Horse Painting Question-Opinion

[theseeker]

The Andrea Mounted Crusader is primed and ready for painting.
I have a copy painting horses by Andrea and it shows different ways to paint them. First being using an airbrush, oil painting or simply brush painting with your choice of medium. The airbrush with acrylics is very tempting as I am good with an airbrush and I have some very good ones. The oil approach is what I am most comfortable with. I the blending aspects and the longer drying time allowing to correct my mistakes as I go.
Any one have an opinion or preferred method? TIA.

Rocky

 

[JGREEN]

Rocky,

Go with oils as they will dry to a nice satin sheen simulating the shine of a horses coat.

Jason

 

[darkeye]

um.. Airbrush the Oils! problem solved i reckon. i recently bought an Iwata kit and used oils through it and the results were amazing.

 

[Einion]

Personally I'd use at least some airbrushing if it were available as an option. But oils are great for horse coats in general and especially for dappling if you're going to be doing any.

Why not try a bit of both - airbrush the basic modelling in acrylics, then switch to oils for final touches and colour modifications?

Einion

 

[Tommi]

I would use the airbrush on the horse to give a smooth undercoat to work on with oils, I would stick with just oils on the figure but thats just me, try both especially if you are a bit of a dab hand with an airbrush (which I am not) and see how it goes.
Cheers
Tommi

 

[theseeker]

Einion and Tommi,
Undercoating with the airbrush is the direction I am leaning towards. I should get an exceptional base coat.

 

[Drebil]

Hi Gents,

when you are talking about airbrushing oils, you mean artist's oils diluted for airbrush?

Dreb

 

[Einion]

when you are talking about airbrushing oils, you mean artist's oils diluted for airbrush?

I was referring to airbrushing the basic light and shade in acrylics, but you can spray-apply oil paints too if you want.

Einion

 

[Drebil]

I see, but Darkeye mentioned something like i wrote..... I was just wondering...... The idea is not bad, the result could be nice, even, thin.... But I dont know what the pigments and the solvents will do with the nozzle....

Dreb

 

[Einion]

Most airbrush nozzles are made of metal so no probs re. solvents. The pigments used in oil paints are the same as those used in hobby paints in most cases.

With the only plastic-nozzled AB I know of, the Aztek, the plastic they use is solvent resistant - certainly fine with mineral spirits, lighter fluid, acetone, isopropyl alcohol, methanol and I think with turps.

Einion

 

[jacksparrow1979]

As long as you properly clean the nozzle you should not have any problems. Any good airbrush cleaner should do fine.

 

[Drebil]

Thanks, now my last question in this matter is:

If I dilute the paint from the tube to the consistency which is fine enough for the airbrush, then how many layers should I paint over and over to get the colour depth I wish? And what about the drying periods? Sorry for my english, and my "stupidity", but I just started to modelling seriously a few months ago, and try to find my way of painting. I gathered already a lot of useful informations, though still couldnt decide which fit for me the best.

Dreb