Paints Question: Acrylic Artists Ink?

[chronoplasm]

OK, so I'm looking to get into the hobby of miniatures painting. I'm thinking of getting the Learn 2 Paint Kits for all my basic colors, but I was wondering...

 

I already have a ton of acrylic paints and inks for my illustrations. I have a ton of FW artists inks that I use. Would these work for miniatures?

[psyberwolfe1]

The short answer is yes.

 

Acrylic paint is acrylic paint. I use my Liquitex paints with my Reaper Paints all the time. I would say perfect your paint techniques first before diving into ink. I am sure you are confident in your artist skills, but ink acts differently on a figure than on paper or canvas and might not yield the results you are looking for.

[chronoplasm]

The short answer is yes.

 

Acrylic paint is acrylic paint. I use my Liquitex paints with my Reaper Paints all the time. I would say perfect your paint techniques first before diving into ink. I am sure you are confident in your artist skills, but ink acts differently on a figure than on paper or canvas and might not yield the results you are looking for.

 

Sweet. I have tons of acrylic paints.

 

Do I need to use some kind of primer?

[eastman]

Do I need to use some kind of primer?

 

Only if you want your paint to stick to the mini.

 

I prefer Duplicolor Sandable White (automotive spray primer, just don't use the gap filling version), others like Tamiya.

 

For a brush-on primer, the Reaper Master Series white or black primers are both good.

[Serenity]

Do I need to use some kind of primer?

 

I have found spray primers like Tamiya can produce a smoother surface than Reaper's brush-on primer. I prefer to use brush-on for touch-ups. Some figure painters use artist's gesso to prime -- which you may have on hand. I haven't tried it yet, but I've read it works well.

 

Don't forget about prep work. Look at A Beginning Mini Painter's Shopping List for a lot of information on what you need to get going.

[chronoplasm]

Some figure painters use artist's gesso to prime -- which you may have on hand.

 

I do have gesso. I might try that instead of white primer, but I do want to get some black primer at some point.

Thanks. :)

[Vaitalla]

Gesso can sometimes have a bit too much texture; I would thin it and test it on a small part first.

 

The same goes for your paints--unless you are using the fluid Liquitex paints you will find that the consistency of the tube paints is too thick for your uses. Adding flow improver and water will help a lot.

 

--Anne

[psyberwolfe1]

Gesso can sometimes have a bit too much texture; I would thin it and test it on a small part first.

 

The same goes for your paints--unless you are using the fluid Liquitex paints you will find that the consistency of the tube paints is too thick for your uses. Adding flow improver and water will help a lot.

 

--Anne

Quite True. My first paints on figures were tube paints so I spent a lot of time working on paint thickness. I also started with gesso. It works in a pinch but it is super thick and tends to have a grainy texture. Save yourself the frustration and invest in the spray primer, I prefer Tamiya, or Krylon Grey.

[Bilesuck]

OK, so I'm looking to get into the hobby of miniatures painting. I'm thinking of getting the Learn 2 Paint Kits for all my basic colors, but I was wondering...

 

I already have a ton of acrylic paints and inks for my illustrations. I have a ton of FW artists inks that I use. Would these work for miniatures?

It also depends on which companies tube paints you are using on how much to thin them and such. I know my Maimeri paints can be very very strong even very thinned, but they have an extreme amount of pigment in them. Liquitex seems to thin down decently for mini's. Golden liquid colors are excellent in my opinion, as they are already half way to being the right consistency for mini's.