Welcome to the third installment of the Gunpla 101 series. If you are looking for a complete Gunpla Painting Guide, you are in the exact right place. After snapping together your first few kits, the next logical step to truly making a model your own is painting. Before picking up a brush or an airbrush, it is critical to understand the chemistry and safety of what you are putting on your plastic.
1. The Three Main Types of Paint
In the world of Gunpla, there are three main types of paint you will encounter. Choosing the right one depends on your tools, environment, and the finish you want to achieve.
- Acrylics: These are highly beginner-friendly and are often labeled as water-based. Brands like Vallejo offer true water-based options, while Tamiya and Mr. Hobby Aqueous are technically alcohol-based (indicated by a flame logo on the bottle). They are lower in toxicity, making them convenient for indoor airbrushing.
- Enamels: Enamels offer great durability and dry much slower. This extended drying time makes them absolutely perfect for detailed hand painting. Furthermore, enamel thinner is an absolute must when cleaning up panel lines made with panel line accent colors. If you were to use a stronger solvent like lacquer thinner to erase excess panel liner, it would eat right through your underlying acrylic base coats.
- Lacquers: These paints provide unparalleled durability and dry the quickest. They are the gold standard for a rock-hard finish but come with a major catch: toxic fumes. Safety is strictly non-negotiable. Proper ventilation and a high-quality respirator mask are mandatory when spraying lacquers.
2. A Gunpla Painting Guide to Thinners
A common hurdle when learning to paint is understanding thinners. You cannot simply mix any thinner with any paint. Each type requires its specific matching solvent.
- Acrylic Thinners: True water-based acrylics should be thinned with an airbrush thinner (mostly distilled water, alcohol, and a fluid retarder). Alcohol-based acrylics like Tamiya require their specific solvent, such as Tamiya X-20A. Do not confuse this with Tamiya X-20, which is exclusively for enamels.
- Lacquer Thinners: Lacquer paints require lacquer thinner. A highly recommended option is a leveling thinner, which includes a retarder that slows down the drying time, allowing gravity to naturally level the paint for a smoother finish.
- Universal Compatibility: Lacquer thinner is the strongest and can theoretically thin alcohol-based acrylics and enamels. However, it should never be mixed with true water-based paints, as it will create a gunky residue.
3. How to Make a Homemade Airbrush Thinner
Creating your own homemade airbrush thinner is a straightforward process and highly compatible with most water and alcohol-based acrylics.
To make a standard 120ml bottle:
- Mix a 1:1 ratio of 70% Isopropyl Alcohol to Distilled Water (if using 99% alcohol, use a 2:1 water-to-alcohol ratio). The goal is to bring the final alcohol concentration down to roughly 30% to 40%.
- Add 2ml of Airbrush Flow Improver.
- Add 2ml of Fluid Retarder (to make the paint dry slower).
This homebrew recipe handles almost all standard acrylic airbrushing needs without the harsh chemical smells of lacquer thinners.
4. Why You Need to Prime Your Gunpla
Priming is a vital preparatory step. It prepares the surface, ensures a smooth finish, greatly enhances paint bonding to reduce chipping, and improves overall color vibrancy.
- Gray Primer: The standard choice. Ideal for classic Gundam color schemes as it maintains original paint hues.
- White Primer: Enhances brightness and vibrancy. Perfect for lighter colors and pastel tones.
- Black Primer: Best for dark customization. It creates depth and richness in the final color.
- Gloss Black Primer: Specifically tailored toward metallic colors to give them maximum shine.
Keep in mind that using purely water-based primers usually requires an extra step: thoroughly sanding the surface of all pieces to improve bonding. Skipping the sanding phase often results in a much weaker finish. However, alternative products like Aqueous Surfacers—which are water and alcohol-based—might offer better adhesion without requiring as much tedious sanding.
Watch the Full Video Lecture
Want to see all these facts broken down in detail? Check out the full video lecture: Gunpla 101 – Painting – pt.1 Lecture
Happy modeling!
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