Airbrush paint for clouds ?

[Biased turkey]

I have an airbrush that I use to paint the structures etc..
I would like to use it for painting the white clouds on a backdrop. Of course I don't want to waste my expensive model paints such as Polly Scale or Tamiya acrylics just for painting clouds on a backdrop.
What kind of "airbrushable" cheap acrylic paint should I purchase ?

Tia for any info.

Jacques

 

[doctorwayne]

Several Gaugers have had success using craft paints, but I haven't yet tried them myself. Another option would be to use some flat white latex housepaint, if you have some handy - drywall primer paint would work, too. Thin it with water and test on some cardboard first - adding a little liquid dish soap or alcohol might help, too, although I've not had a lot of experience airbrushing any water-based paints.

Wayne

 

[Squidbait]

Jacques,

The dollar-store craft paints work fairly well through an airbrush - just thin them with Windex or windshield-washer fluid to the consistency of milk... experiment a bit... since they're a buck a bottle, you can afford to play a bit.

 

[Biased turkey]

Thanks Squidbait and Wayne for taking ( one more time ) some of your precious time to reply.
The 1st option that I had in mind was to use thinned acrylic craft paint, so I'm glad both of you confirm that choice.

Now it's time to visit that Dollarama store again.

Jacques

 

[MasonJar]

Have you seen this tutorial - http://forum.zealot.com/t96115/?

Gavin suggests a spray can of flat white paint. I have only ever seen "antique" white in my Dollarstore, which is more of a yellowish colour.

The other benefit I see from using the can is no airbrush clean-up!

Andrew

 

[Squidbait]

True, but the spray bomb is pretty stinky, and unless it's a water-based paint, there's the fumes to think of.

Airbrushing craft acrylics is much easier on the lungs! :thumb:

 

[MasonJar]

Whenever you spray anything - water or solvent-based - you should protect your lungs! Even though there is less/no smell with water-based paints, there is still the atomized dry paint "dust" to think of... basically tiny bits of plastic floating in the air. And the recommendation is to thin the acrylics with windshield washer fluid, which has glycol in it.

www.leevalley.com has some very comfortable and affordable masks.

Andrew

 

[Biased turkey]

Andrew, thank you for the link to Gavin's tutorial and for the warning about the "antique" white.
If I can't find any "airbrushable" cheap flat pure white acrylic paint I'll get some spray cans and a mask . Time to visit the Canadian Tire again.

Jacques

P.S. It looks like this is an all Canadian thread. Don't they have clouds south of the border ?