A paint question.

[YingJanshi]

Hey guys! Is there any way to "firm" up a paint? I'm trying something new, but the paint is a bit too runny, keeps getting in places I don't want it.

First time using Americana brand paint.

[Charlie Tango]

Hey guys! Is there any way to "firm" up a paint? I'm trying something new, but the paint is a bit too runny, keeps getting in places I don't want it.

First time using Americana brand paint.

If you are using the paint straight out of the bottle and it's already too runny, the issue is the paint itself. Generally the cheaper the craft paint, the bigger the problem this is typically.

Only solution I would say is let it sit for a few minutes and dry out a little bit before using it.

[Kat]

It could be that the paint has settled, too. I got a silver craft paint the other day that was initially coming out of the bottle like water. I had to get a stick and really work at mixing it back together before I got a proper consistency.

If you're still having issues, you might try looking at artist acrylic paints. (They come in tubes.) It's more expensive, but it's better paint.

[YingJanshi]

The problem I'm having is that I was trying to use this paint to highlight different edges and the paint simply refuses to stick to the layer of paint underneath. The thing is its Americana's Glow-in-the-Dark paint.

Had my mini painted a dark charcoal gray and then was going to highlight it with this paint...if it would have worked I know it would have looked cool.  :(

[Kat]

Are both layers acrylic?

[SteelWarrior]

Hey guys! Is there any way to "firm" up a paint? I'm trying something new, but the paint is a bit too runny, keeps getting in places I don't want it.

First time using Americana brand paint.

Yea I would def open the top and put the back end of a crappy paint brush into the bottle and check to see if the bottom of the container is caked with sludge

[YingJanshi]

The first layer was a regular GW paint.

[Mohammed As`Zaman Bey]

Try placing BBs in the jar and giving it a good shaking to make certain it hasn't settled. I use an airbrush so I prefer thinner paints but if you're using bristles you want a thicker consistency.

[Charlie Tango]

Try placing BBs in the jar and giving it a good shaking to make certain it hasn't settled. I use an airbrush so I prefer thinner paints but if you're using bristles you want a thicker consistency.

A bit of sprue also works well as an agitator like that. 

[klarg1]

A bit of sprue also works well as an agitator like that.

Yeah, I clip apart pewter sprue from battlemech minis for that job.  Just make sure it's not small enough / pointy enough to get lodged in the nozzle of a dropper bottle (if relevant). O0

For paint sticking:
One trick that might help you to get paint layers to stick together would be to add a layer of matte varnish, like Dullcote, to the mini between layers. It has a bit of "tooth" to it, and should hold paint better than, say, a gloss layer.

[abou]

The other suggestion would be to try matte medium to thin your paints.  It is basically paint without the pigment.

[Kiff_Stevenson]

Another thing you might try:

Sometimes it's hard for a paint to adhere (or smoothly spread out on and stick to) a glossy surface. Perhaps you could hit your mini with a coat of matte sealer before trying to apply the glow-in-the-dark highlights. Matte finishes are 'bumpier' than glossy ones - that's why they don't reflect light in the same way - and it will be easier to get your paint to behave on such a surface.

I too think your scheme will look cool!   O0

**edit: whoops! I didn't see that klarg1 already suggested this. Sorry!