Gloss paint suggestions

Petie

Young Tutorling
Newbie here. Getting back in to scale model rocketry. Hoping to paint using an airbrush if I can find paints.

I want high gloss pure basic colors - white, black, red, pure yellow, light and dark grey mostly. A few other minor use colors like orange and brown. My experience has all been with rattle cans but since I will be doing this indoors am wanting to go airbrush route. I can get solvent based gloss paints like Testors and Tamiya in small bottles but not familiar with water based. It seems the acrylic paints are not known for being glossy pure colors when airbrushed? I don’t want anything semi transparent only solid thick color that I am used to with spray cans. I know the solvent based are somewhat more difficult to clean up and take longer to dry so acrylic would be nice but just not finding solid colors it seems. Any specific brands I should look for? I have looked online at the normal acrylics but not seeing what I consider solid deep colors in what I want. Any bright ideas?

I am totally new to airbrushing and have not purchased equipment yet as want to be sure I can achieve the finish and colors I want. Equipment will likely be an H&S Evolution 2in1 gun with a Sparmax TC-620X compressor. Might get an H&S Colani for larger stuff later. Going to set up a small booth that exhaust fans out a basement window.
Thanks for your help! Pete
 
Hi Petie. That’s a good question. I’m not sure if many waterbased paint that dry to a gloss finish. I know plenty of Matt or Satin, but they all require a gloss top coat. I’m sure somebody will be along shortly to help.
In the mean time jump over to the “Introductions” section and start a quick thread. It really helps to have an idea of where folks are from and what they’re aiming for. That way we can make recommendations based on what’s available in your country / location.
Welcome aboard.


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I'm no expert, but if you are looking for a gloss finish, you are most likely going to be applying paint, then a gloss over the top like Si said. If you go straight solvent based paint to get the gloss, that fan blowing out the window isn't going to help much.
 
Thanks. I have had good luck not stinking up the house venting the room out with the fan when I stain and finish my woodworking projects so hoping that airbrushing will be ok with the small volumes of paint used. It will be in a pop-up paint shelter that I will connect to the window fan. Should keep the fumes controllable. Yea I will need the appropriate mask. Sounds like I will need to stay with solvent paints to get the finish I want. Still reading and thinking. :thumbsup:
 
Maybe some of the Gundam paint line could work for you? Again, I don’t know if they’re gloss. But certainly model paints seem to be your best shot.


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From having a quick look “Revell Aqua Colour Acrylic Paint’ looks like they have a direct gloss range. Could be worth a look online to see if you can buy them locally.


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From having a quick look “Revell Aqua Colour Acrylic Paint’ looks like they have a direct gloss range. Could be worth a look online to see if you can buy them locally.
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Oh wow the Revell line sounds perfect! Looking at their website now. Not sure of availability but reads exactly like what I want. Thank you!!!
 
Oh wow the Revell line sounds perfect! Looking at their website now. Not sure of availability but reads exactly like what I want. Thank you!!!
No problem man, that’s what we do here. If you’re in Michigan it may be an idea to call Donna @Maple Art in Canada. She may be able to advise you better than me and supply to products too.
 
What is that stuff you add to acrylic paint to make it flow better or not dry out at the tip?
 
Newbie here. Getting back in to scale model rocketry. Hoping to paint using an airbrush if I can find paints.

I want high gloss pure basic colors - white, black, red, pure yellow, light and dark grey mostly. A few other minor use colors like orange and brown. My experience has all been with rattle cans but since I will be doing this indoors am wanting to go airbrush route. I can get solvent based gloss paints like Testors and Tamiya in small bottles but not familiar with water based. It seems the acrylic paints are not known for being glossy pure colors when airbrushed? I don’t want anything semi transparent only solid thick color that I am used to with spray cans. I know the solvent based are somewhat more difficult to clean up and take longer to dry so acrylic would be nice but just not finding solid colors it seems. Any specific brands I should look for? I have looked online at the normal acrylics but not seeing what I consider solid deep colors in what I want. Any bright ideas?

I am totally new to airbrushing and have not purchased equipment yet as want to be sure I can achieve the finish and colors I want. Equipment will likely be an H&S Evolution 2in1 gun with a Sparmax TC-620X compressor. Might get an H&S Colani for larger stuff later. Going to set up a small booth that exhaust fans out a basement window.
Thanks for your help! Pete

One possibility might be to apply a clear gloss coat finish over the top of your artwork or model once you’re finished painting it in another color. Are used to do that when I built model kits. Gloss white was a particularly difficult to apply with a decent coverage using an airbrush, so I found myself using flat white, then using a gloss clear coat over that (works really well when painting aircraft wheel wells).
 
I was wondering how the clear gloss coats work?
Any specific brand work better?
Does it gloss up all flat paints?
Thanks!
 
I was wondering how the clear gloss coats work?
Any specific brand work better?
Does it gloss up all flat paints?
Thanks!

Yes it just applies a clear varnish over the top of any surface which dries to a gloss finish. Very popular to do that before applying decals as they stick better on glossy surfaces. You can always apply a matte finish spray over any kind of gloss surface when you’re finished.

it’s all dependent upon what brand of paint or what type of paint you wanna use. When I was building models I was using Testor’s Gloss ClearCoat or matte ClearCoat. I’m sure Tamyia or some other manufacturer makes a similar product these days.
 
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