Opaque v trans tip dry

J

Jimmyfingerz

Mac-Valve Maestro!
This is going to be a real basic question...
Is opaque paint worse than trans for tip dry, if so is there a way to combat it like using a reduser? Currently practicing fades with com-art trans black and opaque black. I’m nailing it with the trans but finding i’m having trouble with trigger control with the opaque due to getting tip dry constantly.

Also how do people like their trigger spring tension set up? I find it better with more tension for control but more tiring on my finger. I suppose It will take time for my finger to strengthen maybe?
 
Opaque White and Black tend to be the worst for tip dry. Obviously it changes a little from one manufacturer to another. Reducing a little more is worth a shot. But remember to drop your pressure too so that it’s not spidering too badly.


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Jimmyfingerz said:
Thanks SiRoxx
Click to expand...
I had the same issue all the time. It only started to really improve when my trigger control got better and I could run a more reduced mix without it being uncontrollable. Buts it’s still only improved, not perfected at all lol.


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Yeah I kind of had a feeling it would be finding the right balance between tools and technique. I’m definitely buying some CI paints next week so i’ll have a bash with them and buy a reducer too to see if it helps.
I’m doing well so far with the techniques though so all is good, only thing so far which is frustrating is the tip dry.
 
Opaques do dry quicker, if you are going well with com Art keep you cash for now as the CI is more involved and thicker than com Art, could lead to frustration.

Once you get used to the pressures and flow of your gun then I would venture into the colour realm!
 
musicmacd said:
Opaques do dry quicker, if you are going well with com Art keep you cash for now as the CI is more involved and thicker than com Art, could lead to frustration.

Once you get used to the pressures and flow of your gun then I would venture into the colour realm!
Click to expand...

Do you think it would be worth trying to use some trans base or reducer with the com-art opaque black to see if I can get it running better or is it just normal for black opaque to dry that quick? To be honest it is a lot worse to work with than the trans black. The trans black I hardly needed to clean the tip, the opaque I ended up pulling the brush apart and giving it a good clean.It lasted maybe 5 minutes before I was having tip dry issues :(
 
Jimmyfingerz said:
Do you think it would be worth trying to use some trans base or reducer with the com-art opaque black to see if I can get it running better or is it just normal for black opaque to dry that quick? To be honest it is a lot worse to work with than the trans black. The trans black I hardly needed to clean the tip, the opaque I ended up pulling the brush apart and giving it a good clean.It lasted maybe 5 minutes before I was having tip dry issues :(
Click to expand...
Trans base would just make it more like the transparent black, it would still need reducing. But you shouldn’t need to strip the brush to sort out tip dry. Have a cotton bud nearby with a few drops of reducer soaked onto it. When you want to clear too try gently wipe the tip of the needle with the cotton bud. Give it a quick blast somewhere off the page and you should be good again.


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Ok I haven’t got any reducer to use so have just been using the cotton bud method with some airbrush cleaner. Didn’t seem to be that affective.
 
I have been using my Com-art colors a lot lately. The transparent black, and transparent smoke are two colors that I use a lot for brush testing as well, as they tend to work quite well right from the bottle, and are both useful for shading. The Opaque black can certainly be a challenge, at times. With Com-art, you can reduce easily by using just plain water, a few drops added will go a long way. Once reduced, you will also be able to reduce your air pressure, which will also cut down on the tip dry.

Two more things I will mention - there are some available flow enhancers that will aid with acrylic paints in an airbrush. I tend to use one from Golden, mixed with water, and then add a drop or two to a color cup - and go about my business. I just started trying one from Vallejo which is also looking to work quite well. The last thing is that all of this can change from day to day, depending on environmental factors. I find that trying to keep a consistent humidity level in my studio has helped as much as anything in terms of fighting tip dry - when I run heat in the house, I run a cool mist humidifier in my studio. It has helped.
 
As you have already been given good advise, I mostly use Createx Wicked and Detail(transparents) auto air and I find for me to take a couple drops of paint and slowly add a drop or 2 of reducer at a time until I get the spray I'm comfortable with. But as you gain experience you will be able to pretty much know if problem is paint , airbrush, user or all of the above.... the key is don't give up. good luck!
 
DaveG said:
I have been using my Com-art colors a lot lately. The transparent black, and transparent smoke are two colors that I use a lot for brush testing as well, as they tend to work quite well right from the bottle, and are both useful for shading. The Opaque black can certainly be a challenge, at times. With Com-art, you can reduce easily by using just plain water, a few drops added will go a long way. Once reduced, you will also be able to reduce your air pressure, which will also cut down on the tip dry.

Two more things I will mention - there are some available flow enhancers that will aid with acrylic paints in an airbrush. I tend to use one from Golden, mixed with water, and then add a drop or two to a color cup - and go about my business. I just started trying one from Vallejo which is also looking to work quite well. The last thing is that all of this can change from day to day, depending on environmental factors. I find that trying to keep a consistent humidity level in my studio has helped as much as anything in terms of fighting tip dry - when I run heat in the house, I run a cool mist humidifier in my studio. It has helped.
Click to expand...

Awesome advice thanks, I shall look into the flow enhancers but try the water tip tomorrow.
 
shadow2462 said:
As you have already been given good advise, I mostly use Createx Wicked and Detail(transparents) auto air and I find for me to take a couple drops of paint and slowly add a drop or 2 of reducer at a time until I get the spray I'm comfortable with. But as you gain experience you will be able to pretty much know if problem is paint , airbrush, user or all of the above.... the key is don't give up. good luck!
Click to expand...

I’m lucky in I don’t like being beaten lol
Giving up is not in my mentality :)
 
Jimmyfingerz said:
I’m lucky in I don’t like being beaten lol
Giving up is not in my mentality :)
Click to expand...
Personally I would keep practicing with the trans Black and not worry about the opaque stuff yet, that trans paint is amazing for learning with! You are not missing out on some magic by sticking with the transparent :) as Dave suggests-try reducing with water!
 
musicmacd said:
Personally I would keep practicing with the trans Black and not worry about the opaque stuff yet, that trans paint is amazing for learning with! You are not missing out on some magic by sticking with the transparent :) as Dave suggests-try reducing with water!
Click to expand...

Will do music, I started with the opaque because i’m nearly out of trans black already.
Don’t ask how many dots i’ve done or how many trees have fallen to fund my practice this week lol
 
Jimmyfingerz said:
Will do music, I started with the opaque because i’m nearly out of trans black already.
Don’t ask how many dots i’ve done or how many trees have fallen to fund my practice this week lol
Click to expand...
That’s great man! Good skills for doing the dots and lines :) if you need to buy paint and do get CI just reduce it like 10reducer to 1paint and it will flow like water!
 
I never found much of a need to reduce com-art either Opaques or transparent , But it also has a lot to do with what air pressure you are spraying at.
 
Mr.Micron said:
I never found much of a need to reduce com-art either Opaques or transparent , But it also has a lot to do with what air pressure you are spraying at.
Click to expand...

I’m running at around 15 psi, I have found that about right.
If I run it at 20-25 and do any work closer to the canvas I find I get spidering.
With Mitch’s exercises you start at around 10cm then move in closer so at 25psi when i’m close I just get problems.
Running the opaque black I tried upping the air pressure but still got issues with tip dry even running it at 20psi. You’d start off getting a consistent flow with a small ammount of trigger control but with each line you’d have to pull the trigger further back to get the same ammount of flow........veryvery annoying
 
you also need to keep the air on constantly. Every now and then I slip into using it like an aerosol can and get very rapid tip dry.
It use to happen A LOT when I started, not so much these days, I can now hear when it’s not spraying right and wipe the tip when it happens.
 
JackEb said:
you also need to keep the air on constantly. Every now and then I slip into using it like an aerosol can and get very rapid tip dry.
It use to happen A LOT when I started, not so much these days, I can now hear when it’s not spraying right and wipe the tip when it happens.
Click to expand...


Yep I have been, this is whats frustrating.
 
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