5stringdog Posted October 14, 2012 Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 Hey Guys, I'm looking for help on air brush paints. I am new at this and am looking for a kit of paints to start with. I have the air brush and compressor. If anyone knows of a good selection of paints to start with please send a link. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted October 14, 2012 Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 Createx is the "standard" in airbrush paints because of its good quality and wide availability - and it's a good idea to start with a selection of their basic color palette. They can be used straight or mixed for intermediate colors. When you are imitating fish patterns, branching out into pearlized and metallic colors will be something you want to do fairly quickly. When choosing paint, you'll also need to decide whether to order opaque or "transparent" colors. Opaques cover fast and obliterate the color they cover; transparents tend to blend with the color underneath them. You'll want some opaque colors, especially white, to put on wood as a "color basecoat" to hide wood grain and the margins of hardware before you start adding color to to the bait. But many of us prefer transparent paint for the baitfish colors on crankbaits because it lets you layer color to give the bait a more natural look. If you keep at it and are like most of us, you end up with a box of airbrush paint with a wide array of basic and specialized colors. I think my box has about 50 bottles in there, accumulated over the past decade! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaineo Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 BobP, so you have a lot of paints, and I'm assuming they're Createx...How long on average do they stay good?? Do you have a bottle that's 5-7 years old that you still have no problem using? Was just curious... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassguy Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 (edited) The problem I found with some paints is "air". I have a few bottles that have chunks of paint that foul the airbrush, so I have to remember to strain it to remove the "problems". Cheese cloth works well. I buy my paint at a local craft store that carries Createx but you can get online at airbrush city.....Just click on "PAINT". Edited October 21, 2012 by bassguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 To strain my paint I cut 1" squares out of women's nylons. These 1" squares are then placed over the neck of the paint bottle and the cap is screwed back on. That way the paint is automatically strained every time it's used without making a mess. Ben 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 I buy paint online in 4 oz bottles and haven't had any problem with it going bad - some is over 5 yrs old. Nor do I strain paint. Old school: If it isn't spraying, turn up the air pressure! Createx warns not to allow the paint to freeze. As to brands - Createx is the most consistent in quality and has enough pigment that you can thin it as much as 50% if desired (so they say) - but I buy any brand of airbrush paint if it has a color I think is interesting. I have Polytranspar, Smith Wildlife, Createx, Auto Air (a division of Createx), and Van Dyke Translatex. They're all acrylic latex. Of those, I prefer Createx and Smith Wildlife for their consistency. Most non-Createx brands are formulated to be "ready to shoot", meaning they need no thinning before shooting them. When possible, I don't like to thin or mix paint colors, other guys always thin and love mixing paint to get special colors. Besides the basic Createx palette of colors, there are 2 paints that I especially like. The first is Smith Wildlife Pearl Chrome. It's a transparent pearl with microscopic chrome flake that tones down underlying paint contrast to blend a paint scheme together and give it a nice "baitfish sheen". My other favorite is Polytranspar Superhide White, used for color basecoating. It shoots well, has lots of pigment to hide underling wood grain quickly, dries very fast to a hard white shell. In the basic Createx line you have to choose between opaque and transparent paint. I often favor transparent paint because you can layer it over other colors for effect or spray it heavier to be opaque. Keep it simple at first and you'll decide for yourself what brands, effects you like to use as you gain experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crzyjunyer Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 im with bob in that i most always use transparents for my painting choices over opaques simpl for the versatility - i still use some createx/wicked paints but im mostly using auto air line from createx now. i just like the way it looks better - it seems to have a more vibrant look to me - i am also beginning to use some house of kolor paints too but its a diffrent animal being a solvent base and reqiures a good organic vapor respirator - coast airbrush is my go to place for paint and they carry all of these paints and also do the HOK paints in small quanities pre-reduced Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
