I would like to know what paint would be best for reborning and if it is worth me making the change over to genesis heat set paints.
@ShawnP can answer that, he did it successfully. I do not use GHSP’s because I suffer from migraines but if I could I would.
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In my experience GHSP is easier to use than air dry. There are health concerns so if you do switch definitely bake outside and never breath in the fumes from your oven. I use Gamsol thinner which is the safer option to use.
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I use air dry due to health concerns with genesis. I have asthma and I am very careful about what I use. I use Waterborne paints and golden fluid paints. I have heard that genesis is easier to use and more forgiving.
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I wish there was a way to sample without having to invest so much! Each method has its pros and cons and a learning curve for both! At least it was for me. I tried air dry because I thought it would be cheaper without having to invest in an oven but it was a mess.
What are your reasons for wanting to switch?
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I want to switch because I have heard that genesis heatset paints are easier to use but I’m not sure. I dont want to spend alot of money dabbling in both I just want one that works for me
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Ghsp were definitely easier for me it was like heaven painting with them and the best part is you can fix mistakes without having to strip the entire kit!
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That was funny, I can imagine you painting and cursing the paint. I have only used the old formula of Waterborne and Liquitex Pro Paints.
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When I first began learning to reborn I used only air dry paints. I used them for two or three months and then took a course at REAL Reborn and learned how to use Genesis. The switch was amazing. Genesis is more forgiving than air dry. You can wipe it off before baking if you’re not happy with it. I have my oven in the garage or on a porch, so the fumes don’t get into my home. I use the thinner with good ventilation.
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That’s what I bought but every color I tried to mix looked like mud and I put matte sealer on the kit and omg it was super chunky oy. Definately could have used a recipe and tutorial lol
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For me, air dry is waaaayyy easier. Once i tried air dry I never went back to ghsp.
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I have used both air dry and GHSP. I actually like both and there are aspects of each that are easier. I did have my oven suddenly without warning overheat and melt most of a kit I was baking beyond use. That really scared me away from GHSP for awhile. I can get really good results with either, so which I use just depends.
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@PhotographyForLife I use the Primary method and brown washes. I started with Waterborne, also Folk Art Glass and Tile Medium which is no longer recommended. I still use Waterborne mixed with Liquitex depending on the color I want to achieve. I prefer Heavy Body over Soft but use both. I also do not use a retarder nor do I prep my kit. This method does not work for everyone. You just have to experiment till you find you own way.
I’ve used air dry paints since day one. I’m currently using Liquitex Soft Body and/or Hard Body. I really like them. I didn’t know air dry paints were supposedly difficult to use so I had no problem with them, then or now. I like the air dry paints because I don’t have the patience to paint, flash off, bake, cool before I can do another layer. I start with the head, and by the time I’m done with the last limb, the head’s ready for the next layer. I don’t have to bake outside and there’s no chance of ever melting a kit.
For me, GHSP is much more forgiving. It’s nice having that safety net of easily wiping away any mistakes. (Nothing being permanent until it’s baked.)
I switched to air dry after being diagnosed with a neurological disease last year. Now, I try go non-toxic, no fumes, with all products in our home.
I’ll be honest, it was a bummer having to switch, but it’s not so bad now. It was worth it to be able to keep Reborning. IME, air dry paints are less expensive, too. I use Waterborne paints that are really concentrated, so a little goes a long way. Plus there’s no expense of thinner or an oven with air dry paints.
The toughest part of air dry is not being able to go back and fix something nearly as easily as GHSP. Though they say you have several minutes before air dry paint sets, my experience is you have seconds. You have to be quick and very careful. It’s frustrating to find a spot of uneven pouncing or a wayward speck of paint and know that you may have to strip the whole thing to really fix it.
I nit-pick my own work to pieces, so at first, I did a lot of stripping with air dry.
I feel like I just made air dry paints sound like a pain, but it all boils down to personal preference and needs. I probably know as many folks that use air dry as I do GHSP, and not all use air dry for health reasons…they really just love air dry.
If you’re on the fence, it may be best to trial both and see what best fits your painting style, budget, and personal needs.
I do think you can’t really go wrong with either route in terms of quality, so long as you use air dry paints specifically for Reborning.
I use both. I started with Genesis for a long time and then I decided to try air dry paints. There is no doubt in my mind that Genesis is easy to use and very forgiving due to the fact that it isn’t permanent until it is baked, so at any point you can remove something your don’t like. Air dry on the other hand is set almost immediately and is VERY difficult to remove an error. I like the effect of both types of paint so now I use Genesis for smaller kits that will fit in the oven all at one time and Air Dry for the larger kits that I would have to bake in sections. When I use air dry it is mostly BabyFX (discontinued), RebornFX and a few random paints like liquitex, golden etc. The choice is up to you really, everyone has their preference.
Liquitex has Slo Dri Medium that reduces the drying time of air dry paint by 40%.
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This is the million dollar question. When you say make the change to GHSP I’m assuming you already use airdry? If so and air dry isn’t working well for you then you probably should try GHSP. I started with air dry, made a couple hideous miracle blend babies. Switched to GHSP and my babies improved dramatically, it was just a lot easier for me to work with. I then got Golden fluids and later ultimate fusion paints, wanting to try air dry again since baking is a pain. But they are very difficult for me, so now I primarily use GHSP again. That’s my experience, many in this forum have the exact opposite experience. It’s hard to tell someone else what they should use as your the only one who will know which works best for you. There are definite pros and cons with both. If you want to try GHSP you can get the primary colors and mineral spirits for under $30 and see if it works for you before investing a bunch of money on a nuwave and everything. Sorry that’s not very helpful, but you really have to try both methods first to see which you prefer.
I’m new to GHSP and love it so far. Starting up was difficult though since I found it almost impossible to find the right NuWave with an extender ring. Maybe it’s COVID but they are really hard to find! I ended up finding a used one on eBay, thankfully. Just something to keep in mind if you make the plunge!
It appears that the company that makes the NuWave ovens has discontinued them.