Hi, I'm previously a user of Humbrol enamels and am looking to try out the new(ish) acrylics from Hannants....i'm drawn by the reputed easy clean up and quick drying times ...but need to know are their any drawbacks which may bite me in the ass? so any experiences which you can share would be gladly appreciated
Thanks...... Simon
on 6/22/2008 4:09 PM SiG226 said the following:
Most acrylic model paints clean up easy (with water), can be thinned with water, and dry fast (sometimes too fast). You can pick up some acrylic retarder (at an art supply store like AC Moore, Michaels, etc.) which will slow the drying times. I prefer acrylics for military stuff, because their flats appear to be flatter than enamels.
I use Xtracrylix almost exclusively. I usually spray them straight from the bottle without any thinner and get good results. However, if you have had a bottle sat in storage for some time it seems to thicken up and so should be thinned to the correct consistency on first use.
Xtracrylix dries quickly but can clog the airbrush tip over prolonged use. Just be prepared to spray clean water through the airbraush after about five minutes or so.
The only real problem that I have found is that the yellows can be quite translucent and so will need multiple thin coats to provide good coverage.
I've found that the colours seem wuite accurate, with the notab;e exception of RLM65 which is far too dark and blue. I haven't yet tried it, but it seems to me that the RLM70 and RLM71 are a little too close in contrast and so may be almost indistinguishable under a coat of flat varnish. It may be worthwhile adding some white to the RLM71.
As for the varnishes, the Xtracrylix Flat is superb, providing a dead matt finish. For a scale gloss finish, Xtracrylix Satin works well indeed. I never use the gloss because I use Klear (Future) instead.
i miss the humbrol rlm colors. the 70 and 71 really looked right stacked next to good color photos got any in your old stash, nzo?
No. I gave up aircraft modelling in 1985 and didn't come back to it intil
2004. All my paints had long since gone, although I still had the decal stash from that time.No I use Xtracrlix almost exclusively. The only exception being if there isn't an suitable colour in the range - in which case I use Xtracolor - or if it is a natural metal colour, in which case I use Alclad2..
i was basically yanking you, enzo. those paints are long gone, it seems.
PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.