Race Bannon Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 To thin paints there are few options and I'm sure experience is the prime decider. Yet, is there a general consensus for which is a better way to do it? As I understand it, there are mediums designed for paints, then there is distilled or even straight tap water. Which is better? Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/320529-mediums-vs-something-else-for-thinning-paints/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flint13 Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 The best results I have ever gotten through a couple of years trial and error is with Liquitex matte medium and flo-aid at a ratio of about 10/1. I tend to move my Citadel paints into dropper bottles, and I typically thin them out pretty darn close to 50/50 with no real loss in coverage or consistency. The distilled water thing works in small quantities, but thinning down stuff (especially citadel stuff) enough to put it through an airbrush, or to make those little 17mL pots last a little longer has always caused weird consistency issues for me. Tide marks are much more common and coverage issues have always plagued my attempts. Now if your goal is to make a wash or glaze instead, that's a little different, but for just thinning paints, I'm not a fan. I'm not saying it can't be done with water, but if you want to sit down with your paints and know you're going to have zero issues anywhere in the process, matte medium and flo-improver. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/320529-mediums-vs-something-else-for-thinning-paints/#findComment-4339572 Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkseren1ty Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 What I've found is that different paints require different amounts of thinner/water. This is due primarily to the PI (pigment index) of the paint in question. Bright colors such as evil Sunz scarlet or averland sunset will have high PIs, and correspondingly, you will have to add more medium/water to those colors than others to get the same consistency. Secondly, it depends on the purpose you want to use your paints for. Basing, edging, detailing, washing, glazing, shading, layering, airbrushing, drybrushing, etc... You will have to thicken/dilute your paints for whatever your purpose is and that comes with experience. So I don't dilute the whole paint pot, UNLESS it's an old pot and starting to dehydrate, in which case I add a wee bit of medium/water to it just to prolong the lifespan of the paint. Usually, I use a palette and thin according to my specific needs. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/320529-mediums-vs-something-else-for-thinning-paints/#findComment-4339741 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damo1701 Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 For brush paints, I use the Winsor and Newton Acrylic Flow Improver at 1 drop to 2-3 brush loads (depending on the paint) from the Citadel paints. Airbrushing, I thin using the Vallejo Model Air Thinner at close to 50:50 for Vallejo paints, and 60:40 to 70:30 for Citadel. The Citadel Air paints can be rather thick for airbrushing. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/320529-mediums-vs-something-else-for-thinning-paints/#findComment-4340062 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloody Legionnaire Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 It depends on the paint and you're definitely correct about experience. I've tried games-workshops thinning with a little bit of water but they've never worked out right with the brushes I use. (Army painter) Vallejo Medium thinner is pretty decent.. it does a good job of not separating the paint but I noticed the wet paint on the pallet I'm trying to work with starts to thicken and dry really quick. Citadel Lahmian medium works pretty good but it would be way more convenient in a dropper bottle than a pot. I had an old bottle of Vallejo medium thinner that barely had anything left in it, added some distilled water to it and it seems to work decently for thicker pigment paint such as GWs base range. Using more medium than water is going to be a lot better for the "layer" type paints that aren't as heavy on pigment. If you really want good results for your paints I'd pick up a wet pallet, get yourself a few dropper bottles and make a mix of medium thinner and distilled water. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/320529-mediums-vs-something-else-for-thinning-paints/#findComment-4340905 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acebaur Posted March 21, 2016 Share Posted March 21, 2016 For brush paints, I use the Winsor and Newton Acrylic Flow Improver at 1 drop to 2-3 brush loads (depending on the paint) from the Citadel paints. Airbrushing, I thin using the Vallejo Model Air Thinner at close to 50:50 for Vallejo paints, and 60:40 to 70:30 for Citadel. The Citadel Air paints can be rather thick for airbrushing. ^ This Water is bad by itself because it doesn't distribute the pigment evenly as it thins, resulting in paint that doesn't provide even coverage on the surface which is super noticeable as Flint found out in airbrushing. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/320529-mediums-vs-something-else-for-thinning-paints/#findComment-4341477 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Blaire Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 For GW paints, I like to use a 3:1 mix of Liquitex Matte Medium:Winsor and Newton Flow Improver, and put about two to three times that mixture to the GW paint amount. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/320529-mediums-vs-something-else-for-thinning-paints/#findComment-4343798 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flint13 Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 ^Is the W&N flow improver non-toxic? I remember reading a couple reviews on one (I think Golden Acrylic) that was like hella toxic, which put me off, being a compulsive brush licker. I know the non-toxic kinds of flow aid are essentially expensive dish soap, but I'm curious whether or not there's any tangible benefit to using a toxic flow improver over them. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/320529-mediums-vs-something-else-for-thinning-paints/#findComment-4343951 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acebaur Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 My bottle doesn't day one way or another so I'm assuming not? In any case you dilute it with water 1 part per 20. I'm also a brush licker and I've been using it for a long time now and I'm fine :) Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/320529-mediums-vs-something-else-for-thinning-paints/#findComment-4344030 Share on other sites More sharing options...
duz_ Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 For the particular Citadel paints that can be tricky to deal with I have used the GW medium with some success (ie their whites and brights) Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/320529-mediums-vs-something-else-for-thinning-paints/#findComment-4344076 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damo1701 Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 I'm a brush licker too... I've not had any real issues with it personally, however, I can't give the yes/no answer, as I wouldn't want any harm to come if you had a reaction to an ingredient. That being said, I do use mine neat, though in much smaller quantities, as a little goes a very long way. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/320529-mediums-vs-something-else-for-thinning-paints/#findComment-4344264 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tallarn Commander Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 The materials safety data sheet for Liquitex acrylic matte medium states it is not toxic. You can find the sheet at liquitex.com under the health and safety tab to the left. I don't know about other brands' toxicity, but I imagine the chemical composition can't be too different. Note that the data sheet does say that apying medium to your skin or ingesting medium might result in an allergic reaction (so no face-painting or eating) and it says you should not dump matte medium down the drain (take it to your local hazmat center). But I doubt a little brush licking of any acrylic paint or medium (unless it contains a metal such as cadmium etc) will cause harm. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/320529-mediums-vs-something-else-for-thinning-paints/#findComment-4344305 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razblood Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 I generally just use Vallejo Glaze Medium and some water (about 1:1) with about 1:1 - !:2 of paint, depending on colour/viscosity. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/320529-mediums-vs-something-else-for-thinning-paints/#findComment-4344700 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.