Mission Models has a new line of ‘airbrush ready’ acrylic paints. These paints are odorless, spray easily to a nice, hard, even finish, and have less ‘tip-drying’ than other acrylic paints. The paints come in 1 oz. dropper bottles to facilitate measuring and contain a BB to help mix the paint.

MMP paints include the following:

• Acrylic paint in 1 oz. dropper bottles.
• Acrylic thinner in 2 oz. & 4 oz. bottles
• Acrylic primer in 1 oz. bottles
• Polyurethane mix additive in 2 oz. bottles

Acrylic Paint

MMP paints are non-solvent based, odorless, organic acrylics that produce a flat finish. The paints appear thicker than other paints. MMP says that compared to other paints that are thinned to the consistency of skim milk, MMP paints appear to be “full fat”, but can still be sprayed right out of the bottle. MMP says their paints are “triple pigmented” with fine pigments to obtain coverage with thin coats of paint. The ‘grain’ of the pigments was not evident in any of the samples I painted as they produce a finely grained finish.

MMP recommends thinning their paint 2-3 drops of thinner to 10 drops of paint (20-30%). MMP cautions against using too much thinner, particularly with the metallic colors, which are thinner than other colors. All paint & thinner should be stirred in a paint cup to mix, not shaken. The paints can be sprayed at 10, 15, or 20 PSI depending on other conditions, although I used higher pressures in hot weather. MMP recommends spraying in temperatures of at least 60° F, and suggests that the paint can be sprayed in high temperatures. Adding the Poly Intermix should help with tip-drying of the airbrush.

I was particularly interested in testing the paints in hot weather when I have not been able to spray other acrylics. I sprayed the MMP paints in temperatures of 90° and humidity of 5% at 20 – 25 psi. The first thing I noticed was that I had to pull back further on the airbrush trigger to get paint flow, although the quantity of paint did not seem any greater. After about five minutes I got some minor tip-drying that went away after a few quick stabs of the airbrush trigger. After about 10 minutes I got some minor spotting, so I added additional thinner to the airbrush paint cup up to about five drops per 10 drops of paint. Otherwise, the paints worked well in these hot, dry conditions.

They paint smooths out very nicely and I had no problems with runs or drips. The paint coverage is very good and I only used 30 drops of paint for the chassis and engine shown in the photos. The paint seemed to go on thick, but it did not hide even the finest details. I sprayed multiple thin, wet coats a few minutes apart. The paint sprays thin enough to show pre-shading and could be used to create transparency effects.

The paints can also be brushed straight from the bottle. Adding Poly Intermix helps to blend by slowing drying of the paint. I brushed some minor touch-up areas and had no problems with coverage. The paints dry to the touch in 15 minutes. The airbrush can be cleaned with water, but MMP suggests a final wash with their Thinner. I used the thinner for clean-up but did not test cleaning with water

Thinner/Reducer

The MMP Thinner can be used to thin paints and clean airbrushes. I used the thinner to clean the airbrush.

Primer

MMP primer is a two-part system and appears thick compared to other paints. It must be ‘activated’ with MMP’s thinner (reducer), and cannot be thinned with other products. The primer should be thinned 1-3 drops thinner to 10 drops of primer. Like the paints, I found the primer to produce a nice, smooth, finish, slightly flatter than the paints with poly intermix.

The color of the red oxide primer seemed a little darker and browner than I was expecting, but I did not have another red oxide primer for comparison. I compared it to PollyScale zinc chromate primer, and the MMP primer is more brown and darker. Comparing the primer on the model to primer sprayed on the black bottle cap, it appears the primer over the tan plastic is lighter.

Polyurethane Intermix

The Poly Intermix is an optional additive that increases flow from an airbrush to help avoid tip-drying, and slows drying for a smoother finish. Add one or two drops of MMP Polyurethane Intermix when spraying straight from the bottle, and 2-3 drops for thinned paint. The Poly adds a slight eggshell finish compared to a flat finish for the paint without Poly. I found the poly did reduce tip-drying enough to allow painting in hot weather conditions.

Other Effects

MMP says Enamel and oil washes can be used with the paints, as well as many clear coats, although I didn’t try them. Transparent effects such as pre-shading can be achieved using thin coats of MMP paints.

I tested the paints to see if they would work with hair spray chipping. MMP says the paint will work with water, ammonia-based window cleaners, or their own thinner to activate the hairspray for chipping. I didn’t have any success with plain water, and Windex only worked with difficulty. MMP’s thinner however, worked very well. It acts quickly and can be controlled to produce several different chipping effects.

Color Charts

I received a color chart of MMP’s paints with my order, along with a handy guide for the correct mixing ratios. The color chart lists the currently available colors, although the chips do not match the actual paint colors very well, as shown in one of the photos.

Summary

The Mission Model Paints work very well, no stink, no fumes, airbrush easily, and produce a nice smooth coat of paint. The polyurethane intermix reduces tip-drying and improves flow so the paints can be sprayed in hot weather. The dropper caps are convenient for measuring paint and the BBs quickly mix paints in the bottles.

This is a great new product that I plan to start replacing my other acrylics and use a lot more. Thanks to Mission Model Paints for producing these great paints!