When handpainting using enamels or acrylics, how can you minimise the visibility of brushstrokes without using an airbrush?

 

Thin your paints. The color will remain true, but the paint will smooth itself more easily after brushing.

 

should you thin with water? how many parts water per parts paint?

 

Eh, i've asked many times on "how many parts of X per Y" questions, and frankly i never get any specific ratio. Generally it depends on the person painting, the paint, etc.

Just make sure to paint in thin coats, and make sure to remember that it might not cover all in the first go. I personally use most of my paints straight out of the jar, though i'm sure some of the pros round here may have a better idea.

Oh, and make sure that it's not thin enough to allow capillary action to take effect.

 

Just apply very thin layers of paint by brush--that should keep any brush strokes from showing.

 

Apply thin coats of paint. I've been able to achieve this in 1 or 2 of my customs.

 

i'm using car touch-up paint for the bodies of the alt mode. i noticed that you have to wait for quite a while before adding another coat. how long should i wait so that the first coat will not bleed?

 

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I try to wait 15-30 minutes between coats.

 

you can speed things up with a hair dryer.
when the thinner evaporates, the paint is left behind

 

I don't know about acrylics, but enamels+water=NO .

 

Less paint on your brush, thin coats, and patience.

Check the instructions on the paint you're using for drying times. That is so important. Even if something "feels" dry, it may not be completely dry. You'll end up with clumpy, soft looking paint, regardless of the type of paint you use.

 

Well I've been painting a good part of today and I have an answer to your question.... How do you avoid brush strokes.... DON'T LET ME PAINT IT! LOL

 

thin the paint and half way decent brushes. enamel is an animal i keep thinner close in a pool and dip my brush in as needed. gloss yellow enamel is one of the worst IMO red is no picnic either. flats brush easier than glosses for the most part. also you have to be careful not to over thin your paint. i find enamels more forgiving than acrylic when thinning. you can reach a point quickly with acrylics where it is useless as brush paint .

also the point of no return is different with each brand like for example you can thin testors further than you can thin tamiya acrylics. i use alcohol water and future to adjust my acrylics. i use thinner and evaporation to adjust enamels.

in some circles there is a big debate over using thin paints or thick paints to brush with. i think as you go over the years your paints get thinner with more experience IMHO they did for me anyways

also i don't believe there is any thing other than practice that will get the strokes out.

here this is a video of a good brush painter just follow the consecutive videos after it its in Japanese but i think the set still may be helpful

YouTube - Trumpeter Curtiss P-40B & Tamiya A6M2 Zero Tutorial 6/9 SP-5

 

With Acrylics It`s pretty difficult to get an idea of exact ratios IMO it`s something that you need to experiment with.
For most colours i use inks to thin not water,this helps keep the colour strong.

 

http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/featured-radicons/214854-november-featured-radicon-superquad7.html

Just scroll down towards the end of the interview. plowking asked the very question, and the response was essentially a tutorial on how to do this very thing  

 

Thanks for the tip. I found "wetsanding and thin paints" is the key....

 

I have found acryl base colors usually do fine with water.

Although I haven't had much luck with acryl aluminum testors, it tends to rapidly separate meaning you have to constantly stir it.

Although that's not much of a issue since I drybrush on silver to give it more contrast  .

 

No prob; I'm glad to help   You picked up on the key, looks like  

Right. Enamels are oil based paints whereas acrylics are waterbased paints. You can use paint thinner to thin enamels down and water (or my recent favorite, Future floor polish) to thin acrylics.