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Tamiya paints

All you need to know about Tamiya acrylic paints. Tamiya acrylic paints come in handy on plastic models, as the Japanese brand has developed made-to-measure products. Show more
Tamiya color XF (Flat)

Tamiya color XF (Flat)

 Tamiya color LP (Lacquer)

Tamiya color LP (Lacquer)

 Tamiya color X (Gloss)

Tamiya color X (Gloss)

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All you need to know about Tamiya acrylic paints

Tamiya acrylic paints come in handy on plastic models, as the Japanese brand has developed made-to-measure products.

How to paint with Tamiya acrylic paints?

Tamiya acrylic paint: how to paint with acrylic?

You need a thinner for Tamiya acrylic paint if you want to pour, scrape or spray paint. Acrylics are thick and need to be thinned to facilitate application and reduce drying time.

The advantages of Tamiya acrylic paints

Acrylic has several advantages over other types of paint. It :

  • Can be diluted with water
  • Dries quickly;
  • Adheres to all surfaces (non-greasy);
  • Low odour;
  • Suitable for contemporary applications.

What tools do I need?

The essential art painting materials are :

  • Substrates: You can use cotton or linen canvas. For colour studies, canvas boards are preferable. You can also use raw or natural materials. For beginners, experimentation on canvas paper is recommended.
  • Applicators: brushes, painting knives, sculpting brushes.
  • Acrylic painting accessories or kits: palette, charcoal or grey pastel pencil, Tamiya paint, small paint pot, etc.

How do I choose acrylic paint?

You can choose between :

  • Study acrylics: economical and affordable, ideal for beginners;
  • Fine acrylic: excellent value for money, it contains pure pigments;
  • Extra-fine acrylic: more fluid, with natural pigments.

Note that the finer the pigment is ground, the better the colour rendition.

Starting to paint

To paint with acrylics, you need to start by :

  • Preparing the canvas: apply layers of primer;
  • Colour the background;
  • Drawing the sketch.

After these steps, move on to :

  • Painting: start with the backgrounds or distant elements before drawing the foreground.
  • Finishing: add small touches to reinforce the shadow, emphasise the outline, give a shine, etc.
  • Protection: apply a special acrylic varnish.

What paint should I use for a plastic model?

You can use Tamiya airbrush paint on plastic models. The Japanese brand is developing a wide range of products specifically for model making. Tamiya paints are often solvent-based.

To maintain a uniform appearance, use a spray can. This is practical for large surfaces. Tamiya has also developed X and XF acrylic paints for plastic models. These products are of impeccable quality and come in a wide choice of colours.

How do I thin acrylic paint for models?

To get good results, Tamiya acrylic paints are used with thinners designed by the brand. For example, you can use Tamiya X-20A. To thin your paint :

  1. Take 2 volumes;
  2. Add one part thinner.

If you use alcohol as a thinner, the ratio should be 1:1 (1 part alcohol to 1 part paint). You can also use demineralised water to thin acrylic paints.

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