Awesome tutorial! It reminds me of the Gundam master video series . There was this makeup artist that use pearlescent nail polish on her mg qubeley and it looked awesome. Gotta try this.
Hello. I tried the very same way with the Tamiya Lacquer Thinner; consistency is ok to spray but color becomes so pale and light and wont even cover a light coat. What can i use to thin it besides Lacquer thinner ?
Slammer There is a few issues here. If the paint is very translucent, either the nail polish has been over thinned (fix by adding more nail polish to the mix), or there aren't many pigments in the nail polish (if so, then multiple coats will be needed to bring the colour up - the light blue on the Sazabi I did needed 4 coats to get the colour right). An alternative thinner is General Purpose thinners or General Lacquer thinners. These are more potent than the hobby varieties and will work with nail polish.
Ghost very good tutorial. Actually this is a very cheap alternative to the hobby. But I wonder ... You think, application by brush would be good? As you would if you were to apply the nail polish brush?
+Diego Pimentel To get a decent colour, the nail polish would need to be thick due to the consistency of the pigments etc. Because of that, it's not really ideal for hand brushing on models.
so any of the nail polish paints in pharmacys are considered lacker paints? this is great for action figures like marvel legends? I'm thinking of usiing this method. thannks!
Not all are 'lacquers'. The Gel types are ones to steer well clear of as they will cause issues when thinned. Stick to the ones that are labelled as 'enamels'
I must try this :) Some nice colors can be achieved with nail polish, however, I heard some nasty stories of nail polish clogging up airbrushes and messing up seals if not thinned properly...
It can depending on the pigments in the nail polish. If ever in doubt, use a paint screener that you can get at auto paint stores to strain out the larger pigments.
can you use acrylic paint or does that need to be thinned as well? I got an airbrush for doing nail art I guess I cloud use polish enamel thinned as well what thinner do you recommend for the paint etc.. hope you reply ☺
Paint always needs to be adjusted to be able to be sprayed through an air brush. The type of paint you use depends on the application and the thinner type is also based on whatever the paint type is. If you use a lacquer based paint, use a lacquer thinner. Acrylics, use an appropriate thinner such as Isopropyl or water.
noob question, what kind of primer is best to use with this type of method? also with regards to storage, can i use a plastic dropper bottle instead of the glass ones?
Standard modelling primers like Mr Surfacer or Tamiya Primer are best to use. I would steer clear of Polyurethane based ones as the lacquer thinners can react with them. In regards to storage, any glass jar/bottle will be fine.
hi, great tutorial. However, it would have helped if you could offer some advice on preparing mixtures not just for airbrushing alone. I always hand paint my kits with nail polish so i was hoping for some advice from this video..
rick hernandez I don't hand brush nail polish, I only air brush them. I'd imagine that thinning to an appropriate mixture (maybe 70:30 nail polish to thinner?) and then applying with multiple thin coats would work. This is only a suggestion as I haven't done it personally.
I really appreciate you posting this tutorial, thanks. I have been in the mood to experiment with new colors and I came across your page here on the YT, all great videos. One question...did you prime your parts before you painted with the nail polish?
I bet you don't have to w/sand much, it went on very well. I'm looking into getting an air brush, but they're so expensive. What do you thin the nail polish with?
Thank you for the video! Tell me, can you airbrush UV gel top coat as a topping? UV tempered nail top coat hardens to form a nice protective surface, but is usually too thick and not smooth to use on miniatures the regular way. If so, what can you use to thin it?
I have to try this myself! Strange though, it looks like it says Enamel on the bottle you have there...anyway I'll treat it as a lacquer and give it a go. Thanks for the tip!
@@benjimlem1284 acetone is generally a major ingredient in solvent based paints. As you are airbrushing these on, the solvents will evaporate quickly meaning that they aren't exposed to the paint below for too long. If applied correctly, there will be no issues if you use a solvent based primer such as Mr Surfacer underneath.
@@TheGhostofZeon I see, thanks :3 I dont often need a bright, glossy finish (I mostly paint warhammer figurines and WW2 tanks), but it's good to know if I ever need it :3
Lacquer thinners or General Purpose thinners will work - if Tamiya has a lacquer thinner, then yes but if it's acrylic or enamel thinners then no it wont work.
This is a really old video - but I'm hoping you will see my question:) Did I see that you poured the thinned polish into the dispenser on top of the gun? Others I have seen always used a jar screwed onto the machine, but I don't want to have that much paint...
Yes, it's a gravity fed air brush meaning the cup is on top and a part of it. Ones with the jar attachments are siphon fed types. I only use gravity fed ones as I find them much easier to use and you can get away with using a tiny amount of paint
WOW! You are the best - thank you so much for responding.. Have you ever tried gel polish? It cures try with a LED/UV nail lamp and is extremely durable. It won't remove even with acetone unless you work extra hard to do so... you have to sand it off! I am going to see if I can thin it out as much as needed for an airbrush, it's pretty thick stuff.
I've tried it, and I got fantastic results! Thank you for sharing this video, TGoZ! One thing, though. For future purposes, how will I be able to strip the nail polish off of the model kit? I've watched your paint stripping tutorials, but I'm not sure which I should use. I prefer, if possible, the Bleach method. Will it work? Thanks.
+DIO BRANDO One more thing I'd like to ask is that I'm afraid that using this stuff, the nail polish and lacquer thinner, might cause some long-term negative effect on my respiratory system. What kind of respirator and gear should I wear? Will the "respirator with cylinder filter" work?
Oh my, you actually replied! Awesome! Anyway, I searched in hardware stores near my area for respirators, but all I found were them flimsy looking made in China ones, and to be honest, I'm unsure whether or not they'll work. I also searched in online shops, and they recommended the 3M brand, which is pretty pricey for me, to be honest. Is that feasible for this hobby, or will that be overkill if I use that? Lastly, if I soak the parts painted with nail polish overnight, will it have negative effects on the plastic? Brittleness, and softening of the parts? Again, seeing you reply is a pleasant surprise. Because of that, I'm now assuming that you're one of those helpful hobbyists who take their time to help other fellow hobbyists. I just want to thank you, man. I really appreciate the help!
+Alan Tan Nail polish remover is Acetone and Acetone is extremely bad for plastic. What type of nail polish are you trying to thin? I have thinned dozens of bottles now and they always thin perfectly the first time for me.
+TheGhostofZeon I bought it cheap from a night market. front of the bottle said lacquer paint but small description said acrylic. so it's confusing. I'm using hardware shop thinner. I thin 2 times thinner 1 time nail polish as I tried 1/1 makes it stuck to my airbrush. 1/2 make it work but does not have much metallic color on it.
+AT Customs if it cleans up with plain water easily, you are not going to be able to use lacquer thinner. For acrylic paints you can go to the hardware store and buy Floetrol paint conditioner it works great, even with a brush I'd you have to use one, it will make the paint "lay down" won't leave brush strokes. remember "synthetic bristles for water-based paints, real hair bristles for paints that don't clean up with soap and water". Penetrol is the conditioner made for oil based paint, use it as a thinner (not sure on lacquer paints you need to test small amount or ask FLOOD company). Scaled up to what I have had to use a brush to paint with, it makes the Cabinets look as though they have been sprayed like an auto finish. FLOOD is the brand that produces both Floetrol and Penetrol paint conditioners.
for nail polish, you should use nail polish thinner. Nail polish is made from nitrocellulose dissolved into ethyl acetate and butyl acetate. That is what is in nail polish or nail lacquer thinner. It will dry much more evenly and be more predictable if you use the proper solvent.
Nail Polish thinner can cause issues with plastics (the acetates etc) which is why I use a lacquer thinner to thin the nail polish. I have never had an issue with using lacquer thinners yet. Dade Wheless
Yes, that was going to be my suggestion to check to make sure that the thinner is right. If you can get Automotive paint lacquer thinners it would be even better than standard lacquer thinners
Hey Ghost of Z, I'd like to ask if it's possible to use nail polish as is. I mean you paint it as if you're painting your nails but on your kit instead. I tried practicing with mine but I can't seem to get the consistency right, do I still need to thin it?
+LatencyProblem Yes, you'll need to thin it as it is very thick out of the bottle. I don't recommend hand brushing it on as the pigments are finer than normal hobby paints and therefore take more to get the colour even. It is still possible to do it, I just don't think its viable.
i mean hand painting it with a paintbrush not air brush. do i still need to thin it if im painting with a paintbrush and if so will it proply stick on plastic and make it stronger?
Sam ewyk I would thin it at a lower ratio than what I do here because it is different in terms of carrier and pigment to that of hobby paints. It is still too thick out of the bottle, even hand brushing.
Alfredo Gortan in any case, i shouldn't be a jerk. That's not right. Especially when people are just asking for tips. Happy building, brother. Raise a (beautifully painted) army!
"You get a ton more colors in nail polish 5han hobby paints" Not true. "Nail polish is very tough." True but, qhat are doing with your models that require tough paint? Playing with them in the tub or sandbox?
I have always wondered about nail polish. I'll have to give it a try. My wife is really going to hate my hobby now. Thanks for the video.
As long as you can both share your cool colors, hehehe! :D
I started buying alot of different nail polishes because of the cool range of colors they have XD
Great ! Just what I was looking for and you applied the exact color I'll be using.
Nice work as always Ghost, looking forward to trying this out in the future.
Priceless tip! I wonder if I could paint up an entire model car with this...
Wow the result looks fantastic!
Awesome tutorial! It reminds me of the Gundam master video series . There was this makeup artist that use pearlescent nail polish on her mg qubeley and it looked awesome. Gotta try this.
i saw that video too, its Plamo Tsukurou series.
i was afraid of using nail polish because of its acetone, looks harmless.
Wow, that looks awesome!
Thanks for sharing this tip!
:)
I just tried it with good results!
hmmm, i wonder if this works for hand painting as well... cause as you said, nail polish have a huge range of color, especially metallic color.
Hello. I tried the very same way with the Tamiya Lacquer Thinner; consistency is ok to spray but color becomes so pale and light and wont even cover a light coat. What can i use to thin it besides Lacquer thinner ?
Slammer There is a few issues here. If the paint is very translucent, either the nail polish has been over thinned (fix by adding more nail polish to the mix), or there aren't many pigments in the nail polish (if so, then multiple coats will be needed to bring the colour up - the light blue on the Sazabi I did needed 4 coats to get the colour right). An alternative thinner is General Purpose thinners or General Lacquer thinners. These are more potent than the hobby varieties and will work with nail polish.
Ghost very good tutorial. Actually this is a very cheap alternative to the hobby. But I wonder ...
You think, application by brush would be good? As you would if you were to apply the nail polish brush?
+Diego Pimentel To get a decent colour, the nail polish would need to be thick due to the consistency of the pigments etc. Because of that, it's not really ideal for hand brushing on models.
so any of the nail polish paints in pharmacys are considered lacker paints? this is great for action figures like marvel legends? I'm thinking of usiing this method. thannks!
Not all are 'lacquers'. The Gel types are ones to steer well clear of as they will cause issues when thinned. Stick to the ones that are labelled as 'enamels'
oh okay thank you for the info.
wait, so the nail polish won´t work for strengthning joints?
It can depending on how you apply it
I must try this :) Some nice colors can be achieved with nail polish, however, I heard some nasty stories of nail polish clogging up airbrushes and messing up seals if not thinned properly...
It can depending on the pigments in the nail polish. If ever in doubt, use a paint screener that you can get at auto paint stores to strain out the larger pigments.
Nice tutorial, thank you for demonstrating. Subbed you channel.
If the nail polish happens to dry inside the airbrush gun, does running thinner through the airbrush still efficiently clear it out?
Yes, cleaning out your air brush is exactly the same, just use lacquer thinners to do it and it will be ok.
can you use acrylic paint or does that need to be thinned as well? I got an airbrush for doing nail art I guess I cloud use polish enamel thinned as well what thinner do you recommend for the paint etc.. hope you reply ☺
Paint always needs to be adjusted to be able to be sprayed through an
air brush. The type of paint you use depends on the application and the
thinner type is also based on whatever the paint type is. If you use a
lacquer based paint, use a lacquer thinner. Acrylics, use an appropriate
thinner such as Isopropyl or water.
noob question, what kind of primer is best to use with this type of method? also with regards to storage, can i use a plastic dropper bottle instead of the glass ones?
Standard modelling primers like Mr Surfacer or Tamiya Primer are best to
use. I would steer clear of Polyurethane based ones as the lacquer
thinners can react with them.
In regards to storage, any glass jar/bottle will be fine.
hi, great tutorial. However, it would have helped if you could offer some advice on preparing mixtures not just for airbrushing alone. I always hand paint my kits with nail polish so i was hoping for some advice from this video..
rick hernandez I don't hand brush nail polish, I only air brush them. I'd imagine that thinning to an appropriate mixture (maybe 70:30 nail polish to thinner?) and then applying with multiple thin coats would work. This is only a suggestion as I haven't done it personally.
I really appreciate you posting this tutorial, thanks. I have been in the mood to experiment with new colors and I came across your page here on the YT, all great videos. One question...did you prime your parts before you painted with the nail polish?
Yes, I primed all parts before painting with the nail polish. It helps with adhesion of the paint as well as giving the plastic a protective surface.
I bet you don't have to w/sand much, it went on very well. I'm looking into getting an air brush, but they're so expensive. What do you thin the nail polish with?
+Joseph Loup I use lacquer thinner to thin the nail polish.
What is the pressure and nozzle size for nail polish?
Thank you for the video! Tell me, can you airbrush UV gel top coat as a topping? UV tempered nail top coat hardens to form a nice protective surface, but is usually too thick and not smooth to use on miniatures the regular way. If so, what can you use to thin it?
No, avoid using Gel type nail polish. Just standard nail polish clears will be fine.
Nail polish works great..........One tip put the thinner in the nail polish bottle to rinse out the remaining paint.
I noticed that if I use a plastic container for mixing with thinners, It melt the bottom of plastic and after ten minutes It is over.
What size needle did you use? Thank you very much
0.3 needle
I have to try this myself! Strange though, it looks like it says Enamel on the bottle you have there...anyway I'll treat it as a lacquer and give it a go. Thanks for the tip!
I noticed that, but what nail polish people call enamel is way different to what modellers call enamel. Most nail polish is solvent based.
Interesting. Do you use primer with those paints, and if so, what type? I imagine they would dissolve it anyway if they contain acetone...?
Use Acrylic Lacquer paints and primers as they share common solvent bases
@@TheGhostofZeon Im kinda new to this whole thing, acrylic laquer == mr primer surfacer? And again, wont spraying acetone on that dissolve the primer?
@@benjimlem1284 acetone is generally a major ingredient in solvent based paints. As you are airbrushing these on, the solvents will evaporate quickly meaning that they aren't exposed to the paint below for too long. If applied correctly, there will be no issues if you use a solvent based primer such as Mr Surfacer underneath.
@@TheGhostofZeon I see, thanks :3 I dont often need a bright, glossy finish (I mostly paint warhammer figurines and WW2 tanks), but it's good to know if I ever need it :3
Hi, nice job. Tks for sharing. What kind a primer did you use with nail polish?
Mr Surfacer
@@TheGhostofZeon tks
Thanks for this great info! Will give this a go for sure. What do you think about using nail polish top coat on bare plastic?
@Bloofa Hey, wow this was a long time ago. Unfortunately no, I have not tried. I ended up using conventional method.
I know that this video is quite old now but someone here pls. tell me what kind of primer and coating to use with this? thanks!
Just use any type of lacquer primer such as Mr Surfacer, SMS, Tamiya, etc.
Would Tamiya Thinner work for this? And would this work with paint brushes too?
Lacquer thinners or General Purpose thinners will work - if Tamiya has a lacquer thinner, then yes but if it's acrylic or enamel thinners then no it wont work.
This is a really old video - but I'm hoping you will see my question:) Did I see that you poured the thinned polish into the dispenser on top of the gun? Others I have seen always used a jar screwed onto the machine, but I don't want to have that much paint...
Yes, it's a gravity fed air brush meaning the cup is on top and a part of it. Ones with the jar attachments are siphon fed types. I only use gravity fed ones as I find them much easier to use and you can get away with using a tiny amount of paint
WOW! You are the best - thank you so much for responding.. Have you ever tried gel polish? It cures try with a LED/UV nail lamp and is extremely durable. It won't remove even with acetone unless you work extra hard to do so... you have to sand it off! I am going to see if I can thin it out as much as needed for an airbrush, it's pretty thick stuff.
Gel type is not really suitable for models in my experience. The standard nail polish works best everytime.
You gotta do what works for you! Thank you so much - this video was exactly what I needed:)
What is the substance to add to the matte nail polish?
Lacquer thinner
Nail polish at Walmart is up to $7.99 a bottle. But nail polish has colors you can’t find in a hobby store.
Can ap thinner be used to clean the airbrush after use?
Did you put primer first. Before you used nail polish?
Yes, primer then base colour then the nail polish
I've tried it, and I got fantastic results! Thank you for sharing this video, TGoZ! One thing, though. For future purposes, how will I be able to strip the nail polish off of the model kit? I've watched your paint stripping tutorials, but I'm not sure which I should use. I prefer, if possible, the Bleach method. Will it work? Thanks.
+DIO BRANDO One more thing I'd like to ask is that I'm afraid that using this stuff, the nail polish and lacquer thinner, might cause some long-term negative effect on my respiratory system. What kind of respirator and gear should I wear? Will the "respirator with cylinder filter" work?
+DIO BRANDO Always get the respirators that are rated to remove fumes. The stronger the filters the better. Don't skimp on protective equipment!
+DIO BRANDO It should be easily removed with bleach or at least with something stronger like Brake Fluid, or Easy Lift Off.
+DIO BRANDO It should be easily removed with bleach or at least with something stronger like Brake Fluid, or Easy Lift Off.
Oh my, you actually replied! Awesome!
Anyway, I searched in hardware stores near my area for respirators, but all I found were them flimsy looking made in China ones, and to be honest, I'm unsure whether or not they'll work. I also searched in online shops, and they recommended the 3M brand, which is pretty pricey for me, to be honest. Is that feasible for this hobby, or will that be overkill if I use that?
Lastly, if I soak the parts painted with nail polish overnight, will it have negative effects on the plastic? Brittleness, and softening of the parts?
Again, seeing you reply is a pleasant surprise. Because of that, I'm now assuming that you're one of those helpful hobbyists who take their time to help other fellow hobbyists. I just want to thank you, man. I really appreciate the help!
Can the paint mixture be used to paint with a paintbrush instead of an airbrush?
Nigel C it's nail polish, yo. Ask your mom. (the cap has a brush inside)
Can you use this airbrushing method on metal?
Yes you can
Will the tamiya thinner work
Lacquer based thinners will work only.
Really late butbonce you opened the naol polish i could smell it so weird
My wife will not be happy now that I know I can use her nail polish to paint with XD
i tried thinning it with thinner but it dont seem to thin easily. Should i try nail polish remover instead?
+Alan Tan Nail polish remover is Acetone and Acetone is extremely bad for plastic.
What type of nail polish are you trying to thin? I have thinned dozens of bottles now and they always thin perfectly the first time for me.
+TheGhostofZeon I bought it cheap from a night market. front of the bottle said lacquer paint but small description said acrylic. so it's confusing. I'm using hardware shop thinner. I thin 2 times thinner 1 time nail polish as I tried 1/1 makes it stuck to my airbrush. 1/2 make it work but does not have much metallic color on it.
+AT Customs if it cleans up with plain water easily, you are not going to be able to use lacquer thinner. For acrylic paints you can go to the hardware store and buy Floetrol paint conditioner it works great, even with a brush I'd you have to use one, it will make the paint "lay down" won't leave brush strokes. remember "synthetic bristles for water-based paints, real hair bristles for paints that don't clean up with soap and water". Penetrol is the conditioner made for oil based paint, use it as a thinner (not sure on lacquer paints you need to test small amount or ask FLOOD company). Scaled up to what I have had to use a brush to paint with, it makes the Cabinets look as though they have been sprayed like an auto finish. FLOOD is the brand that produces both Floetrol and Penetrol paint conditioners.
for nail polish, you should use nail polish thinner. Nail polish is made from nitrocellulose dissolved into ethyl acetate and butyl acetate. That is what is in nail polish or nail lacquer thinner. It will dry much more evenly and be more predictable if you use the proper solvent.
Nail Polish thinner can cause issues with plastics (the acetates etc) which is why I use a lacquer thinner to thin the nail polish. I have never had an issue with using lacquer thinners yet. Dade Wheless
my nail polish become clumpy when I thin with home depot's thinner
it doesn't mix, both repel each other.
hah crap I found the culprit. I didn't read the small prints, it was an oil thinner I bought. uhhhh
Yes, that was going to be my suggestion to check to make sure that the
thinner is right. If you can get Automotive paint lacquer thinners it
would be even better than standard lacquer thinners
Lol :D
Hey Ghost of Z, I'd like to ask if it's possible to use nail polish as is. I mean you paint it as if you're painting your nails but on your kit instead. I tried practicing with mine but I can't seem to get the consistency right, do I still need to thin it?
+LatencyProblem Yes, you'll need to thin it as it is very thick out of the bottle. I don't recommend hand brushing it on as the pigments are finer than normal hobby paints and therefore take more to get the colour even. It is still possible to do it, I just don't think its viable.
Thanks for the reply! yeah I did try to paint it with a brush but I just cant seem to get it to stay on the plastic
If it wont stick on plastik. Dont thin it then.since you are not using an air brush.
Got one question. What about top coats?
Never mind lol
hi there did you use primer?
+Dennis Catada Yes I do, the piece in the video is primed.
can i just paint it on and if so does it still need to be thinned
Sam ewyk It must be thinned for painting. The nail polish is too thick to be just painted on by hand.
if i add thinner will it stick better as in i can't scratch it off really easy
Sam ewyk Thinner will allow you to air brush it otherwise it will be too thick and not pass through the nozzle.
i mean hand painting it with a paintbrush not air brush. do i still need to thin it if im painting with a paintbrush and if so will it proply stick on plastic and make it stronger?
Sam ewyk I would thin it at a lower ratio than what I do here because it is different in terms of carrier and pigment to that of hobby paints. It is still too thick out of the bottle, even hand brushing.
You should have done up your nails in purple for this video. Would have raised a laugh. Good tip though. Thanks.
+nibiru48 Haha, yep, would've been a bit suss if I did that. :)
Is it for brush?
Alfredo Gortan bro... it's nail polish. You think all these women have airbrushes at home?
Josh Johnston No man, I wanted to ask if the final product can be used with a brush ...
Alfredo Gortan D'oh! I guess my reading skills need some help. Or maybe i just shouldn't be a smarmy jerk. Sorry.
Josh Johnston no problem I also expressed myself badly, putting is for brush. XD
Alfredo Gortan in any case, i shouldn't be a jerk. That's not right. Especially when people are just asking for tips. Happy building, brother. Raise a (beautifully painted) army!
video starts at 2:28
"You get a ton more colors in nail polish 5han hobby paints" Not true. "Nail polish is very tough." True but, qhat are doing with your models that require tough paint? Playing with them in the tub or sandbox?
Sometimes you just want tough paint. I paint everything with nail polish
makes it clog for me :S
I should be wearing gloves for this........Women, Paints nails.........