Anyone had experience with running Eshin Grey in a Airbrush?

[Fire Wolf]

Hey everyone in PCA, I was wondering if I could get educated.

 

Since GW's airbrush line only includes up to Mechanicum Grey (rage!) and my 30k Space Wolf project requires everything Eshin.  I've only recently pushed into airbrush territory and was seeking guidance on how other people may have been watering down Layer paints or Eshin specifically.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Kastor Krieg]

By now, I've ran most if not all GW layer / base paints through an airbrush. Get yourself the Vallejo Airbrush Flow Improver 71.562 (_not_ the Aibrush Thinner 71.161) and add several drops of that, to achieve the desired dilution. The thickness and viscosity of the GW paint will go away and the results should be great.

[Fire Wolf]

Thank you for the input Kastor, I already picked up GW's Medium awhile back, is that the same style of 'flow improver' you mentioned above?
 

I have a Badger Patriot coming in tomorrow, as it was a lighting sale on Amazon, I'm getting pretty excited.

[Kastor Krieg]

No, GW Medium is just the acryllic medium "paint without color" with semi-opaque bits of pigment in it, used with acryllic paint to increase volume and dissolve the paint itself (more medium that straight out of the pot), without diluting the pigment count too much and creating viscosity and surface tension issues (as opposed to adding clear water). The Vallejo equivalent is the Thinner I mentioned above.

The flow improver and the retarder are THAT and more chemistry - the flow improver further improves the 2nd factor (viscosity, surface tension) so that the paint flows better and smoother, doesn't leave coffee stain splotches like more diluted paint would. A retarder is medium with chemistry that slows down the drying time.

 

[Fire Wolf]

Dude, your insight is amazing.  Thank you so much, I'll be picking that up!

[Kastor Krieg]

Cheers! :)

[Fire Wolf]

Kastor, I hope you're still around to see this:

 

http://i.imgur.com/ZLCkL4B.jpg

This was the first attempt by an airbrushing beginner and I couldn't be any happier. I added that airflow improver directly to an Eshin pot and this was the result.  I'm PUMPED.  You are a airbrushing god.

[Kastor Krieg]

Awesome to see, mate! This is the smoothness you wanted. Now time for the next level - try shading by partially "colouring in" the panels, following the shapes with a lighter colour, top down from a high angle. Like this (not my work, but a good simple example).

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6ZDvO-sLh8Q/U0wuTn9DaTI/AAAAAAAAE3w/0RJTROlltiI/s1600/DSC05447.jpg

You can also do the shadows the following way, with a black or dark grey primer, white / light grey (usually covers and flows better) color as "light" top down and then color in with the primary color, trying to use several 25-50% opacity layers, not to loose the light/dark gradient. Then, you can use an appropriate color of a wash through the airbrush to reinforce the shadows from bottom angles and an appropriate color of a wash to blend the light and shadow together. I used Nuln Oil and Baal Red here, respectively. The primer was Vallejo German Panzer Grey Surface Primer (74.605), the light was VSP Grey (74.601), a mix of strong red colors with the Flow Improver mixed in and then the washes like I said before. Here's the result so far:

http://i.imgur.com/04XSxA7.jpg

The kicker is - you can do that on a trooper and you can do that on the Leviathan Dread.

You're on a great path with this smooth coverage. Now off to experiment some more! Cheers!

[Fire Wolf]

That is...wow, that is jaw dropping.  I may have an instinctive response to hate Magnus but I didn't think hate could look so good.  Shading has been a weak area of my painting skills, so if I could do this process with an airbrush as well I'm very intrigued.  When I have some time over this upcoming four day holiday I'm gonna have to give this a go!

[Kastor Krieg]

That is...wow, that is jaw dropping.

Thanks! Wait until you see him finished

I may have an instinctive response to hate Magnus

Tell me about it, I'm a Templar

[miniaturepainter]

I've had some good results with their thinner, aircaste.  Grey has always been a problem child, just like painting tron, I mean dark angels if you're not careful.  Krieg makes a good point with the V. Airbrush flow improver, I've also had some really good results with Daler Rowney flow enhancer, but that stuff needs a little water, it's almost like oil.