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AFV Painting & Weathering
Answers to questions about the right paint scheme or tips for the right effect.
Real colors,Mr color,Finecolor
Rforand
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Florida, United States
Joined: July 14, 2013
KitMaker: 108 posts
Armorama: 89 posts
Posted: Sunday, April 08, 2018 - 05:19 PM UTC
I am looking for a new line of paint to use.I currently use Tamiya and Ammo.Although I like Tamiya the lack of colors is why I am looking for new paint.Ammo I just don't care for the dropper bottles.So any help on which is better and where to buy would be helpful.
Kevlar06
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Washington, United States
Joined: March 15, 2009
KitMaker: 3,670 posts
Armorama: 2,052 posts
Posted: Sunday, April 08, 2018 - 07:12 PM UTC
I use and prefer Mr. Color--- they provide a tough, flawless finish and will last quite a while if you use them with Mr. Color Leveling thinner (they are concentrated pigment in the bottle, and are designed to be mixed with their leveling thinner during airbrushing). They are like Tamiya though in that they don't brush paint well over large areas. Unfortunately, they are difficult to find here in the U.S., and when you find them, they sell out frequently in the most popular colors. Tru-Color is a company that's been around a while, has an extensive line of Railroad colors and is now branching out into military colors. I've used thier RR colors, and been quite happy, You might give thier new line a try. My other two "go to" paints are Tamiya and Model Master. Tamiya is always dependable, easy to find, and has a fairly good range of color, but you are right, you'll need to mix if you want specific colors. I have lots of older MM paint on my shelf, but recently purchased some new MM paints from Hobby Lobby-- thier Aircraft Gray, and gloss white. I was pleasantly surprised to find that both colors airbrushed exceptionally well, and even more surprised to find the dry times and coverage (for gloss colors) to be relatively short compared to the past. I think Testor's has improved thier formulation.
VR, Russ
Venko555
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Bulgaria
Joined: December 07, 2013
KitMaker: 908 posts
Armorama: 698 posts
Posted: Sunday, April 08, 2018 - 07:25 PM UTC
Ditto

I've tried Lifecolor, Vallejo, AK, Ammo, Agama, Tamiya but now I prefer Gunze Mr Color w/Leveling thinner. They are widely available here and cheaper than the others, so I'm happy with them
But look what is most available, so you can get replacement colors.

Cheers!
Belt_Fed
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New Jersey, United States
Joined: February 02, 2008
KitMaker: 1,388 posts
Armorama: 1,325 posts
Posted: Sunday, April 08, 2018 - 10:06 PM UTC
If you like Tamiya paint, you will like AK Interactives new RealColor line of paint. They are an acrylic lacquer and airbrush almost identically to Tamiya (when thinned 2 parts thinner to 1 part paint with their thinner). Unlike Tamiya, they have a wide range of colors that are accurately matched to existing examples and chips. They can even be painted with a brush with good results thinned 50/50 with with water. I really like these paints a lot.

If you want to stick with pure acrylic paints, I find AMMO are the best out their. They are not as easy to use as Tamiya or other lacquer-type paints, but with practice and patience you can achieve very good results. I personally really like the dropper bottles.
metooshelah
#011
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Jerusalem, Israel
Joined: February 06, 2009
KitMaker: 1,507 posts
Armorama: 1,304 posts
Posted: Sunday, April 08, 2018 - 10:06 PM UTC
from my experience:
Mr Colour and Tamiya are great for AB. Mr Colour has more paint variation, but is harder for me to get, so most of my paints are Tamiya.
Vallejo are good, but only the air colour line. don't even think about spraying the regular colour line.
there's a guy on Armorama (or used to be) that made his own line of paint, called Devils Over the Atlantic. he is based in the US, and the paints are very, very good.
i also use the odd revell enamel paints (but i don't like the "paint-pot" design), some Ammo i haven't used yet.

RC are getting good reviews online.
dexter059
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Region de Valparaiso, Chile
Joined: July 28, 2005
KitMaker: 1,569 posts
Armorama: 1,385 posts
Posted: Sunday, April 08, 2018 - 10:23 PM UTC
For armour painting with airbrush, I currently use K4 acrylics, those´re made in Chile and came in small dropper bottles. They behave like an alredy thinned Tamiya paint, and can be mixed with them and accept lacquer thinner for better adherence. They´re available in the US. Also usually work with Tamiya acrylics, and have a range of AMMO and AK Interactive acrylics for some specific colours (mostly for details and camouflage). I have some of the new AK Interactive Real Colors as well and have tested them, really like how they airbrush and are good for brush painting too, can be mixed with Tamiya and K4 and works very well with the lacquer thinner.

For figure painting by brush, I use mostly Vallejo and now the new Figure line of AK Interactive, the finish of the latter its dead flat.

Cheers.
retiredyank
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Arkansas, United States
Joined: June 29, 2009
KitMaker: 11,610 posts
Armorama: 7,843 posts
Posted: Sunday, April 08, 2018 - 10:27 PM UTC
Though I still use Tamiya, for base coats, I prefer Real Colors. You can thin them, with any solvent(Mr. Leveling Thinner prefered). Their color range is vast. I began, with their Olive Drab range and couldn't be more pleased.
Vicious
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Queensland, Australia
Joined: September 04, 2015
KitMaker: 1,517 posts
Armorama: 1,109 posts
Posted: Monday, April 09, 2018 - 03:52 AM UTC
Because I still do a lot with the brush my favorite acrylics are Lifecolor but with AB now especially MMP (MissionModel Paints) are "real" acrylics but with much less of the classic problems of this type of paint, good range of colors,you dont have to guess with the thinning,nice and clear recipe, 4-5 drops every 20 of paint and if you want another 4 of additive, it seems that they cost more 'but with the thinning ratio and the 1OZ bottles at the end the price is the same...and Bonus...they are Made in USA
sgtreef
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Oklahoma, United States
Joined: March 01, 2002
KitMaker: 6,043 posts
Armorama: 4,347 posts
Posted: Monday, April 09, 2018 - 05:30 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Because I still do a lot with the brush my favorite acrylics are Lifecolor but with AB now especially MMP (MissionModel Paints) are "real" acrylics but with much less of the classic problems of this type of paint, good range of colors,you dont have to guess with the thinning,nice and clear recipe, 4-5 drops every 20 of paint and if you want another 4 of additive, it seems that they cost more 'but with the thinning ratio and the 1OZ bottles at the end the price is the same...and Bonus...they are Made in USA



Only problem for you is the shipping ,I bet that cost more then the paint.
Bummer really, but I guess no other way to get it' Down Under '.

Cheers

Jeff
Vicious
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Queensland, Australia
Joined: September 04, 2015
KitMaker: 1,517 posts
Armorama: 1,109 posts
Posted: Monday, April 09, 2018 - 05:37 PM UTC
Not at all MMP have a Aussie distributor

http://www.airbrushmegastore.com/

and you can also buy them from Hobbyeasy but the only problem there was my polymix frozen on the plane and is gone bad,no problem for thinner and paint but the poly dont like cold wether...

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