Hi. Since it is hard to get Tamiya acrylic paints and thinner so i am thinking about switch brand. I wonder if anyone can recommend the next best alternative. I understand it may be a personal preference but if you are in my case, what other brand would you pick. I am not familiar with Model Master and other brands.

Vallejo.....all the way!

I agree with Scott, Vallejo. After Vallejo Lifecolor.
Vallejo is the most user friendly, LC has a large catalogue with many Federal Standard Color 595b references

Thanh;

Hi

Ah, the local supply of paint conundrum!

I have no direct experience with the Val- and LifeColor paints, but folks do seem convinced that they are good, so, IF you can get them reliably and reasonably, they could be the thing. The BIG problem here in the USA is getting them. They are not widely available in LHS or at most shows, so.... getting your stock will be an issue.

From my experience, Tamiya works very very well and consistently, and they ARE fairly widely sold and available here in the USA - it's my standard GoTo paint. Alternatively, I use ModelMasters acryls and enamels for about all things. They work well, are reliable and consistent in the AB, and also are widely available here in the USA.

But your question really devolves down to what you can get "locally" - IF you can get Val- or L-C in your "local" area, then they are good things to get. IF not, then you are in the sources problem... Local paint availability seems to be a common problem almost regardless of brands.

I stock-up with multiple jars of my more-used brands and colors whenever I do come across same during travel. It's that, and coordinate with friends so that they buy me some when they travel, or, in a few cases, I just bite that bullet and place a largish order on-line (which of course goes back to your question about a good brand to replace the apparently scarce Tamiya... if you are willing to pay enough, you can get about any brand you want on-line).

Cheers!

Bob

My source for Vallejo in the US is Colorado Minatures. They have both Model Air and Model Color in all colors. Great to work with.

Ralph

As Bob stated, I'd go for Vallejo, or even Gunze Acrylics, if it weren't for local availability. The places I go to have neither and will probably never get any. I really hate to mail-order paint so I'm currently trying to stock up on Tamiya and some MM Acryl (which are nice but not all the time). If push comes to shove and Tamiya gets harder get, well, I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and order some Gunze and Vallejo. Though enamels (Testors MM) seem plenty available, I just can't go back to them as I simply don't have ventilation to deal with the fumes they emit.

Rob

I would like to try Vallejo paints but unfortunately their not available at my local hobby shop...Models at the brick and mortar shop locally are real expensive compared to what I can purchase them on line for...Paint, I been using Tamiya paint for long time then tried using their lacquer thinner instead of x 20a for thinner .{.I like to purchase paint glue and stuff like that from the local place}...it makes the paint flow much more evenly ...even spraying with an air brush.. Till Vallejo is available their and I am able to support him I going to keep using Tamiya which is available locally.

Michael

Michael that means you are thinning an acrylic with an enamel thinner, I didn't think thay was even possible.

Gunze are the way to go. They have both enamels and acrylics. I use their acrylics all the time and only ever thin with water. No clogging or other airbrush problems have been encounted by myself. If you still like Tamiya (which I do as well) just order the items via mail order.

yes I realize what I am doing with the thinner...I found the information in a model magazine AFV #40 page 5...Try it they flow better!

Michael

I'll second Ralph's endorsement of Colorado Miniatures - They're very nice to do business with.

An alternative for Vallejo paints, especially if you're looking for Model Color paints for WWII figures is the "Flames of War" gaming paints. These are made by Vallejo and the colors are exactly the same as the Model Color paints (just use the last three digits of the paint number). The only difference is the lable on the bottle.

Also, for hand brushing, Games Workshop (Citadel) wargaming paints are very good to use and brush quite well. Both the Vallejo Model Color (Flames of War) and the Citadel paints will airbrush, too. You'll have to "eye-ball" the Citadel paints for color matches and get over the ridiculous names ("Vomit Brown," "Snakebite Leather," etc). The mattalic paints are particularly nice, though. They have several different silvers, and the "Tin Bitz" and other gold-bronze-brass colors are also very nice.

If you have a local gaming shop you might be able to find either the Flames of War or the Citadel paints in stock. If you're very lucky, your local gaming store might carry the Vallejo line of gaming paints. These are Model Colors the same as their "normal" scale model paints.

Still, Colorado Miniatures is an excellent source if you have to go mail order (internet).

I was recently told by a reliable source that the Tamiya paints are not "true" water-based acrylics. I'm no "paint-ologist," but this seems to fit in with a lot of other experiences that guys have related about thinning Tamiya paints with lacquer thinners and various alcohols.

I'd be interested to know the "ground truth" about them, though. They airbrush quite well, but they certainly refuse to behave like any other hobby acrylic when it comes to hand-brushing.