Mixing Revell Paint

[BetaSingh]

I am planning to make a Revell Etihad A320, but rather annoying, it says that I must mix three types of paint. I must mix 75% of White Gloss 04 with 20% of Orange Clear 730 and 5% of Aluminium Metallic. As I haven't mixed paint before, can someone tell me how to mix paints, preferably Revell paints, and how I am meant to get the exact percentages of paints. I am painting with revell paints and would greatly appreciate any advice.

[Greenshirt]

The easiest method is using disposable pipettes and a mixing jar. 

 

Using your example, and assuming you only want 10ml, draw 7.5ml of white and put it in the mixing jar; 2ml of orange; and 0.5ml of aluminum. Personally, I tend to also thin at the same time and add exactly the same amount of Thinner as the total I'm mixing; in this example another 10ml. If I need to also add a retarder for brush painting, I add a drop of that, and if I want a flow improver I add a drop of that as well. 

 

I mix into jars that hold what I can easily mix (like the above example I would try to fill a 20ml jar, or if I only have a 15ml, then I'd mix 10ml and thin as I need it). 

[BetaSingh]

Another method of painting the Etihad fuselage is to use NYC Mulberry Street nail varnish, but people are saying it is an airbrush only option. Why is it an airbrush only option, and why won't painting it with a normal paintbrush or even the supplied with the varnish paintbrush work?

[Vladan Dugaric]

Nail varnish is usually too hot to paint with a brush, as it will etch plastic. Spraying it will cause very little etching (which will make the paint stick better), but won't damage plastic surface and details.

[BetaSingh]

21 minutes ago, Vladan Dugaric said:

Nail varnish is usually too hot to paint with a brush, as it will etch plastic. Spraying it will cause very little etching (which will make the paint stick better), but won't damage plastic surface and details.

 

First, I am sorry, but it was nail polish not varnish, I got them confused. And secondly, the way I am planning on using it is by first painting a couple of base layers of Ushabti Bone acrylic paint, which is used for figure painting, and then brushing on the nail polish. I am hoping that by doing it that way, the nail polish won't etch off any of the plastic. Please let me know what you think of this method. 

BetaSingh

[Vladan Dugaric]

It might work, but first test it on a piece of polystyrene to check if the amount applied by brush is small enough not to etch through.

 

You will probably need to apply using just one stroke and not come back to that spot until it dries fully.

 

Another thing to remember with lacquer paints (nail varnish/polish is usually a lacquer) is that it dries (solvent evaporates), unlike enamel paint which cures (reacts with oxygen from air) in addition to drying (solvent evaporating). Lacquer paint can always be re-dissolved using the solvent present in the fresh coat of paint, unlike enamel, which cannot be re-dissolved using its solvent.

 

This means that you must be very quick if you want to apply another coat, or it cannot be done without marring the finish in the previous coat of paint. That is why hot paints are usually meant for spraying only, which will re-dissolve paint underneath, but it won't run and the amount of thinner present in the new coat is so small, to only let the paint adhere well. However, it cannot be sprayed on thick to the point of running, as this will mechanically damage the finish underneath.

 

This is the reason Tamiya acrylic paints are very hard to brush paint. They are acrylic lacquers, and painting the second coat almost instantly softens the layer underneath, making a gooey mess in the process. This can be somewhat prevented by painting a coat of Klear on top of fully cured paint, then letting it fully cure, as Tamiya paint won't soften Klear, letting you apply a second coat without damaging finish underneath.

Edited April 23, 2017 by Vladan Dugaric

[BetaSingh]

Thank you for your advice.

What would you say is the best way to paint on the nail polish? Like how do you think I should do it, how should I brush it, how long should I leave it to dry, how many layers etc. I would be very grateful if you could tell me what the best course of action would be when painting with the nail polish. 

Thanks

BetaSingh

[Vladan Dugaric]

Number of layers depends on how opaque that nail polish is. You will need to apply layers until you have even coverage.

 

I cannot really say how long you should wait between coats, as you would have to test that using a plastic card. Nail polish dries pretty quickly, but that process is exponential (it slows down with drying, if after time T half of remaining solvent evaporates from paint, after another time T the remaining half will be halved, and so on, so the paint never fully dries, but becomes dry enough to handle after a while). If you thin the nail polish, drying time depends on which thinner you used. Once again, for brush painting, you cannot use too hot thinners, as they will mar the plastic or paint beneath.

 

I would try applying the second coat after at least several hours, and more likely at least a day. You have to let the paint dry sufficiently, as fresh coat applied over paint that is touch dry but still not propely dry will cause the layer underneath to start expanding, and that can lead to cracks appearing in finish. Letting paint dry long enough will minimise the risk of cracked paint, but it cannot guarantee that it won't happen.

 

The best way to do this would be to spray.

Edited April 23, 2017 by Vladan Dugaric

[Space Ranger]

My information is that NYC Mulberry Street nail polish has been discontinued. I was searching for some myself last year for another modeler and even contacted the manufacturer, only to be told it was no longer available. But yes, nail polishes should be sprayed. They are lacquer-based and will dissolve the plastic of your model if applied too thick. And a primer is advisable when spraying them.

 

An easy way to mix paint is to convert the percentages to "parts." A part can be any convenient unit of measure, but I have found drops to be most convenient. In your case you would want to mix 15 drops of White Gloss 04 with 4 drops of Orange Clear 730 and 1 drop of Aluminium Metallic. Repeat until you have sufficient paint. Any dropper or pipette can be used; just be sure to use the same size dropper for each color, or, if using the same dropper, clean it thoroughly between colors.

Edited April 23, 2017 by Space Ranger
Add'l. info.