Airbrushing Inks for post shading?

[Guest mercerre]

Just curious if anybody uses inks for post-shading with an airbrush. Most of the really small nozzle, high-end airbrushes seem to like inks better than model enamels or acrylics. so I was wondering if anyone had any experience, tips, or recommendations for this technique.

Thanks,

Bob Mercer

[Paul T]

I suppose you could use inks,India or otherwise ,and know that they come in various colors (Pelican inks come to mind) but I suspect they must be sprayed on a flat surface as apposed to a gloss finish. On gloss ,the ink would probably just bead up and not adhear to the paint.

Don`t know if it`s been done ,but is possible.

Paul T

[Guest mercerre]

Paul T: Thanks for the reply. I know it's possible because I first read about in the Osprey modeling book on airburshing. The article used the inks to achieve very subtle post-shading effects using transparent inks. The particular example used a series of coats of transparent inks to build up the "scum" at the waterline of a float plane.

Unfortunately, the article seemed to assume that one would know how to thin the stuff, proper pressures, cleaning medium for the airbrush. Because the author was Spanish, the brands of inks he used were European. I was hoping someone had actually tried the technique and could help me narrow down some of the key variables like what to use for thinning, appropriate base, what type of inks they used, cleaning medium, etc..

I've got some Dr. Martin inks I picked up years ago. I guess I'll go experiment on some old kits and see how I do.

Thanks,

Bob Mercer

[Guest mercerre]

OK, this is what I did. I used my CO2 tank and regulator. Set gas flow at about 10 psi. The surface I sprayed onto was painted in SNJ which had never had aluminum powder rubbed into it. The surface had been lightly sanded with 3200 grit to get rid of dust and smooth finish for a second coat of paint. I used Dr. Martin's opaque colbalt blue ink. I did not thin the ink and cleaned up the airbrush with 91% isopropyl alcohol.

I sprayed the engraved panel lines of upper wing of a Tamiya P-51D. The resulting lines began as very light, translucent blue, deepening in hue fairly quickly in the lines themselves, but not on the flat surfaces of the panels themselves. This probably happened because the paint in the panel lines hadn't been sanded and the surface tension of the ink kept more ink in the lines. Ink build-up on the airbrush tip was almost non-existent, nor were there any interruptions of the flow of the ink.

I'm not sure that the results I achieved were any better than those using other mediums for post-shading. However, I think I'm going to continue experimenting, only with translucent or transparent inks instead of opaque inks. If I somehow achieve something that's worth sharing, I will, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for it.

Bob Mercer

[asvennevik]

I have used WIndsor & Newton watercolours for weathering with great success. I bought the watercolours that come in small tubes, the one sold as small cakes are much more difficult. Basically I used the watercolour to add colour to water (90%+ water, less than 10% watercolour). Sprayed over matt varnish this can be used to build up very subtle weathering effects.

Anders

[Paul T]

Sounds interesting Bob ,there are always tecniques we should try and experiment with...I suppose that`s how the use of Future was started.

Keep us posted

Paul T

[Gerd Kuijpers]

I use Magic Color Quasar black artistic airbrush ink with 90% water for pre- and post-shading with very good results. It’s non-toxic, no cleaning required and easy to use. I’m thinking about getting rid of all those acrylics and enamels and mixing my own colors from water based airbrush ink and paint.

Gerd

I post shaded and painted the black in this camo scheme with airbrush ink.

[BeauGeste8]

Wow Gerd...That looks really good!!!

[Scalephantomphixer]

I used Rotring inks for weathering my Phantom F-4. They worked particularly well for preshading, and adding the transparent burnt metal shades (blue / orange / brown) to the exhaust nozzles.

I will post a picture later this evening, when I'm back home.

Pierre

[Grant in West Oz]

I used Magic-Color acrylic (Made in UK) inks to weather my blue Dinah III. They stained the Future overcoat after the decals were sealed.

They mix well with future and may be thinned or used straight with that venerable material. I tend to apply them with small brushes rather than spray. Water clean-up with a final rinse in windex.

G

[Scalephantomphixer]

Here is the nozzle I was mentionning earlier.

This is an example of the blast shield, with exhaust stains...

Pierre

[Scalephantomphixer]

An finally a close-up of the arrestor hook.

The job was done using Rotring's ACP liquid acrylics

Pierre

[kuma]

Hi Bob!

I sometimes use Hansa Airbrush colours for postshading, even after NMF. They are more an ink than an acrylic, although they are real acrylics but with extremely fine ground pigment and therefore they are not opaque. Postshading is rather easy with those colours, since you can really build up fine layers of colour.

I thin them with destilled water to a ratio of 1 part colour to 10-15 parts water. It's sort of tinted water. The first passes with the airbrush show virtually nothing but it leaves a hint of colour which sometimes is enough for shading.

You can see the results in the pics of 3 of my models in the "critique corner" (F-104, Beaufighter and Lightning).

Martin