Games Workshop paint are the ones I use most often. And thinning Citadel paints for airbrush is easy because of one controversial feature.
There is this myth on the internet that thinning Citadel paints for airbrush use is impossible. This could not be further from the truth.
In fact, one of their most hated feature is one of the main reason I like to use them in my airbrush so much.
Thinning Citadel Paints for Airbrush
While Games Workshop offer a pre-mixed range of paint for the airbrush, this article is about using the standard citadel paint range, the Bases and Layers, and thinning them down.
Thinning down the paint ourselves offer many advantages, including full control over the consistency, and exact color matching.
And in this regards, Citadel paints are just like every other brand in how simple it is to do so. In fact, a lot of ranges like Army Painter and Abteilung 502 are much thicker and thus harder to use.
The classic paint pot from Games Workshop, which a lot of people hate, allow you to thin the paints straight in the pot. This is possible, but much more complicated with dropper bottles.
Mixing the paint straight in the pot eliminates the most frustrating part of thinning paint for your airbrush: paint that’s too thick will clog your airbrush.
How I use Citadel Paints in my Airbrush
Whenever I open a new paint pot, unless I plan on drybrushing with it, I fill it to the bottom of the rim with airbrush thinner.
This consistency is usually a little bit too thick for the airbrush, but perfect for regular brush painting.
This makes pouring the paint in my airbrush easier, and almost eliminates the risk of clogging it.
The main issue you want to avoid is the chunks of dried up paint that sometimes form around the rim of the paint pots. When these chunks fall into your airbrush while you’re pouring, you are in for a bad time.
Same thing when cleaning these chunks off, make sure they don’t fall in the pot. Because then you won’t see them fall in your airbrush with your mixed paint.