Problem with thinning Revell Aqua Color paint

[Munwele]

First of all, I would like to start by saying hello. I've just joined this forum.

I have just bought Revell acrylic paints and honestly, I regret doing so.

I am using Liquitex airbrush medium to thin them. Problem is, when the paint passes through the eyedroppers, it splatters everywhere instead of falling as drops (it's too thick). I cannot thin these things and I hate using trial and error when I can thin them using ratio. Do you have any solution to my problem?

Apparently, the lids of these containers break very easily, so now I have to use tape whenever I'm finished

using the paint or else the lids will not close.

Edited August 14, 2016 by Munwele

[Jusjay]

Welcome to the forum. I tried them once and had no joy thinning them whatsoever so gave up. There probably is a knack to it and I'd be interested to hear one too. Sorry I Can't help at all

[Bonhoff]

Not tried them for spraying but have thinned them with vallejo thinners for brush painting.

[Levin]

I personally use them thinned with vallejo thinner and I personally like them though I like vallejo colors even a bit more

Could it be that your thinner isn't made for acrylics?

I never had any issues with acrylic thinner e.g. Revells or. Valkejos ( apparently they work with water have you tried it?) only i once tried them with revells email thinner (though i don't know why)

From your description it also sounds as if they haven't been thinned enough but i think you've already tried thinning them more

And to the containers are also ok but I'll like the pre-thinned vallejo bottles more

[Terrain Safe]

I've thinned these with water and then a drop of retarder to stop it drying out on the tip. They are ok for air brushing but better to brush.

[Max Headroom]

I brush paint and I've found that their own thinners (and even tap water) work well.

Trevor

[Levin]

I've thinned these with water and then a drop of retarder to stop it drying out on the tip. They are ok for air brushing but better to brush.

I would also use something to break the tension so it doesn't builds up drops on the painted surface

[speedy]

Been using them for years now, I just thin it with warm tap water. 99% of the time I get a good finish.

[fewr9fkr9595]

The reason your lids wont close is there are two little 'prongs' in the lid that get twisted when first removed and never seem to line back up again with the slots in the pot body. I have snipped all mine off flush with some side cutters and now my lids are tight and twist off/on smoothly.

And i have thinned these with their own thinner, x20a, vallejo thinner and cleaner plus some others that I can't recall right now. It's quite thick from the pot and takes alot of thinner to get it to flow nicely, but that ain't a bad thing...

[Munwele]

Wow, I would like to thank all of you for the replies.

@Levin

No, that is surely not the case, the Liquitex thinner is made for acrylics, I just suck at using the thing.

I am aware that they can be thinned with water, I never tried it and also, some people advise against it.

@Tony Oliver

Yes, I had figured that those prongs were to blame for the lid not closing. That's not a very good design, in my opinion.

I managed to thin it using trial and error, and it sprayed nicely. It ended up clogging the airbrush in the end, for whatever reason.

FYI, I am using a cheap chinese Royalmax airbrush that I bought from Aliexpress. It came with a mini compressor that I sold long ago.

The compressor I am using now is a Parkside PKO 270 A1 compressor. It is in my opinion a very good compressor.

Here are some images showing the result.

[Mr T]

Revell Aqua is really weird stuff. It is very thick in the container and has to be thinned. I have used their own thinner amd was unimpressed with the result. I use deionised water and some flow improver for both brush and airbrushing.

[Beefy]

I agree they are a bit thick but at least that makes them last quite a bit but stirring is a bit of a pain. I personally use tepid tap water and have had no problems. 50 : 50 mix. This is for 72nd scale models that I have used them on.

[dadgaddad]

I've only used the silver so far and had no problems spraying or brushing. I thinned it using a bit of plain tap water and it sprayed beautifully.

[Finnthedude]

I use Revell Aqua Color as my main paint, both brush and airbrush. I thin it with Revell's own thinner (Revell Aqua Color Mix) but have found in practice that for airbrushing it takes far more thinner than Revell say to use - Revell info sheet says 4x paint to 1x thinner but I find 1 to 1 or actually more thinner than paint. I love these paints but they are very thick, however once you find the right milky consistency you know how far to go with the thinner. This thinner has a delayer built in so drying times are up and this helps with airbrushing I find. I'm only using cheapo Chinese airbrushes and have no problems once paint consistency is right.

They settle down VERY well as a brush coat and are a very forgiving paint. They're also very tough and whilst it takes a while to get used to them it is worth it when you finally get it right.

Tony Oliver is spot on with the two little tags that need snipping off, they can stop the lid sealing but they're easy to remove so not such a big problem.

Finnthedude.

[Tomathee]

I found water worked better than (Tamiya) thinners when I brushed them on, not sure if that was because it wasn't Revell thinner but I suspect not from reading other responses. I think about 50:50 worked well, I measured by getting a bit on a cocktail stick and dropping it near the top edge of the palette, if it didn't run back down to the bottom it was too thick.

[F4u]

Tap water for me to with a flow improver.

Guy

[Pin]

Sainsbury basic vodka. Not a joke, works fine for me

[Max Headroom]

Sainsbury basic vodka. Not a joke, works fine for me

Ok I'll bite.....

How and why?!

Trevor

[Pin]

Why? Basic chemistry. Vodka is a mixture of ethyl alcohol and water - exactly what is needed for most water based acryllics - sprays better and dries faster than just pure water.

How? Dillute to the consistence of milk and stir well

[Pin]

Blue belly is Revell Aqua thinned with Sainsbury Basic Vodka

[danfisher13]

On 8/28/2016 at 12:41 PM, Pin said:

Blue belly is Revell Aqua thinned with Sainsbury Basic Vodka

That looks stunning. I am having a nightmare with thinning white ... I get orange peel to thin or too thick ... but I at this point will give anything a go. vodka it is.

[FPDPenguin]

Late to the party on this topic, but I'm a new member. I too have had trouble with revell aqua paints thickening up when you would expect them to thin out. That colour mix stuff seems to work for a few paints but not others. Cellulose thinners turns the paint into gel, and I've found some colours mixed with IPA also turn into gel. 

 

Thinning with just water alone seems to allow the paint to dry on the tip of the needle. I'm seem to get about 10 mins of airbrushing before I have to strip the airbrush down and thoroughly clean it. It's a pain in the backside. 

[Luka]

Thin down with water and then add some flow improver. This guy has a nice recipe for airbrush homemade flow improver. You just need to find out the right amount to add to the Revell Aqua; it will need quite a bit of this to combat tip dry (especially with the weather getting warmer atm)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_9JqC9ykBg

[Max Headroom]

Give the container a good shake and stir. When you open it dip a wet brush into the paint. Once you wipe off the excess glop (technical term!) whats left on the brush should apply evenly.

 

Trevor

[Sharknose]

The vodka tip is interesting. Might check the content of a Lidl version, probably cheaper than buying tamiya thinners, which leads me on to ask @Pin , does it work as well with Tamiya Acrylics?