I have bought some Tamiya Acrylics and was hoping on some tips of how to use them?
I have read that you could thin them with water, is this correct? I have a bottle of demineralised water.

Oh, it appears I've been made a captain somewhere along the line.

Personally, I use the product(s) the manufacture recommends, in this case Tamiya Thinner. I've never used anything else. The small amount you might save in trying to find a cheaper expedient isn't worth the expense of recovering from a mishap later on.

Gunnie

Where could I find"isopropyl alcohol"?

....... The small amount you might save in trying to find a cheaper expedient isn't worth the expense of recovering from a mishap later on.

Gunnie

Oh, and P.S., this is where Gunnie and completely agree. My time is worth more than the few pesos I might save by using 'scrubbing bubbles' , pamprin, or any other alternative product. That's not to say that the alternatives aren't viable. Only, that one of the few positive attributes of being from the old school, is that I've worked long enough, and saved enough money, that I can now pick and choos my mediums......that's all.

Oh, and P.S., this is where Gunnie and completely agree. My time is worth more than the few pesos I might save by using 'scrubbing bubbles' , pamprin, or any other alternative product. That's not to say that the alternatives aren't viable. Only, that one of the few positive attributes of being from the old school, is that I've worked long enough, and saved enough money, that I can now pick and choos my mediums......that's all.

I really wish someone could explain 'old school' to me. I don't think using products that don't say MODEL on them has anything to do with a certain 'school.'

If someone wants to use a certain product, that's a decision that could be based on many things. Cost being or not being one of them.

As far as making an assumption as to one's income level or amount of disposable income, I don't think that has anything to do with alternative products. Maybe I haven't worked as long as someone else, but I am fortunate that I can afford all of the modeling stuff I want. I'm a lucky guy when it comes to finances. But, I don't like spending money for overpriced products either. (Learned that from grocery shopping with Mom! )

That makes me neither poor nor cheap. I am making a decision on where I want MY money to go.

As I mentioned before, I have a fine arts degree and work in a creative field (oh, and I've been teaching art and design at the college level for the last three years) so I certainly understand using alternative products. Lots of artists will use many different (even some really strange) materials in their particular mediums. I encourage my students to EXPERIMENT and really get an understanding of the materials they are using. I hope for (happy) accidents when trying new things. This is what leads to new IDEAS.

Just check out an issue of Fine Scale Modeler and you will see people talking about all sorts of sources.

If 'old school' means not trying alternatives for fear of failure (loss of something that costs money??) and 'new school' means not being afraid of new processes and experimenting and maybe learning something new and even ruining a few things, I guess I'd be happy to say I'm 'new school.'

Personally, I don't like to label anyone. To each his own. (I too use Tamiya thinner for some things as I mentioned above.) But, I do think the enjoyment of this hobby is in the building and finishing and I like to try something new on each project. If someone says try Pamprin, why not, I may love the results!