Need some help from the chemists out there— I recently used one of the Tamiya rattle cans (TS series) for the first time as a partial base coat (I plan on completing the base coat with acrylics), and noted that it is described as a “synthetic lacquer”, and further, that “Tamiya spray paints are not affected by acrylic or enamel paints. Therefore, following the painting of the entire assembly, details can be added or picked out using enamel and/or acrylic paints as a partial base coat.” What the heck is a synthetic lacquer? I normally use acrylic paint for the base coat and then use oil washes thinned with Turpenoid, artist oils, and oil pastels for a lot of my weathering. Is an oil wash, or other oil medium, compatible with a synthetic lacquer? With Tamiya in particular? Any information will be appreciated,
You should not have any problem using an oil wash with Turpenoid over any Tamiya spray. Make sure you let it dry well before you use the wash, but that really applies to all paints, doesn’t it?
Where you have to be really careful with Tamiya sprays is in applying them over other paints or primers.
I have used a mix of all the paints. I use laquer as a clear coat all the time, enamel base, acrylic hand painting, so far I have seen no problems as long as you let them dry between layers.
Thanks for the comments. No problem with drying time, and I am experimenting a bit as well before final application. Just wanted to hear from someone with experience with these Tamiya spray paints, since I never used them before. Still don’t know what “synthetic lacquer” is, though. Which brings up another question relative to the Tamiya spray paints— If I chose to decant the base color and a white to mix a lightened version of the base color for post-shading with an airbrush, what thinner would I use?