Lifecolor acrylics

[turbo]

Hey guys, I've recently started playing with Lifecolor acrylics as they have some nice FS matches to a Corsair tricolor scheme I'm doing. I've tried thinning them with water or water/windex mix and found, as advertised, they dry very quickly on the airbrush tip which will make them difficult to do detail work. They also cure differently to Tamiya or Gunze paints and form a rubbery film that isn't soluble, so dried paint could cause clogging issues in the airbrush.

I've read people use flow aid and/or retarder to improve their performance. Does anybody have any tips on using these paints successfully, particularly for detailed work?

Cheers!

 

[turbo]

Found these at my my Local Art Shop. Do people use one or both of these with Lifecolor?

 

[Robert Porter]

Flow-Aid is essentially a thinning agent, whereas Retarder functions to extend the drying time. Both of course act as a thinning agent. I have not used LifeColor paints but I often use retarder with Acrylics to reduce/prevent tip dry. I use the Windsor & Newton version but assume either would work. I avoid the flow aid as I usually thin the paint prior to adding retarder. For my little 3ml paint cup on my airbrush when it is about half full I add 2 - 4 drops of the retarder and have had good results.

 

[mikewint]

I use Life Color but only their "specialty" Tensocrom set colors like Smoke, Oil, Kerosene, Grass, Rust, Fuel, etc. Thus I've never sprayed them. Now when I do spray acrylics, they are thinned and I wipe the nozzle frequently with an alcohol wipe.

 

[Builder 2010]

I used it to do a WW2 Missouri and really liked. I can't remember what I thinned it with to air brush. I may have used it straight. They had a nice WW2 naval set which is why I chose it. I'm using Vallejo acrylic thinner with various brands and it works nicely, but haven't tried it with Life Color.

 

[N4521U]

I just painted my Wildcats with sea gray and top color blue. Blue right out of the bottle. The gray was crap. Thinned with X-20A Tamiya 50 to 60 %. The only stuff I had to use.
Have since learned Gunze Leveling Thinner can be used with most all paints, and contains a small amount of retarded. Will try this with lacquer and acrylic next time!!!!!!