Stencil

Stencil — a Vallejo Panzer Aces acrylic paint

First the essential point: despite the name, this is neither a painting mask nor a decal. It is one bottle of acrylic modeling paint from the Panzer Aces range by the Spanish brand Vallejo, and the name Stencil is the manufacturer's designation of the shade, not a description of the product. The whole Panzer Aces range names its shades by what the manufacturer intended them for — which is why names such as Canvas, Periscopes or, indeed, Stencil are found side by side in it.

Use

• The paint is water-thinnable and is applied with a brush. The consistency of the range is thicker, built for coverage in one or two strokes.
• Opaque shades of this kind are best applied in two thin coats rather than one heavy one — a thick coat floods fine engraving and the brush stroke shows once it has dried.
• Shake the bottle thoroughly before every use. The pigment settles to the bottom and unshaken paint covers unevenly.
• Take the paint onto a palette rather than working straight from the bottle. That prevents residue drying and the whole contents becoming contaminated.
• For small markings and lettering, work with a well-shaped brush and paint thinned only minimally — paint that is too thin runs under the stroke.
• Wash brushes with water immediately after work; dried acrylic is markedly harder to get out of the bristles.

Who it is for

The Panzer Aces range is aimed at modelers of military equipment and figures who put color schemes together from premixed shades instead of mixing their own. This item is one shade, not a set.

A water-thinnable acrylic paint. Work in a ventilated area, and when airbrushing use a respirator and extraction. Keep out of the reach of children and close the bottle as soon as you have taken paint from it.