Quick Tip #6

In the previous tip,I mentioned that my preference paint was lacquer. However, I have obtained good results with enamel and acrylic. This tip deals with acrylic paint. Pros are acrylic paint is water base (easy cleanup), non toxic, fast drying time and comes in the most wide range of colors. Most paint manufacturers who sell in hobby stores, offer acrylics. Vallejo carries the widest range of colors( they seem to focus on military), while Testors carries a nice range of 50's pastel colors. Michaels craft store also sells a good range of acrylic paint at a very reasonable price.The cons with acrylics is you don't get the gloss finish that you can get with enamels or lacquers (especially when lacquer is clear coated) and the finish is not as durable as enamel.My tip today outlines a way of getting better gloss out of your acrylics as well as improving the durability of the finish. While acrylic paint can be thinned with water before airbrushing, my suggestion is to try Future floor finish (Pledge in Canada) instead of water. Future is a high gloss acrylic finish which is also very durable. Mix it with your acrylic paint until the consistency is like skim milk (usually less than 50% Future), then airbrush.To get an even better gloss, spray about three coats of Future right from the bottle as a final clear coat. Make sure the base coat has cured first. When buying Future/Pledge, avoid the types with additives.I have seen them with Ammonia added on the front label. I have attached a picture of one of my cars that was repainted using Testors Acrylic.