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black, dark copper and silver. Amazing Tamiya acrylics, that tbh, I cannot match with the rest I tried so far: citadel, lifecolor, mister hobby but... mabye because they are alcoholic based they just diminished and all I got painted so far is 10 marines guys, 2 assaults guys and one Rhino. The whole bottle is nearly empty and all I painted on those models are minor details: tank chains, bolters, granades etc. Most of the paint turns into goo (that does not happen with tamiya white and red, for some uknown to me reason) and the liquid inside just еvaporates. I try thin the goo that is left with water but it's really hard process. My question is is there a way to put some stuff inside the paint jar: water + spirt and increase the content a bit. I am using hairbrush, I know tamiya is supposed to be for airbrush, but still there must be some ways to prevent this from happening. It's just 10 bolters and the whole 10ml jar is empty.

I think to switch to lifecolor acrylics, but they seem to watery for me and I dont know if their black can match tamiya black at all. Tamiya got some really great finish if you ask me.

Edit:
Apologies if I am asking something that can be googled, but I need info not for thining, but what to put inside the paint to keep the content of the paint for a bit longer.

Paint faster...nah I'm joking, what helps is if you use a syringe (without the needle) suck up a little bit of paint and close the lid. Use that to put the paint on your brush or on your pallet, when you finished squirt it back into the bottle. Sounds weird but it works.

You're probably using it way too thick. Transfer to a palette and thin with tamiya thinner - do NOT add plain water, it will turn most alcohol based paints into unrecoverable goo.

A simple pipette for picking up paint is just a bit of tube. Put the tube in, seal the other end with your finger, then release your finger when you want to drop the paint.

They don't sound like acrylic paints to me more like alcohol based.

That being the case alcohol evaporates very quickly in room temperature air. Like the guys say a pipette/syringe and a pallete will allow you to use the paint and close the pot quickly.

Tamiya sell a good thinners for their paints. It's usually in the same stand as the paints.

I use nothing but Tamiya paints, although I have no airbrush, and I love them. However, they are very temperamental. Especially the metallics. Make sure you get a brush handle in the bottle before you use them every time as they will separate and need a thorough remixing. The metallics, I find, separate much quicker than the other colours and if you're not shaking them up and mixing them frequently, you'll use up the liquid top more than the much thicker pigment much faster. I've learned at that point, not to try to add anything, but just dump it and open a new bottle.

 notprop wrote:
They don't sound like acrylic paints to me more like alcohol based.

Tamiya is acrylic and they are alcohol based, making them alcohol-based acrylic paints. GW, Vallejo, and the like are water-based acrylic paints.

OP, are you leaving the bottle open and painting directly out of it? If so, that is the problem and you shouldn't stop doing it.

 ScootyPuffJunior wrote:


OP, are you leaving the bottle open and painting directly out of it? If so, that is the problem and you shouldn't stop doing it.

My first thoughts, always close the bottle, always use a palette, and always make sure its a ceramic palette.

First I took paint from the cap of the jar (the inside) after shaking so I can save more paint. It seems that Citadel paint does not evaporate but Tamiya is doing it because it's alcohol based. I think to swtich to Citadel or Lifecolor acrylics or buy Tamiya Thinner and pour into what's left from the paint. I am currently using wet palette.


Thanks for the feedback. When I asked for acryclis in the store, couple of months ago, none told me that Tamiya are actually alcohol based and need special thinner... they sold me Alclad 2 primer, in the same fashion, when I told them I have no idea what Airbrush and I use hairbrushesh. Getting in to the hobby is serious business :(

The boiling point of alcohol is a lot lower than that of water (in Celsius it is 78 vs. 100 degrees). That means it evaporates a lot faster, especially in a warm environment.

Leaving the lid open for a few hours will kill it. Adding even tiny amounts of water will kill it. You probably notice that the paint dries a lot faster too.

I have a similar issue with Vallejos (fantastic) Liquid Metalics Series. What helps is to put an ice pack under your palette or plate. Cooling the ethanol makes it evaporate less fast and you will get more out of your paint. Never leave the pot open.

Klaus von Groehm wrote:
The boiling point of alcohol is a lot lower than that of water (in Celsius it is 78 vs. 100 degrees). That means it evaporates a lot faster, especially in a warm environment.

Leaving the lid open for a few hours will kill it. Adding even tiny amounts of water will kill it. You probably notice that the paint dries a lot faster too.

I have a similar issue with Vallejos (fantastic) Liquid Metalics Series. What helps is to put an ice pack under your palette or plate. Cooling the ethanol makes it evaporate less fast and you will get more out of your paint. Never leave the pot open.

Well I didnt whant to spent more on paint and accessories, but here is the result - I finaly bought the X-20A (or something) special Tamiya thinner. It smells exactly like Spirt/Ethanol, but I decide to aim for the real thing instead buying Ethanol. The Tamiya Thinner, literally does Miracle. I just poured with Injection s very small amout of thinner into the pots where the paint turned to goo and now the painting experience is way better.

However, I want to bring another question to the thread (better that way instead opneing another thread). I have 3 pots of Lifecolor acrylics (I think people here are not really familiar with those Italian Acrylics). The Dark tones are simply amazing, the finish is nearly as good as Citadel paint and the pots are 22 ml. Whatever I paint (Rhino, Assault Marines Jumpacks) my matt Royal Blue does not seem to be even 10% used. However, their light tones (Yellow, Orange) are just.... gak. I can't even find "better" word. The Yellow is so thinned, that I cannot paint anything. Their bright tones are simply so watery that no matter how I try to thin/thick on the palette or paper its just very shallow watery yellow and etc. I know it may sound quite absurd, but is there any way to make the oposite of thinning - thicking? I guess there are some manufcators that could have "Thickening" stuff?

In conclusion: I think I should straight start the hobby with Citadel Paint. Tamiya colors are amazing, but all those extra spending on Thinners/Thickeners and etc. makes me a bit regreting my choice of "cheap alternatives".

Edit:
Sorry if my comments sound like I whine too much, but Im like Emperors Childner, I want it ALL PERFECT!!!

Edit 2:
Thanks to all that shared their opinions and help me resolve the problem with Goo Paint

With experience, you will find that the Tamiya and alternative paint ranges are cheaper. Try, if possible to use paint ranges that come in a dropper bottle like the Vallejo range. GW are definitly good, but are very, very expensive.

Also, yellow is a notoriously difficult paint to work with, I find about one bottle in two is as bad as you describe...

Tamiya has there own thinners. you should use it instead of water

If you dont want to open and close the bottles that often, put a flat credit card on top of the open jar to keep it from evaporating too much.

its easier to move out of the way while you are using it with one hand.

Desubot wrote:Tamiya has there own thinners. you should use it instead of water

If you dont want to open and close the bottles that often, put a flat credit card on top of the open jar to keep it from evaporating too much.

its easier to move out of the way while you are using it with one hand.

Yep, I already bought Tamiya Thinner and I'm really glad. Previously I thinned with water and it was all gak.

goblinzz wrote:With experience, you will find that the Tamiya and alternative paint ranges are cheaper. Try, if possible to use paint ranges that come in a dropper bottle like the Vallejo range. GW are definitly good, but are very, very expensive.

Also, yellow is a notoriously difficult paint to work with, I find about one bottle in two is as bad as you describe...

Yep it seems so :( I will search for thick yellow, maybe try Vallejo yellow and see if it's not too watery. Btw Vallejo range are hard to find here and are on the same price as GW paint.

 DalinCriid wrote:
Btw Vallejo range are hard to find here and are on the same price as GW paint.

Tamiya is a Japanese company while Vallejo is Spanish, so that seems a bit odd to me. Check Vallejo's website and see if they have a distributor in your area of Europe.

 Ghaz wrote:

 DalinCriid wrote:
Btw Vallejo range are hard to find here and are on the same price as GW paint.

Tamiya is a Japanese company while Vallejo is Spanish, so that seems a bit odd to me. Check Vallejo's website and see if they have a distributor in your area of Europe.

It's complicated. For Decades hobby stores in my country sold only Revell. But the past 2 years there is a boom of Japanese acrylics: Mister Hobby (I really love them) and Tamiya. Citadel Paint can be found only in my one Gaming Club in our city and from this year, before that there was no Citadel Paint in my country at all. When local hobbyists told me I can find Vallejo in one of those stores it happened that they sell only Japanese Acrylis. However, thanks for the link thou. I will try look up for Vallejo Yellow, I hope its better than the other brands and its not just yellow with water.