Still not entirely happy with Vallejo Model Air

[spikey]

So I'm new to airbrushing and to Vallejo acrylics, and despite the rather steep learning curve, I'm very happy with the results so far except for one thing: according to the shops I bought the paints from, Vallejo Model Air dries matt. To my way of thinking, it does no such thing: it's not matt at all, but rather a semi-matt, which is no good for the buildings and scenery I need to use it for. 

 

I need matt, not semi-matt, and according to the internets there are two ways forward: I can add a touch of Tamiya Flat Base (X-21) to my paint, or I can spray the finished model with matt varnish.  I tried the former without success, and I don't want to do the latter.

 

So what's a chap to do?  All I want to do is standardise on one range of nice airbrush-friendly acrylics which dry matt.  Not semi-matt, but flat matt like Tamiya flat acrylics dry.  Am I doing something wrong with the Model Air?  Or is my best bet to cut my losses now and jump ship to Tamiya?

 

(I stress that I'm not painting rolling stock, therefore I don't need "authentic" colours.)

[Tony Davis]

Hi Spikey, just looking at a recently sprayed piece of track, using poundshop grey primer, then 71.038 on the rails and track chairs followed by a misting of 71.056, and all have dried matt. I did spend sometime shaking the bottles side to side and round and round to thoroughly mix the product, so could have been that they weren't shaken enough?

 

HTH

 

Tony

[spikey]

... could have been that they weren't shaken enough?

Gosh, indeed it could!  I'd never have thought of that, Tony, so thank you.  Off now to pop an M5 stainless nut in a couple of bottles, shake 'em to death and see what difference it makes

[durham light infantry]

Gosh, indeed it could!  I'd never have thought of that, Tony, so thank you.  Off now to pop an M5 stainless nut in a couple of bottles, shake 'em to death and see what difference it makes

You don't have to shake them to death, just a gentle agitation and a swirling motion will suffice.

 

Mike

[decauville1126]

You don't have to shake them to death, just a gentle agitation and a swirling motion will suffice.

 

Mike

I tend to pull out the nozzle and drop in a spare nut or ball bearing, plus a little drop of Vallejo thinners. Replace nozzle and shake well before every use.

 

Although Vallejo Air is supposed to be airbrushable straight from the bottle, I find it still needs a little thinning to get it to spray at around 20psi. But of all the ranges of acrylics I've tried, Vallejo worked best for me. But you must use their thinners, and don't try isopropanol as it sludges.

[spikey]

Thank you gentlemen.  While I'm on the subject (and also on a very tight budget!), can anybody please suggest useful Model Air colours to get for ...

 

Slate roofs

Brickwork

Stone walls (warm Cotswold-y shades rather than greys)

 

If there's any other colours that are particularly useful for buildings and maybe even people, I'd be very glad to know of them.

[milocomarty]

Change your spraying technique, Vallejo and others like Ammo an AK need to be build up instead of flooding the surface.

 

[spikey]

Change your spraying technique, Vallejo and others like Ammo an AK need to be build up instead of flooding the surface.

Ahah!  It does indeed seem that the least-matt finish I got on the bits I was painting was when I was being a bit heavy-handed in my haste to get them done, so thanks for that. 

 

Hopefully the bad worker will no longer blame his tools now.  I'd still very much appreciate suggestions for colours though ...

[Nile_Griffith]

Hi there!

 

Definitely endorse giving those little bottles of wonderfulness a good shake before using them. Like any other fluid suspension, is that the solids within the fluid settle at different rates and what you might find is adding to the sheen you are getting is that some of the lighter particles within the paint that are more concerned with "binding" are over present in the paint near the top of a bottle that has been stood still for a while and that the paints pigment (which in Vallejo paint is pretty fine) has settled more to the bottom.

 

I'd also recommend going with lighter passes rather than trying to get a full colour coat first time. Vallejo paint is pretty good at preserving fine detail, even when you over do it a bit. But I have found that if you are covering largish areas, building up the colour with light passes creates a much more "authentic" finish. Rather than the surface looking as if it's been painted.

 

As you can tell, I'm a fan. It's a bit more expensive but I'd give a big......... no huge thumbs up to their airbrush cleaner. It really does the job well!!!!

[Tony Davis]

Another thumbs up for Vallejo airbrush cleaner

[Jeff Smith]

I am not a fan of the limited experience I have had with Vallejo, however this was the brush version not the Air. It does not pass the thumbnail scratch test, Testors Acryl does; and it is attacked by IPA based weathering washes. However it is very brushable, if there is such a word.

[Nile_Griffith]

I am not a fan of the limited experience I have had with Vallejo, however this was the brush version not the Air. It does not pass the thumbnail scratch test, Testors Acryl does; and it is attacked by IPA based weathering washes. However it is very brushable, if there is such a word.

 

 

Vallejo paint (especially the primer) does need the better part of twenty four hours to cure fully. I've used Testors myself and it's big plus is it's workability when dry short term. However like a lot of other acrylics that have better short term durability the trade of seems to be (in my own view) the level of colour achievable without flooding detail and creating what is an obvious layer of paint........... if you know what I mean.

 

As mentioned Vallejo primer is particularly good at coverage, but is un-workable (sanding etc) until properly cured. I have tried another primer product by a company called Stynylrez, which had fantastic short term re-working properties (and great coverage too). But what I did find is that once opened, the product itself just doesn't store well and wasn't great if using infrequently.

 

The reality is that all of the "Good" paint products have pro's and con's. I guess if you are looking at a quick'ish turn round on your paint projects, Vallejo might not be the most forgiving and that's a very reasonable criteria for choice. If I have my own criticism of Vallejo, it is that they don't seem to have tapped into the UK model rail market in a particularly big way (colour equivalences etc) but not surprising taking into account their core market.

Edited December 16, 2017 by Nile_Griffith

[Jeff Smith]

Nile - yes, I agree with most of what you say however my nail scratch test was on a paint sample after about a week's cure time.

[Rumblestripe]

Nile - yes, I agree with most of what you say however my nail scratch test was on a paint sample after about a week's cure time.

I came to Vallejo acrylics via figure painting for wargames as this is probably their core user base. As such they are designed to be handled frequently and occasionally roughly a job they do very well. I would suggest that your problem with the paint being easily removed is likely due to your preparation. A good primer is vital for adherence, I like "Artists Gesso" and find that Vallejo sticks to that extremely well.

[Jeff Smith]

I came to Vallejo acrylics via figure painting for wargames as this is probably their core user base. As such they are designed to be handled frequently and occasionally roughly a job they do very well. I would suggest that your problem with the paint being easily removed is likely due to your preparation. A good primer is vital for adherence, I like "Artists Gesso" and find that Vallejo sticks to that extremely well.

Very likely but the point I was making was that Testors Acryl does not seem to need a primer.