How to thin metallic paint

discord: dsc.gg/paintnerd

[@archg8323]

That's such a huge improvement! Really impressed with how it effects the white. Would really love to see your take on the best way of using white on minis

[@Drezrale]

I supposed I can do some painting tutorials at some point. I just do things in a weird way for mini painters since I do light to dark instead of dark to light.

[@archg8323]

@Drezrale Hah, I do that often too, used to it working well on scale models. I'd say you don't necessarily need to do white on miniatures, just if you have specific methods of working with white paint. Things you probably take for granted

[@Drezrale]

@@archg8323 Honestly because I use professional acrylics I just apply it and don't think too hard about it.

[@ThrehaneMiniatures]

Here! Looking forward to participating in the growth out your channel!

[@Drezrale]

same here

[@p_serdiuk]

Alcohol ethoxylates are commonly used in agriculture to facilitate the surface distribution of pesticides on waxy plant leaves, so search for them in agri-supplies. Phenol ethoxylates are also used but I don't think they work the same with paints.

[@Drezrale]

@@p_serdiuk I'll have to search for those to see if I can find the correct ones as it's a large category of chemicals. Great tip though, never thought of searching there!

[@OldManRogers]

PAINT SCIENCE YO!

[@Drezrale]

Lets hope I didn't screw up another thing in this one. Seem to be off my game this week.

[@OldManRogers]

Don't worry about it, you will get better at the youtubes as you go. As someone who uses vallejo flow improver the tackyness thing is so true but I thought it was a wetting agent to ... well make it flow better!

[@Drezrale]

@@OldManRogers When i talked to Golden custom labs about it they went "why are they using this? That doesnt make any sense why they would"

[@OldManRogers]

@@Drezrale so my limited understanding is that a flow improver should be slightly like a surfactant to lessen the self attraction between the molecules in solution. But too much and it won't stick.

[@Drezrale]

@@OldManRogers you are correct

[@d_dog9939]

Hmmm, not only lascaux(Copper zinc?) but also that W&S flow improver is not available in my region. But i have some liquitex flow aid, may be i can check if it works if i can find some random old GW metalic paint. Copper zinc water-based acrylic paint is quite hard to find, i only find schmincke bronze, while it's too sparkle and too body for miniature.(My DIY stuff just does not last well... Others are solvent-based stuff, like Tamiya Enamel X-12/XF-6 (ah, something ridicious happened), or some random wax polish stuff... --- --- --- from vallejo's faq i use to think 71.068 and other two are also Copper Zinc stuff, while they are just mica stuff indeed.

[@PrzybyszzMatplanety]

Wait, alcohol flow improvah? So I don't have to use virgin blood as metallic thinner? All these years in the wrong...

[@Drezrale]

LMAO Alcohol ethoxylate isnt the type of alcohol that everyone thinks of when they think of alcohols. Its chemistry bullshit.

[@PrzybyszzMatplanety]

@@Drezrale Sorcery then? I need to look deeper into that ethoxylate potion.

[@NikkiAnnMarie]

Last video you used Golden Wetting Agent for the wet palette, this video you use Winsor and Newton Flow Improver and refer to it as a wetting agent - if I already have one, can I substitute for the other in either application? And just checking, for thinning you are diluting according to the bottle, whereas in the wet palette you're using a single undiluted drop?

[@Drezrale]

@@NikkiAnnMarie unfortunately you can't and it's not because it wouldn't work it would be you'd need almost an entire bottle of it because of how low the concentration of it is. A 250ml bottle is going to be around 3% wetting agent so you need a little bit of a higher concentration. I am testing other products and different wetting agents I will test flow improver at some point just to see how well it works but in theory you'd need a lot of it for to function.

[@NikkiAnnMarie]

​@@Drezrale Ah I see, so a similar surfactant but different concentrations - thanks:) Interesting that you need to dilute the W&N flow improver further so it actually works well with paints in that case - I forgot to dilute it once and it made the layer of paint incredibly hydrophobic afterwards. I think the W&N is a 10:1 thinning ratio and the Golden a ~30:1 so presumed it would only be x3 concentration, not as drastic as you're suggesting. Just checked and from the SDS for Golden Wetting Aid it lists 'Nonionic Surfactant Proprietary 5.00% - < 10.00%', which checks out vs the ~3% if it is 3x more concentrated (unless Golden use a far more powerful surfactant by weight)

[@Drezrale]

@@NikkiAnnMarie Now I don't exactly know the percentage or whats in their flow improver however I'm just making an educated guess so keep that in mind. I also don't know how some of those surfactants affect the sponge but I know dish soap doesnt really work well. I've never personally diluted the flow improver as I've never had issues with adherence but I can't say that wouldnt happen

[@NikkiAnnMarie]

@@Drezrale I've got some wetting agent on the way anyway, so will be able to test it out too :) Will let you know how it works out

[@lonelymo42]

Dose Golden High Flow Medium work the same? Or any other product, I can't find any W&N near my area

[@Drezrale]

No but you can use it. I typically mix in a little with the flow improver so I get better adhesion