I decided to try the newer formula (2024?) Vallejo Model Color paints. This is mainly due to cost and availability of Tamiya Color paints now that our local hobby shop has closed.
I originally got the Air version but found it as challenging as Tamiya paints for hand brushing.
So after an situation where a 10ml bottle of Tamiya gloss blue was needed but I could either pay about $9 on Amazon or wait 2 to 3 weeks for an online hobby shop order so it was back to another Vallejo paint try.
So I tried Vallejo Model Color. Hand pains very well and I did not find airbrushing it difficult either. I did use all Vallejo thinners, cleaners, etc.
I was more than pleased with the results so I am going to build a couple of kits to see how it holds up on a build. I do have some concerns about how well it adheres after reading a lot of comments on line.
Been using Vallejo paints for years. First met the owners years ago at the iHobby trade show. At the end of the show they dropped a huge box of paints off at our booth because they didn’t want to ship it back to Spain.
They’re color selection is amazing and I especially love their washes!
Another thing I like about Vallejo paints - they dry Rock Hard!
Vallejo Model Air is formulated for air brush. Same for Game Air. Vallejo Model Color is designed for hand brushing. Game Color, Mecha, and Panzer Aces ditto.
True Metal Base, Highlight and Shadow are hand brush while there is an airbrush item for the base color
I have found that Model Color/Game Color/Mecha will airbrush well when thinned with either water, windex, or their proprietary thinner
Air Colors cannot be “thickened” to acceptably support hand brushing.
I like Vallejo and am also partial to Squadron Colors (airbrush) and Reaper (hand brush) paints
I do like their range,they have colors not always available in other lines,I never have had problems spraying Panzer Aces or Model Color using a 10-2-2 mix with their thinner and flo-improver,I clean up with Madea,then a quick spurt of thinner,they also hand brush nicely.
So, uh, this is a result of airbrushing Game Colour at a 2:1 Water:Paint ratio. This ratio wasn’t informed by science, just the X20A:Paint ratio at which I usually spray Tamiya. I intend to mostly hand paint these wargaming minis as a “couch hobby”, so avoiding investing in a spread of Model Air paints.
I suspect problem one was that I went too thin, resulting in the pooling, and the heavy water dilution meant the matting medium separated out causing the white marks where the paint pooled
Hoping the proprietary thinner at a more tailored ratio for airbrushing resolves the issue
Otherwise it thins well with water for normal brush work and exhibits excellent capillary behaviour when a little detergent is added for washes
Edit: Use their Glaze Medium instead of water or above a certain dilution the pigments and matting mediums separate causing the same issues I had with airbrushing with water above
Pretty much all I’ve ever used except for metallic, I’ve tried other brands but I found it to be a very successful paint as long as you thin it and use a retarder when airbrushing.
Use a good primer,like tamiya or mr hobby,allow primer and paint to cure completely.Tamiya tape is good,but I also take some tack off by putting it on a clean surface and pulling it off a couple of times
Concur. Enamel metalics always dried slow. The Vallejo mettalics dry fast and can be masked (make sure the tape is not too sticky though). Use their black primer under metals. Now I don’t fear NMF
I use Vallejo Model Color, along with other water-based acrylics such as Andrea, Lifecolor, some Citadel, and craft store brands Americana, Apple Barrel, and Folk Art. The Vallejo paints are fine, no better or worse than the other brands. The Prussian blue does dry to a gloss finish, though.
As far as Tamiya’s alcohol-based acrylics are concerned, they can be hand-brushed just fine, but they need to be properly thinned first. I use Tamiya’s proprietary acrylic thinner to do this, and have no problems painting them by hand.
