Airbrush Thinner 17ml

Vallejo Airbrush Thinner 17 ml, a thinner for the airbrush

Airbrush Thinner from Vallejo is a thinner for acrylic paints intended for spraying with an airbrush, in a 17 ml dropper bottle. It is water-based, with no organic solvents.

What it IS: an auxiliary product for thinning acrylic paints to a sprayable consistency. What it is NOT: it is not a paint, it has neither a shade nor covering power. Nor is it a varnish, it does not protect the surface and does not change its sheen. And it is not an airbrush cleaner either, as a separate cleaner serves for flushing the gun.

Use: why a thinner and not plain water

Water will thin an acrylic paint too, but water only thins the paint, nothing more. It breaks the ratio of binder to pigment, reduces adhesion and, above all, does nothing about the drying speed. The paint then dries right on the airbrush nozzle, the effect known as tip dry, the gun spits, sprays grainy and the finish comes out coarse.

Airbrush Thinner additionally contains components that slow drying and improve the flow of the paint. The manufacturer describes it as a product that increases the fluidity of the paint and extends its drying time without changing the properties of the paint itself. In practice that means:

• the paint does not dry in the nozzle, so there is less clogging and less interrupted spray,
• a smoother, finer finish with no graininess and no webbing,
• adhesion and covering power preserved, unlike over-thinning with water,
• better leveling, meaning a more even film and fewer visible transitions,
• a longer open time for soft transitions, shading and misting.

Thin the paint gradually, drop by drop from the dropper, to the consistency of thin milk and always mix it thoroughly. The amount of thinner depends on the paint, the nozzle and the pressure; metallics and thicker shades need more. Tools and the gun are cleaned with water or a cleaner after work, not with thinner.

Who the thinner is for

For anyone who sprays Vallejo acrylic paints with an airbrush, from base coats to fine modulation and transitions. It is practically compulsory equipment as soon as you move from the brush to the gun.

Ensure sufficient ventilation and protect your airways when spraying. Keep out of the reach of children. Close the bottle tightly after use.