Humbrol paint improvements

[Captain Triggers]

What I, and I think several other modellers would like, is to pay a bit more money for more accurate (looking at you H30), and better quality, thinner paints, as Humbrol's street cred on the hobby scene is at an all time low. Some decent paint to rival Mig Ammo and Vallejo would do wonders for modellers and the business, as well as keeping prospective modellers from being put off by starter set paint.

The dropper bottles, a good attempt, but being no doubt for airbrush users is just not going to cut the mustard, it being too thick in my opinion. Take a look at Hataka, they do both brush and airbrush orientated paints, although they aren't exactly useful being hard to get in single pots and certainly not in my local hobby shop. And on too enamel, and all I have to say here is that a return to the old recipe from 30+ years ago and a return to the Authentic Colours range.

That's all really, This would be so much more exiting for me than most kits next year, Pretty please Humbrol?

CT

[Ratch]

If its too thick then it cannot be intended for airbrushing.

[Captain Triggers]

My point exactly.

The Majority of local model shops don't sell airbrush suitable paint, and the majority of modellers now use airbrushes.

[Ratch]

Do Humbrol claim the dropper bottles are for airbrushing?

[Captain Triggers]

Yup:

[Padefc]

I agree with all the above I have about 80 humbrol acrylics an enamels some good some not,some will airbrush with thinning to “milky” consistency others just won’t no matter what in my experience,hence my purchasing the entire Vallejo model air range an now almost all model colour

[peebeep]

The Authentic paints were discontinued after the factory fire in Hull some time in 1988 and the paint range was rationalised. I doubt you'll ever see the old enamel formula back, because it probably wouldn't comply with current legislation. Humbrol used to set the benchmark for model paints, but sadly has now been overtaken by many other brands. I can't remember the last time I bought any Humbrol, probably at a show in London six or seven years ago. Since then I've been using acrylic lacquer paints by 'others', as far as I'm concerned they're the new rock and roll. Last year I undertook a project deciding to have a go with some of the Humbrol paints I still have kicking around. It's not something that I'll be repeating, lacquer paints are completely superior in every respect, but I'm sceptical we'll ever see any coming from Humbrol. If there's no compulsion to change it won't happen and I'd guess Hornby can turn a profit selling the paints and colours as things stand currently. I'd suggest that if you're dissatisfied with Humbrol paints, there's plenty more fish in the ocean, in fact the choice we have nowadays is staggering.

[Captain Triggers]

And that's why I don't use them, however, it would be nice not to have order all my paints online, or have to pipette XF into my airbrush every time I want to paint something in a colour I don't have, or haven't thinned yet. My local model centre only sells humbrol paints so I'll still have to order online even after whenever the shops open. The world mainly no longer brushes paint by hand, and Ammo By Mig is a good example of a paint that can do both.

[peebeep]

The world mainly no longer brushes paint by hand, and Ammo By Mig is a good example of a paint that can do both.

 

 

I beg to differ, but you're looking through a lens that's focused on forums like this one. We're but a small part of the whole that's buying and building plastic kits. Certainly within the realms of people buying Airfix, I'd take a punt on the vast majority of models being painted with good old fashioned paint brushes and you can also bet that's where Airfix marketing is firmly aimed. Are you not reasonably close to a Hobbycraft store? They stock Tamiya paints.

[ian_rutland]

I use their dropper bottles for brushing. No problems. Get the thinning right and all is good.

Buying ready thinned paint is not always good value. Get the standard and thin it. You get more paint that way. Thinners are a lot cheaper than paint.

[Padefc]

I use their dropper bottles for brushing. No problems. Get the thinning right and all is good.

Buying ready thinned paint is not always good value. Get the standard and thin it. You get more paint that way. Thinners are a lot cheaper than paint.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Get the thinning right and all is good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

that there lies the issue for many,me personally can’t be bothered messing to get the correct consistency of a given brand when I can just buy another that I know has already done this for me I get little enough bench time as is an don’t want to waste it messing with paints needlessly.

[peebeep]

that there lies the issue for many, me personally can’t be bothered messing to get the correct consistency of a given brand when I can just buy another that I know has already done this for me

 

 

Quoted for truth!

[Captain Triggers]

+1, I prefer to thin my paint in the bottle, if at all, because it saves time and effort when all you want to do is paint an undercarriage leg or a car dashboard. Dropper bottles are good for putting the paint in the airbrush, but useless if you have to thin it in the cup and it splashes and ruins the cleaning that you have just finished on your expensive airbrush. At least with tamiya, if you bottle thin it, it's not going to overflow. And there lies my issue with humbrol, can't bottle thin it because it would overflow, so if anything bottles with enough space to add thinner and a little ridge to show how much thinner you need to add to make it airbrush ready is the way forward. thinking_face

[Ratch]

If I have to thin paint to airbrush it I always do so in the cup. I don't go by percentages or ratios of thinner to paint because experience dictates and I know the consistency required. When I went to Art School we were taught that consistency is of the most importance and I've always remembered that.

[dogsbody]

A bit of a sideways question: are those little pots of Humbrol paint that come with the Starter kits any good? I have about a dozen I've acquired so far but I've only opened a couple. The 78 Cockpit Green looks okay but the 56 Aluminum was real thick and even with lots of shaking and stirring, was still a bit lumpy.

If I was to attempt to airbrush any of these paints, what would be a good thinner?

Chris

[Ratch]

Any good for what Chris? I'm happy to use them with a hairy stick but I wouldn't want to put them through my airbrush.

[peebeep]

If I was to attempt to airbrush any of these paints, what would be a good thinner?

 

 

Klear/Future

[dogsbody]

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll stick to my Tamiya and Mr. Hobby paints. I'm going to try some Citadel paints, too.

Chris

[peebeep]

Citadel paint used to be very good aqueous acrylic, I used to swear by Mithril Silver to use as High Speed Silver. They subsequently reorganised the paint range and re-named a lot of them, I don't know if they still use the same paint supplier/formulation.

I pretty much only use Tamiya and GS paints these days, the Tamiya Lacquer Paint is superb, as is Mr Color.

[Kenneth ONeill]

Old joke - Some people swear by Citadel paints; the rest of us swear at them.

[Paulus66]

Citadel paint used to be very good aqueous acrylic, I used to swear by Mithril Silver to use as High Speed Silver. They subsequently reorganised the paint range and re-named a lot of them, I don't know if they still use the same paint supplier/formulation.

I pretty much only use Tamiya and GS paints these days, the Tamiya Lacquer Paint is superb, as is Mr Color.

 

 

Citadel paint used to be very good aqueous acrylic, I used to swear by Mithril Silver to use as High Speed Silver. They subsequently reorganised the paint range and re-named a lot of them, I don't know if they still use the same paint supplier/formulation

 

 

Black Hat Miniatures still supply the original Citadel acrylics under the Coat d'arms banner. Excellent paints.