I find this channel so wholesome for some reason. Love having these on in the background while I paint

The new Tamiya Lacquer Thinner with Retarder is the functional equivalent of the Mr Color Levelling Thinner. Plus they have also released a small, 40 ml bottle labelled as "Paint Retarder - Lacquer", which, I understand is the Retarder agent in a small bottle, which you can add a small amount (say 5-10 ml to any Lacquer thinner and change it to the "Levelling" or "Retarder" type of Lacquer thinner. The Tamiya lacquers in the bottle are already close to airbrush thin, much more so than the Mr Color range, which are quite thick in the bottle. This is the only drawback to the paints, as they will not last as long being thinned already. They are, indeed, Great model paints and I have been using them for some months after they turned up in the LH stores inAuckland over a year ago.

Andy, thanks heaps for the tip re the thinner ratio, it’s perfect. This is my first time with the Tamiya lacquer paints, they do go on very smooth.

Hi Andy! Thanks for sharing this 'how to' lacquer paints. The tips you said are very useful. I will give them a try. Until now I used regular Tamiya's Acrylic-Lacquer paints and some AK Real Colors as well as Gunze Mr. Color. Hope everything is fine in Arizona. Stay safe!

Well, this video is two birds with one stone. Most of the people don't grasp the importance of proper lighting. You showed everybody how a lightsource can distort the perception of color! (I can say you shed some light on it.) A HUGE up for this! I hope people learn from it. I had problems with lamps in the past (especially with mainstream (even expensive, but mainstream) LED lamps). There were more than one case when I was forced to repaint a model because originally painted in the light of a bad lamp. The Sun judged those paintjobs harshly. BTW: just another fine paint series from Tamiya. They again supply us with great products, which you can rely. And they won't change it from time to time, because they don't know what they do. No, they started the development years before the product hit the market. So the final product is already exquisite.

I can't wait for these to come out. They are excellent quality!

Thanks for the quick vid, just bought some to do a couple of Tamiya 1/24 scale cars. Hello from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

I can't wait until these Tamiya LP's hit the US! I have been waiting for them for a long time! I personally think lacquers are much easier to work with than any other type of paint (airbrush-wise). I have used lacquers throughout my entire hobby and model life and I've always used them as a professional model builder. IMO, they are easier to clean through airbrushes than water based acrylics because of their dissolve properties. I know they are a lot more toxic and much care and proper gloves and respiratory devices must always be used but, lacquers are just industrial strength, vibrant and ultra smooth. I just wish Mr. Hobby would be more willing to conform to US OSHA requirements so their Mr. Color lacquer based paints can be a lot more readily available here.

If LP paints ever come to my Hobbytown, I'll certainly be giving them a try. One thing I found with the metallic paints is in addition to shaking them, I like to just use a toothpick to get all that pigment mixed up. For the longest time I hated flat aluminium and titanium gold and silver because they were so thing and terrible. I mixed em up with a toothpick and man, so much had settled that wouldn't mix up just by shaking.

Hey Andy thx for techs and tips , right on. My choice is the acrylic Tamiyas my fav. But you made a great video And experimenting with the lacquer's Well done Andy!!! Cheers Always love your vids and apperciate you!!!

Tamiya recommends a paint/thinner ratio from 1/1 up to 1/2. I always use 1/1 and it's a pleasure to work with. You can get much more spraypaint out of one jar....

Looking forward to using these in the near future hopefully. Thanks for sharing and take care.

A gentleman who works at the hobby store I frequent suggested putting a couple bb's in each jar of paint and I gotta say that it does a great job of mixing the paint when I shake it.

Thanks Andy. Very helpful review. There were, however, two pieces of information I was especially looking for that you didn't cover: odor and toxicity.

thanks for the video andy. I have been looking at these but was unclear as to what their purpose was. Have been using tamiya acrylics and lately mission models acrylics which I love!

These are available in the UK. I bought some recently and have tired them out on some scrap plastic card. I recommend wearing a mask and have plenty of ventilation when using these paints. They smell really strong.

Very useful info very clearly stated. Thanks so much for sharing.

Outstanding video and presentation.

I may be oversimplifying and not everyone will agree but here are some pros and cons and answers to commonly asked questions regarding the lacquer paints. Bear in mind that I mostly build vintage large scale Motorsport automobile kits. : Pros: much harder finish. The finish is Rock hard when tapping with your finger, as opposed to the spongy/tacky feeling of say Testors enamel paints. Dries very quickly. In minutes you are ready for your second coat and even masking. More durable. Finish stands up to handling better than acrylic which I have found can scrape off. Stands up well to weathering with different solvent based paints like enamel washes, oil paints, etc. Cons: smell. The vapors are very strong. These paints should be used in a well ventilated area and preferably in a spray booth. The user should consider wearing a mask or respirator. Hand painting is challenging Cannot be cleaned with water. Needs to be cleaned with lacquer thinner (I use big box store lacquer thinner for cleaning only. I use dedicated hobby grade thinner for paint thinning). Wild cards: availability. Lacquer paints are harder to come by in the US. Model Master had a line of lacquer paints but they are no longer available. I’m very excited that tamiya LP will soon be available. Expense: so far I see the cost is very similar to acrylic. Manufacturer variability: I trust tamiya and gunze mr. color paints. They are specifically designed for models. However some commercially available LP paints may be too “hot” and require special attention when using (automotive grade Duplicolor as an example). I highly recommend testing lacquer paints on scrap plastic or an old model before committing to your build. Spray technique: multiple light coats is preferred to help avoid orange peel, runs, and “crazing”. Thinning: I thin 1:1. The solvent tends to evaporate so you may need to add more thinner if you are painting for an extended period of time. Color options: so far I have seen that acrylics are offered in much more color options than lacquer. I get dizzy just looking at all the choices for Vallejo. Having said that I find that I use the same 10 or so lacquer paints for everything except the body. Priming: I prime everything using tamiya fine white or gray primer rattle cans. I don’t know how well lacquer paints would work without priming.

So I just started using the LP paints, wasnt real thrilled with them, at first, and then I came across your video. I'm doing a Ferrari F310B and the engine cover came out all rough, so I sanded it down and ended up using Rustoleum Apple Red. I think had I watched this prior to starting it, I think it would have turned out better. I tested a couple of small pieces with the LP and the trick, I found, to get the gloss is to put it on heavy. More testing to do but I think I got it!

I'm just getting back into military model making after 50 years, and see it's a game of fit and paint finish now. I bought a paint booth / paint mask and the safety/smell isn't an issue. Would you recommend going straight to LP range over the acrylic tamiya range (I want to do the best paint job I can). All aircraft/armour (military stuff).

Cooolll Stuff Andy, thanks for Sharing n God Bless All.

Very informative video and useful information about this product thanks Andy Steve 🇬🇧

Thanks for the great tutorial! Really helpful, no more trying to find correct mix. And what I'v found out you could get really glossy surface even whitout clear cote on solid colors. But mica etc metallic shade needs little cleat cote on them.

The silvers are super smooth, ideal for their candy coats

Nice paints. The sparkling silver is so nice but I noticed that it scratches very easily. It needs a clear coat to protect it. Tamiya LP has a clear gloss and a clear flat For cleaning the airbrush I use cheap hardware store lacquer thinner or Acetone.

I’ve been waiting for tamiya LP for forever to arrive In the US. When will they be available for purchase in your store?

Thanks to the Bone Heads in Cal oil and petroleum enamel based paints have been outlawed on the excuse of health and safety reasons . I discovered that Testers was one of the first to start the switch over to acrylic based paints . Lucky Tamiya has always had acrylic based paints although I had to go over the work that I had done . This started with a base coat of acrylic primer after gently ruffing the enamel finish .

I may have missed something, but can you brush paint with the new LP paints? Thanks. Great video. Thanks for the info.

Interesting video about how to use lacquer paints from tamiya, and can be lacquer thinner use with tamiya acryl color or other like ak,gunze?

Hi Andy, great review. Does the pre thinning affect the shelf life of the paint?

Been using it for a while....1ml paint to 2ml thinner with retarder. Goes on well. Same for clear coat.

Great news. I hate having to decan the can stuff because the pigment pull back on lighter colors like red any yellow.

Hi Andy, i am just getting into airbrushing Tamiya paints and i was wondering if you would tell me how to thin Tamiya XF86 flat clear with Tamiya X-20A. Is it 2 part flat clear to 1 part thinner the same as XF paint and with the same air pressure between 15 - 20 psi. Keep up the brilliant videos. They are so informative. Len.

This new range is a revelation. I was dubious I admit, but I am won over. They are best sprayed I have to say, no question. Small areas can be brushed, but personally speaking, I'd avoid that. Properly thinned, the colours I have thus far tried go down beautifully and dry rapidly to a gorgeous silky smooth finish. The Sparkling Silver, I have found, although still a little way off, is heading towards a natural metal finish My only quibble is that, like Tamiya's acrylics, the colour range is far too small.

Nice video Andy....... Thanks for sharing!! 👍👍👍👍👍

Sweet, I've been slowly collecting all the LP paints now. I'm skipping the military colors. I've got all X and XF paints as well. I'm getting the LP's from another country. Thanks for the mixing tip.

Thank you for this video

I would say this should be titled "How to thin, paint and clean Tamiya LP series, but only when requiring a very basic finish, and at great expense" Why expense? Well since you're using Tamiya brand thinner and cleaner, when there's cheaper, better alternatives (aka Mr Levelling Thinner and hardware store lacquer thinner as a cleaner respectively) and because by filling up your jars, your paint won't last as long and you can't adjust your paint mix later on for finer camouflage or detailed painting and need to buy another jar, aka you'll need multiple pots of paint. I would suggest to modellers that they should mix your paint according to your own specific conditions (airbrush type/needle size, opacity and coverage required for the particular task, temperature/humidity at your workbench etc). While this seems complicated, it will only take at most a few sessions at the bench using some paint samples and changing your PSI on the compressor, playing around with mixing ratios, trying different media (e.g primed and unprimed plastic, etc) so that it suits you. Also invest in some pipettes, a good stirring stick (Tamiya makes a great one), and some tattoo ink cups for mixing and thinning paint OUTSIDE the airbrush. This is all part of airbrush discipline, and I don't think this magic bullet or one size fits all mixing ratio is sound advice for all modellers. Cheers, Chris

Thanks for the video! Which needle do you use?

Hey Andy. Great video. I have a doubt between the clear gloss X-22 and the LP-9. Any insights? Thanks 😊

Hi, nice video! Liked and subbed. Do you recommend using the same thinning method if you're going to be painting with a normal paintbrush? Also, does Tamiya brand lacquer thinner have to be used, or can you use a generic brand? Thanks!

Hey andy, what's the difference between the black labels and the white labels? Does it have something to do with what primer base should be used with it?

I'm building a 3D printed plastic 1/16 RC tank and I'm wondering if I can use Tamiya XF acrylic paints (round bottle) for the lower hull, or should I use LP instead. Will LP have a significant difference against XF series in terms of protection from scratches, paint durability ?

When will these be here in the US? From what I understand they're available in every country including Canada except the US

Do you spray the lacquer directly on the plastic or prime first? If so, what primer is recommended?

I WISH Tamiya would replicate the Testors Metalizer line up. Anyway, I just picked up 10 bottles of Tamiya bottle Lacquer paints. They have AWESOME colors, especially the Pearl White. I am gonna shoot a 67 Mustang Fastback . I hope I pick up the hang of using this paint. I'm tired of my mediocre paint jobs. I wanna take the next step. ULTRA HIGH GLOSS finish. HEY, thanks for the review / tutorial.

Hi Excellent Can one use an acrylic primer with the LP paints? Thank you and regards, Rob from UK

Hey Andy are you by chance able to get kits in for customers on your website if you do not have it in your store?

Thanks for all your videos keep up the good work, Question: How do know which is Gloss and which is Flat in LP range?

Can you paint thin lines with these (and I mean thin aka 0,5mm or less) thinned as you did?

Hi Andy, that seems to be a great paint, I will still keep with the acrylics, so I can paint i side, did yoh use a extraction fan or booth? Best regards from Australia.

Have you found that different colors have different consistencies or thicknesses? I only have a few colors in this line but I must say that the consistency of the paints appears to be similar between colors and on the thin side but without owning them all, I can't say whether I would be comfortable just using the inside rim for every single paint.

Thank you.

Any idea when they will be available in the US?

That’s for the great video. Just subscribed 🤙🏽

This is a good intro on the Tamiya Lacquer Paintos, but I have one important comment: Using that meaningless lip in the bottle to gauge how much thinner required is a bad idea. First of all, Tamiya paints are known to be inconsistent. You can get slightly different colours between bottles, as well as different volumes of paint. Therefore, thinning to that level will not always provide the same thinning ratio. Second of all, you need to thin Tamiya acrylics and LPs more than that. That ratio is at best 50/50. This is going to put new inexperienced modelers down a path of orange peel and thick applications...just poor pebbly surface finish. You should always thin Tamiya paint at least 60 to 70% thinner, and even more if you're doing camouflage work. This will give a much more smooth application, and allow the finish to be built up in 2 or 3 passes as it should be done. Third of all, pre-thinning your paints with a specific thinner makes it impossible for people to try out other thinners with their paints that are superior like Mr Color Lacquer Thinner. That's the best thinner for these lacquer paints, so I wouldn't recommend kneecapping all your bottles before you've discovered all the options. This hobby involves experimentation and learning, so that should be left open. Last of all, Tamiya LPs are really are actually quite useful for drybrushing in certain applications (contrasting with Tamiya acrylics) so once again, pre-thinning the bottles destroys this option.

did you have any picture/video using pearl blue tamiya color?

Looks good for no Primer

Would lacquer paints be more advised if i wanted a smoother finish on my car models? Thanks for the video and hope your well.

Hello Andy, ive been watching your stuff and got my self an airbrush. Im really enjoying my new hobby so thank you. Ive been painting a few tanks and used your techniques which are turning out great. However i want to try weathering them now. So what is it you use to seal your model before moving on to the weathering?

Here where I live we have these Tamiya lacquers available for quite some time and I have personally used them and they really do work well. However, they share the same problem as Tamiya enamels and that is they do have quality, but not quantity. The range of available Tamiya paints is questionable at best when compared to their competitors. It happens again and again when I'm checking needed paints for some Tamiya kit I have just bought and even though that kit has been around for ages and is nothing special just some very well known and common WWII plane or armored vehicle, still in the attached paint guide you find that all main camo colors must be mixed and some of them even from three or even more paints. That's when I say: "not again" to myself and open Gunze paints catalog. Asking from us - very mediocre modelers to mix main colors for even very mainstream paint schemes from three or even four colors is ridiculous and that's why I'm mostly using Gunze these days despite Tamiya paints having an overall higher quality.

You say you're getting a colour cast from your filming lights.? You should get lamps that have a colour temperature of 5000 degrees kelvin. This is equivalent to daylight at midday giving a true colour rendition. Hope you don't mind me saying. Even so, your videos are excellent and thank you very much. Best wishes, Graham.

I'm wondering what clear coat to use on these colours, as i am completely new to using other paints than waterbased acrylics (Aqua Color by Revell) . I assume i can use the lp-9 by tamiya, but what other types of clear varnishes would be compatible? Thanks a lot for any advice :)

Nice review Andy. Do you shipped worldwide?

nice info video how about a video that shows in what order to paint such as Primer base coat? clear decals wearthing clear? Zdid I make my self clear enough

Hi Andy! ThanX for the review! In Sweden we can buy the LP-serie. I have bought a few jars but if I don´t want to thin an whole jar can You please give an ratio for 10 drops of color, please?

Could you use Mr Color thinner with this paint?

Using the Tamiya Lacquer Thinner to remove some unwanted paint Toys works but I hope it doesn't break when removing a lot.

How do you determine from this LP series which is flat and which is gloss?

Anyway to pre-order these paints?

What pressure are you running with this ratio?

Which tip were you using on your airbrush? Mine has 3 different ones.

Questione, Better 1 thinner 2color. Or 1/1.thanks

How long would you wait for additional coats?

I noticed that you dropped lacquer thinner straight into the bottle of paint? Does that mean it won't need thinning in the future?

Did you prime before painting?

HELP MAN. How do you apply the Tamiya TS-13 Clear over Tamiya Lacquer LP-41 Mica blue. Please explain when its time to clear coat a model car kit after painting it with the LP-41 Mica blue. Ive heard some say apply 2 mists coats and 2 wet coats 15 minutes in between each and directly after final coat of the MICA Blue. I tried this and failed. Then I heard wait 14 days to fully gas out and then apply the Tamiya TS-13 What is the proper way to clear coat over lacquer paint? I do model car kits please help

Can you tell me the ratio please how much thinner to paint ...1.1 2.1 3.1 ????? Please info needed

This is ok but I highly recommend using the Tamiya lacquer thinner with retarder or Mr Hobby self leveling thinner instead. You need to use a lot more of the regular thinner (1:1 or 1:2 with the regular tamiya lacquer thinner) if you go that route

Your ratio is good but you may get more out of it from my experience with Tamiya lacquer is 1:1 or 1:1.2 Mr hobby Leveling thinner. 15-20Psi

I have a problem with weathering my models. I'm new to modelling and first tried to use washes and such on the matt colour, but the wash adhered very quickly and became impossible to remove any excess or to fix details of pin wash. So, I figured I needed a lacquer to cover the colour and since I brush my paint using Tamiya XF colours I bought Tamiya clear lacquer paint hoping that brushing a few covers over the paint would make adding washes and panel lines easier. Howver, to my horror the Tamiya lacquer paint started to dissolve the Tamiya XF paint whereby I wonder what I am doing wrong? I didn't dilute the lacquer since I am using a brush. Is it necessary still do add thinner to the lacquer paint even when using a brush?

The proper ratio for lacquer is paint 1:1.5 thinner also use Mr. Leveling thinner it is much better!

I just invested in 7 bottles. I am still lost without Testors Model Masters paint, especially the metalizer line. Does anyone know what can replace metalizer paints ? I been looking at ALCLAD but thats acrylic

Andy, any idea how Tamiya panel liner works with the LP?

thank you for this video unfortunately the lp-colors don't seem to be compatible with the tamiya / vallejo / revell - acrylic colors, wanted to use LP-9 (gloss clear) as a finish over the acrylic paints, the result was that the acrylic paints threw bubbles or were cracked :( the acrylic paints were definitely hardened because they had been sprayed weeks beforehand ... greetings from germany :)

All lacquer paint should be thinned at a ratio of 1:1.5. Comes out perfect every time.

What Is the advantage of lacquer paint over acrylic paint?

They're not discontinuing any of the acrylic colors are they?

Did you have problem with the airbrush rubber sealer? Lacquer melts plastic

Can you use paint brushes besides useing air brush?? By the way im considered to buy some items from your website equivalent to 100$ USD hopefully soon enough

Looks good but how bad is the smell?

Andy, What size are the bottles?

I have a bit of a stupid question but maybe someone can help me. I'm relatively new to airbrushing but I feel with every type of paint and no matter how I thin it that I get speckling. It's not too bad but it just always speckles even if I thin the colour so much that it's too thin. I bought a good airbrush so that can't be it. Is it possible that the compressor is the problem. It's a cheap, tiny one from the Revell basic set because I had that and I don't have much space for a bigger one.

how bad dose this smell? I used to use modelmaster but switched to all acrylic base

Hi Andy ,, got a few of these LP colors and I agree they are great ... I also agree that tamiya's airbrush cleaner works great , just make sure to warn people that the product needs to be very well ventilated .. That stuff is strong .. I actually use it instead of Tamiya's extra thin glue ... Yes it glues styrene!! . Something to think about when cleaning your airbrush.

Can anyone compare these colors to lacquer based MrColor. I only need some basic colors so I don't really care about the perfect hue. I have allready a bottle of MrLevelling Thinner.

I've heard to never put thinner directly into the bottle because it degrades the paint over time and will destroy the bonding agents and whatnot. I've always always been taught to thin into specific "dosages" you will be using... unless you plan to use the entire bottle in the very near future. Hmmmm.

Hello from Europe :)

I bought x-20a...