Scale Model Tips - Testing Cheap $1 Craft Store Acrylic Paint To Airbrush Your Kits With

In this video I test out cheap craft store acrylic paint to airbrush your kits with. With new choices like metallic and color shifting paints at super low prices I wanted to see if us hobbyist can use it as an alternative to more expensive hobby paints. I was a bit shocked as to the results, see for yourself

[janinelew]

For the crafts that I do, dollhouse miniatures and sola wood flowers, these are the paints I will be using with my airbrush. This video was worth its weight in gold! I love how bright and organized your desk is.

[ocalicreek]

First off, Thumbs Up just for pronouncing Ceramcoat correctly. Secondly, thank you for being so positive about craft paints. I hear so many people in the wargaming community and model railroad crowd talk down about these wonderful paints. Maybe the problem is technique, and as you demonstrate, not using a good airbrush. I've been using these paints for years with good results - I am confident after watching your videos that I can achieve GREAT results. I started out using windshield washer fluid to thin but lately I have been using a matte medium or similar airbrush medium with distilled water to thin, and strain the paint through a micro mesh funnel from Micro Mark to avoid clogging the brush or leaving nits on the model. Interesting to see it used without straining. Great video.

[ecsix]

I never would have thought those colours came out of those cheap craft tubes. Your channel is a goldmine of information, thanks for what you do.

[paulm.newitt]

I have to say that I admire how you present your materials and techniques, and yet, most of all, your enthusiasm and demeanor is SO positive and supportive!!! I really like your channel, and I follow your suggestions to the letter. I also make props for TV shows, like JAG, Agents of SHIELD, Picard2 and Chicago Fire. And btw, I bought that Grex airbrush; I love it, and it works really well! You're the best!!! 🙏

[brettking]

I'm a newbie and have been waiting weeks for someone to put out a video that was worth a $h¡t and took time to show the steps and ratios. Thanks so much. Now I can go try it

[ilprepper]

My wife imposed a "news blackout" on me. Said I was wasting good bench time watching news. I found this guy and I really like him. Good and fast info. I'm a fan spending more time at the bench. Thank you both!!

[grny]

You're an amazing resource for new and seasoned hobbyists wanting to branch out and see first hand the inexhaustible amount of tests you put out that leave little guesswork and plenty of inspiration for hobby painters.

[williamkennedy]

Mr. Rex, Congratulations! You are the only airbrushing craft paint You Tuber to get thinning craft paint right. Isopropyl alcohol and ammonia(Windex) actually breakdown the acrylic resins. Windshield washer fluid(methanol) does not. Water is actually a bad thinner for two reasons. First, it takes way to long to dry. Second, too much surface tension-water would prefer to bead up rather than lay down. The only thing I would add is using a bit of flow-aid to help prevent tip clogging. I've subscribed to your channel. Thank you for this great tutorial. Bill

[tcj]

This is awesome, thanks for taking the time to explore these cheap paints. It's funny because my wife was just asking if I could use this stuff a couple weeks back, and my initial thought was "No way, that's just cheap junk. I need the stuff that's been specially made for models." Guess again!

Another test that might great to see is how these paints hold up to being masked over.

[declanhohls]

I love it when people get excited about the colour that is coming out as they are busy working, it is so cool to see!

[jeffbyrd]

Well in a nut shell. I'm a taxidermist. Fixing to get into lure airbrushing. All my research is createx.. but what u just did is impressive. FROM ALABAMA

[garybarter]

Great video! I use these paints 95% of the time and thin the same way. I have found, once dry, they hold the Tamiya and blue painter tape with no problem at all. For using silvers on aircraft bodies, I have found that several light coats work best and give a great look. Love this hobby and these paints help ease the burden on the wallet. Also, I have found when mixing colors, mix them together first then add thinner, better results and know that the color will normally dry a half shade to 3/4 shade darker. Thanks again for the video, I really enjoyed it!

[flagg]

Barbatos Rex I just want to give you huge thanks for this video. I've been hand painting using craft paints for a while and recently moved up to an airbrush. I was sad that I had so many cool paints, like the folk art blue flash, that I probably wouldn't be able to use with an airbrush. That being said, I tried the method you laid out here, and it worked like a charm. I threw on a blue base coat, then blue flash, each craft paints, and it came out really really great. Thanks for all the work you do and keep making awesome content.

[jodiwest]

I've had my airbrush and compressor for almost a year, but couldn't find the right combination of search terms to find what I've been looking for. I just stumbled on this looking up something else! This is great, thanks!

[JoeXTheXJuggalo]

I use Apple Barrel and FolkArt acrylic paints from Walmart for some stuff when I'm painting models. You just got to thin it down just right and it works just as good as the expensive brands like Citadel paints. Like I mix FolkArt neon green and Apple Barrel brown together to make a nice mud green color I use for my ork skin.
Well I paint my models by hand with paint brushes not air brush but it still works.

[Perfusionist]

VERY interesting! I have been using a number of the "cheap craft paints" for years for weathering, structures and for scenery (I'm a model railroader). I hadn't thought that they would airbrush very well, but you showed that they can perform quite well. I do little airbrushing due to health problems, but I brush paint quite a bit. Many of these colors can be brushed easily but you are right, one needs a primer or a couple coats. For weathering like dry brushing or to make washes I still prefer the "model paints" like Vallejo, etc. Maybe finer ground pigments or a different binder? I DO like that the craft paints can be counted on to give a dead flat finish (important for my applications). Thanks for your info on air brushing this stuff. All-in-all they are a good deal for the price.

[wonsworld]

that "colour shift" over the chrome spoon looks to be a BRILLIANT "silver" for a spacey future scratch built rocket ship !

[Rebelpaddy]

I love your channel I just started to airbrush this year when I got a brush for Christmas you help so much

[nickschaefer]

Thank you for the RnD. You've saved me a fortune in paint.

[codeymeeks]

This video is phenomenal. By far the best video on using cheap paints for airbrushing I've seen. I hope you do an update video, or series, with these paints.