Hello all
I have been looking for good paint retarders so that I can brush paint with Tamiya X and XF paints.I found Tamiya’s brand of retarder,but it has been out of stock for a while on ScaleHobbyist.Are there any third-party suggestions for acrylic retarders that work well with Tamiya?And yes,I do know that Tamiya is not meant to be brush painted,but these were pretty mush the only shades of colors I could find for building a Tamiya WWII Japanese Aircraft,and I do not have an airbrush.
I have been using Vallejo’s Airbrush Flow Improver with my brush-painted Tamiya acrylics and it works extremely well. I usually mix a couple of drops with a big drop of the Tamiya in one cup on my pallette, and put a little of just the flow retarder in the cup next to it. Then I dip the brush in the retarder first, and then load it with the paint/retarder mix. Flows really nicely that way and stays brushable for much more than the few seconds that Tamiya normally allows. That same retarder also works with the Vallejo Model Color and MRP Aqua paints that I also brush-paint with.
So you said Vallejo Airbrush Flow Improver,such as this:
If so,that seems to work for me!There is also another paint retarder on the site that caught my eye,which was a .196 drying retarder for acrylics,also manufactured by Valllejo,found here:
Is the formula in this similar to the Airbrush Flow Improver?If so,I could buy either one.
I have only used the one in your first link, so I’m not sure about the stuff in the second link.
I have honestly attempted to brush paint Tamiya acrylics and found it maddening. You would be better off using Vallejo or the wargaming paints. I stink at hand painting, but all my friends use them and get spectacular results.
I have no answer to your question though, as Tamiya can behave differently from other acrylics. A friend uses rubbing alcohol, but I think it’s not acting as a retarder.
NVM the second link,after doing some research I figured out why only the Airbrush Flow Improver will work but the 196 Retarder will not work.Here’s why:
-Tamiya is Alcohol Based
-Vallejo 196 is Water Based
Mix the two together,and you get an even worse experience than if you didn’t use the 196.That’s why I bought the Airbrush Flow Improver.
Tamiya acrylics are great for airbrushing and hand brushing. I never use flow retarders because I thin paints using the brand’s own acrylic thinner. For enamel paints, I use lacquer thinner exclusively.
As far as Vallejo paints… I hate them… really hate them. They’re horrible for airbrushing - Model Air or not. I’ve heard so many horror stories with airbrushing Vallejo paints. Don’t get me wrong, they’re great for handbrushing but they do look kinda rubbery by sight and feel when dry. That’s just my own opinion & experience with Vallejo products.