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AFV Painting & Weathering
Answers to questions about the right paint scheme or tips for the right effect.
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Olive Drab Dilemma
arsenal10
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Haiti
Joined: March 17, 2013
KitMaker: 29 posts
Armorama: 29 posts
Posted: Thursday, April 25, 2013 - 05:08 AM UTC
I am going to be brush painting a couple U.S. army models from WW2. Right now, I am using Tamiya Olive Drab but the paint is bad and is not mixing properly leaving yellow green streaks on the model. This has happened with two Tamiya Olive Drab paint bottles. So, should I switch brands and if so what brand would provide an accurate olive drab color? Right now, I am thinking about switching to Vallejo paints. So, if I do this should I use the Model Air Olive Drab or the Model Color Olive Drab because they seem to be a little bit different? Also, I saw that the vallejo brown-violet also can be used as Olive Drab so would this be a good option? I read Steve Zaloga's article on olive drab and it said that Tamiya's olive drab is the best but I am not sure if Tamiya would be the best for brush painting.
Thanks in advance
18Bravo
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Colorado, United States
Joined: January 20, 2005
KitMaker: 7,219 posts
Armorama: 6,097 posts
Posted: Thursday, April 25, 2013 - 06:24 AM UTC
I personally don't like brush painting acrylics, especially Tamiya.
Now these are my own experiences - others may vary:
The last time I even attempted it was with black on a motorcycle model in the late 80's, so at least there was no problem with the pigments separating. The formula may have changed since then, but the acrylic seemed to dry so fast that that next swipe of paint would lift a skin off of the first one. I know there are retarders for air brushing but I wasn't set up for it in Germany, so I had to make do with what I had.
I switched to enamel and had no problem with it.
pseudorealityx
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Georgia, United States
Joined: January 31, 2010
KitMaker: 2,191 posts
Armorama: 1,814 posts
Posted: Thursday, April 25, 2013 - 06:29 AM UTC
Vallejo brush paints wonderfully. For brush painting, you want to use the model-COLOR line.

Once you get a few colors you could mix up a color that more closely matches the Tamiya OD if you choose.
arsenal10
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Haiti
Joined: March 17, 2013
KitMaker: 29 posts
Armorama: 29 posts
Posted: Thursday, April 25, 2013 - 07:03 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I personally don't like brush painting acrylics, especially Tamiya.
Now these are my own experiences - others may vary:
The last time I even attempted it was with black on a motorcycle model in the late 80's, so at least there was no problem with the pigments separating. The formula may have changed since then, but the acrylic seemed to dry so fast that that next swipe of paint would lift a skin off of the first one. I know there are retarders for air brushing but I wasn't set up for it in Germany, so I had to make do with what I had.
I switched to enamel and had no problem with it.

Yeah, I've found that Tamiya is pretty hard to brush paint with. I don't have any drying retarder so that makes it worse. I think I am going to try Vallejo paints because many people seem to reccomend them and they have much more colors and mediums available than Tamiya. I'd like to stick with acrylics right now, though, for a number of reasons. Thanks
arsenal10
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Haiti
Joined: March 17, 2013
KitMaker: 29 posts
Armorama: 29 posts
Posted: Thursday, April 25, 2013 - 07:13 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Vallejo brush paints wonderfully. For brush painting, you want to use the model-COLOR line.

Once you get a few colors you could mix up a color that more closely matches the Tamiya OD if you choose.

I think Vallejo is definitley my best choice right now. Would you by any chance have any idea what a good mixture would be?
I can't really afford to waste any of my paint trying to get a good olive drab color. If not I can always just use it out of bottle until I have more means of experimenting.
Thanks
Belt_Fed
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New Jersey, United States
Joined: February 02, 2008
KitMaker: 1,388 posts
Armorama: 1,325 posts
Posted: Thursday, April 25, 2013 - 07:19 AM UTC
I use Vallejo Brown Violet. It looks very much like Olive Drab
arsenal10
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Haiti
Joined: March 17, 2013
KitMaker: 29 posts
Armorama: 29 posts
Posted: Thursday, April 25, 2013 - 07:25 AM UTC
Brown-violent seems like a good idea. I'll have to try it out.
Thanks
retiredyank
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Arkansas, United States
Joined: June 29, 2009
KitMaker: 11,610 posts
Armorama: 7,843 posts
Posted: Thursday, April 25, 2013 - 09:07 AM UTC
If you want to brush paint Tamiya acryls, you need to use a retarder. Also, I have noticed that if I keep my brush damp with IPA or glass cleaner, it brushes on much more easily. The real trick to it is to build up multiple coats.
arsenal10
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Haiti
Joined: March 17, 2013
KitMaker: 29 posts
Armorama: 29 posts
Posted: Thursday, April 25, 2013 - 12:03 PM UTC

Quoted Text

If you want to brush paint Tamiya acryls, you need to use a retarder. Also, I have noticed that if I keep my brush damp with IPA or glass cleaner, it brushes on much more easily. The real trick to it is to build up multiple coats.

I don't think I am going to use Tamiya anymore. In the end 4 bottles of paint (2 olive drab bottles, dark yellow, and khaki) had problems with seperating. I am going to try vallejo and see what happens. Thanks anyways.
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