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.

Hey there so i just picked up an iwata eclipse hp-cs and am currently working on some terrain. Im new and this is the first time i've done something. As of now i have a quarter bottle of vallejo thinner, which looks a little older and im not entirely sure where i got it from. Right now theres a 50% off sale at michaels and i went there to pick up some vallejo airbrush medium, to my surprise they dont stock it here in Canada and in the US its online online only. I want to take advantage of the 50% coupon and everyone there didnt know anything regarding airbrushes or the mediums so i didnt know what to buy. The only thing i saw that could be used as a replacement i suppose is liquitex flow aid. I've been looking online and im not sure on what the difference is. It gets really technical and im not sure what tension and binding plus whatnot have to do with getting paint to flow through the airbrush. Can someone help me and describe the differences between the two (or if ill need both?).

Right now i can buy liquitex flow aid for 50% off, and if i need the liquitex airbrush medium ill have to find it elsewhere such as desseres or currys for full price. So can i just use flowaid and mix them with my paints (i mainly use GW regular and have some air. as well as VMC and some VMA) to airbrush?

Thanks

Here is some work i've done while trying to figure out how to airbrush

Generally speaking...
Flow Aid breaks down the surface tension of the liquid you spray. That means it does not tend to stick together as much, causing less droplets and easing the flow of the needle of the airbrush. A single drop or 2 in the cup of the airbrush helps prevent tip dry and clogging.

Medium reduces the pigment density of the paint without changing its properties. Acrylics consist, so to speak, of 2 things - pigment and a medium the pigment is suspended in.
That is basically what everyone tells you when they want you to "thin your paints!"
The coverage goes down, but usually dries smoother, does not obscure details and pleases the Lord of Layers.

Airbrush Thinner is something different, but similar - it makes the paint more liquid and less viscose. That helps with spraying paint through an airbrush.
Or in a metaphor - what is easier to spray? Mustard or water?

So, for airbrushing, I'd highly recommend getting a thinner and flow aid. A bottle of Flow aid should literally last you a life time.
Medium is more recommended for hair brush painting imo as an alternative for clean water.

Thanks for the reply, cleared it up a little more for me.

So i picked up flow aid today. It says to dilute it 1:20. Should i do that and use that as a thinner for my paints going through the airbrush or just add a drop into the pot and add my paint and spray

The later. You only need a few drops.
However without a thinner your paint will be too thick to go through an airbrush (unless you specifically buy airbrush ready paints like vallejo air).
As a guide line that works for me:

1 drop of flow aid for 20 drops of citadel paint

1 drop of thinner for 1 drop of citadel base

1 drop of thinner for 2 drops of citadel layer

Thank you sir! Youve been a great help. May the emperor himself bless you

laughablehat wrote:
Here is some work i've done while trying to figure out how to airbrush

This is you just trying to figure it out?

holy hell mate.

asides from the recesses being too clean like in the recessed area where the pipes connect that looks amazing.

Thank you, yeah its a work in progress and lots of learning ill have to do. I went a little overboard on the salt and hairspray which totally kills the gradient i tried getting from yucky-grey-white lol and i totally know what you mean at the top of the piece.