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Rudimentary paint question

Lately I notice my Tamiya paints tend to clump and dry way too fast if I try to brush them. Is there a retarder you use to make them more brush friendly? I made a mess on one of my side projects, and I'd like to avoid repeating it!
 
There is a retarder for Tamiya, but I have not used it. The only way I had had any success brushing Tamiya jar paints is when they have been thinned and over a primed surface. I'll be interested to hear other's input.
Best wishes!
:good:
 
Work faster? :frantic

It's rare I brush them, generally just to touch up or a small surface. I do thin it with Tamiya white cap thinner when doing this. Not sure that's considered a retarder.
 
While I'm sure someone somewhere gets good results brushing Tamiya, I've never seen it. They're not a true acrylic, they are ether based. That's what makes them so popular, they are almost enamel like, but spray well because the ether evaporates quickly. Great for AB, horrible for hand brushing. I'm sure the make a retarder, it's Tamiya after all.

Honestly, true acrylics like Vallejo, Citadel, Reaper, etc hand brush like a dream. Add some flow improver and retarder and it'll stay workable for hours, paint thin and you can keep a wet edge forever. Add a wet palette and you can spread the project over week or more and still have fresh paint to use (mainly for figure painting where you layer colors).
 
Tamiya does have a retarder now. It's in a sky-blue-topped jar; I picked some up some time ago for the Tamiya paints I still have.
 
I have been using retarder and flow release (Golden) with Tamiya paints for years. It really helps in brushing and air brushing. I don't brush Tamiya paints a whole lot any more.
 
Thanks for the feedback. Glad to know I'm not the only one with problems brushing it!
I have a pretty nice inventory of Tamiya, so thats why I'm reluctant to switch brands.
-J
 
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