Can you use acrylics as spray paint?

[xXDashIVXx]

So I have an abundance of cheap acrylic paints from wallmart and they have done the job pretty well, but I think I have heard from punished props or someone in one of their videos that you can water down acrylics and use it as spray paint. Anyone have any clarification or tips? And also I want to use some masking tape. I'm used to free handing but I want to make a good design. I'm working on the recruit charred helmet and want to paint the skull and flames. Any suggestions on how to get it to that shape? I'm afraid of using an exactoblade on the helmet. I dont want it to cut through the tape and go into the helmet. Thank you!

 

[TurboCharizard]

So I have an abundance of cheap acrylic paints from wallmart and they have done the job pretty well, but I think I have heard from punished props or someone in one of their videos that you can water down acrylics and use it as spray paint. Anyone have any clarification or tips? And also I want to use some masking tape. I'm used to free handing but I want to make a good design. I'm working on the recruit charred helmet and want to paint the skull and flames. Any suggestions on how to get it to that shape? I'm afraid of using an exactoblade on the helmet. I dont want it to cut through the tape and go into the helmet. Thank you!

If you have an airbrush you can run pretty much any liquid paint through it for a limited time before it clogs up, that's what thinner is for. You can water down acrylics but it's usually better to use an airbrush medium so that the pigment properly disperses through the mixture and makes an even coating. Like I said, water does work, so does isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) but you're more likely to get a better result using the right stuff. Aim for a watery consistency that's got a slow stick to the side of the container you mix it in, the best description is milk-like flow.

Masking tape is a good choice, if used correctly it'll make some hecking clean lines. Just be warned, it takes forever to do and is super boring. If you're covering larger areas using newspaper or plastic wrap and then just taping the edges helps save on expensive tape.

Freehanding is a practiced skill. If you bork it up, don't worry, you'll figure it out eventually. If you can make a small version out of clay or a similar material and then make a tape pattern off of that it makes your life a lot easier.

 

[xXDashIVXx]

If you have an airbrush you can run pretty much any liquid paint through it for a limited time before it clogs up, that's what thinner is for. You can water down acrylics but it's usually better to use an airbrush medium so that the pigment properly disperses through the mixture and makes an even coating. Like I said, water does work, so does isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) but you're more likely to get a better result using the right stuff. Aim for a watery consistency that's got a slow stick to the side of the container you mix it in, the best description is milk-like flow.

Masking tape is a good choice, if used correctly it'll make some hecking clean lines. Just be warned, it takes forever to do and is super boring. If you're covering larger areas using newspaper or plastic wrap and then just taping the edges helps save on expensive tape.

Freehanding is a practiced skill. If you bork it up, don't worry, you'll figure it out eventually. If you can make a small version out of clay or a similar material and then make a tape pattern off of that it makes your life a lot easier.

Thank you