How do I get the correct colour for airbrushing?

[Ian T]

Hello, I am recently returned to modelling after retiring and there are so many new things since my teenage years. At the moment I am considering purchasing an airbrush. So my question to the forum is how do I know that I am getting to correct colour?

 

Assuming the use of Tamiya colours, if the kit calls for TS49, Bright Red, or TS8, Italian Red, how do I get that from X7, Red for airbrushing?? Or am I missing something really, really obvious.

 

Thanks for any wise words of guidance.

 

Regards Ian

[Graham Boak]

Airbrushing or any other kind is irrelevant to the colour you need.  First you need to find what that is, and the reference given in a model is just the first step.  This will be one manufacturer's opinion of which is the closest colour (assuming the manufacturer knows what the correct colour is) from the limited range of paint that he chooses to refer to.  Nowadays it'll probably be fairly close, but I wouldn't count on it.

 

If the subject you want is painted in (say) the RAF colour Cherry Red, which can be found in British Standards, then you need to find out which is the closest colour to that, and a direct request on the forum may be more helpful.  I haven't the faintest idea how TS48, TS8, or X7 (presumably Xtracolour?) differ from each other (or from Cherry Red) so can't help there, but others might.  It may be that they don't differ much, and whichever you use will suffice.  What would you call "good enough"?  Some people are very fussy. some don't care as long as their Red Arrows Hawk is some kind of red.

[dogsbody]

Tamiya TS paints are spray can paints. Their X series are glossy acrylics in the small bottles/jars. These are good for airbrushing when thinned properly ( so I've heard. I don't airbrush myself.) GOOGLE Tamiya Paints for more details.

 

 

Chris

[Ian T]

Thanks for the replies, I understand that the Tamiya TS colours are spray cans, which I’ve been using so far for the larger flat(ish) areas with the X or XF range for detail or small items. I also understand that colours comply with certain standard colour ranges (for example the BS standard).

 

I think that I expressed my question incorrectly, so going on my previous example of wanting (say) TS49 for the kit. How do I get that colour for airbrushing. Do I buy the X7 and mix it with something, apart from thinners, to get Brilliant Red, assuming that it is sufficiently different to matter? The red is purely an example at the moment, I suppose I was seeking a generic solution, maybe the colour reference chart that is referred to elsewhere in this forum is my solution.

 

But thanks for the replies anyway, all knowledge is useful knowledge.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

39 minutes ago, Ian T said:

so going on my previous example of wanting (say) TS49 for the kit. How do I get that colour for airbrushing

You could always decant the paint from the spray can ? There are plenty of how to videos on youtube. And im sure someone can explain it better than i can. But essentialy you take a straw and tape it to the spray can nozzle. Take the other end and tape that to an airbrush bottle. Spray said paint into bottle. When you have the desired amount, you can turn around and spray it thru the airbrush. This is possible since its pre-thinned for use out of the can. I have never done it myself but there are those that do it quite regularly.

[pacificmustang]

Gday Ian

 

If you are just returning to the hobby, and new to airbrushing, keep it simple and don't overcomplicate things at this stage  I say

Don't get bogged down at this stage worrying about correct shades,

Red is red until you get used to the airbrush and how different paints handle.  Once you get used to this, then with more models under your belt you can start to worry about different shades if you want.  As Graeme alluded to, this can be a bit of a minefield

It sounds like you are painting cars, so you may like to try this range of paints made in Ballarat so a local(ish) product

https://www.scalemodeller.com.au/index.php/  There is an Italian Red listed

they are a fantastic product and can be sprayed straight from the bottle.  they are a lacquer though which worries some people, but you can open the house up in that beautiful Brisbane sunshine😎

If you want to try decanting the paint as corsair suggested here is a link on how

 

 

Hope this helps

 

Bruce

[Ian T]

Thanks everybody, some great advice and help, the main thing that I take from this so far is that it’s a bit more complicated than I thought, no problem, I’ll get there in the end. Not sure if and when I’ll get an airbrush, but if I do I’ll be taking the following approach for the time -

To avoid changing too many things at a time, I’m going to stick with Tamiya kits and paints. It it only a problem if the kit calls for a TS (spray) that doesn’t have a direct X or XF equivalent, so if I get that problem I’ll decant the spray can as per the advice on line. Otherwise I’ll simply follow the X and XF colours but use them in the airbrush with thinners.

 

Graham - thanks for alerting me to fact that it needs a bit more thought, so baby steps for the time.

Chris - if you don’t use an airbrush, what type of paint do you use?

Corsair - thanks for the idea of decanting the sprays, I’d never heard of that.

Bruce - some sound words of wisdom, yes, I’ll keep it simple for the time. Not cars, but motorbikes, I’ve got a Ducati 916 on the “Vehicles - not military” Ready for Inspection forum and my current build, a Ducati Desmosedici in the “in - progress” forum, if you’re interested.

 

Thanks to all, it is appreciated.

[Gorby]

If it's a Tamiya TS to X/XF equivalent list, I found this:

 

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/tools_techniques_and_reference_materials/f/18/p/112423/1118566.aspx

 

I don't know if it is accurate, just thought it may be of some use.

[Steve Noble]

You may not get an exact equivelant paint match from TS to XF, X, or vice versa. But you can usually find something near. Decanting the TS works well, or just use the TS straight from the aerosol, no airbrush required. Also check out the new Tamiya LP range of lacquer paints in jars, ready to thin and spray through your airbrush, or Mr Color's paint range is excellent also...

Edited June 27, 2018 by Steve Noble

[Ian T]

Hi Gorby and Steve, thanks very much for the information and comments. I think that this is exactly what I was looking for, it’s a pity that Tamiya don’t do an official version of this .... or maybe they do??

At the moment I think that I am going to put the airbrush on the back burner and stick to using the rattle cans for a few more kits until I get my other skills up a bit. The only real problem that I have with the rattle cans is the very wide spray pattern which is very wasteful if you are spraying something small.

Gorby, thanks for tracking this down, it’s a great help.

Steve, thanks for the info on the other paints, something else to look into!!

Regards Ian

[dogsbody]

To be honest, Ian, I haven't completed a kit in decades. My main interest in WW2 aviation with a wee bit of armour thrown in. Most of what I have done was brush painted using Humbrol and Testor's PLA enamels. I have used some Tamiya acrylics for some of the few kits I have started but never finished.

Right now, I'm working on an Airfix 1/72 Hawker Hurricane, The interior has been painted with Tamiya, Polly Scale ( Polly S ) and Citadel paints. When I get to the exterior colours, the plan is to use Tamiya AS spray cans. Or maybe Tamiya X/XF brush-painted, using their retarder to slow the drying process. I've tried it in small bit doing the interior and it seems to work quite nicely.

 

 

Chris

Edited July 3, 2018 by dogsbody

[Ian T]

14 minutes ago, dogsbody said:

To be honest, Ian, I haven't completed a kit in decades. My main interest in WW2 aviation with a wee bit of armour thrown in. Most of what I have done was brush painted using Humbrol and Testor's PLA enamels. I have used some Tamiya acrylics for some of the few kits I have started but never finished.

Right now, I'm working on an Airfix 1/72 Hawker Hurricane, The interior has been painted with Tamiya, Polly Scale ( Polly S ) and Citadel paints. When I get to the exterion colours, the plan is to use Tamiya AS spray cans. Or maybe Tamiya X/XF brush-painted, using their retarder to slow the drying process. I've tried it in small bit doing the interior and it seems to work quite nicely.

 

 

Chris

Hi Chris, thanks for your comments. I think that brush painting is OK and the more that I do the better it seems to be. The Tamiya paints in their “natural condition dry far to quickly and are subject to “roll off” (I think that’s what it’s called) where the paint has already dried before you have finished and adjacent brush strokes pull off the paint that’s just been applied. I thin my paints now with Tamiya thinners (about 1:1 but it’s not critical) and I read somewhere about keeping the brush very slightly damp with thinners, so I have a small pot of thinners ready, which I dip the brush into regularly just enough to keep it damp.

I find it difficult to brush paint larger areas to a standard that I’m happy with, so I like to use the rattle cans for the larger, visible, panels, such as the fairings on the motorbike kits that I am currently doing.

Good luck with your Hurricane, put some pictures up when you’re ready.

Regards Ian

[dogsbody]

If you can find this, try it out. I've read a bit about it and it seems like it works for brushing and spraying. Like I said, I've only used it for small amounts of paint in small areas but it seems to work.

 

http://www.tamiya.com/english/products/87114paint_retarder/index.htm

 

 

Chris

[Ian T]

2 minutes ago, dogsbody said:

If you can find this, try it out. I've read a bit about it and it seems like it works for brushing and spraying. Like I said, I've only used it for small amounts of paint in small areas but it seems to work.

 

http://www.tamiya.com/english/products/87114paint_retarder/index.htm

 

 

Chris

Looks like that may be the way to go, I’ll give it a go and let you know how I get on.

[Ian T]

On 28/06/2018 at 07:28, Ian T said:

Looks like that may be the way to go, I’ll give it a go and let you know how I get on.

Hi Chris, I’ve got some of the Tamiya retarder and my first impression is very favourable. It makes the paint much more “useable”, I just need to remember to leave well alone for a longer time until the paint cures!! I’ll reserve my full approval until I try a larger flat area, which will be coming up soon. Another update to follow.

Regards Ian

[dogsbody]

I await.

 

 

Chris

[Ian T]

On 30/06/2018 at 02:47, dogsbody said:

I await.

 

 

Chris

Hi Chris, I’ve now used the retarder with a Tamiya flat black to cover the inside of a 1/12 scale motorbike fairing. The finish is much better than I normally achieved with brush painting. But it is still a long way from the finish when using a rattle can (I don’t have an airbrush at the moment). I have also used it on some very small gloss bits, I can’t tell the difference in the overall finish, but it is much easier to apply, without that horribleTamiya “stickiness”.

Thanks for the recommendation. Regards Ian