I have a good selection of Vallejo Model Color. I both spray and brush it on. It covers beautifully. However, it is not very strong. It seems that anytime it gets rubbed by anything harder than paper, it scratches through. Any thoughts?

Hi matt..thats wierd..
Model color are tough..even they are hard to be removed from my pallette..

Try coating it with clear...

I had a similar issue and it had nothing to do with the paint itself.. it was how I was applying it. Two things I would not do because I rushed my painting... first and least important was to clean my plastic with soap and water or maybe a little alcohol to get the oils off. Second and more important for me was to put down a good primer coat and LET IT DRY. The primer coat for Vallajo paints is key IMPO, because it is the bonding agent to the plastic that everything else sits on top of. Surface prep and a decent drying time gave me a strong durable surface to work from. I would also suggest if you plan on decals or weathering, to seal the paint in with a coat of gloss beforehand. These changes in the way I paint have given me some really impressive results with Vallajo paints and they are now all I use. Lay em on s clean surface and let em dry......

i agree> I had the same problem with figures until i washed and primed and let the prime dry for about 24 hours.

Cleaning and priming; just about mandatory if you're using any acrylics IMHO. Varnish coat over the top to lock it down.

Hi Matt,

I experienced the same with vallejo, priming is key but i do not recommend to use Vallejo primer with me it did not hold, Tamiya primer does hold.
But,.. and that is it with Vallejo, that is my experience and i must admit i'm bad in cleaning the build model with soap as Rian recommended,.. Vallejo gives different results with users

Good luck

I generally prime all of my builds, with MM lacquer primer. I will try washing the kit, prior to paint. I didn't think it would affect the base coat, etc. as the primer adheres. Come to think of it, I don't have the problem; when I use Testors acrylic primer.

One other thing worth adding is be aware of your painting and drying area...... more particularly, the temp and humidity. In my basement hobby room the air was more cool and with higher humidity. Solved it with a decent de-humidifyer and a portable electric heater.... again, the more I let the moisture get out of the paint the stronger it was on the model. sucessive coats included.

This can also be a benefit to you when you are ready to weather.... after a good solid clear over the original paint, and a good dry time, lighten the base color a few drops and spray it on. Let it dry for 15 minutes or so, then go at it with a toothpick, brush, or some other kind of scratchy thingy (technical term)....Completely by accident I found this works good for vehicles that have been overcoated more than once and gives a cool contrast.....you can see this on the front hull right side of this M-56.... that was not something I had intentionally done but once it dried it just looked real to me and I sealed it in.

I always give each coat 24 hours to cure before handling the model or putting on another coat.

Priming is the key, whether airbrushing or using a brush, in my opinion. While it adds to the cost of completing the kit, it is well worth it. Lacquer Primers bite into the plastic, while the Acrylic one form a skin. The Lacquer ones are sandable, whereas Acrylics tend not to be. The Lacquer ones have a strong odor and should be used with good ventilation. Acrylics tend to have a more pleasing smell, but can post health issues, as well. Acrylic primers seem to need a curing time of about 24 hours, where the Lacquers dry much quicker. The 2 brands that I have used the most are Vallejo (Acrylic) and Model Master (lacquer). This is mainly due to local hobby shop brand availability. I've found the Vallejo to be more difficult to clean from my airbrush, than the Model Master. My father has used Tamiya Lacquer primer, with great success. He is not a fan of Vallejo, due to the difficulty with cleaning it from his airbrushes. Give priming a try. It is an extra step but I think you find it well worth it.

Hi Matt - some input here from an aircraft modeler for what it may be worth . I am relatively new to the Vallejo paint system . I had great results with their MetalColor primer and paint and less than satisfactory results with their ModelAir paint / grey primer. The primer has excellent bond to itself and does not obscure any detail but it has ABSOLUTELY NO ADHESION to the plastic itself- if you will pardon the crude analogy it is like a form fitting condom around the model . This is fine if all is well but if corrections are needed it becomes more difficult. It does not sand well in any shape or form - try feathering the edge of a rubber band with sandpaper if you want to see what you are in for. Stripping and feathering if needed can be done with a cotton swab/denatured alcohol if needed. This primer may be the needed base for color adhesion but it is USELESS as a means of disclosing where corrections are needed. I have detailed my trials/tribulations with this paint in my 1/48 Hasegawa Hayabusa build log on Aeroscale in the World War II forums if you would like to read more. There is certainly a learning curve associated with any new product and as stated above I am a newbie to Vallejo. I like the convenience of the dropper bottles and the nearly ready to spray viscosity ( still needs a little thinning in superfine airbrushes) - but I am not entirely sold on it at this time .
I hope this is taken in the spirit of helpfulness and not misconstrued as product bashing . Richard

Thank you, for all of the input. I will get a couple of test panels started, tonight(just priming them). Sunday morning, I will start laying down some Vallejo. I will check adhesion, Monday morning.

I prime with plain old automotive primer from a rattle can. Works great and relatively cheap.

If you have some troubles with the peeling maybe this is caused for several reasons:
Did you clean the model surface previously? Sometimes the plastic on some kits have an oiled film, result of the industrial mold injection system. Over this grease remains, the acrylic color can’t grab correctly, with a peeling result, please check the cleaning process, using a neutral Dishwasher (not acid base, this can change the acrylic response…).
It is advisable to paint on a surface previously covered with primer
Vallejo Primer Works without problem over metal surfaces, like White metal, brass like P.E. parts on models or others... The surface must be clean, without grease or oil traces, because if the surface was not cleaned before, the Primer can peel off too from model surface.

Once again, thank you for bringing this to our attention and we appreciate your interest in our products.

Don’t hesitate contact us if you have any doubt.
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Best regards