Hi guys and gals.

I'm thinking of getting back into plastic kits, but I'm not very keen on buying an airbrush because buying one locally is really expensive and I can't see myself getting as stuck into kit building as some other people here because of limited time and space.

So, is there anything wrong with me using Tamiya spray cans? What's the difference between the finishes you get from using an airbrush and the Tamiya spray can?

Just so that you know, I'm looking at making 1:72 aircraft kits starting with some from Hobby Boss, if that makes any difference.

Thanks for looking

There are certainly pros and cons on both cans and airbrush. finer details are harder to control with a can but can be done if you use the right technique. I too never used an airbrush for similiar reasons. I hate cleaning, too expensive, more technique is needed, Camo's are little tricky to do with a can, and a hazzle to switch between paints. But I still opted for the can. Been using it ever since. In case of doubt see my work. Everything was done using a spray can:

Modern Armor Collection

Wow man, that is some fantastic work you've done there, I love the MK48 LVS. All that wiring and detail is amazing. Are they 1:35 or 1:72?

One of my concearns about using a spray can was filling all the panel lines with many layers of paint (primer, colour coat, future, etc.) because the 1:72 scale panel lines look so small. I suppose if other people can get it right, so can I.

Thanks a lot for that man.

The sale is 1/35. The trick is not to spray the color on thick. That is why Airbrushes have the advantage. You can regulate them. I do not always use primier. Yeah, it's almost a taboo. But eh, what works for me does not work for others. I am not exactly what you call, a 'do it by the book' type a person.

If fact I do not do much of anything by the book. I always try and find what suits me. I do follow the rules sometimes but but seldom

Spraying too close to the model will definitely ruin it. you have the find the balance you will need to not just over-do it. Testing on scrap plaster is a much better tip before hitting the prize model.

Yeah, the good old "3 thin coats are better than 1 thick coat" sort of thing. Are there any specific instances where you won't use a primer?

.Not use primier? Well. In most cases models that will be subjected to a lot of wear and tear. In my case, most of my models are wear and tear or the lived in look. I just hate a clean model. Again, i repeat, this is my method and most who will respond to this post will probably call me nuts. But thats me.

Hey Charles,my pinion,They look GREAT!!!

Ti;
Hey, your stuff is SHARP! Obvious you have some real control over those rattle cans! Thanks for posting this up in this thread- it's great to see someone going his own way and not doing it the way "everyone else" does!

I've been accused from time to time of being a bit of an un-herded cat myself...

Dean:

If you want my opine... couple of things: I am a convicted airbrush guy. Got an old and cheap AB, and a finer, newer, more costly AB. I swear by both, believing (as Ti surely does) that it's the worker who makes the job, not the tool. Albeit a poor tool will pose more challenge!

That said: I will be the "voice" for the air-brush option.

I would argue the AB is FUN and VERSATILE. Yes, you have all sorts of options in terms of switching and blending and customizing colours, using alternative media (enamels, lacquers, acryls, even water-paints and inks) all on one project, and you have a degree of control that simply cannot come from any can in any easy way (and while not lazy, I'm much more interested in getting to my results than in fighting my tools and approaches- I am no masochist. Time on the task wants to be rewarding- not that wrestling with your choice of tools isn't rewarding...!).

If you, like myself, find your way into doing any of those blotchy, patchy, wavy, fuzzy dotted camo patterns, the AB is the way to go.

Ti's exquisite work demo's that you can get great coats and preserve the details with the can. Where the AB can take you is seen in all of those complex and small-scale camo schemes so common to German WWII stuff, etc. That, and the techniques and approaches which hi-lite and counter-shade panel lines and the like. Not impossible with a can, but much much easier with an AB.

And you don't need any fancy AB to do good work. Lots of folks have old and cheap AB- not the fancy and costly Iwata-type tools. It will come down to practice with whatever you have!

About cost. From where I sit, cans cost too much. It's an opinion, of course, and mine is that it is eventually much more cost-effective to buy an AB kit (cheapest full-up with a compressor and hose and the like might cost only 75 - 100 USD, and if you go eBay or you go with AB and air-cans, it can be much less) and your choice of paints than it is to buy bunches of cans. As I think my hobby time is very limited, spending the money to get the AB makes sense (cents) to me- it's easier and faster to get the outcomes I want and the small tool cost isn't a biggie!

But... BOTH routes get good (OK, for Ti, and really not, for me) GREAT results.

I suggest that you try it both ways. Get or borrow an AB and try that, and work up a techniques with rattle-cans.

It's an oyster!

And again, Ti, my hat is off! That stuff is surely inspirational!

Bob makes some very good points. Thanks for mentioning them. Now i had forgot to mention that if i had the patients to work with the airbrush i would have gone that route. Now, at the time i lived in a small apartment so space was an issue. Bob is right. Cans will cost in the long run. I went through many. I say if you're starting out then learn to use the airbrush from the start. You will certainly not regret. To each his own.

(Dean, I am NOT trying to hijack your thread, here- this is, I think, THE opportunity to get some great stuff from "the other school" and it's direct to your query)

Ti:

It IS really great to see your stuff and to find that it "came out of a can"! Before your post, I'd have simply scoffed-off at the can approach for "serious" modelling. You have certes set me straight! And you have really sparked my interest!

So; a question...

Have you posted any discussion or any write-up and demo-pics or such on any of the tricks and techniques you are using to coax such good stuff out of the spray-can? For some guys now long addicted to the gun, so to speak, they may or not be "convincing", but guys like DEAN could certainly stand to gain some great insight, and ME, TOO, even if I am a gun-slinger!

I would like to ask you to maybe put out a few "how-to" tips and ideas, if I may be so bold. I think they could be very useful for many who do have cans and / or who are quite unsure as to what they could do with them beyond simple base-coats. I will certainly look at whatever you say carefully!

i just made the mistake of not using a primer on my current kit

a high grade evangelion kit from bandai

i was spraying vallejo acrylics.

after spraying and allowing to dry i went to start masking for my next colour and to my dismay i had paint peeling in some areas because i missed a step i generally dont miss

so now im rubbing the entire kit back so i can now prime it ant then re spray

my 2c on priming

Thanks a lot for the oppinions guys .

@ Charles; I think I'm the complete opposite, I like the look of a clean model (although I really apreciate the time and effort that goes into "dirty" models). The reason behind me thinking of venturing back into plastic kits is because the diecast 1:72 models out there aren't quite as nice as I'd like, and they cost a fair amount of money too. So I'm going to try and make my own and see how they turn out. I also enjoyed putting the kits together when I used to make them.

@ Bob; The advantages of being able to mix your own paints, having a lot of control, and the long run cost are pretty good points for the airbrush.

The thing is I live in my parent's house which is pretty small, and there isn't anywhere that I can mix paints up without making a mess of it and being yelled at. I also live in a coastal area which usually has high winds on most days and a fair amount of humidity, and there isn't that much time when I'm not either having my face blown off or sweltering in the airborn water (or both) to set up an airbrush and spray the paint.

As long as I can get a similar finish with a spray can as I can with an airbrush, and until I move out of my parent's place and buy my own house, I think I'll go with the spray can. Then when I move out I might give an airbrush a try.

@Mark; Damn mate. I used to not use primer, but then again my models turned out quite...bad

Dean, since you will be working with die-cast then you must prime. Plastics are different, they can be forgiving but not die-cast. So yes, if I were you I would prime. Again, many bad paint experiences comes form what type of paints and materials one is spraying on. One type of paint might not work correctly on another type of material then it would on plastic or metal. So all responses should be taken into consideration.

@Bob, I'll see what I can do, when I start building again. My first build will be a 1:24 scale truck. I'll try to remember to do a short article of how I do it. But it's usually a trail and error situation. But one think that one should keep in mind is:

1. Never spray to close to a model.

2. Light finger on the nozzle.

3. spray equally ( do not stop in the middle of model. One continous spray right across the model, until you reach the end ).

4. If you start spraying horizontally, continue right on through until you get to the end. Do not go horizontally in the middle of a vertical motion. If you start spraying vertical then continue to spray vertical on the same flat surface. Works better on larger surfaces.

5. Short burst usually works great for small areas. Better moderate than over doing it.

6. I use Tamiya spray cans. Again, this is a subjective decision. Test to see what works best for you.

Oh, wait up, I meant the pre-assembled and pre-painted type of diecast aircraft that are made by brands like HobbyMaster and Skymax. If I do go ahead with this, I'll be using plastic.

One effect that I would like to get is dark panel lines. I've seen quite a lot of people use an airbrush to finely "highlight" the panel lines with black paint to get this sort of effect, but it's not very feasable to do the same thing with a spray can (another advantage of an airbrush). Do you think I could just spray the entire model black (or a darker colour) as an undercoat and then spray the desired colour over that? Does anyone think or know if that might work?

And those are some good tips Charles, I shall keep those in mind.

Thanks a lot for the help guys

I do not panel lines should be an issue. You can always dry brush using a slighly darker color or pigment. Again, this is also a decision that you can experiment with. Just Spraying does not work to bring out the lines you are referring to. That is an after effect you get by using certain dry brush mix.
Remember light coats on areas like panel lines and finer details. Dont get too heavy on the primer because you will be covering it up again. Too much and you will definately cover up those fine details.

Hmm, okay. I read somewhere that letting the paint sit in warm water before spraying helps the paint to mist more finely.

About Tamiya paints themselves, what type of texture do they have? As in, a gloss, semi gloss or matt texture?

I have also thought about using Future floorwax on the models, but without an airbrush to spray it on, I'm not sure of the effect that just pouring it on the model will have. I can't see it doing anything good for the detail and the panel lines.

Hi Dean

You really don't have to pre-shade the panel lines to get that effect . Since you are using a spray can you don't have the control of laying down a fine coat of paint , or just doing one panel shading it in starting in the middle . However though , you could use a sharpie and go over the panel lines before committing to paint . Sharpies come in fine and wide tips and different colours which can aid in different effects .

Post shading is another option as well . Using pigments or pastel chalks used with soft brushes or even Q-tips . Sponges are great as well like those little make-up applicators us Ladies use . The colours can be blended together even layered for different results .

Sorry I'm alittle late to the game here, but I wanted to toss in my 2 cents for what it was worth-
Primer is really used for 3 things;
1-to evenly change a models finish from untouched plastic filled sections and sanded to an even finish. Ever lay a 1st coat of glossy paint on an unprimered model and see dull areas where you had sanded or used filler?...that's why primer, to even it all out.
2-to protect the plastic from lacquer paints so the palstic won't melt. This is mostly for cars and trucks that recieve an automotive finish color.
3- to use as a tool for high and low spots when wet sanding. Once again this is more for autos and trucks and not so much for armor or aircraft due to rivet details.

Rattle cans- it's already been said that the cost will add up considerably when using just spray cans as well as control issues. Ever use a spray can and have the paint come out hard and heavy while the next color spray comes out thin and uneven? You can control this with an airbrush via thinner...you have no control with a spray can - your at it's whim and mercy.
If your going to stay in model making for any decent period of time, I would totally recomend an AB{air brush} and compressor. While they do require a fair amount of knowledge to operate{apint to thinner ratio} there's plenty of us here who would be happy to teach ya...and that AB can also touch up nicks and scratches on your real car too rather than those lil paint touch up kits.

{hey Terri...where's your Ferrari?! }

@ Terri; That's actually a very good idea if you ask me. I'll have a look at the craft shop next time for some of those fine point sharpies. About the pastels, I'm not really looking to weather the kits, but I might look into it when I get some experience into me.

@ Bob; Okay, I understand what you're saying about the primer. I had the "sanded areas" problem when I used to hand paint my kits (which ended up looking like crap anyway).

About the AB, right now I don't have enough space to display enough models to make spending $200 for an airbrush and compressor at my LHS really worth it. As I think I said in a previous post, when I move out of my parent's place into a house with enough space I might invest in an AB and build some 1:48 scale kits.

Until then, $9 1:72 Hobby Boss aircraft kits and spray cans should do me just fine. Besides, the spray cans are from Tamiya which should be a good thing, right?

heres my 2 cents or pennies worth...

always use primer it gives the paint something to hang onto,i never used to prime but changed when i started to use acrylics.

nothing wrong with rattle cans(alot of people-inc me-use tamiya primer from the can)in the long run they will cost more than using an airbrush or hand painting but if your careful you'll get great results.

just buy the colours you need for 1 kit and see how you go,if you want to progress to an airbrush later on you still have that option.

paul

Cost is a relative thing, and as has been pointed out already, you'll pay for several airbrushes if you use spray cans, especially since you end up wasting paint when you "clear" the nozzle (i.e., turning it upside down to get the extra paint out of the nozzle).

There are many fine airbrushes on the market now, some of them quite inexpensive. You can, for example, buy a cheap Chinese airbrush online that will work for most paints except lacquers and enamels (the seals aren't Teflon). So I would rethink the canned paint option.

Okay, well, if I was to buy an airbrush, does anyone know of a relatively cheap airbrush that is easy to use, relyable, and easy to clean/maintain?

I'm also unfamiliar with how airbrushes actually work, the parts of an airbrush, and what is a good air compressor.

Hi Dean , great to see you back modelling .
If you want a good , cheap simple airbrush thats perfect for beginners try the Paashe H . Price around $ 50.00
Its a single action airbrush thats easy to use and clean and you can get different sized nozzles to apply fine lines , also you can get spare parts should you wear out or damage any parts .
You can get a compressor from an auto spares shop or harware for under $100.00
Tamiya cans are great to spray with . I always prime my models with Tamiya primer as its quick and the paint is so fine it gives such a smooth finish .

We've all been there with the "I don't think I want to spend the money on an AB set up" thing, but once you do you'll never go back!
As far as "how to work it", the neat thing is nearly every manufacturer prints it's thinning ratio on the paint jar and all you have to do is follow that and the recommended thinner and you'll be fine...sometimes alittle tweeking is needed. Ask us here in any forum any questions you may have and we'll get you thru it! A good AB will last you a lifetime if taken care of and should you not find a given color outside of a ratle can, you can express it into a jar or bottel and shoot it, controlled, thru and AB!

@ Brian; Okay, thanks for that mate . My local hobby store has a Paashe H brush set that comes with some spare parts and other stuff, but it costs $170. Where have you seen them for $50?

@ Bob; Yes, and if I really want to I can use it on my diecast cars as well. I just have to find a metal primer.

Can someone give me an idea of the kind of compressor that I should get?