A questions re: My 1st time using Vallejo Air acrylics

[echolmberg]

Hi guys.  Since my old "go to" of paint brands (Model Master) is practically gone from the store shelves, I'm starting to branch out into other brands.  Upon the recommendation of my local hobby shop, I am going to try painting my F-14 using Vallejo Air acrylics.  For those who have used this brand, what are your thoughts on it?  How well does it hold up to masking?  Even though Vallejo Air is supposed to be airbrush-ready straight from the container, would it be of any benefit if I use a few drops of their proprietary flow improver along with it?

 

Thanks for your advice!

 

Eric 

[Dave Williams]

In my experience with the Spanish acrylics (Vallejo, Ammo by Mig, AK interactive), you need to be sure to use a primer if you’re going to mask over the paint.  Otherwise, there is a good chance some of the paint will pull up with the masking.  Also, you should probably wait 24 hours for the paint to fully dry before masking over it.  A drop or two of flow improver wouldn’t hurt, nor would a little thinner, as for me, I find even the Model Air colors need a little thinning.  For thinning, I’d recommend using their thinner, and be aware that they have two different thinners, one for their regular paint (Model Color) and one for their airbrush paints (Model Air).

[dai phan]

I had been using Vallejo Model Air/Model Color until I switched to Mr Color lacquer which is superior. Make sure you wipe down with alcohol before painting and I have no issues of the paint lift up by masking tape. I think primer is not needed. You need to thin the Model Air with a few drops of thinner and flower in the color cup before you spray to prevent clogging. Dai 

[Bob Beary]

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?/topic/317952-how-to-airbrush-vallejo-model-air-painti-turned-it-into-a-video/&tab=comments#comment-3051696

 

He also had a thread on the same topic on ARC

 

Bob

[echolmberg]

Thanks to all for the great advice!  It pretty much verifies what I was suspecting.  Earlier in the year, I ordered about 7-8 different colors of the AK Interactive line of acrylic lacquers (or is it "lacquer acrylics"?).  I am VERY happy with how those turned out.  In my current situation, however, I really only needed this one color (FS 36440 Light Gull Grey) and, while I am very happy with AK, I didn't feel like placing an internet order for a single color and pay a shipping charge on top of that.  That's why I went to my local hobby shop where they only have Tamiya and Vallejo acrylics.

 

One other thing I was thinking of was that the F-14 I'm painting is just one color overall.  The only parts of the aircraft where I might need to do some masking would be the wing leading edges and possibly the vertical stabilizers as well.  Oh, and the black anti-glare panel in front of and behind the cockpit.  So the masking is at a minimum, but it is there.  As I think about it...I might end up painting all those areas first, THEN mask them off, THEN paint the rest of the plane with the Vallejo grey.

 

I know I could go back to the shop and pick up a bottle of the Vallejo Air airbrush thinner, but I was wondering if I could also use a couple of drops of lacquer thinner to thin the Vallejo Air paint.

 

Thanks again!

[Dave Williams]

The lacquer acrylics are not the same thing as the water based acrylics.  They are somewhat better, but then you have to deal with the smell of the lacquer paint and thinner, which is something you really don’t have to do with the water based ones.  I would not use lacquer thinner to thin a water based paint like the regular Vallejo paints.  They are chemically different.

[P-38 guy]

The above advice is sound. I tested the masking issue before I started using them. I spayed them on both primed and unprimed surfaces. I did let them dry 24 hrs and stuck Tamiya tape to them for short period of time and and it removed just fine. I then left if on for a day and the same result. I ended up leaving a piece on like a week and it was fine when I removed it. Just make sure your surface is clean when spraying it on.

 

Mike

[vonjhn68]

I have had mixed results with Vallejo Model Air paints, but have had nothing but great results with AK Real Colors.

[ElectroSoldier]

On 8/18/2021 at 1:13 PM, echolmberg said:

Hi guys.  Since my old "go to" of paint brands (Model Master) is practically gone from the store shelves, I'm starting to branch out into other brands.  Upon the recommendation of my local hobby shop, I am going to try painting my F-14 using Vallejo Air acrylics.  For those who have used this brand, what are your thoughts on it?  How well does it hold up to masking?  Even though Vallejo Air is supposed to be airbrush-ready straight from the container, would it be of any benefit if I use a few drops of their proprietary flow improver along with it?

 

Thanks for your advice!

 

Eric 

 

I use it but not quite so much recently as I used to. But that isnt because there is something wrong with Model Air, its more to do with me trying out other brands like AKI Real Colour and Hataka Lacquers.

 

Model Air is always a good call. I always always always roll with a few drops of Vallejo Flow Improver and Retarder in every colour cup.

Vallejo Airbrush cleaner works well and if you need more then Cellulose thinners clean everything up.

[ulvdemon]

I've switched to using Vallejo's Model Color/Air color lines for my models.  Takes some experimenting, but I am happy with how they come out.  I am limited by smell working in the basement even with airflow, so having to us acrylics.  As stated earlier, just need to thin and use flow improver and retarder as needed.