Should Tamiya Acrylic paints be mixed thinned beforehand?

[conchan]

When using Tamiya acrylic paints with a brush, do you, or should you, thin it with thinner before using, or just use it straight from the jar?

Stay safe and enjoy!

[Dave G.]

Retarder is suggested for brushing Tamiya. I use Liquitex slow dry medium (  retarder), course Tamiya plugs for their own but I use Liquitex retarder in all acrylic paints that I have. I put a little retarder on a paint palette next to some Tamiya acrylic and mix in a bit at a time till I get nice flowing paint off the brush. Works great. Another thing is with Tamiya, over lapping strokes isn't really the goal but touching strokes side by side, they will flow together.

Uncut Tamiya acrylic is a horror show to brush. Some people do use the Tamiya thinner and say it works fine. But Tamiya's recommended method listed at their web site last I knew is retarder.

[conchan]

2 hours ago, Dave G. said:

Retarder is suggested for brushing Tamiya. I use Liquitex slow dry medium (  retarder), course Tamiya plugs for their own but I use Liquitex retarder in all acrylic paints that I have. I put a little retarder on a paint palette next to some Tamiya acrylic and mix in a bit at a time till I get nice flowing paint off the brush. Works great. Another thing is with Tamiya, over lapping strokes isn't really the goal but touching strokes side by side, they will flow together.

Uncut Tamiya acrylic is a horror show to brush. Some people do use the Tamiya thinner and say it works fine. But Tamiya's recommended method listed at their web site last I knew is retarder.

Thanks for the information and advice on stroke order.
I have some Tamiya Acrylic paint thinner, but will get some retarded the next time I go to the hobby shop and give that a try. 
Stay safe and enjoy!

 

[Dave G.]

32 minutes ago, conchan said:

Thanks for the information and advice on stroke order.
I have some Tamiya Acrylic paint thinner, but will get some retarded the next time I go to the hobby shop and give that a try. 
Stay safe and enjoy!

 

A couple guys over in the FSM forums swear by the thinner for brushing Tamiya acrylic so give it a try. I personally tried a couple of different thinners but did not get the results I get with using retarder. So I'm hooked.

[Mike 1017]

Some one here recommended this. I use it all the time. 

Golden Acrylic Retarder - 4 oz bottle | BLICK Art Materials (dickblick.com)

[Dave G.]

https://www.dickblick.com/products/liquitex-fluids-slow-dri-medium/?clickTracking=true&wmcp=pla&wmcid=items&wmckw=00618-3194&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImISXr-vI9gIVF8mUCR2NjwRwEAQYASABEgLMTfD_BwE

Also Windsor and Newton acrylic retarder will work.

I had a guy contact me from this forum who was following one of my acrylic thinner recipes and his paint turned to goo ( we were doing an AMT 39 Ford sedan build off together). He didn't use the Liquitex but rather the Goldens. Switched to Liquitex and all was well. And I know Bobby Waldron from Genesis hobbies makes his own thinners and was using Liquitex, ran out and got the W+N and it is working fine for him. I'm not saying the Goldens is no good at all but it didn't work in that particular blend.

[conchan]

On 3/16/2022 at 12:35 AM, Mike 1017 said:

Some one here recommended this. I use it all the time. 

Golden Acrylic Retarder - 4 oz bottle | BLICK Art Materials (dickblick.com)

Thanks for the info.