Acrylic paint from hobby craft and the works

[cocky05d]

Hi ,has anyone used acrylic paint from craft shops ,Hobby Craft has a range called Americana ,i got some for a £1 for 59ml ,i want to use them for brush painting ,i wonder if they could be used in a airbrush for priming.

[Giorgio N]

I'm not familiar with this range, however I'd expect them to be aimed at the cheap hobbyist/artist market.

Acrylics generally are not the toughest paints, reason for which most modelling acrylic paint ranges require some sort of primer. I wouldn't expect these cheap paints to be any better from this point of view and I seriously doubt they could be used for priming.

Artist acrylic paints can usually be airbrushed but a lot depends on how fine the pigment is. I've sprayed successfully a number of acrylic paints but to be honest the cheaper ones gave more troubles than it was worth. Higher quality ranges are a different story and some spray beautifully

[cruiserguy]

Hi Cocky5D,

If it were me I would give them a miss. My guess is they are made for general craft use, and likely to have more filler than pigment in them - that's probably why they are cheap. For models, whether brushing or airbrushing, I think it's best to use paint specifically made for models Most model paints are not that expensive, and if you think of the cost of a model ship, plane or tank, I would ask why anyone would risk a potential poor finish from cheap paint on a model that might have cost £30.00 or more.

It would be a different matter if you were thinking of buying proper artist's acrylics. They are worth buying but again not cheap. For instance, I bought some Windsor and Newton Cerulean Blue - £15.00 for 75 mls, but worth it for a little goes a long way. I doubt you could say the same about craft paint.

Best Wishes,

Will.

[cocky05d]

Hi ,thanks for all the info ,i will use they for painting some dioramas ,and see how they are .