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06-28-2009, 03:29 PM | #1 |
Cobra Viper
Join Date: May 2008
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 426
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Hello All, I've been doing customs for quite a bit and have finally found myself buying and using citadel paints and I have a couple of questions.
I've noticed that thinning citadel paint with water seems to be unnecessary. I figured that since it's acrylic that water thinning would help the paint to go on better, but mostly it just beads up on the plastic and runs off. I end up having to re-paint without thinning which seems to work alot better. Also, I've noticed that any figure that I've painted with citadel i have to be careful with as the paint scratches off EXTREMELY easily. As a matter of fact i can take my thumb and pretty much scrape all the paint off a figure if I want to. Also even when completely dry the paint seems a bit tacky. Now, I like Citadel better than other paints like testors acryls because they are the same consistency from bottle to bottle and they dry flat like they're supposed to (sometimes Testors seems to dry shiny even if it says it's a flat paint) but I really hate the way that it scratches off and I need to know how to stop this. I've bought some primer, which as near as I can tell is nothing more than just white paint, but it's from a different company and I haven't tried it yet. I was told at a hobby shop that citadel primer only comes in spray cans and I don't fancy the idea of having to repaint a whole arm when all I need to do is paint the forearm and hand a different color. Also at the hobby shop I was told that I need to seal the figures with the sealer that they were selling. It was more than I wanted to pay and didn't seem to be any different than the dull-coat clear polyurethane that you can buy at wal-mart for 1/3 of the price. So anyway, I know alot of you guys know more about this than I do. What do I need to do to keep using citadel and have it turn out right? |
06-28-2009, 06:12 PM | #2 |
Self explanatory
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: NJ
Posts: 914
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Well, for me at least, I have to thin Citadel paints. If you're painting with Citadel and the paint is beading up - you're putting in too much water. IMO water is the last thing you want to use to thin paints. BUT if you have to use water, don't use tap water. Try distilled water.
I was a big fan of clear windex for thinning - sounds weird, I know, but it works great. For some reason tho, finding clear windex in my area has become harder and harder lately. So, I started using a liquitex product called "matte medium" which is a great thinner/flow improver. Just a few tiny drops into each paint pot works wonders. You say that you can scratch the paint off your figures. A few things to try that can stop that are 1) wash the figure with soapy warm water before you start painting 2) thin the paints 3) use a light sealer after you're done painting. I don't think there is a paint that won't scratch off at all, since it's paint and it's not a part of the surface of your figure. The only way to get around that is to either dye your figures (doesn't always work tho) or cast the parts you want to paint in the 'new' colors that you want instead.
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06-28-2009, 06:23 PM | #3 |
Gone Fishing
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Playing Outside In B.C. Canada
Posts: 8,615
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Why are you scratching at it to begin with ?
Do that to your car, guess what...it scratches as well. You're using model paint, models are for display - not for playing with or scratching with your thumb or whatever. Sealers are designed to protect the paint finish not prevent scratching. ...Stop scratching them maybe...?
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06-28-2009, 06:48 PM | #4 |
Banned
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Flint, MI
Posts: 3,351
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wash your figures with a dish detergent before painting. I've noticed, especially with the newer released figures that they have a lot more mold release on them still than in 2007.
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GI Guppy the third |
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06-28-2009, 07:08 PM | #5 |
Cobra Viper
Join Date: May 2008
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 426
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Thanks for the input I appreciate it!
The part that I forgot to mention is that I soak my figures in strawberry and blueberry potpourri too....that way when I'm done I have scratch and sniff action figures!!! ;) j/k...actually it scrapes off mostly during posing/putting weapons in hands etc. Also I've noticed that even after handling the figure for the 2nd or 3rd coat of paint that there will be spots where the paint has rubbed thin or comes off completely...I never experienced this with Testors unless it was around joints...but like I said testors is lacking in other areas and that's why I don't use it anymore. Also, what type of sealer should I use? and I usually wash the figures but sometimes I forget or don't bother if I'm just painting a hand or arm or something like that...I guess I should start washing everything. Last edited by NC Joe; 06-28-2009 at 07:12 PM.. |
06-28-2009, 07:44 PM | #6 |
Banned
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Flint, MI
Posts: 3,351
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I've noticed less scraping when I've mixed colors. This is with model masters acryl where one of the paints is from the panzer series of colors. I've found that those particular paints have a component that makes it very very flat, thin, but heavily pigmented. It covers over joints real well and won't scrape as easily.
You can also take a high grit sanding pad and sand over contact points to reduce rubbing. Another thing many of us forget to do is paint multiple thin coats and let every coat dry completely. Covering a almost cured coat with another coat, seals the paint's moisture making it easier to rub off. |
GI Guppy the third |
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06-28-2009, 08:28 PM | #7 |
Gone Fishing
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Playing Outside In B.C. Canada
Posts: 8,615
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Quote:
Also if your hands/fingers are oily it really contributes to that.
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06-28-2009, 09:42 PM | #8 |
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Cobra Island
Posts: 10,960
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I only use Citadel paints and love them.
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bigdaddyblue73 |
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06-28-2009, 09:47 PM | #9 |
Cobra Viper
Join Date: May 2008
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 426
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06-29-2009, 12:34 AM | #10 |
Grand Master
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: illinios
Posts: 5,716
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see i knew citadel sucked too...
my figures scratch when my friend has his dude punch my dude in the face and he goes flying into a wall. :P |
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