Using nail polish as a paint alternative.

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Techniques
1


Let’s admit it. Nail polish has an unseeingly endless variety of colors to select from. And some modelers out there have used them in the past. I will love to be able to use them my self but I don’t know half the necessary details to use it with my air brush. I don’t know what solvents to use or what can be used as solvents and I just don’t believe that using acetone is a good idea.







If any one out there has ever used nail polish to paint a model please let me know what I need to air brush those great looking colors.







Thanks!
2

I’m not sure (and neither is my wife) but I believe that nail polish is a laquer and can be thinned with a laquer thinner. I have seen several car models that the builders have used nail polish for the primary color. You might try posting this over on the autos forum to get a better answer.

3

Never have myself, but here’s a link to someone who has:

http://www.briansmodelcars.com/tutorials/tutorial.asp?TutorialID=20&CurPage=1

4

My brother-in-law routinely paints model car bodies with nail polish. He gets an awesome, rock hard finish in some really cool colors. I recently did the optics on an M-1 Abrams and got a pretty realistic iridescent look.

Chuck B.

5

Ah yes, such an array of awesome colors.

What solvent to use?
Mineral Spirits, Lacquer Thinner, Ethyl Acetate or Acetone?
Using the purest (less additives) would be best for a high quality finish.
You can match mineral spirits to the enamel based polish.
You can use lacquer thinner with the lacquer based enamels.
Or use the nail polish remover, although not the best choice as it has additives.
Some interesting info - MadSci nail polish info.

Between my wife, teenage daughter and my browsing the isle at Wal*Mart, I can honestly contest that nail polish is available in BOTH - enamel and lacquer. Read the bottles closely, if there is no mention as to which it is, move on to another brand. Also one brand can carry both lacquer and enamel in their product line, example - Revlon.

Have fun searching through all those colors. [swg]

6

[:D]My mom owns a nail shop. I guess I need to bring my models into her shop and have her and her workers paint kits for me.