I used hobby acrylics when I started with Badger and Paasche airbrushes. The hobby paints have larger paint particles and do not contain flow additives, so a particular color or brand may not work with your airbrush if it has a smaller tip size. There is no standard on particle size, so it's a crap shoot. Hobby acrylics became an instant hassle when I switched to .2mm and .3mm airbrushes - just too many frustrating clogs. I decided that you use so little paint on a crankbait that going with the more expensive airbrush paint is not really gonna break the bank anyway - and it sure makes life easier, not to mention the availability of transparent airbrush paints, etc, that let you expand your painting repertoire. To save money on paint, I buy it in 4 oz or larger bottles.