Always, always remember to thin your paints! Otherwise your models may end up looking like this!

Another serving from the spatula specialists.

Heh every time I see that smurf I laugh...

I understand the point of thinning, but I think this thread should have some advice on how to do it. how much is enough, etc

Consistency of milk. Use water, or if you're a very hot dry place thinning retarder. It's a practice thing.

I usually out a decent blob of paint onto s small saucer or dish, then dip my brush into water and stir it into the paint. When you draw the brush up the side of the dish, you can see straight away how thick or thin the paint is and add more water if need be.

As Vent said, it takes a bit of practice, but if you add too much water, dip you brush in the paint and add paint instead.

I always start on an underside just to test the consistency and coverage. That way if it's not right, it's easily hidden.

I usually out a decent blob of paint onto s small saucer or dish, then dip my brush into water and stir it into the paint. When you draw the brush up the side of the dish, you can see straight away how thick or thin the paint is and add more water if need be.

As Vent said, it takes a bit of practice, but if you add too much water, dip you brush in the paint and add paint instead.

I always start on an underside just to test the consistency and coverage. That way if it's not right, it's easily hidden.

Yup.. this.. hahah.. same here.. this works very well

Ahh reminds me of my first attempts back in the 90s, good times.

To be fair, sometimes you don't really want to thin your paints. For instance, when drybrushing it is often easier to get a good result if the paint is not thinned. As for how much and/or little a paint should be thinned, well that depends a bit on your preferences, what you are painting and the paint you are using. Basically, don't be afraid to experiment and learn from your mistakes as that's the only way you will ever get the necessary experience.

Conversely, be sure not to overcharge your paintbrush after thinning your paint. 'Charge' in this context being how much paint is being adsorbed and held within the paintbrush bristles, and therefore how much paint will flow and spread out when it touches it subject being painted.

Think of it like wringing out a washcloth after soaking it with water; if you just want to dampen a surface with the cloth itself you remove the extra water first. Obviously a sopping wet washcloth will leave a bunch more water everywhere.

It's a tip I learned on my own because it rarely gets pointed out in paint-thinning discussions, yet a lot of newbies and skeptics report how much their paint subsequently spreads all over the place.

I thin my acrylics with about 1/3rd to 1/2 water and then de-charge them onto a lightly-damp paper towel. If it's not leaving enough paint or it's too thin, I just de-charge it less and/or add more paint as needed.

Can't agree more with Utsanomiko. You want your brush to be damp, not soaked.

Conversely, be sure not to overcharge your paintbrush after thinning your paint. 'Charge' in this context being how much paint is being adsorbed and held within the paintbrush bristles, and therefore how much paint will flow and spread out when it touches it subject being painted.

Think of it like wringing out a washcloth after soaking it with water; if you just want to dampen a surface with the cloth itself you remove the extra water first. Obviously a sopping wet washcloth will leave a bunch more water everywhere.

It's a tip I learned on my own because it rarely gets pointed out in paint-thinning discussions, yet a lot of newbies and skeptics report how much their paint subsequently spreads all over the place.

I thin my acrylics with about 1/3rd to 1/2 water and then de-charge them onto a lightly-damp paper towel. If it's not leaving enough paint or it's too thin, I just de-charge it less and/or add more paint as needed.

Something to add, when thinning down paints:

the quality of brush has a HUGE role to play here. Natural hair fibers, like Red-Sable and Kolinski Sable fox hair retain moisture much better than nylon or taklon, meaning that when you are using paint that is literally as thin as water, or its super thinned down, the natural sable fibers are going to hold on to that moisture in the body of the brush more efficiently, preventing "run off" which is where once the brush makes contact with the medium, all of the moisture runs out and floods onto the surface.

Run-Off is a problem with synthetic brushes, not natural fiber brushes, although there are varying degrees of performance from many different natural hair brushes.