"Lifecolor paint - a contradiction in terms?" Topic

I picked some of this brew up a while back. Man, I wish I'd put it down again!

Have I a duff batch or is it really just Appalacian mountain dew with a droplet of food colouring in it? 'Cos that's how it appears; it's thin. Thinner than thin.

Thin to the point of being truly frustrating because it's just like a wash. Not an opaque paint, at all.

But it's out there and people use it so…?

I bought some thickener – is it telling that they market that product? The, thin (couldn't resist) instructions just say, "Add small quantities to color for better covering and mellowing capacity."

"Mellowing capacity"?? Chilled out thinly coloured water? What the what??

Anyhoo, my 'small quantity' is yay much per pot. Turns out, that Lifecolor's 'small quantity' is very, very much smaller, 'cos I near enough ended up with a lump of paint: one extreme to the other!

Please, before I pour it down the drain where I think it belongs and stop wasting my time fighting it, have I a duff pot or what is the magic formula for brushing this stuff?

If it's that difficult to use, chuck it and get some decent paint. I recommend the Coat d'Arms range.

Well, you'll likely need an airbrush since its an airbrush paint.

It is pre-thinned for airbrush use.

Wish the hobby shop owner had mentioned that when he recommended it.

I get good coverage, but it won't take much handling.

Generally I use it at the end prior to the stain/varnish (minwax).

Just doing some Palmyran archers now – 15s. Last bit of paint then let dry and varnish.

Might look at that thickener myself.

I really like their brick colour. I brush paint, but it is thin, being an air-brush paint.

Just finished the Palmyrans, look fairly good.

Thought I'd add that I prime flat white (except when I have to use the gloss).

Also that I have rub problems with some of the Ceramcoat and other hobby paints as well, so it is not confined to the Lifecolor. A little touch up doesn't bother me too much.

I would have thought a thorough varnish would help keep the paint on? Rather annoying if not the case.

I've tried Lifecolor blown through an airbrush. I personally disliked it, won't use it again. I recently tried Hakata paint as well, also don't like it at all. The upside with all these botique paint manufacturers is the wide range of obscure colors. The downside is that they all suck (waterbased paints rather than alcohol means they are more tricky to airbrush well IMHO).

Damon.

Yes the varnish does protect the paint.

Posting in the wee hours can be conducive to a lack of clarity in ones post.

I find it thin, even for airbrushing, but I guess it depends on your techniques, it would be a nightmare with a brush, like Tamiya. I have some hakata but not tried it out with the airbrush yet…….bit worried now!

Heard nothing but bad things about Hakata too I'm afraid. Shame as I really wanted to use their cold war soviet green set.

Ha! It's an airbrush paint! Lol. Caveat emptor and then some!

But it kinda figures, only, I've tried airbrushing the stuff, before I thickened the Hell out of it, and it gave me the dodgy runs.

Perseverance, a little more research into what I'm buying and maybe some of this Coat d'Arms stuff.

Thanks for the input. Much appreciated. I've been cursing them in ignorance.

Use Life color paints for all my WW2 stuff and its brilliant stuff in an airbrush. Use enamels for figures myself I find acrylics a complete pain apart from Liquitex.
link
link

Ahem. "Life Color is excellent for paint brushing or airbrushing on plastic" from the UK distributor.

I wondered because I know they do 'flesh' sets and I figured nobody was *that* good with an airbrush!

Anyhoo, I will persevere with the darned stuff. Life is short, but, damn it, I don't want to be beaten.

Nice Panther, Leon. Maybe some day I'll be brave enough to post some pic's of my efforts…