Airbrushing Vallejo Model Air Paints

Welcome to my first video!
This video is to help my fellow modellers learn how to airbrush Vallejo Model Air paints. The mixture will help prevent clogs, tip drying, and help the paint lay down smoothly. I know this mixture will help you learn to fall in love with Vallejo Paints, like I have.

[@1stoffoot]

Just tried this works perfectly. Was about to give up on airbrushing as I was sick of it clogging and trying to combat it and finding my mix was too weak....very many thanks for this mate. Back to enjoying the airbrush again .

[@xavier9608]

Hello, I tried this also today and this is far out the best solution (mix) i found till now ! And indeed as you said it doesn't have importance on a drop or 2 difference but fantastic result ! I work this out on a F-15 Tamiya 1/48 but with Valleyo Air and I was really happy on the result ! Many thanks friend ! Greatings from Belgium

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

I’m so glad to hear it was useful to you!

[@ltakallen]

Wow! THANK YOU! I too was so frustrated with clogging and flow problems, that modeling was becoming less of a “joy”. I have tried this and will use it evermore! This is the solution I have been seeking. Thousand Thanks 🙏🏾 again. I am looking forward to more projects, now that I will be able to paint with ease (more ease). Perhaps now I can work on my technique 😂. Cheers!

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

Ltakallen, I am glad to hear that the mixture is helping you out! Please post your work when you are finished!

[@michaelpotts8635]

Thanks for doing the video, i will defo refer to it when I do another model. U answered a question I asked on Facebook. Do more vids like this.

[@Ab44Super]

Thanks so much this is a great video, started modeling again after a long break, this has helped immensely as like some others I was about to give up and use brushes again

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

Glad it was helpful!

[@IcarusIcarus76]

This is by far the best video for this topic along with your others about model color and primer!!!!

[@butlersmodellingpaintingan3974]

Great video, thanks for sharing.

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

Thank you, glad you like the video.

[@jasonc9194]

Thankyou for posting this, great video. Liked and subscribed :)

[@marcinczaja5253]

Thank you sooooo much!

[@natalebabbo-gunplaanddioramas]

Eye opening, indeed! I will try this mix later today to finish my Darth Vader 1/12 scale figure! I’m a big Vallejo fan and love acrylics.

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

Glad you liked the video. Let me know if you need any help or have any questions.

[@natalebabbo-gunplaanddioramas]

@@arewethereyetmodeling2196 I will! Thanks again.

[@natalebabbo-gunplaanddioramas]

@@arewethereyetmodeling2196, I tried your “brew” last night and I have to say it worked extremely well! I used the AK retarder instead of the Vallejo (I ran out of the latter), but I had no problem at all. I also used it with both a Vallejo and a Ammo by Mig acrylic paint and it worked wonderfully with both colors. I’m very thankful for your advice!

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

@@natalebabbo-gunplaanddioramas Glad you like and it worked for you. Yeah it is designed to work with pretty much all true acrylic paints (not to be confused acrylic lacquers like Tamiya)

[@corkcamden9878]

Your 70-30 plus 10 drops of retarder solution is great. It works with the Model Color beautifully and I use a lot less paint with it.I have not used it with Model Air yet. Your video helped me over the initial hurdle when I started airbrushing...and I'm still lousy. But hope springs eternal. Thanks a lot.

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

Hey Cork, glad I could help! Just keep practicing and in no time your airbrushing skills will improve.

[@IcarusIcarus76]

@@arewethereyetmodeling2196 i noticed that retarder medium from vallejo is a “gellish” liquid, is it possible to be glycerine ? It has the same consistency and also used by many modellers as a retarder for their homebrew acrylic thinners

[@tonyromano6220]

Cool! I more a less use this mixture, however I never thought of premixing! Plus I would have used 50/50 mix….. Thanks for lessons.

[@John.349]

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEWYEAR TO ALL AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU!

[@scottmurray6329]

I use model Air paint straight from the bottle never had a problem

[@davidhunt1947]

Me too, no worries

[@Swellington_]

I found having a little larger needle helps too

[@mike_burke]

Many thanks for this extremely useful vidtutorial. If you ever get an opportunity to find a similar formula for thinning Model Color paints for airbrushing, that would be totally awesome. I have a ton of those paints and would really appreciate some advice if they can be airbrushed just as smoothly as the Model Air.

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

Mike, I just made a video on how to airbrush Model Color paints using the thinning formula. Hope it helps.

[@mike_burke]

@@arewethereyetmodeling2196 I have just watched it, excellent and very clear. Many thanks for taking the time to do this, you are a true gentleman!

[@KamilBorowy]

For the 60 ml bottle, it will also be 70% / 30% / 10 drops?

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

70/30 but instead of 10 drops of the retarder medium. Do 30 drops for a 60 ml bottle.

[@davidtheis4022]

How big of a needle are you using in that badger renegade?

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

David I’m using a .2mm needle. You can use .2mm or bigger. The thing to remember is to get a nice ratio with the thinning formula and paint. I use the back flush method to see if the ratio is working.

[@michaelpotts8635]

How did u measure where to put the 70% on the 17ml bottle.

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

I guesstimated where 70 percent would be on the bottle. Then I took a fine permanent marker and marked the location for future reference.

[@southpaw5483]

Thank you for sharing and the content. May this mixture be used for Hand Brushing Vallejo?

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

Hi, yes. I use the mixture to hand paint Vallejo model air and model color

[@nikoladze77]

3 products to airbrush paint properly ? Although Air Model is declared as a airbrush ready paint :)

[@bhaveshtank60]

Agreed, a lot of faff tbh

[@dbroadwayvfx]

Do you find Model Air White paints to be troublesome? I can spray most Model Air just fine, but the white really seems to give issue a lot more than other colors.

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

Daniel, white gave me some issues as well. Here is my method to airbrushing Vallejo model air white. First, I make sure the paint is properly mixed using my vortex. Then, I thin everything at 60/40, 60% paint to 40% thinner at 18psi. I use a small nozzle/needle set up .2mm or .3mm, and do a light first coat and build up. In the second part of the Bf-109 video, I will be spraying white and you see exactly what I mean.

[@dbroadwayvfx]

@@arewethereyetmodeling2196 Excellent. I look forward to it. Thank you.

[@dennishenrich1923]

I've seen and heard of many ways to keep Vallejo from clogging. One suggested using a .5mm needle with no need to thin. Maybe just a couple of drops of flow improver before adding paint. How would your method stand up to a .3 or .5mm needle?

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

Dennis, I also heard of different ways to prevent Vallejo paints from clogging but none worked sufficiently for me. This combination gives me the best results I have ever had with Vallejo. Prior to discovering this thinner mixture I was ready to give up on Vallejo totally. The mixture works with whatever needle size you prefer to use (.3mm or .5mm, etc). Just use the same thinner to paint ratio 50/50 or 60/40 based on temperatures. I prefer using a small needle size for better control. Since I normally build 1/48 scale, a .2mm needle set up is good. For 1/32 scale kits, I do tend to use a .5mm needle set up and I still get the same amazing results.

[@dennishenrich1923]

Thanks. After watching many videos on the subject I often wondered what a mixture of thinner, flow improver and retarder would work

[@tonyromano6220]

Use lowest pressure possible. Plus thin quite a bit depending on starting paint.

[@DarksouIjah]

Thanks for this video.. will this mixture work with Tamiya and Mr Color paints as well?

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

Hi Darksouljah, this will NOT work with Tamiya or Mr Color paints. They are not true acrylics, rather they are acrylic lacquer paints. So please work in a well ventilated area when using them. For Tamiya and Mr Color paints, I recommend you use Mr. Color thinner. It has a retarder in it that helps spray both paints really nicely! I normally do 60/40 or 50/50 paint to mr color thinner at 20psi. You should get excellent results starting there but adjust as needed.

[@DarksouIjah]

@@arewethereyetmodeling2196 Awesome. thanks for a quick response.! I just subbed bc of that.

[@michaelpotts8635]

Hi, can this solution work with primer or just paint.

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

For the primers, I recommend using Future. The ratio of Future to Primer at 50/50 at 25psi. For some reason it makes the primer hold on to the surface better and does not gum up when you need to sand it. I also think (my opinion) mixing the primer with the future results in a nice smooth spraying and finish. You can use the mixture for primer at 60/40 but it slows the drying time. Primer is one of those things you don't want to really slow the drying time of.

[@JeffreyLeeflang66]

But Future is not widely available....other thoughts about that? Maybe it would work with your mix, but with less ( or no ... ) retarder?🤔

[@steveisaak4320]

So basically one to two so you can do thirds. What was the last thing added using drops?

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

Steve, not sure I understood your comment? Can you expand on what you’re trying to say?

[@steveisaak4320]

@@arewethereyetmodeling2196 in your recipe it sounds like you can go one third and two thirds for the two items. What was the third Vallejo product that u used the. drops of?

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

@@steveisaak4320 sorry about the confusion. It was my first video, so not the best thing. But the recipe is 70% Vallejo Flow Improver, 30% Vallejo Thinner, and about 10 drops of Vallejo retarder. I say about 10 drops as the the retarder is gooey and you can't get an exact droplet. So you have to just guesstimate. Hope this helps.

[@grantvanderpol5392]

Thank you for this video as I had inconsistent results. Would this also work for the Vallejo polyurethane varnishes?

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

For the Vallejo varnishes, just use Vallejo’s thinner at 60/40 (varnish to thinner) and it will help the varnish dry fast (about 30 mins for the Flat Varnish). You can use the mixture for varnishes but it will make the varnishes dry much slower……and slower drying time is not what you want with a varnish.

[@ericb.davenport9762]

I liked this very much. A little confusing at first, but I figured it out. 70% Flow, 30% thinner, and 10 drops of Medium Retainer. Combine 5 drops of the above mixture to 6 drops of Vallejo Paint. Do I have this right? I’m going to give it a try because I’ve had trouble with Vallejo Air Paint in the past. Thank you.

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

You are correct: 70% flow, 30% thinner, and 10 drops medium retarder. It’s my first video and I admit it was a bit confusing. The ratio should be 50/50 (paint to thinner) or 60/40 (paint to thinner) based on where you live. If you live in a very hot environment you might 60/40. Make sure to shake the paint bottle like there is no tomorrow. I start with 20psi. Depending on your airbrush you will need to feel out your airbrush. The back flush technique will really help you determine if the paint is airbrush ready.

[@ericb.davenport9762]

@@arewethereyetmodeling2196 again I love this video. Thank you so much.

[@davidlanham5914]

@@arewethereyetmodeling2196 Noticed in this video you used Vallejo Model Air. Is ratio different for airbrushing and/or brush painting Model Color?

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

@@davidlanham5914 The thinner mixture remains the same. But how much you need for Model Color and Model Air is different. For Model Color I 20 to 25% paint to 75 to 85% thinner mixture. For Model Air, I use 50/50 (paint to thinner) or 60/40 (paint to thinner) mixture based on my needs. I have a video on how to airbrush Model Color using the mixture. You might want to check it out and hopefully it helps.

[@ferdy4796]

I just bought my first airbrush and I am using Vallejo Model Air paint. I found this video very useful and I immediately applied your mixture and had instant success. So thank you! Now, how would you airbrush Vallejo Primer in terms of thinning if any? Thank you in advance.

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

Ryan, I am glad to hear my mixture is helping you. Please feel free to share your pics or videos of your build, when you are able. As far as your question regarding vallejo primers: I would not recommend using my mixture on the vallejo primers. It will severely reduce the drying time to several days. What I can recommend is using future to thinner the primers at a ratio of 50:50 and spraying at around 20-25 psi. The future helps the primer become strong and if you need to sand the primer, it will prevent it from gumming up. Do light coats and build up the primer, never one heavy coat. Give it 24 hours to fully dry and cure.

[@ferdy4796]

@@arewethereyetmodeling2196 Thank you for your detailed response, much appreciated! Alas, we don't have Future in Australia where I live but I'm on the hunt for a similar product. In the meantime, would you suggest thinning the primer with the Vallejo Airbrush Thinner? Keep pumping out those videos mate!

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

@@ferdy4796 I believe in Australia future might be sold under the name "Klear". But even without future you can use Vallejo primers with their thinners and achieve great results. Rather than me explaining it, I have included a link to the Vallejo primer video for airplane modeling. I think video will help you with your quest. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJCTn2qta5mqasU

[@ferdy4796]

@@arewethereyetmodeling2196 thanks mate, much appreciated!

[@rickmoreno6858]

Nice, your also a spruebrothers shopper too eh! Just subd too

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

Love Spruebrothers! They get your items together so fast for shipping. It's almost like magic.

[@Annual28Page]

Would the ratios be the same for a 30 ml bottle? I'm thinking 15 to 20 drops of the retarder would be best?

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

Same ratio but I would do 20 drops of the retarder.

[@Annual28Page]

@@arewethereyetmodeling2196 awesome

[@dennishenrich1923]

M

[@blueonblack83]

Thanks for sharing and dropped a like... but I'll be honest, this whole mixing of three different products is a bit of a turn off for me.

[@ElizaberthUndEugen]

This video looks and sounds like it's from the early 90s or something.

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

Ha. This is my favorite comment. It was my first video and I am definitely trying to get better. But it does sound like a 90s VHS tape.

[@Kiadaw77]

You can explain a little better. It’s frustrating to have to rewind and fast forward, stop video to fins out what the 3th container is. “70% flow improver and 30% thinner and then 10 drops…..” of what. Why the half statement. On an iPad, the words are small and the words on third container are partially covered. I finally rewind and made out retarder medium and you mention retarder once ( I think at very begin) Also, giving a percentage is better than how many drops, since not everyone use the same container. It’s not to knock your video, but areas to improve.

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

Hi, thanks for the feedback. This is really helpful. This is my first video so bit of a learning curve. I think I might redo the video with a newer camera and mic, that I have just purchased. I will incorporate the suggestions you mentioned into that new video.

[@Kiadaw77]

@@arewethereyetmodeling2196 Keep it up. You earned a sub

[@fredhart3984]

Yeah 10’drops of WHAT?

[@dosdont]

Sorry but that's not logical if you're going to scale up. Even though you say it doesn't have to be exact, the instructions won't won't give you similar results unless you only use those small bottles. 10 drops of retarder is going to be a lot different if you're making a the recipe in a 500ml or 1000ml capacity bottle. Assuming that bottle is 15ml, if my math is correct, you're adding .075% retarder, and it works out to 10 drops if it's a 15ml bottle (or is that 30ml bottle). If you're making a 250ml bottle, you'd be adding 12.5ml of retarder to 70% Flow Improver and 30% Thinner. That seems like a lot of retarder to me but I don't know for sure 🤷🏻‍♂ I guess I'll try it in a small bottle and see, if I like it I'll scale up.

[@arewethereyetmodeling2196]

Hi, so ignore the "10 drops". As I say I guessed that to be 10% in a bottle that size. Keep in mind, I am only filling to the neck and not the whole bottle. So think of it this way, the equation is two parts: Liquid portion (90%) + Retarder(10%)= Thinner mixture (100%). The liquid is 70/30 Flow improver to thinner. Hopefully this makes more sense and this is how you would scale it up. Depending on the temperature where you live (aka moderate or cold environment) you don't need 10% retarder. You can do 5%