Airbrushing Contrast Paints

[Casual Heresy]

Greeting Fraters, I require your wisdom.

 

I'm aiming to finally get my Iron Hands tank army done this spring. I'm doing a metallic black scheme, following Juan Hidalgo's Eavy Contrast guide for the infantry, but that won't work on the vehicles as well. So I'm planning to break out my seldom used airbursh when the weather is nice enough to use it on the balcony.

 

Issue is I am very inexperienced with an airbrush, and last time I used it contrast wasn't a thing yet. So is there anything I need to know about using contrast through an airbrush? Do I need to thin it? How does it behave? Links to any good tutorials?

 

Any and all help appreciated.

[Joe]

I've run Contrast through an airbrush a few times without any thinning agent; it's generally fine, although I'd recommend testing it thirst and reducing it down a bit if needed. It's functionally no different to running the old shades through an airbrush.

 

Mediocre Hobbies did a good video that's worth a look in.

 

 

[Firedrake Cordova]

It's not uncommon for them to be used via an airbrush as glazes due to the saturated nature of them.

 

It's probably worth mentioning that Warhipster has a short video and a long video on using Contrast paints on vehicles with a brush.

 

Dunno if any of that's any help?

 

++EDIT: lol, Joe posted the same video as me at the same time...

Edited Thursday at 03:42 PM by Firedrake Cordova
Removed link to the video Joe also posted because it's redundant.

[Khulu]

In my experience using it via an airbrush doesn't look the same as brushing it on. It doesn't pool in the recesses the way it normally does, so it may not match itself exactly. So I agree you should test it first. I do like the effect of airbrushing it though, I got some very vibrant colors that way.

[Grotsmasha]

Contrast through an airbrush does loose it's 3-layer finish, and is more of a filter colour.

[Marshal Loss]

I'd definitely recommend thinning contrast paints if you're putting them through the airbrush, particularly the more heavily pigmented colours. Play around with the ratio depending on your setup but I tend to do 2:1 or 1:1 contrast:thinner. You'll want to be applying nice smooth/thin/consistent coats. Cult of Paint regularly use them in their videos, which may be of use:

 

 

[LameBeard]

21 hours ago, Marshal Loss said:

I'd definitely recommend thinning contrast paints if you're putting them through the airbrush, particularly the more heavily pigmented colours. Play around with the ratio depending on your setup but I tend to do 2:1 or 1:1 contrast:thinner. You'll want to be applying nice smooth/thin/consistent coats. Cult of Paint regularly use them in their videos, which may be of use:

 

 

I liked the video but I still missed what he said he used as the thinner for contrast paints. Sounded like “life thinner”? Is that a brand? Can I use my normal Vallejo thinner?

[Marshal Loss]

Just now, LameBeard said:

I liked the video but I still missed what he said he used as the thinner for contrast paints. Sounded like “life thinner”? Is that a brand? Can I use my normal Vallejo thinner?

 

That'll be lifecolor thinner, which is just another brand of airbrush thinner - I use vallejo thinner and it works perfectly with contrast!

 

It's nice where possible to match your thinner to the paint brand, as sometimes they're designed together and it might make a tiny bit of a difference over using a different brand's thinner, but as a general rule it doesn't matter so long as it's the correct kind of thinner (e.g. don't use an acrylic thinner for a lacquer paint). I only pick up another brand's thinner if I think I'm going to be airbrushing with their paints a lot and stick with vallejo otherwise

[LameBeard]

I have tried pre-shading before and always ruined it by too thick a coat on top so I might try contrast through airbrush now.  Maybe I’ll even try the Tamiya flat white but that will need another thinner!

[Bung]

22 hours ago, Marshal Loss said:

 

That'll be lifecolor thinner, which is just another brand of airbrush thinner - I use vallejo thinner and it works perfectly with contrast!

 

It's nice where possible to match your thinner to the paint brand, as sometimes they're designed together and it might make a tiny bit of a difference over using a different brand's thinner, but as a general rule it doesn't matter so long as it's the correct kind of thinner (e.g. don't use an acrylic thinner for a lacquer paint). I only pick up another brand's thinner if I think I'm going to be airbrushing with their paints a lot and stick with vallejo otherwise

 

Nah, i just use 2 Thinners for every brand i use, nearly any hobby paint works with Mr. Hobby Leveling Thinner (its basically Tamiya 20a ++) the other one is Mr. Hobby Aquaus Thinner for Sclae Colours as they dont interact well with the Leveling Thinner.

And both cost half the price of Vallejo Thinner.

[Evil Eye]

I would suggest lowering the PSI a bit when airbrushing contrast, I've found it goes through the airbrush very well but if you spray it at regular pressure it will pool a bit; it's not an altogether bad thing as it does do the Contrast "autoshade" thing rather than completely fouling up the model but it can get out of control easily. Either that, or I'm just a moron at airbrushing acrylics. Probably that.