White paint probs!!

largeallan · Post by **largeallan** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 9:05 pm

Is it me?....Is it Revell white paint(matt 5 )?......every other colour seems to brush on OK but this stuff seems to be lumpy and quite frankly ....crud.....am i doing something wrong, I just cant seem to get anything even approaching a decent finish with this stuff!!

can anyone recommend a better white paint? (for brushing)

AAAAARRRGGH!!!

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 4:35 am

I you don't mind acrylics, have you tried Games Workshop Skull White?

http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery ... index.html

Here's an example, albeit a very tiny one.

This paint is glossy but does tone nicely and is smooth off the brush.

Cheers,

Rob

Edward Pinniger · Post by **Edward Pinniger** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 6:22 am

Revell acrylic white isn't bad - doesn't cover as well as Skull White, but it is matt, and a lot cheaper. Availability seems to be limited though - I've only found one hobby shop in my local area which sells it.

MichelB · Post by **MichelB** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 6:55 am

Man, do I know what you'r talking about. But I find every white paint I ever used complete rubbish. The humbrol stuff is too liquid and will 'move' to corners and build up there. The Revell stuff is more like toothpaste or school paint. I tried a tamiya spraycan, didn't work. Best result so far is thinned Revell in thin thin multiple layers. But still, it's hit or miss.
Now I've bought some WEM white but haven't gotten round to using it.

largeallan · Post by **largeallan** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 7:44 am

hmm, thanks for the quick replies cats!!!.....in this case, a complete pig-headed refusal to see the facts will NOT see us through!!!

I don't believe I've ever seen Games workshop paint before.....it looks great on that photo Rob, its a great little model too, but not the white I'm looking for really in this case......I've taken a note of it for when I come to the revell SMS Emden.

I'm gonna take Michel's advice and try thinning it a bit......it seems not too bad for tiny areas....ie, deck fittings and pipes etc, but for larger areas it really is truly dreadful........I'm looking at my wee Esso Glasgow and thinking 'what have I done to you, ye poor thing'!

Devin · Post by **Devin** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 9:38 am

White paint just does not brush paint well. Period. No brand. If you've found one that does, though, hold onto it like grim death!

White needs to be airbrushed or sprayed out of a can to get a uniform covering. Same goes with metallics.

You can get around some of this by thinning the paint, but you have to put on so many coats that by the time you get coverage it's very thick.

-Devin

Sean Hert · Post by **Sean Hert** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:33 am

The best white out there, bar none- IMHO- is Vallejo Acrylic. Makes GW Skull White look transparent!

You can brush it, or use Vallejo's thinner and spray it. Great Either way.

mike mccabe · Post by **mike mccabe** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:41 am

I'm with Sean, vallejo is excellent, ivory is a nice off white colour that brushes very well.

Mike

Thomas E. Johnson · Post by **Thomas E. Johnson** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 11:47 am

I'm fond of the airbrush ready taxidermist paints called "Polytranspar" that I get from WASCO out of Georgia.

http://www.taxidermy.com/

The "Super Hide White" is excellent.

Ron Smith · Post by **Ron Smith** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:17 pm

The problem with white not covering is no lead in the pigment. If you absolutely *must* hand brush large areas try "One Shot Sign Painter's" white paint. Other than that I find MM Acryl or Gunze flat whites to airbrush well enough over a light grey primer.

David Griffith · Post by **David Griffith** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 12:18 pm

I'd go along with the recommendation that Vallejo is the best. Opaque, pigment dense, dilutes with water and brushes excellently.

But try applying a white primer first. Here in the UK, Halford's automotive spray primer is widely used, presumably something similar is available on the other side of the pond.

Regards,

David Griffith

David Griffith · Post by **David Griffith** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 12:22 pm

Sorry "Largeallan",

Should have taken more notice of the beginning of the thread, replying as though you were in America, rather than just 30 miles down the road from me!!

Regards,

David Griffith, Glasgow

largeallan · Post by **largeallan** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 9:02 pm

No worries David, glad to see modeling is alive and....erm.....well it's alive at least in the west of Scotland!!!

I'm pretty new to all this anyway, but I guess experimentation is everything....like most things!

I've been down the halfords route, and white was the only bloody one I never bought.....their red primer is fantastic, and a great hull colour....same with their black, which I thought was a primer, but it's actually a matt paint..... matt with a bit of life in it.....not flat, but not quite silky either......anyway, I digress, but it's great stuff anyway...for the UK modelers

I got a white spray paint from a � shop......its a bit better than the revell stuff, but still not great.....my current build is beyond masking so I'll grin and bear it for now.....another visit to halfords might be in order, as well as a re-think regarding painting/masking order.

Where do you do yer model shopping David.?.......nothing much in Ayr any more so I buy mostly in Greenock which still has a half decent shop, albeit mainly revell/airfix stuff....I'm from up that way so I visit on a fairly regular basis.

I've also been to the Uddingston shop for my scratch-build stuff.....its a great wee shop, and helpful guys too.......got half an eye on 1/350 tamiya POW in there.

Thanks again cats.....Allan

Sean Hert · Post by **Sean Hert** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:35 pm

largeallan wrote:
I've also been to the Uddingston shop for my scratch-build stuff.....its a great wee shop, and helpful guys too.......got half an eye on 1/350 tamiya POW in there.

OK, please help a poor Yankee here-- doesn't "great wee shop" mean "big little shop?"

largeallan · Post by **largeallan** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 6:42 am

LOL....Well, we had the English language forced upon us here in Scotland Sean, so don't expect us to be good at it

stoneheart · Post by **stoneheart** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 7:57 am

I find sprays work fine if you prime the surface well but have also had the run problem with white but not as bad with a primed surface. Seems to be some brands just don�t work with a brush. I tend to just airbrush it on in fine layers now (Takes longer but saves on anguish) .. seems to work fine but only if I prime it first. Well that�s my two cents worth anyway

largeallan · Post by **largeallan** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 8:47 pm

.....well, I'm a bit farther down the road now on this.....I've tried really thinning the revell white and I have to say it IS much better watery....more coats, yes, but definitely much improved though I would still think twice about putting it on a larger area.

....I got down to my local halfords and bought a tin of their white car body primer and its fantastic.....as are their other aerosols ive tried.....I think it really is going to be a case of juggling with the order of painting and masking....I might even risk a splash o this stuff on my QM2 when santa empties his sack next week.......so to speak