Admin
Admin
Posts : 273
Join date : 2013-05-16
Age : 73
Location : Brighton, Victoria
 | Subject: Lifecolor Paints  Sat Jun 29 2013, 12:15 | |
| Let me preface this saying that I do not normally airbrush with Acrylic Paints, but being asked to test and review the Royal Australian Air Force boxed set #1 once the package arrived I was amazed that this set of paints where in plastic 22ml bottles, being willing to try this new brand of paint and possibly be converted, well these took some getting used to and the six colours in the set consisted of the following paint colours:
RAAF Foliage Green
RAAF Dark Earth
RAAF Sky Blue
Chromate Green
US Interior Green
RAF Interior Green/Grey
Once reading the directions as to thinning them, I found that these paint colours are well mixed, but once I stirred them, ready to test how they would preform in the airbrush. Lifecolor recommend using their Lifecolor Thinner or Water and not having any of the recommended thinner on hand, I was left with using WATER, mixing with water {in my opion is a NO NO, as water will not stick to plastic}, but I thinned the paint mix on a ratio of 90% paint to 10% water, mixing both in a mixing cup until I reached the consistency needed.
My test subject, [was not primmed or undercoated in anyway, the paint was applied straight to bare plastic], for these paints was a 72 scale Special Hobby kit of the Vultee Vengeance, {which I got from Matt}, which would allow me to use the 3 main camouflage colours, I used the RAAF Sky Blue on the under surface of the model and found, with my initial pass that the paint was Translucent and would require several light passes with the airbrush, before I could see the paint going down on the model, once done the model was set aside to dry. Before masking and preparing for the upper camouflage effect.
Turning the model up on it's under carriage, I then mixed the RAAF Foliage Green, {in the same ratio as before} and again made several light passes over the sections of the model and once completed, the model was set aside until it was touch dry and the RAAF Dark Earth was applied, {again mixed to the same ratio}, the camouflage pattern was a free hand application and once finished the model was set aside to dry completely before removing any masking tape.
Once the model was dry I removed the masking tape, from around the tail plane and under surfaces and discovered these colours had a Semi Gloss appearance, as the model was a subject that was not mine and the paint was a Product Test, I applied the decals straight onto the model without using any Gloss Coat, I did use some Decal Softnening Solution and applied a coat of Dull Coat over the model, as a sealer for the decals, after completing the product review I gave the RAAF boxed set of paints to Matt.
Conclustion:
This brand of paints are true to the Federal Standard colour chart and are odorless, but they take a little time to master due to their translucent consistency, in my opinion this was a little tedious, but then again, it may have been me as I usually used enamels and lacquers, when painting my model subjects. The Model Subject:    | |
|
