till it sprays well, or you can start with thinner and add paint till it covers well. With thick paints, I normally choose the later.

I find that method to be faster to dial in my results, especially when I am messing about with really thick stuff (tube paints for example).

Even just basic, unscented demineralized water works fine. Y'know, the cheap kind used for ironing clothes.

Just adding acrylic medium won't do much to thin the paint, just drop the opacity. Water (especially with a bit of flow improver) would do more than that. A retarder is helpful for reducing tip dry, but the single biggest need is to thin the consistency for easy spraying.

I tried mixing up a DIY airbrush medium using water, flow improver, drying retarder (I think, can't quite recall), and matte medium (the Les Bursley recipe). Had better luck using straight water than that stuff.

I now swear by dedicated thinners. Currently using the Vallejo stuff, since my Michaels carries just about every Liquitex/Golden medium except the airbrush ones. Discovered that the A.C. Moore nearby has Golden's, though, so I'll likely try it out once my little Vallejo bottle runs dry.

As for shopping craft stores, yeah, you need sales/coupons to make the prices comparable to shopping online. Even with discounts, I doubt I'd have bought an airbrush/compressor at Michaels, as frequently as I shop there for other things. Luckily, between the weekly flier coupons (paper or digital), coupon-matching (Michaels takes A.C. Moore and JoAnn's), and occasional sales (paints and related products are less frequently discounted than others), you almost never have to pay more than 60% of the sticker price of a given item.

Vellajo do a whole range of already mixed airbrush paints, which I use a lot of because its easier, if not they do make a good thinner too!

 oadie wrote:


I tried mixing up a DIY airbrush medium using water, flow improver, drying retarder (I think, can't quite recall), and matte medium (the Les Bursley recipe). Had better luck using straight water than that stuff.

I now swear by dedicated thinners. Currently using the Vallejo stuff, since my Michaels carries just about every Liquitex/Golden medium except the airbrush ones. Discovered that the A.C. Moore nearby has Golden's, though, so I'll likely try it out once my little Vallejo bottle runs dry.

this made me sad, but, essentially formed the substance of the confirmation I was looking for. Very much appreciated.

I'm wondering if maybe you used too much flow enhancer? I know I did not follow directions on bottle.... Anyone have experience using only flow enhancer according to posted instructions?

Not an issue of too much flow improver - I actually went back and added more, at one point. If you really don't want to go the pre-mixed route, you may want to play around with Future/Klear equivalents (don't know what the current iteration is in Canada, but I'm using Pledge FloorCare Multi-Surface Squirt & Mop). The stuff is cheap and you'll get a comparatively massive volume for minimal outlay.

Aside from potentially imparting a bit of a sheen to the sprayed paints (it's high gloss, on its own), it already has much of what you're looking for - it's a colorless acrylic base with very high flow. The only thing it doesn't include, out of the bottle, is a drying retarder. I use it as a varnish and wash adjunct (mostly water with a bit of Pledge, add ink to desired color and intensity) regularly, but haven't experimented with it as a thinner, yet. Plenty of people have done so before (both spraying and brush-painting), though, and have reported good results. Could be worth checking out.

Plain water for me now

Simple quick and cheap

I use the VMA colours, and in my experiance, they go through the airbrush just fine.

I've also used the VGC through an airbrush on multiple occasions. It's taken a while, but I've worked out that 3:5 water to (VGC)paint has the most favorable results.

Best of luck

Yeah I also do ok with water. However, I'm sure if I used proper air brush thinner, I'd probably not want to go back to using water XD

 Glaiceana wrote:
Yeah I also do ok with water. However, I'm sure if I used proper air brush thinner, I'd probably not want to go back to using water XD

I believe this statement is correct hah. Even if you A-B the models you've painted with water (or other thinners) and a proper AB medium - you will see how much better and smoother the coverage is - and how much less the headache along the way was.