can you save paint for later use?

I mixed paint and thinner but had some left over. I have it in the jar right now with the closed cap on. Will i be able to use it in 2 days? If so, do i throw anymore thinner in it or just spray it as is.

I airbrushed for the second time today, didn’t “dip” the model in paint as before, therefore i have some paint left. I was getting a lot of “dust clouds” though, something i didn’t get before. Maybe air pressure too strong?

Save away … as long as it is in a sealed bottle you can use it again it 2 days, 2 weeks, even 2 months. Just shake well before using.

thanking you :slight_smile:

SAVE IT! It’s always good to conserve resources.

I have found the shelf life to be around six months. After that it starts to break down and form globs of paint which is very hard to mix or thin. Someone told me that if you shake it up every two to three months it will make them last longer. In two days time the paint should be good as long as it is covered.

Now for an opposing view…

Like many of you I have returned the unused thinned paint to the original jar for 30 years now with no ill affects. I was severely spanked for this at a recent convention and told I should never do that because it affects the integrity of the original paint. So I heard this but I still pour it back into the jar…

Saving the paint is fine. I don’t think judges do chemical experiments to test the “integrity” of the your paint finish, if it even affects it at all. I’ve always reused paints and never have any problems.

But a wasteful habit over the long run can be very bad for the environment and your wallet.

The only integrity affected was that of whoever told you this.

Hey guys, new to the forum, and have already read some great stuff.

I had found the perfect containers to save paint in.

Small test tubes which have screw on lids. Perfect for storage. All I do is shake and pour into the cup for air brushing.

Can probably be found in stores that sells small science experiments or projects.

Hah, Ridilen, I really dig your signature line.

Good, bad, I’m the one with the shotgun…

Love Sam Rami

madda

Not sure about enamels…but I had mixed a color that I needed for an interior-- and wanted to save the rest for later coats. It was acrylic-- I put it into a gallon-sized Ziploc with a folded up, wet paper towel underneath the dish…that was 2 weeks ago-- and it is still liquid in the plate and still completely useable.