Hey,

I am not the best of painters, so I have decided to ask you guys before I kill another model.

I have had this problem numorous times, you see, I am using acryl paint (Brand: Model Master) and when I paint with them, you see the paint brush marks in the paint (like little lines as if they brushed where dried up and hard) even thought they are brand new brushes and very soft. So no matter how much paint, or how little paint I put on, it still leaves the marks and the model looks scratched, the paint is un-even and I cant seem to get it to look good. Any advice would help. Thanks in advance!

-Eric

I forgot to add that Im painting on a Plastic model. Also, the brushes are leaving air bubbles as well

-Eric

I've not personally used the MM brand specifically, but in the case of Tamiya Acrylics you MUST add a little thinner, ideally the company's own. These usually are not just a compatible thinner, but also a retarder to slow dry time marginally (giving you a little more time to work). Taking Tamiya as an example, 3:1 or 4:1 paint:thinner ratio is a good place to start. Goes on easier and if you do a couple coats with alternate brushing direction you end up with a very very smooth finish.

Not sure if its the same with MM but it might be worth a try.

Eric,
Several things could be happening here. The first, and probably greatest contributor to your problem, is that your paint is not thin enough. Most paints, acrylic and enamel alike, should be thinned slightly before brushing. MM makes a thinner for their acryl line, I'd suggest picking some up and thinning your paint at least 10-15%. Puts a small amount paint on your tray and mix in the thinner and work from this. Don't just pull the paint out of the jar on your brush. Also, periodically blot your brush and wet it a little with the thinner. Finally, condition yourself to apply multiple, thin coats, letting the underlying coats fully dry (at least a couple of hours with acrylics, more for enamels).
Another thing could be your choice of paints and brushes. Some acrylic paints brush better than others. I've not tried to brush MM, but I find its cousins, Floquil and PollyScale brush well. However, the best acrylics for brushing I've found are Vallejo. The worst are Tamiya, hands down. Don't even bother trying to brush that stuff. The fundamental complication for acrylics is the fact they dry much quicker than enamels, making them "skin over" much quicker thereby leaving the telltale brush marks that you see.
Two other suggestions: Good quality sable brushes are almost a must for broad brush application of acrylics. Your brushes may seem new and soft, but artificial bristles just aren't as good for major coverage. Lastly, you may want to consider picking up either retarder or flow enhancer from an art supply store. These products are designed to make acrylic paints easier to brush.
Hope this helps!

Hi Eric,

Looks like you've already received some fine advice and I also encourage you to make sure to thin the paint if not already doing so.

I echo jpzr's sentiments regarding Vallejo brand paints. I'm just getting back into models after a long hiatus and the only handbrushing I've done so far is using Vallejo Model Color paints and man are they slick! They make their own line of thinner which I use exclusevly and they also make a drying retarder that I have yet to use since thinning alone seems to do the trick.

I've also thought about a product that I used when painting the interior of my house several years ago and I tried it on a whim with great results.....I think its called "Floquil" and can be found at any hardware store in painting section. Anyhow, it says its designed to slow drying time to allow for a smoother finish. Now I have never tried to use it in scale model application but it is designed for acrylic paints and I wonder if it would help.....hmmmmmmm......I'll try it and let you know. It doesn't really come in what I'd consider model builders size container but if stuff works to help in our situations then it stores well and ultimately may prove a good investment. Oh well, I've ranted long enough. Good luck in your painting.

Hoss

Thanks guys!

Ill get some old plastic pieces and try all of that stuff out.

Fortunately, I have an art supply store rather close, so I should be able to pick up some stuff there.

Rather off topic, but I have another question. Are there any kind of 'canvas' type acrylics or enamel that I could use?

Thanks again guys!

I'd stick with paints designed for plastics.
One thing you might want to do is prime your model with white or light gray paint. A rattle can will be fine. It'll give you paint a little better surface on which to bite.
Where are you located in Massachusetts?

Thanks for the info!

I am located in Eastern Mass, in a little town called Walpole.

Home of the beautiful Cedar Junction!
You can get Vallejo acrylics at Hobby Bunker in Malden.
You might want to look into Bay Colony. These are a great bunch of guys and can give you some hands on help. There was a group out of Weymouth, but they seem to have gone under. Further north is Patriot Chapter .

Thanks, you seem to know the area well. Whera abouts are you located?

I'm in West Springfield but grew up south of Worcester.

I wouldnt go that far. Its not impossible to get good results. As I mentioned a simple 4:1 mix of paint to Tamiya's own thinner works quite well on a primed surface. Still not as "easy" as Vallejo but on the whole more accessible and less expensive (at least in my end of the country).

I only have experience brush painting with MM acryl and Tamiya. The Model Master Acryl is horrible for brush painting, at least straight from the bottle which is all I have tried, even 3 coats won't often cover it. Tamiya gives better results but at the cost of going on thicker.

Try some of the suggestions above, and if you can't make the MM work... see if you can pick up some Vallejo paints, order it if you have to.

Everything I have read points to the Vallejo brand as being the best acrylics to brush paint with.

I am going to try them one of these days.


Martyn

I've found that Tamiya acrylics are very sensitive to the surface that they'r e going onto - try using a primer coat as already advised. Most of the vehicles in my gallery are brush painted with Tamiya acrylics over a sprayed coat of grey autoprimer. A reaction to mould agent or grease on the surface could be causing the 'bubble' effect that you mention.
Another cause of brush marks could just be that your brushes are too stiff (even though you say thay are soft!). Acrylic paints really need a medium to soft bristle. For armour & aircraft I use artificial brushes in 'prolene' or a similar material, and for figures I use sable brushes. Avoid the brushes sold in most model shops and buy them from an art shop - they may be more expensive but good brushes can last for years if they're looked after properly.

There is some exquisit work in there!

Being a Tamiya user myself, I wonder if you could share a few more details. How many coats of the base color do you usually do? What size brush? What ratio of thinner do you usually do?

I just want to compare my experience with yours.

Thanks for the compliment on my work! I don't thin the paint at all, just use good brushes and smooth even strokes. I think that the most I've ever needed is two coats of paint over the primer. For vehicles I use a size3 or 4 'prolene' brush, with a size 1 or 0 for details.

We're definetly on the same page. I use a 4 flat, or even a 6, for base coating and a 0 and 2 rounds for detail. I too have found that over a neutral grey primer just a couple coats of Tamiya are needed.

I however have to add a drop of their X-20A thinner (about 4:1). I find it just makes it "slicker", causing it to find its own level and doesnt skin over immediately (makes brushing a little less tedious I find).

I think part of the bad rap Tamiya acrylics has gotten is due to them simply being different from what people are used it. I came for a history of using good 'ol testors. If you dip a brush into Tamiya and expect it to behave the exact same way (as I did at first) it WILL seem like the absolut worst paint in the world. But desperatly wanting to leave the world of harsh solvents behind, I said to myself "they sell scores and scores of this stuff...its got to work...there must be a way...". All I did was forve myself to forget what I'd known ("you must unlearn what you have learned" as yoda sais) and "teach" myself the work the stuff.

Lots of good info on this thread.

I've brushed Tamiya and agree it can be finicky. The trick seemed to be smooth, even strokes and don't brush wet paint more than once! Let it dry, then put on a second coat. And a third, if necessary.

I cannot over emphasize the importance of good, natural hair brushes. I only use artificial brushes for dirty jobs, like painting groundwork or weathering mixes. If you take care of them, cleaning them promptly and NEVER, EVER dipping the ferrule in paint, a set of good red sable brushes will last through years of use. (BTW, the ferrule is the metal tube that holds the bristles on the handle.)

IMHO, the best paint for brush painting is well-mixed. Humbrol. Even if it looks like it has brush marks when wet, by the time it dries, they seem to settle right out.