Art shop acrylics- anyone use these for figure painting? (1 Viewer)

[Hazebrouck]

Forum painters.

Since returning to painting I have been increasingly using good quality acrylics (Vallejo, Citadel, Games Workshop) and finding them excellent to use. I was in a large art suppliers store today and noticed how large the colour range of artists tube acrylics was available.

I have seen a few painters on this forum mention using artists acrylics before on the forum and would be interested in hearing what brands people use and if they have had any problems or successes.

I am planning on trying some on my figures (largely metal, hard plastic and resin). My concern would be as the three brands I use are formulated for the hobby industry and specific mediums are there any problems with adhesion when using the artists acrylics?

Scott

 

[theBaron]

Hi, Scott, I have some that I've picked up, to try. For example, I have a tube of Grumbacher's ultramarine blue, that I bought to use in painting ocean bases for ship models. They're as good as Vallejo and Andrea colors. With artist acrylics as with the better acrylics from the hobby suppliers, it starts with the pigments. They're finely ground, as opposed to the craft store acrylics, which are coarser. This has an impact on the result, which I've been learning. The craft acrylics aren't so good for washes or glazes in some cases, because of the coarse pigments.

As with so much of what we do, it comes down to personal preference. Keeping the cost down is important to me, so when I buy artist's acrylics, I look for them on sale. But it's good to have many arrows in your quiver, as it were.

Hope that helps, prost!
Brad

 

[Hazebrouck]

With artist acrylics as with the better acrylics from the hobby suppliers, it starts with the pigments. They're finely ground, as opposed to the craft store acrylics, which are coarser. This has an impact on the result, which I've been learning. The craft acrylics aren't so good for washes or glazes in some cases, because of the coarse pigments.

Brad,

Thanks for that info. I wasn't aware that the size of the pigments was one of the differences between the hobby and art useage. I will still have a go at using them at some stage. The cost factor seems like for like in the art store I was visiting when compared to what I pay for the others, so not really a factor. The appeal to me is the colour range and not having to travel far to find the paints.

Have you tried oils? I'm not sure what the benefits are to figure painters?

Scott

 

[theBaron]

Sure thing, Scott, I'm glad to share whatever I know.

I've tried oils, particularly in trying to paint flats. I haven't mastered the technique yet.

The advantage with oils is the long drying time, which allows you to blend the borders between colors when shading. You lay in one color, and lay the highlight or shadow color in next to it, and you can gently blend the line to produce the transition from light to dark. And though they take longer to dry, once you have the result you want, you can speed the drying time by placing the figure under a 60w lamp, or in a little crock pot at the lowest setting.

Though I haven't really learned how to perform that technique that I just described, I've also used my oils for washes on my scale models, and I also use the ivory black in my kit to paint my figures' eyes. I found that when I try to paint the line of the eyelid, the tiny amount of enamel or acrylic would dry on the brush before I could finish, but the same quantity of oil paint doesn't, it's almost like using a ball-point pen.

Mine are Mussini-Schminke oils, but there are a lot of good brands out there.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Denver]

Liquitex Acrylics are my favorite.
They also have a selection of mediums that
make good effects.

 

[hsm]

I think it depends on the style of painting you are doing- Toy soldier quality up i have used the crafts store paints, For figures i am entering at model shows i use Andreas and Valejo.

use the craft store acrylics and then hit the finished product with a gloss coat, and be proud!

Grant