Paint out of airbrush is always matte?

[Slw613]

Hi guys just a question about the consistency of paint coming out of an airbrush.

I'm quite new, only about a month into airbrushing. I paint miniatures and use various paint lines (vallejo, GW, P3, army painter).

Anything that comes out of my airbrush always has a matte or dry looking finish to it, but if I paint it using a brush it has a nice smooth and sleek finish, even though it's the same paint.

Is this just how paint is being put through an airbrush or is there something I'm doing wrong?

If this helps narrow it down, I use vallejo black and grey primers and mix most of my paints with distilled water and or with vallejo flow improver.

 

[Airbrush Dreams]

Some of it could be caused by reducer in the paint, but it is also caused by atomization of the paint and air when spraying through the brush. Because the mix of air it shoots little dots of paint rather than a thick layer of paint. This would be my opinion.


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[Slw613]

So the matte finish look is normal? Or if I was to add say a gloss wash it would smoothen it out some without it being a solid gloss finish?

 

[AndreZA]

I see. You are talking about modeling paints. It needs to say matt or gloss. If it is gloss and it comes out matt, you are laying it down too dry. Get closer or move slower.

 

[Slw613]

Well it's just standard acrylic paint, not a matte or gloss finish. Even a couple paints that I have from the vallejo air line come out matted. I do however spray from a bit a ways away because sometimes I over spray. So I tend to use the airbrush from a distance incase that happens

 

[Squishy]

If you are spraying quite a distance away from the surface, it could be that paint is starting to dry even before it hits the surface? This usually gives an orange peel look on larger surfaces, but could be resulting in a matte look as it might not be laying down as smooth as it could be. Just a wondering.

On a side note, while I don't use those particular paints, I find that the AB paints I have tried tend to have more of a satin finish - more than matte, less than gloss.

 

[RebelAir]

An interesting problem ..If using the same paint and you note a difference in its appearance between brush and airbrush you could no doubt relate it to only one thing..The difference in its thickness as mentioned above..The airbrush does apply paint very thinly, what happens if you apply more?..It could just be how the light is refracting through it in comparison to how it does with a thicker layer that the paint brush will apply..Do you clear your models at the end? That may help create some gloss for you without changing paints or how your spraying them..Good luck