Layering With Acrylic Paints

[Axle]

When layering highlights and shadows with acrylics how long do you let let the paint dry, before you put on another coat to build up the effects.

 

[housecarl]

A minute or two. But that would depend on how thick/dilute the paint is and ambient air temperature.
No need to leave it, say over night,
Carl.

 

[Einion]

As soon as the paint is visibly dry it's dry enough to continue, for example you can apply 12 or 15 coats in just a half hour or so but with very sparing coats as you'd often use when layering it can take mere moments - you can watch it dry in front of your eyes sometimes.

If you ever need to make the paint dry a little faster don't be afraid to give it a quick blast with a hairdryer.

Einion

 

[Axle]

Thanks

 

[pte1643]

Some of the Acrylics I've used in general modelling, Tamiya for example, are dry almost before they leave the brush!

 

[Helm]

Tamiya are indeed swines for drying only Tamiya paint I will use now is the clear red and that's just for blood effects

Steve

 

[Colin_Fraser]

For Vallejos very little time. In fact, if you are quick enough and have the right consisitency you can get a little bit of blending going on if the previous coat isn't dry. As an unreconstructed oil painter I like this, but it takes practice. A stay wet palette helps too.

Colin

 

[theBaron]

Some of the Acrylics I've used in general modelling, Tamiya for example, are dry almost before they leave the brush!

Tamiya are indeed swines for drying only Tamiya paint I will use now is the clear red and that's just for blood effects

Steve

I use Tamiya acrylics, among other brands, in painting my toy soldiers. I also have that experience, using them out of the jars. Flat black, for example, turns solid almost before I could apply it. And it wouldn't dry or cure properly, it would pull off easily, when I applied other colors.

Then I read somewhere, maybe even on Tamiya's website, that they're formulated primarily for airbrushing and intended to be thinned. I started experimenting brushing them on, thinned with water or isopropyl, and eventually, I bought Tamiya's own acrylic thinner and tried that. I'm getting my best results now with their thinner, both airbrushing, and hand-brushing.

So, they're still one arrow in my quiver.

 

[pte1643]

I agree.

Thinned with their own X20A thinners they are great, especially for airbrushing.

 

[Axle]

Thanks

 

[Helm]

The other snag I forgot to mention with Tamiya they can some times act as paint stripper on other paints due to the alcohol base

 

[Axle]

Thanks for the information.