A paint coverage question/opinion?

[Glynn Jacobs]

Hi All,

Just have a question about how much paint I might need to airbrush my Italeri 1/72 KC-135R. 

 

Specifically, does anybody know if two jars of Model Master paint will be enough to paint my kit or would it be safer to have closer to three?  Will I have to use low pressure? (I usually spray at medium to high pressure!).

 

I have two bottles now but Model Master paints are harder and harder to come by and I sure would like to get ahead of the game!

 

Any and all help appreciated,

 

WARDOG

Edited July 11, 2021 by Glynn Jacobs
Additions

[ESzczesniak]

Two is probably sufficient, but does depend on how you paint. There was a day I put on much thicker coats of paint and two bottles might not have been enough. Priming is also controversial, but in general I think you’ll get better coverage if the model is primed and a uniform color

[Glynn Jacobs]

Thank You for the information and your rapid response, E.S.

 

I have never primed my models before but I do thin my paint out to get enough coverage with one pass, when possible.

 

Much Appreciated,

 

WARDOG

[ESzczesniak]

1 hour ago, Glynn Jacobs said:

Thank You for the information and your rapid response, E.S.

 

I have never primed my models before but I do thin my paint out to get enough coverage with one pass, when possible.

 

Much Appreciated,

 

WARDOG

I do tend to prime, but understand arguments both ways. The only advantage in this case would be getting an even color to start. It can take a bit more paint to make things opaque over different colored materials from things like filler, brass etch, etc. rather than a semi translucent layer that just gives the color. 

[Glynn Jacobs]

Hi E.S.,

 

I wasn't arguing about priming or not, I have just never done it.  I've only come to using the airbrush VERY sporadically over maybe the last 20 years and I don't have a lot of practice with it.  I don't trust myself well enough to free-hand camouflages (especially multi-color ones) and am more comfortable with masking or single color jobs. 

 

I NEED to get a LOT more practice in and have seen discussions where people highly thin the paint and spray at low pressure.  My technique is to moderately thin the paint and use higher pressure.  With Model Master paints, this tends to give VERY good color depth and no need for second coats, for me, anyway!

 

Thanks Again for the info, I will have to expand my airbrush horizons!

 

WARDOG

[andrew.deboer]

Two is more than enough. I would prime the model with white or a different gray so that when you are applying the final gray you can see the coverage easily. I am doing a 1/48 F-14 primed in black and ended up using way less of the grays than I thought I would because I wasn’t spraying gray over gray plastic.

 

Pressure is up to you - I have been staying around 15 psi, thinning Model Master about 50/50 with the Testors universal thinner. I find that thinner paint at lower pressure in thinner coats goes down way smoother.

[Glynn Jacobs]

Hi Andrew,

 

Thank You for your input, I appreciate the insightful info.

 

WARDOG

[Alternative 4]

Ive been spraying MM acrylic with Mr Color Leveling thinner (lacquer) and have had good results. I thin the paint about 50/50 with thinner and while it does take a few passes to get coverage it comes out nicely. Pressure is low, probably 15psi like others have used (the gauge on my regulator doesn't seem that reliable)

 

Before switching to Mr Color thinner I was thinning acrylics with Tamiya acrylic thinner and feel lacquer has a few advantages.

 

The paint is a lot smoother I always had trouble with a slightly dusty finish (caused by paint drying before hitting the model).

 

I can get the paint much thinner with lacquer and it doesn't seem to run or splatter as easily as it did with acrylic thinner.

 

Coverage is better and more even.

 

I have only started with Mr Color leveling thinner in the last month, so I am by no means an expert but I would recommend it. I put off using lacquer for a long time because of the smell and really regret not starting years ago.