White acrylic

[1722]

Hi folks,

 

Can anyone help me please? I find that white acrylic is always very thin, gloopy in spots and doesn't cover anything at all. I can't get on with enamel paints at all and much prefer acrylic if possible.

 

So, fellow acrylic painters of the world; how do you make your white look good?

 

Many thanks,

 

Chris

[Anglian]

What brand are you using and how are you applying it, brush or airbrush? Which primer are you using?

[1722]

Brushing it over Halford grey primer. Acrylic is made by Boldmere - in a set from The Works. However, even with Humbrol I've never managed a good coverage.

[Coryton]

Brushing it over Halford grey primer. Acrylic is made by Boldmere - in a set from The Works. However, even with Humbrol I've never managed a good coverage.

 

My choice (for brush painting white acrylic) would be Tamiya.

 

I generally find Vallejo acrylics by far the best but I wasn't impressed with their white.

 

Judging by how good their yellow was (also better than Vallejo) the "Mr Color" white acrylic might also be a good bet.

[Anglian]

Chris, have you tried spraying white primer over the grey. I use Vallejo paints and the white doesn't cover at all well so has to be built up in layers gradually. This is a tough call with brush painting but I often put an undercoat down over white primer of Vallejo silver grey. I think the tonal jump from Halford's grey primer to Vallejo white is probably a really tough job that is always going to be difficult so I'd go roundabout way of moving from grey to white.

 

I think it would be a lot easier to build up to opacity with an airbrush but appreciate that such a move might not be possible. The other thing you could try is using Vallejo Model Air. It's ready thinned for spraying but you could still brush paint it. You might need as many as five coats to get an opaque white but at least you'd be applying a consistently thin layer each time.

[Coryton]

Chris, have you tried spraying white primer over the grey. I use Vallejo paints and the white doesn't cover at all well so has to be built up in layers gradually. This is a tough call with brush painting but I often put an undercoat down over white primer of Vallejo silver grey. I think the tonal jump from Halford's grey primer to Vallejo white is probably a really tough job that is always going to be difficult so I'd go roundabout way of moving from grey to white.

 

I think it would be a lot easier to build up to opacity with an airbrush but appreciate that such a move might not be possible. The other thing you could try is using Vallejo Model Air. It's ready thinned for spraying but you could still brush paint it. You might need as many as five coats to get an opaque white but at least you'd be applying a consistently thin layer each time.

 

Looking at my notes from the last thing I painted white, I got an OK finish with three coats of Vallejo white (over Humbrol grey acrylic primer). On one side I finished off with Tamiya and that seemed better. It all looked reasonably presentable after weathering.

 

Previously I used Humbrol white acrylic and while I'm not a fan of Humbrol paints (and it wasn't as smooth as I'd have liked) I got a decent finish on something that wasn't weathered.

 

I'm fairly sure that before I used Tamiya white with good results but that was before I started making notes on what I painted with what.

[steve1]

I've used Games Workshop white with some success.

 

steve

[Branwell]

I use Vallejo, usually over grey primer, and the results are ok, but if I want the white to really stand out I'll go over it with either liquid gouache or pastels. Normally though I can live with the acryllic as I prefer muted colours. I'm painting some buildings I've made at the moment and having gone over the window frames with gouache, I'll be using an off-white pastel to tone it down a bit.

[Coryton]

I use Vallejo, usually over grey primer, and the results are ok,

 

Airbrush or paintbrush?

[coachmann]

Why not start with white primer? A wafting over grey would also do the trick.

Edited December 12, 2017 by coachmann

[1722]

Thank you gentlemen for the responses.

 

White primer... never thought of that one!!!

[milocomarty]

Vallejo white acrylic primer...

[pctrainman]

Reeves White Acrylic , it comes in a plastic tube and covers everything i've asked it to .

[Branwell]

Airbrush or paintbrush?

 

Paintbrush.

[Coryton]

Vallejo white acrylic primer...

 

Which one is that? "Foundation White"?

[Mike Storey]

B&Q test pot acrylic white emulsion has always worked for me as an undercoat before using white or cream final coat of any make (plus clear matte varnish spray to protect). And my most recent works have been on resin buildings (window frames and valances) set permanently in the garden. They lasted about five years before needing a touch-up.

[Anglian]

Which one is that? "Foundation White"?

 

 

Try their Premium primer. It comes in a 60ml bottle. It's the best primer I've used although it still doesn't work as well as acid etch but I'm not sure if you are painting metal or plastic. If the latter then acid etch wouldn't be appropriate. However, I still think that acrylic over plastic is always prone to rubbing damage. 

[Coryton]

Try their Premium primer. It comes in a 60ml bottle. It's the best primer I've used although it still doesn't work as well as acid etch but I'm not sure if you are painting metal or plastic. If the latter then acid etch wouldn't be appropriate. However, I still think that acrylic over plastic is always prone to rubbing damage. 

 

I'll give that a go.

 

I've been quite happy with Humbrol acrylic primer (unlike some of their other colours) but the latest pot doesn't seem as good.

 

So far I haven't been aware of acrylics coming off plastic - on rolling stock that gets a fair bit of handling.

 

Thanks.

[Anglian]

I've certainly found the Humbrol acrylic much harder wearing than Vallejo. However, that said I'm sure that Vallejo becomes harder after a very significant drying period. I can definitely see a change after about three days but after about six weeks it does seem to be harder. Do you varnish before and after decals, if so which varnish(s) to do you use?

[melmerby]

How about DecoArt "Crafter's Acrylic" from Hobbycraft?

Seems to be better than The Works stuff. It's made in the USA.

 

Keith

[brossard]

A good idea to prime surfaces I find.  Grey (for green, blue, white) or Red Oxide (for red or browish colours) depending on the final colour.

 

For details, Tamiya flat white.  For larger areas aerosol paint such as Testors flat white is good.  I've also used this as a primer for those colours that are very difficult to get to cover, like cream.

 

John

[milocomarty]

Which one is that? "Foundation White"?

 

Standard surface primer, comes in several colors, grey, black, white and another 6 or so..

Edited December 16, 2017 by milocomarty

[milocomarty]

[57xx]

Thank you gentlemen for the responses.

 

White primer... never thought of that one!!!

 

As you're already using Halfords primer, just go grab a can of their white primer. It works a treat.

[Rumblestripe]

Can I suggest you try Artists Gesso. It is a curious substance. It shrinks to a thin layer and provides a superb grip for Acrylic paints. It also costs "buttons".

 

This is the translucent version. You simply glop it on quite roughly but making sure it covers the whole painted area.

 

 

Wait a while...

 

And this is how it dries, notice how it has "shrunk to fit" all the detail on the figure returns. I just use a cheap version from a shop called "The Works" which seems to be on most high streets, I think it cost me £1 for a tub that will probably last me for years. Give it a try. You'll never go back to Halfords Primer (perhaps) and you can do it without having to wear a mask or waiting for good weather!

 

*Sorry I don't have a more "Railway" example to show but I took these shots to document painting a 28mm figure of Terry Pratchett's "Death" for another website.