I am new at airbrushing and I need assistance.... Where can I find guidance on thinning paints (acrylics and enamels)? I have no idea on the proper thinning ratios nor what to use to thin each type of paint with.

Thanks in advance for the help!

There's a bunch of topics in the forums already. Use the search Function (in the upper right hand of the Armoram Window).

HTH

To keep it simple...water, alcohol or Windex for acrylics. Others will give you all these elaborate and expensive solutions for enamels. Just get some dollar a gallon THINNER from the hardware store.
The consistency you're looking for is that of milk. Two paints right from the bottle have the right consistency: Floquil and Model Master Metalizers. Thin the paint to this level and you'll be good to go.
Note: Acrylics tend to be much more difficult to successfully airbrush. They tend to clog the tip both because their drying time is shortert and they tend to have thicker pigment.

normaly go for a 50/50 mix of thinner/paint or if doing more subtle effects more thinner less paint 70/30 you should aim to get the consitancy of milk just rember to give your paint a very good mix before mixing it. for acrylics you can use the paint makers thinners or use winde,wind screen cleaner (lots cheaper) same goes for enamels either use the paint makers thinnners or buy cheap white spirt ect
looks like AJLaFleche and me were typing at the same time LOL

Other pieces of advice: It's very hard to get paint too thin, especially acrylics. If in doubt, thin it out.

Different thinners behave in different ways, principally by effecting the drying time. Alcohol dries the fastest. Acrylic thinned exclusively with acrylic and shot at high pressure will actually dry on the way to the model. The model will be dry to the touch the second you quit spraying. It will also have a slightly grainy texture.

Windex retards the drying time. The paint will go on smooth and take some time to dry. You'll have to not touch the model during the spraying or for several hours afterward. The finish will be very consistent, with no grain at all (beyond the flatting agents in the paint).

Water is between these two. I usualy thin with a combination of water and alchohol, because I want to be able to move the model around while I paint it, which requires brief light touching.

Another piece of advice - don't thin your paints too much. You could experience what's called "creep". This happens when your paint is so thin that when you airbrush it on the pigment pulls or "creeps" away from edges as it dries.

Gunnie

Once again, you guys are a flock o' freakin' genius's (is that how you pluralize the word genius??)!

Thanks for the info, I'll test all of this out tonight.

Saint,
I have had good luck cover coating with Testor's Acryl straight out of the bottle, shake and shoot. You do have to thin them a little to spray fine lines.
HTH,
Shaun

Oh, and like Al said, keep a Q-Tip handy to clean your tip occasionally...

i also have very good time with MM acrylics shooting them straight from the bottle or thin em a lil. When thin em more they seem to be unable to cover good and you need more layers which probably cover some delicate details