I've been trying to paint with Tamiya Acrylics - my first time brushing acrylics - and I'm finding that they lift when I brush over previously painted areas. I'm used to overlapping a bit with enamels, and it seems I can't do that with the Tamiya paints. I'm even experiencing lifting on areas where the paint has dried for hours! Help!

Don't bother. Really. They were designed for airbrushing. Try Vallejo Acrylics for brush painting, you won't look back!

Vinnie

The first generation Tamiya paint was excellent right from the bottle on a brush. This version is unusable with a brush.

Contrairy to popular belief, you can brush Tamiya paints. But there is a knack to it, and it is very unforgiving if you don't do it right.

First off, do not use the paint straight from the bottle. Thin the paint, and use Tamiya Thinner. I know it's not cheap, but the results are worth it.
Use a quality brush. Whilst this is true for all painting, with Tamiya paints it's imperative. You need a good, steady flow of paint from your brush to enable single stroke coverage.
Thin layers. Another thing that goes for most paints, but especially when brushing Tamiya. Several thin layers will cover well, and eliminate the dreaded 'brush marks'
Don't go over previous strokes. After they have dried you can apply the next layer. If you previous layers lift after having dried, that sounds like your models surface is not prepared enough, i.e. it may be greasy from handeling (oil from your hands) or may have a larger than usual residue of mold release agent left on.

Cheers
Henk

..................or you could buy Vallejo and just paint? :-)

Vinnie

Or LifeColour, or Humbroll, or Gunze, or Halfords....

I started painting with Tamiya (discounting my first attempt with humbroll as a kid...how was I to know that you can't rinse your brush under the kitchen sink tap, mum was not amused ) because it was available.
I too struggled with it, but managed to learn to work with it. I discovered Vallejo about a year and a half ago, and agree that it brushes easier than Tamiya.
But having said that, and this is a very personal opinion, I do like some of the Tamiya colours better. For instance tamiya Dunkelgelb looks better to me. I don't think you can beat the Tamiya NATO colours, and Nato black is perfect for tyres.
Vallejo is great, but needs thinning as well, and does not stick as well as Tamiya paint.

I think the biggest plus in favour of Vallejo is that the bottles hold 17ml, whilst Tamiya only holds 10ml. Vallejo is defenitely better value.

Cheers
Henk

I would, if the ONE hobby shop in the Norfolk/Suffolk/Portsmouth area carried them. And for the record, if you're confused Vinnie, those are the Virginia versions, not the English ones. Oddly, in an area with a population this large, there is only one hobby shop, and it carries only Tamiya and Testors (acrylic and enamel).

When I lived in Uruguay nearly 15 years ago, I could even get Humbrol, but not locally in the US... I have to mail-order it from Squadron.

I've recently dug up a 12-year-old airbrush from my last project (also 12 years ago), and I'm going to have a go with it (and a can of propellant - new) while I wait on the delivery of my anthem 155. The brush is an Aztek/Testors model with the same interchangeable tips as they use now. Using Tamiya should work with that arrangement...

Regarding the Tamiya paints, any tips on what ratios or proportions to use (paint:thinner) in an airbrush?

I use mostly 50/50 or even thinner, but each colour seems to be different. I only use Tamiya's own thinner, having tried lots of things. The best way to do it is to thin to a milk consistency and give it a go!

Vinnie

I thin roughly 50/50.

Cheers
Henk

Tamiya doesn't brush very well but at 50/50 or 60/40 paint to thinners, Tamiya Acrylics spray beautifully and stick well.

I like them very much!

This post is very helpful and explains a mystery I have been trying to fugure out for a few months.

I got back into modelling a few months ago after an absence of more than 10 years. I had some Tamiya paint left from back then that I used on the first two model I built. The older Tamiya paint brushed on perfectly and gave an excellent coating. I did not have to thin the paint. I used XF-61 Dark Green on a KV-1 and KV-2.

At that point, I ran out of my older Tamiya paint and ordered new paints. I used the new XF-61 on an SU-85 and another KV-1 and it turned out terrible. I could tell right from the start that there was something different about the new paint.

At this point, I have botles of new Tamiya paint that I want to use. I do not want to buy an airbrush at this point, because my preference is brush painting. I will take the suggestion of Henk to thin the paint with Tamiya thinner and then brush.

When brush painting with the Tamiya thinned paint, is it the same 50/50 ratio as airbrushimg the paint or is it different?

Er.... then what about drybrushing for highlights??? From what I've read the technique is all but outmoded, but considering it's one I'm familiar with, I plan to utilize it. Would I lighten the Tamiya with Vallejo or other marques of acrylic, or are the Tamiyas alright for this method when allowed to dry somewhat?

Berge7

I wouldn't normally use Tamiya acrylics for drybrushing, enamels are best for this, you'll end up with a much, much better result.

Vinnie

Don't use my Tamiya paints as much any more, mostly use the Vallejo and craft paints, but I do airbrush alot of Tamiya. When I do use Tamiya for brushing I just mix it up, add a few drops to my paint cup, and add a drop of Isopropanol alcohol. Stuff is just as good as Tamiya thinner, and much much cheaper. Been using it for years and years with not one problem.

Drybrushing outmoded? Man, that's one of my fave parts of weathering....I ain't gonna stop that any time soon :-)

I haven't done any very large surfaces with handbrushing Tamiya paints, but I've found that around 30% thinner, give or take a little, works pretty well for me.

- Frank

Outmoded?... Is it b*llocks!

Ahem... Sorry, I meant... No it isn't outmoded. Great way to highlight... Use enamels to highlight with drybrushing.