Paint Mediums, Thinners and Airbrush Supplies

Paint mediums and auxiliaries cover everything that isn't colour but makes your paint work better: thinners, flow improver, retarder, mediums, liquid mask, decal products, and airbrush cleaners and brush cleaners. All from Vallejo.

Pick a couple of the right ones and you'll see a real difference, especially with an airbrush. Below we explain what each one does and which are worth buying first.

Thinner, flow improver and retarder

Airbrush thinner thins paint without breaking it down, which is better than water, because water separates the pigment. For brush painting, use thinner 70524. As a rough guide: up to 50 % for brushwork and up to 25 % for airbrushing.

Flow improver helps the paint flow and stops it drying on the airbrush nozzle, the most common airbrushing headache. Retarder slows down drying: a few drops give you time to blend colours on the mini without leaving hard edges.

Mediums: glazes, matt, gloss and metal

Mediums are paint without the pigment. Mixed with your colours, they change how the paint behaves. Glaze medium gives you transparent layers for smooth transitions and filters. Matt medium and gloss medium change the finish of the paint without changing the colour.

Metal medium thins and extends metallics without losing their shine, and Xpress Color medium thins Xpress Color paints without spoiling their shading effect. For effects, chipping medium does chipped paint on vehicles and armour, and crackle medium gives you cracked surfaces.

Liquid mask, putty and decals

Liquid mask protects an area while you paint right next to it. Brush it on, paint over it and, when you peel it off, the masked area is untouched. Very handy with an airbrush, for camo patterns and for keeping eyes or gems clean.

Vallejo plastic putty fills seams and small gaps before priming. For bigger gaps or repairs, have a look at adhesives and fillers. If you use decals, decal softener helps them settle over raised detail and curves, and decal fixer sets them down without bubbles.

What each Vallejo medium and auxiliary does

Product	What it does
Airbrush thinner	Thins paint for the airbrush without separating the pigment
Thinner 70524	Thins paint for brushwork
Flow improver	Helps paint flow and stops it drying on the nozzle
Retarder	More time to blend colours
Glaze medium	Transparent layers, filters and transitions
Matt medium	Makes any colour more matt
Gloss medium	Adds gloss to any colour
Metal medium	Thins metallics without losing their shine
Xpress Color medium	Thins Xpress Color without losing the effect
Chipping medium	Chipped paint effect
Crackle medium	Cracked surface effect
Liquid mask	Protects areas while you paint
Plastic putty	Fills seams and small gaps
Decal softener	Settles decals over raised detail
Decal fixer	Fixes decals without bubbles
Airbrush cleaner	Dissolves dried paint in the airbrush
Brush cleaner	Removes paint from the base of the bristles
Brush restorer	Rescues brushes with dried paint

Cleaning your airbrush and brushes

Acrylic paint dries fast and, if it's left inside the airbrush, it clogs it. Airbrush cleaner dissolves dried paint. With a cleaning station you can clean the airbrush without spraying paint mist all over the place.

For brushes, brush cleaner removes paint from the base of the bristles, which is where it builds up and splays the tip. If a brush already has a splayed tip or dried paint in it, brush restorer can often bring it back. More tips in how to clean your brushes.

contenido complpeto del SET PALETA HÚMEDA Vallejo Pro Painter Size - Mr Resin

Wet palette and paper

A wet palette keeps paint workable for hours instead of drying in minutes like on a normal palette. It saves paint and lets you mix without rushing. Replacement paper and sponges are in wet palettes.

To wipe your brush, unload paint or dry the airbrush, keep a good paper roll within reach.

Which supplies to buy first

If you only paint with a brush: thinner, a wet palette and brush cleaner. That alone makes a big difference. If you airbrush, add airbrush thinner, flow improver and airbrush cleaner.

The rest, such as mediums, mask or decal products, you can add when you need them for a specific technique. Paints, brushes, primers and varnishes are all together in miniature paints.

Frequently asked questions about paint mediums and thinners

For brushwork, a little water is fine. For airbrushing or heavy thinning, use a proper thinner: water breaks up the pigment and the paint loses adhesion.

Thinner makes the paint thinner. Flow improver helps it flow and slows down drying on the airbrush nozzle (tip dry). With an airbrush, most people use both.

It slows down drying, so you have more time to blend colours on the mini or to work calmly on the palette.

A clear medium you mix with paint to make translucent layers. Use it for smooth transitions, filters and to shift the tone of an area slightly.

Brush it onto the area you want to protect, let it dry, paint over it and then peel it off. The masked area stays exactly as it was.

With airbrush cleaner. Run it through the airbrush and, if needed, take out the needle and nozzle and leave them to soak in cleaner for a while. Always clean up when you finish.

Often, yes, with brush restorer. If the tip has splayed because of dried paint at the base of the bristles, the restorer dissolves it and the brush gets its shape back.

For brush painting: thinner, a wet palette and brush cleaner. If you airbrush, add airbrush thinner, flow improver and airbrush cleaner.

For chipped paint effects. Paint the bottom colour, apply chipping medium, paint the top colour, then rub with a damp brush and the top layer flakes off wherever you want.

Yes, with any water-based acrylic paint. If you mix brands, test first on a piece you don't mind ruining.