Polly Scale acrylics
Here are some tips for using acrylics:
1). Use the manufactuer's thinner for airbrushing and only mix what you need for one job at a time. DO NOT return the excess thinned paint back into the original paint jar. The thinner promotes fast drying and will dry out the rest of the paint.
2). Use a hair dryer in between coats, this speeds things up. I have done 3 color paint schemes in under 30 minutes this way.
3). Keep the inside of the caps and the mouths of the jars clean to insure a good seal. Acrylics will dry out very fast
4). Clean your models well with soap and warm water. Just before painting, clean the model with alcohol on a soft brush. Let it dry, then start painting.
5). If the paint gets a bit thick, thin with water and stir well.
6). Always strain the paint before putting it into the airbrush. One little glob and it's all over. You can use a very fine screen or a piece of a woman's stocking (make sure she is done with them or your models may wind up out on the lawn!!!).
7). Thoroughly clean your air brush after each painting session. Laquer thinner is great for this and really gets things clean. The great thing about acrylic enamels is that when airbrushing, previous colors won't disolve and effect the color you are using. You can paint black, rinse the brush out and paint white without getting gray.
8). Primer is reccommended for painting metal (I also use it for plastic). I have found an automotive primer called "Plasti-kote Car
Color" (#632) to have very fine grain, about the same as model primer. It is an acrylic lacquer that dries in about 15 minutes. If you decide to use it, make sure you get primer and not primer/surfacer. The primer/surfacer is designed to fill scratches so it will also hide detail.
Hope this helps
Blake