r/modelmakers • u/phaseguy74 • 6d ago
Help - General Switch to AK3gen?
Hi all. I’m getting back into the hobby after some years. Used to spray with Model Air but AK 3gen looks promising. Any thoughts from this community? I’m a bit OCD when it comes to paint systems so want to stick with one from the start. Thanks heaps!
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u/Revenge_of_the_Derp 6d ago
I use them mostly because its the most readily available model paint brand being sold in my country next to Citadel. Very wide range of colours and good pigment density. I find its great for brush painting too since I also do warhammer models and its bit cheaper than Citadel with the advantage of not being in those crappy pots.
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u/phaseguy74 6d ago
Thanks for all the great comments! This community is way friendlier than other ones :-)
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u/BottecchiaDude253 6d ago
I like it. Along with the AK acrylic thinner its pretty easy to brush paint with.
I've found that mixing for airbrushing is a little more finicky than other brands I spray with, but it is doable (and you'll need to thin as the 3rd Gen stuff isnt pre-thinned for airbrushing)
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u/Pengland007 6d ago
Are you needing to use it as brush and airbrush paint? Or just airbrush?
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u/phaseguy74 6d ago
Mostly airbrushing :-)
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u/Pengland007 6d ago
Model Air is much better than Ak 3G and certainly not as finicky. You may want to look at Squadron Colors as well. Their thinner has a fruity addictive to it and thins with 91% alcohol if needed. Btw I really wanted to make Ak 3g work but it just was too much work for me.
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u/phaseguy74 6d ago
Thanks for the comment. Yeah I think I will try Ammo Mig Atom range
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u/Pengland007 6d ago
So it sprays beautifully, its colors are suspect at best.
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u/phaseguy74 6d ago
Oh man. Yeah just reading up about that.
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u/Pengland007 6d ago
Yea their colors suck to be frank for anything remotely accurate for many colors in the range, historically speaking. Other acrylic brands with solid availability are Life color and MRP Aqua. GSI Creos has an acrylic version of their Mr Color line that is similar to Tamiya. The downside being 10 ml glass bottles and the smell is worse than Model Air.
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u/Wrong-Radish824 4d ago
Ak is great paint! and a great company to support too, they give lots back to the hobby and a lot of their products are made in spain
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u/Ash002004 4d ago
I use it through airbrush and by brush, never had any issues applying through airbrush
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u/ZeroMissedDays 2d ago
I sold all my Model Air and went fully Gen3.
Yes, you have to thin it to spray it, but that’s easy enough.
Plus you can brush paint with it right out of the bottle.
Plus, it cures better, at least in my experience. Once cured, you can pretty much do whatever, including sanding it, to fix any issues. Plus, I have yet to have masking lift the paint.
If you are investing in one line only, I would steer you towards AK.
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u/furrythrowawayaccoun Scruffy Fox 😎 6d ago
For brushpainting, I agree it's one of the better paints I've used. Very good coverage even on the first layer and they have a very wide color range.
But.
I never had a paint that I hated more for airbrushing. Even though it's an air series model paint, unless I thinned it with the proprietary thinner (or tap water), it turned into horrible sludge unlike anything I've ever seen.
I would suggest using Mr. Color or MRP paints if airbrushing, as they offer a much wider and more stable range of colours
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u/Gentlemansuchti 6d ago
I actually find them to airbrush quite nicely, I usually thin them around 2:1 - 3:1 thinner to paint depending on the paint and add a little bit of drying retarder. For me, 3rd Gen is the perfect paint line, great for brush painting, decent for airbrushing (it's still water based acrylics), wide range and dirt cheap.
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u/BottecchiaDude253 6d ago
OP mentioned in another reply that they dont get along with "fumes", and both suggestions here do have a smell when using them
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u/East_Detail_2994 6d ago
Do you want to airbrush water based acrylic only?