Air Brush Paint

[MJ54]

Starting out new at this and am looking for the simplest paints to start off.  From my search, it sounds like I need to start out with airbrush paint to start off.  I am finding Createx and US Art Supply.  Are there others, or any that I should stay away from?  Best options?

I have also read that I need to thin out the paint when I put it in hopper.  Is there an actual mix that I should be doing or just the eyeball thing?  Seems like people are using lots of different things to thin it as well.

Last question on paint.  Can you keep building on the paint continuously, or do you need to let set up before more paint is added?  IE, if I do white base and then want to paint the scales over the top, so I have to wait or can I just proceed right away.

 

Thanks again for your help.

[whitaker201]

So far I have only used Createx paints. They do need to be thinned. I use Createx 4012 and thin the paint to the consistency of milk. I am sure there are other brands of paint people are using successfully, I just have not tried them yet.

 

If you are painting one bait at a time you will need to set the paint before moving on to the next step. I like to paint 4-8 at a time. Then by the time I get the last one painted the first lure is ready for the next color.

[Brick Steel]

I only use Createx as well.  I have read about and now use a heat gun after applying a coat of paint to help the paint to cure.  However you have to be careful about too  much heat. I learned that by warping one of my first baits.   Some people use a hair dryer. 

I use Createx High Performance reducer to thin my paint.  The milk consistency seems to be about right.  Some paints require a little more thinning than others, to get to the same consistency.   I have found that the Createx opaque white, that I usually use a base coat, is pretty thick and requires  more reducer to get to the right consistency.   

There is a lot of trial and error to learning this, even with good advice. Something I heard when first starting is to expect some failures.  That was good advice.

BTW, there are a lot of YouTube videos that are helpful when starting.  

[azsouth]

Both members are correct on paint and spraying, but what I think anyone who is starting out should get the basics together and start spraying baits!! remember that nothing replaces first hand experience and knowledge. buy some cheap blanks or try to repaint old baits you have in hand. understanding will come with better with hands on IMO.

[mark poulson]

First of all, welcome, and good luck. 

If you use the search feature under the Activity drop down on the upper left of this page, you can find a ton of advice on painting.  It's worth taking the time to read as much as you can.

Youtube had lots of air brushing videos that are helpful.

Buy some cheap blue nitril gloves for painting.  I only use one, on my left hand, since I'm right handed.  It makes painting and cleanup a lot easier and faster.  

There are also Youtube videos on cleaning your air brush.  Learn to do it, before you start painting, and make it a thing you do after each color.  I keep a tupperware tub behind my paint station, so I can backflush easily between colors, and when I'm done for the day.

Nothing frustrates me more than an airbrush that won't shoot right because it's got old paint in it, clogging up the paint passages and nozzle.

And a dirty brush will take all the fun out of painting.

Buy some Createx Air Brush Restorer, and use it to clean your air brush thoroughly every month if you're painting a lot.

And never forget to clean the paint out of your air brush after you finish a session, or you'll be cursing yourself when you have to take it all apart and soak it overnight in the Restorer. 

Don't ask me how I know this.  Hahaha 

Seriously, we've all done it, but try not to, because it's a pain the neck.

And if you do have a problem, don't hesitate to post your problem here.  The people here are not judgmental,  and love to help each other.

[BobP]

One issue in thinning paint is whether to thin a whole bottle, or just a small amount as you prepare to shoot it.  To some extent I think it depends on how often you paint and how quickly you use up the paint (and therefore how often it’s agitated).  Once, when I thinned with 15-20% Pledge Floor Polish and then stored the paint for an extended period, the paint pigment and Pledge precipitated to the bottom of the bottle into a super hard mass that was impossible to remix, ruining the whole bottle.  Maybe that wouldn’t happen if I used less Pledge, or maybe it was paint specific (I use several brands).  No doubt it is best to thin only the amount you plan to use before you shoot.  But that is an added hassle I’m too lazy to take.  So I switched to an alcohol/water/glycerine mix thinner or Createx 4012 reducer for those admittedly rare occasions when I thin paint.  Mostly I just turn up the air pressure and blast away and I use a lot of taxidermy paint that comes ready to shoot.

[BobP]

Mj54, Regarding what brand of paint to use.  Most of us keep a basic array of Createx on hand since it has a good consistent quality and can be found anywhere airbrush paint is sold.  But there are many other brands and you can mix and match brands just according to the colors and effects you like (pearls, flakes, color shift, etc).  I’m a fan of paints formulated for taxidermy.  It has some nice effects and usually comes thinned and ready to shoot.  But I don’t hesitate to try any brand as long as it is water based acrylic paint.

It’s good practice to heat dry each color as you shoot it.  I use a hair dryer and it only takes a few seconds.  It avoids pushing wet paint around when you shoot the next color.  And a buildup of wet paint over wet paint can take many hours to dry.  A final topcoat over wet paint can be a disaster, depending on the topcoat used.  Some brands are sold in water based and lacquer based colors.  I avoid lacquer based because of health and safety reasons.

Edited September 27, 2018 by BobP

[Chuck Young]

You have some great advice here already. Whatever you use for paint, make sure it will stand up to UV. Createx is used to custom paint motorcycles and the like. The Createx high end reducer works on all acrylics that I have tried.  I am a firm believer in using the name brand reducer. It cost pennies per application and performs flawlessly.  NEVER pre mix an entire bottle of paint. I use bottom feed and have found that mixing small amounts in the feed bottle works best. If some paint starts to get clumpy, discard it immediately.  If it merely thickens, you may be able to reduce it to the correct viscosity. As far as how much to thin it, thin it until it behaves properly. Sometimes you want it to spray a very thin coat from a distance, to deepen or blend a color. Sometimes you want a thin detail line or spot. Seldom do you want it to "spider", which happens if paint is too thin, a too much pressure, or sprayed too close.

I use few opaque paints. Learn to paint in thin layers.  Fluorescent, iridescent, pearl, wicked detail, and transparent paints allow the underlying color to show through to one extent or another. Transparent base and/ or reducer can be added to a color to make it more transparent. To take full advantage of your airbrush, you will need to use an adjustable regulator. The pressures I use vary greatly. Base coats may go on at 30-35 psi. Details like spots, gills and fins use pressures in the low single digits. 

If you blend your own colors, keep track of the number of drops of each color and write it on a chart (along with a sample), on adhesive labels (which can be put on your spray jars). Createx does not advise mixing Createx paints with their Wicked line. 

A hair dryer is sufficient for heat setting between coats. You don't need a lot of heat. I usually use the high setting. Some have even used their airbrush to set the paint by just allowing air out of their brush - no paint. I don't have the patience for that. 

[MJ54]

You are all a tremendous source of information.  Very impressed!

Few more questions:

What is the actual difference in basic Createx and Wicked?  Looked at their website and nothing stood out to me.

Wondering what people have found as good option through process of coating wood to final product.  I have found that almost everyone recommends putting sealer on wood.  They use Envirotex or Varethane.  After that, do you need a primer coat?  I have read some places that leads me to think that you can paint the Createx on the sealer and others that talk about a primer coat, including Krylon and Rustoleum.   

The other part of my question has to do with glitter.  I understand that it can mixed in the clear coat, but it works better with some than others.  KBS Diamond Finish specifically says it is good with glitter.  Is that a good final coat too?  Or should I put on Envirotex over that?  Or just use Envirotex?  I am trying to understand if there are any products when I put one on another, there the bond will fail.

Again, I appreciate your help with this.

[BobP]

If you don’t seal the wood before painting, the water in the paint will raise the wood grain, giving you a rough finish.  Wood crankbaits live in a tough environment and many of us want to make them as durable and waterproof as possible, so it is preferable to undercoat/seal the wood with a tough waterproof coating that serves as an added protection against water intrusion.  Various products including epoxy, MCU like KBS, UV cured polyester resin like Alumi-UV  etc can do that.  I use Devcon Two Ton epoxy as a topcoat on many baits so it simplifies things to also use it as an undercoating.  Scuff the gloss off it before painting to improve paint adhesion.  Some like and use primers.  I don’t and have never seen the advantage if you paint with water based paint.  Here’s the thing:  an acrylic paint finish will last exactly as long as the topcoat you put on it lasts and no longer.  A wood crankbait body will last exactly as long as your undercoating and topcoat keep water out of it, no longer.  If your topcoat gets damaged, acrylic paint will absorb water and push the topcoat off the bait but the lure is salvageable as long as the undercoat remains intact.  So one of the simplest durable finish regimens is epoxy then paint, then epoxy.  Or epoxy, paint, then MCU.  

Glitter.  There are many ways to use glitter and a recent thread goes into different ways to apply it.  Specific to your question, if you put glitter into your KBS and the finish turns out smooth, there’s no reason to apply anything over it.  If it’s rough, you can simply add another coat of KBS, or whatever topcoat you want.  I’d stick with the KBS.

MCU’s including KBS contain solvents that are not always compatible with just any ole other solvent based coating.  If you want to mix them, it’s an experiment that may or may not work.  Epoxy will almost always be compatible with any other coating because it is more or less chemically inert after it cures.

As far as Createx vs Wicked vs Auto-air, I’m sure there are chemical differences but for our purposes, they all shoot the same and are compatible.

[Chuck Young]

Wicked differs slightly in its composition, so it cannot be mixed in liquid form with Createx. It bonds with Createx (and other acrylics) once heat set. Wicked is compatible with Createx transparent base and with the high end reducer. There is a big difference in pigment size. Wicked has a smaller size pigment ans is less viscous. For many applications, you do not need to reduce Wicked. 

As for sealing wood, or layering different mediums (laquer, epoxy, moisture cure urethane, etc.), I have a theory that each of these substances expands and contracts at different conditions. So as much as possible, I use as few mediums as possible. I often use runny superglue to seal raw wood. It penetrates well, and has a lot of tooth for paint to bind to.

[Chuck Young]

I would like to add that I am not a big fan of very thin paints - like Com Art. Some like the fact that you never have to thin it. But in my mind, if you cannot change the viscosity at all, you lose a lot of options. Sometimes I spray thicker paint a low pressure. Sometimes I do detail work that requires being close to the lure body, but I don't want the paint to spider (spread out like little teardrops). If your paint starts a little thicker than you need, then you can thin it to do whatever you want with it. 

[MJ54]

Quote

Thanks again for all the great feedback.

[albertaxpr]

On 9/26/2018 at 2:33 AM, mark poulson said:

First of all, welcome, and good luck. 

If you use the search feature under the Activity drop down on the upper left of this page, you can find a ton of advice on painting.  It's worth taking the time to read as much as you can.

Youtube had lots of air brushing videos that are helpful.

Buy some cheap blue nitril gloves for painting.  I only use one, on my left hand, since I'm right handed.  It makes painting and cleanup a lot easier and faster.  

There are also Youtube videos on cleaning your air brush.  Learn to do it, before you start painting, and make it a thing you do after each color.  I keep a tupperware tub behind my paint station, so I can backflush easily between colors, and when I'm done for the day.

Nothing frustrates me more than an airbrush that won't shoot right because it's got old paint in it, clogging up the paint passages and nozzle.

And a dirty brush will take all the fun out of painting.

Buy some Createx Air Brush Restorer, and use it to clean your air brush thoroughly every month if you're painting a lot.

And never forget to clean the paint out of your air brush after you finish a session, or you'll be cursing yourself when you have to take it all apart and soak it overnight in the Restorer. 

Don't ask me how I know this How to make airbrush paint.  Hahaha 

Seriously, we've all done it, but try not to, because it's a pain the neck.

And if you do have a problem, don't hesitate to post your problem here.  The people here are not judgmental,  and love to help each other.

Can someone please give me some general information about airbrush paints. I know there are all different sorts of paints to get. Im just finding myself overwhelmed with all these terms and styles of paints I have no idea about. Any general info is greatly appreciated.

[Anyfish]

The original post is several years old,  so you may not get many responses.  There are probably 1000s of videos and articles that you could read and get different information.   My suggestion is to start out small.  Pick a few colors you think are good and give it a go.  Some suppliers sell starting kits of paint, that include a handful of colors at a lower price.  The paints are lower volume, so overall you will want to expand and buy other paints someplace.  Check out barlows, lureparts on line, etc.  

Do It Molds created a bunch of videos for those starting out that may be of helpful.  They cover various topics.  If it helps, here is a link.  https://store.do-itmolds.com/how-we-do-it-finishing-and-paint-videos

Hope it helps. 

[tyler87432f]

On 9/28/2018 at 6:08 AM, BobP said:

If you don’t seal the wood before painting, the water in the paint will raise the wood grain, giving you a rough finish.  Wood crankbaits live in a tough environment and many of us want to make them as durable and waterproof as possible, so it is preferable to undercoat/seal the wood with a tough waterproof coating that serves as an added protection against water intrusion.  Various products including epoxy, MCU like KBS, UV cured polyester resin like Alumi-UV  etc can do that.  I use Devcon Two Ton epoxy as a topcoat on many baits so it simplifies things to also use it as an undercoating.  Scuff the gloss off it before painting to improve paint adhesion.  Some like and use primers.  I don’t and have never seen the advantage if you paint with water based paint.  Here’s the thing:  an acrylic paint finish will last exactly as long as the topcoat you put on it lasts and no longer.  A wood crankbait body will last exactly as long as your undercoating and topcoat keep water out of it, no longer.  If your topcoat gets damaged, acrylic paint will absorb water and push the topcoat off the bait but the lure is salvageable as long as the undercoat remains intact.  So one of the simplest durable finish regimens is epoxy then paint, then epoxy.  Or epoxy, paint, then MCU.  

Glitter.  There are many ways to use glitter and a recent thread goes into different ways to apply it.  Specific to your question, if you put glitter into your KBS and the finish turns out smooth, there’s no reason to apply anything over it.  If it’s rough, you can simply add another coat of KBS, or whatever topcoat you want.  I’d stick with the KBS.

MCU’s including KBS contain solvents that are not always compatible with just any ole other solvent based coating.  If you want to mix them, it’s an experiment that may or may not work.  Epoxy will almost always be compatible with any other coating link because it is more or less chemically inert after it cures.

As far as Createx vs Wicked vs Auto-air, I’m sure there are chemical differences but for our purposes, they all shoot the same and are compatible.

Great post

[eastman03]

@albertaxpr there is SO much information out there! Some of it is conflicting too, it is hard to know where to start.  I will lay out some basics, and hope it helps!

There are different types of airbrush paints, water or solvent based.  Both can be used, but start with water based acrylic airbrush paints.  Solvent based paints can mess with finishes and the chemical fumes can be dangerous. Like Anyfish mentioned, don't start with cheap thick non-airbrush acrylic paints as they will be very hard to thin and spray.  A good quality airbrush paint for the most part are ready to spray right out of the bottle without any thinning.  

You can get the small bottles of paint as they do last a while, a little paint goes a long way.  Here are some examples of brands acrylic airbrush paint you can use.

Createx (Createx Opaque Surf Blue – Maple Airbrush Supplies)   -opaque/pearl/iridescent/transparent/pearl/fluorescent, also the wicked (slightly higher end) subset of colors.  These are ALL good!  (Avoid the Createx Candy O2 to start as they need some additional care).

Golden - High Flow Acrylics (Airbrush | Michaels)  I like these a lot, easy to spray right out of the bottle.  They have pearls/transparent/opaques etc... 

  Jacquard Airbrush color (Jacquard Products — Airbrush Color) Also good selection and easy to paint. 

 

There are many others! Feel free to ask. 

When you are new, don't experiment with homemade cleaners and thinners.  You can run into problems with things not being compatible and making it worse when you are trying to learn. 

IF (or when I should say) your paint is a bit thicker and is spraying chunky, it may need thinning. Use an actual thinner (Createx 4021 Airbrush Paint Reducer – Maple Airbrush Supplies) to thin the paint to skim milk consistency (lots of videos on the topic).

The same goes for airbrush cleaner, a bit expensive, but at least you know it is good for cleaning and ok for the airbrush.  There are many recipes for homemade cleaners, which is fine, I'd recommend starting with a proper cleaner (Createx Airbrush Cleaner – Maple Airbrush Supplies)

 

Lots of info, hope that helps!