Make Airbrush Paint Reducer - So you can use acrylic paints

Reduce Acrylic Paint Correctly and you can make some really good Airbrush Paint. I will show you how to make airbrush paint reducer. When you know how to thin acrylic paint correctly it allows you to make an airbrush paint that flows well and also has good coverage. This DIY Airbrush Paint Reducer is a formula is one I have been using for years. This Airbrush Paint Reducer Formula makes really good airbrush paint out of any store bought acrylic paint. #airbrush #painting #airbrushing
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Supplies used in this video:
- Glass Cleaner
- Glycerin
- Rubbing Alcohol
- Water
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[@jsmxwll]

For what it's worth, glycerin is acting as a surfactant, lowering the surface tension of the mixture. Similar to how you use a couple drops of glycerine to dish soap and water to make better bubble blowing liquid for kids. It basically lessens the tendency for the liquid for form into droplets and instead lets it spread very thin. You can test this by putting a 1ml drop of regular water on a baking sheet, a 1ml drop of your solution without glycerin, and then another drop with glycerin and the one with glycerin should spread the furthest and flattest, though it may be hard to measure accurately. I use this type of test from time to time to make educated guesses on modifying formulas for different purposes. It's not perfect but it's better than mixing up a larger amount and going through a full test over and over. Saves time and money for me. There are a number of surfactants that you can look into to create all kinds of effects. For example: you can add a little salt to distilled water and increase the surface tension, which will give you a much more spattery pattern, but be careful because the salt won't play nice with things like rubber o-rings.

[@WookofWallstreet]

Please follow me and provide educated responses like this on my page. I need more people like you in my life

[@Sheltieist]

I love your "to the point" explanations, thanks.

[@SubUrbanSF]

Every step was "really really quick". Thanks!

[@1mwebster]

I'm in the UK pal and from day one practicing I've always made my own Reducer and Cleaner as even 10 years ago we were paying around £8 to £10 for a 60 ml bottle of Reducer never had any problems must od saved myself well over 2 grand across the years as if u remember when learning ur paranoid about your brush not being clean or not flushing the last colour through haha. Ruddy hell happy memories and I've been watching your channel for as many years u when I began ABing was one of the first few channels I found. Thanks for all your time and effort showing noobs how to get their feet and AB's wet for the first time 👍👀🤣🤣😜😜

[@Commandodesigns]

That's awesome.

[@1mwebster]

@@Commandodesigns I found the old Jason Jones recipe from ye great land of the Google 🤣👀 never looked back. Only problem is I over brought the Ethanol. I still have around 50, 2ltr bottles of it, the only place that sold 99.99% pure stuff was our local B&Q like ur big box stores , so each time we were in I'd buy 4 or 5 just incase they stopped selling it. Over 10 years later and I still have only used about half of all the bottles I first brought over a few months 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 When u get that much stuff u don't realise first off, how ruddy much it makes 👀👀😜👍🤣🤣 But good god its saved me a small fortune it truly has

[@jelly8594]

@@1mwebster whats your recipe?😉

[@charlesleak7499]

@@1mwebster Thanks for your additional info!!

[@mil3k]

@@jelly8594 Search for Jason Jones homemade reducer.

[@DanPerkins-de3vt]

Thank you for sharing this information, I just spent $7 on reducer. And I've been playing around with reducing paint. Kind of trying what you're saying but not quite as exact I appreciate it thank you

[@Casious_Productions]

I use methylated spirit, battery water and vegetable oil..works like a charm..and doesn't take as long to dry as if u used window cleaner.

[@hoytwhitmore8872]

This Was A Lot Of Help Thank You Sir

[@figuresix]

Apple barrel paint is sold at walmart for like $1.25.. But thanks for this, now I can use all those Apple barrel paints i got sitting around doing nothing.

[@Commandodesigns]

Yeah. That paint is garbage...lol. it works in a pinch...

[@markoharoldoronearmedpoohb7816]

Apple barrel paint has very big pigment, it needs to be thinned, but thinning may make it to thin and very watered down, because of the bid pigment!

[@onemansvideos2134]

i use this to clean my airbrush after use

[@greenones8754]

Propylene glycol and vegetable glycerine is the secret btw I see glycerine pop up often and some either don't know why they are adding Windex or just don't. The combo makes for a polymer friendly base meaning it also can play with the bonds of acrylates which is the sorta plastic in acrylic paints. Ergo too much solvent makes that actually turn sorta into plastic like clumps if I toss 99% iso over my acrylics. I water those down first. Mix it untill I'm tired 😅 leave over night and mix again and then I'll add my solvents but I always have to account for the fact I only use the pure substances so is that 98 or 99.99% I prefer to water down myself! 💥

[@Enkili4613]

The glass cleaner likely has ammonia in it which will eat away at the chrome finish on your airbrush. I used to use windex but swapped away from it.

[@Xqrement]

Windex has a presentation that's ammonia-free, it's easy to identify since it says so right in front of the label. I had been using that one for my airbrush for around a year and the chrome inside still looks like new!

[@f1hook]

I've used windex for years in several airbrushes and haven't noticed the chrome degrading any faster than brushes i haven't used it in as long as I rinse with water or alcohol after. All chrome will eventually deteriorate no matter what you use to clean it.

[@johnhatton4290]

Was the PDF file link in the description?, I can't seem to find it. 😕

[@Jeffsharkcove]

My formula is to buy a gallon of windshield washer fluid. I'm going to try the glycerin though. Sounds like a good tip.

[@davewoods3543]

Awesome tips thanks for this I did buy some Golden brand paint that was supposed to be airbrush ready but like you pointed out some colors are pretty good but others do clog things up thanks for the information

[@aholman4571]

Question…. Can you dilute the paint with Floetrol. Professionals use it for their spray gun?

[@robertdaone]

Can you use vehicle windshield washer fluid instead of Windex? Also this is pretty much the same ingredients to make airbrush cleaner from another video I've seen in the past.

[@CONEHEADDK]

Large syringes, suck up a bit of paint and reducer, leave lots of air - shake. Makes it very easy to see, if the lumps are gone. I've barely ever painted, but just like to solve problems. Then squirt it through a pice of folded tea bag, to make sure of no tiny grainy stuff.. Just tryed it with tea leafs and chokolate milk - didn't rip through the folded paper. Money back guarantee.

[@Commandodesigns]

That's a great idea.

[@CONEHEADDK]

@@Commandodesigns Thanks. Here's one more for the "poor" crowd - or just the ones who want to save money, and get better results. The often tiny compressors many air brushers use, have very small tanks, if any at all. I've hooked a plastic Coke bottle up as one, and their could be more of them, if desired. IF you are in doubt of their strenght, try to fill one with water to the edge, and deep freeze it- I've never had one explode. OR hook it up, bring your compresseor outside and give it full power for a while. It helps you not loose psi changing things as fast. Use the lid to attach your hoses, any way that works works. And you can keep on experimenting with used lids for free - the magic word in my life FREE.!

[@robertrichard2739]

Windex contains Ammonia you do not want to use that !, rather use Fantastic ammonia free and cheaper 1/3 fantastic and 2/3 Distilled water . works great been using it for years

[@bbrigman9382]

Thank you for posting this. Will this technique work on any Apple Barrel Acrylic paint? i.e. does it matter if it's a "Matte" or a "Multi Surface"?

[@annanimus8848]

Did you ever try to use acrylic paint flow medium? In the container it's a runny gel, but makes the paint super slik to brush. Just want your take on it.

[@rfisch1975]

Will this work for polycarbonate paints for RC car bodies?

[@MrDangle1125]

can you explain why to use alcohol, for years I've mixed half Windex or simple green and distilled water with some glycerin, works great for me

[@genekloszewski5484]

Alcohol acts as a "drying agent" to help the paint flash off, but a simple water mix works also

[@Ridevans4life]

one is referenced as "crappy cheap paint" other as "nice paint", both are made by Plaid :). I have 1 question, while spraying cheaper apple barrel paints, and some neon folk art, I have come across certain paint that refuse to thin with reducer. when mixed, they act like pva glue and gel up on the paintbrush i mix with. these paints thin in 91% iso, or in distilled water and spray ok. any comment or similar experience? like any additive to stop this or should i avoid these? they do a number on my nozzle, and i almost always have to tear down. btw long overdue thank you. you were one of the original creators i watched and one of the reasons i bought an airbrush 15ish years ago.

[@chauffeurmarco]

Would it help with the metallic paint? Because I can't find the right Reducer for those. I get shitty resultes.

[@EndlessSims3]

I found dollar tree paints called RichArt Arcyology premium acrylic paints, now they sell bigger bottles not a lot of color choices but they do have pink, purple, blue, turquoise, yellow, green they were out of, black never find white smaller bottles, anyways can you test that brand from dollar tree Arcyology acrylic paints ty

[@securityrobot]

It seems that the technique of sieving the paint through a fine mesh has been lost years ago. Pouring the paint through such a mesh eliminated the oversized pigment lumps.

[@w.rustylane5650]

What is the brand of the neon pink & green? I use either non ammonia Windex or Simple Green, isopropyl alcohol, distilled water and water soluble glycerin. It really doesn't matter what cleaner you use as long as it has no ammonia. Cheap airbrushes (Chinese or Harbor Freight) seals are not that great nor is the chrome finish on the cheaper airbrushes. The ammonia will have an adverse effect on the seals and chrome. Badger, Iwata & others have better made seals and better chrome. I don't recommend using a cleaner in airbrush thinner, just alcohol, distilled water and a flow agent or extender. Cheers from eastern TN

[@bluegizmo1983]

I'm not seeing a link to that PDF...

[@tazak]

Propylene glycol will do a better job than glycerin. Its what manufacturers use as a flow improver.

[@mellothejelo5537]

So what do you think the amounts would be for a 12 oz bottle??? I'm into graffiti and I'm making a homemade can basically

[@pdxwildchildroberts5586]

It's the same for any size bottle: divide into thirds, and divide the bottom third in 1/2🙂

[@lisaengland2570]

Where is the print out you talked about? I can't find a link to the pdf

[@GrandNational66]

Ammonia windex or does it matter? Also can you strain it to remove any possible pigments?

[@hayleyc9512]

i'm learning for myself and another channel did the strainer after the mix. they had a very fine metal mesh they were using

[@ericsmith1508]

I have found that reducing with just water and straining through a thin sock or stocking does great for running cheap-o Plaid brand (Apple Barrel, Folk Art, etc.) paints through my airbrush. I just unscrew the cap, place the sock or stocking over the mouth of the bottle, and then screw the cap back on and squeeze it into my airbrush reservoir. And again, that's after thinning with just plain tap water right out of the kitchen sink. That said, I do think this guy's formula would do a much better and more consistent job of reducing the paint than plain water, but plain water and strained paint will do in a pinch.

[@argento1111]

my formula, for acrylic paints (but not acrylic-laquers like tamiya or gunze) >>>> 45% Water, 40% (99%) Isopropyl Alcohol, 15% Propylene Glycol (very important as a retarder!! no clogs with this stuff, paints runs very smooth!), and a few drops of glycerine.

[@ronheiser3248]

you used ipa not rubbing alcohol.

[@LastNameTom]

Get Excalibur into Mortal Kombat as a DLC character!!!

[@Enigma-Sapiens]

FYI, Alcohol reacts with some cheap craft paints and it will gum up your airbrush something terrible. Ask me how I know... I was using "Folk Art Color Shift" paint and it does not work with alcohol. I now use distilled water with a couple of drops of vegetable glycerin or I just use the paint manufacturer's recommended thinner. Before using any mixture, I would test it before trying to spray it through your airbrush.

[@WookofWallstreet]

Best advice yet. I concure with this statement.

[@greenones8754]

Away with the cleaner and the "magic" switch the lot out for nicotineless vape juice, this is predominantly propylene glycol (besides even more alcohol that's the component you want from the Windex but that is blue and tons of crap one doesn't need simply. Keep the ratios just subtract how much water vs alcohol is in your cleaner this oughta stay the same now do not toss in the glycerine alone get something that smell nice without nicotine from the vape store, 1/3 drops are more then enough but that combo is 60/40 something in that stuff whilst glycerine pure you'll never empty out, and Windex only has very little. Also note the alcohol in Windex is usually going in at around 75% running alcohol can be the same OR 99. Do account for this with watering down otherwise it's to high a solvent content and you get clumps

[@dudeimbusy]

Depending on the plastic of the bottle… you’ll find there is a shelf life of about one year’ish… Reaction to the ammonia will cause brittle plastic over time.

[@derek2593]

I use ammonia instead of glass cleaner. But, ammonia needs to be diluted to the strength of glass cleaner. Let's be honest, glass cleaner is just watered down anmonia.

[@idostuff-nf9pc]

I'm a true noob.. What is the difference between a reducer, a thinner and a cleaner?

[@reginazukauskiene4384]

No english subtitles 😢

[@FeverdreamingVIDEO]

Just use Aquaflow White and you don't need to do anything to it. Stay away from cheap paints, strain them if necessary. Stick to Createx, aquaflow and Golden...

[@emal2170]

I think you made airbrush cleaner instead.

[@echo-hotel]

Pigment Size… The thinner doesn’t make the pigments smaller. To do so you’d need insane chemicals. You can buy the proper paint or buy the pigment and mix that yourself. Did no one take art in school?

[@TrasherBiner]

0 coverage on the lines on the plate on the green one, and you conveniently didn't let the pink any near any design on the plate that would have helped to see how well it covers.

[@KeeperOfTheGoats]

Shut up

[@peterplantec7911]

Terrible advice. Windex has ammonia in it that corrodes airbrush parts! Advise you Google this and then take this down and put up a better one. I use Sprayway non ammonia glass cleaner to great effect.

[@jm8361]

I have looked into this. Basically the amount of ammonia is trivial and you should dry the brush after the session so the ammonia isn't sitting in the brush. People have been using Windex for years as a reducer and cleaner without issue.

[@johnleonard974]

Use windshield wiper fluid instead