Mr. Color GGX

New Mr. Color GGX colors

Text: Josef Blažek

The Japanese company GSI Creos, under its Mr. Hobby brand, has launched a new product in the field of lacquer paints, which bears the trade name Mr. Color GGX. Let's first classify the new product in the product line and explain its differences in terms of composition and packaging. As the name suggests, this is a new product in the Mr. Color product line. In other words, these are basically well-known synthetic lacquer paints (so-called lacquers), which are at the absolute top of quality in the modeling community when it comes to the properties of paints applied with an air brush. They are known for their quick drying, supberb coverage, smooth surface without soaking in and around relief details, and for their high resistance to manual damage and resistance to damage from various weathering products. On the other hand, occasional criticism from some modelers is directed at their stronger odor, which complicates work especially for people who have health restrictions or practice their hobby in shared or small spaces, where the stronger odor from the paints can bother those around them. The new line of paints basically retains the known positive properties and takes them one level further. The first improvement is the increased amount of pigment, which is positively reflected in better color coverage. Mr. Color GGX paints focus on basic shades and are currently only available in black, white and clear coats in glossy and matte finishes. The packaging is also different, which is significantly larger compared to regular Mr. Hobby production and the paints are only available in a 60 ml version, which is significantly more compared to the largest GX so far offered in 18 ml jars and even 6x more compared to classic Mr. Color paints, which are sold in 10 ml bottles. The durability of the paint is therefore considerable and will probably last for many years for the average modeler, which, given the properties of GSI lacquer paints, does not pose any problem and there is no risk of irreversible drying of the paints and similar problems. In relation to the package size, I also find the economic side of the matter positive, since the price of the new paint per ml is many times cheaper compared to the regular Mr. Color paint. Another point that needs to be mentioned is the reduced odor of solvents in the paint, which is the manufacturer's response to increasingly strict environmental and legislative requirements, but at the same time, as already mentioned, with not only no loss in quality, but an actual increase in it. Now let's introduce the individual items of the new line in more detail.

GGX Thinners

The manufacturer has also prepared its own thinners for the new Mr. Color GGX line of paints. The first is Mr. Color GGX Thinner and the second is Mr. Color GGX Rapid Thinner. Both thinners are available in 400 ml containers and will therefore last a long time. Interestingly, in addition to the difference in drying speed, as the name suggests, we can also achieve different degrees of glossy or matte surfaces when using the same paint but with a different thinner. During testing, I observed a faster drying time when using Rapid Thinner, but it should be noted that even with the basic thinner for GGX, drying does not take significantly longer and is not fundamentally different from regular Mr. Color (C series) or Mr. Color GX paints. In the case of Rapid Thinner, I recommend a higher dilution of the paint to avoid an excessively rough surface after spraying. It is also worth mentioning that the special thinners for GGX are designed to maximize the properties of the new line of paints, but the paints also work without problems with classic Mr. Hobby thinners, such as Mr. Color Thinner or Mr. Color Leveling Thinner. Conversely, paints from the Mr. Color or Mr. Color GX series can also be thinned with new thinners, such as Mr. Color GGX Thinner and Mr. Color GGX Rapid Thinner. The odor of thinners intended for GGX is noticeably less than that of thinners for paints from the Mr. Color series, which is an undeniable advantage for a large number of modelers, and can thus help reduce odor not only when working with new GGX paints, but as mentioned, when diluting existing paints, Mr. Color and Mr. Color GX will help reduce odor due to compatibility and during their application.

GGX Paints

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, the new Mr. Color GGX line is currently focused on basic shades and only black and white are available. I decided to test the properties of the colors on test pieces and compare them with the previous products from Mr. Hobby. Black usually covers very well in all variants of Mr. Hobby paints, but even here we can find a noticeably better coverage, which creates a deep black surface. In this respect, the color differs from other black paints from Mr. Hobby and its competitors, because the depth of the black tone here is truly unique. White paint, on the other hand, is a big issue for many modelers, because many white paints do not cover sufficiently and force modelers to apply a larger amount of product, which negatively impacts the sharpness of surface details, and especially in areas where painted areas are masked with tape, a visible step is created between the white paint and the surrounding spray, which is a problem that is difficult to repair. In the case of Mr. Color GGX, the situation changes noticeably for the better. In the case of the white paint, the coverage is extra high in the first coat and we can achieve a white surface even in a thin application. Such coverage is appreciated, for example, in areas such as spraying markings using  masks, where contrasting camouflage is painted under individual characters. Another good example is the typical spirals often applied to propeller spinners of many Luftwaffe aircraft from the Second World War, where we can easily achieve perfect coverage in the first coat and without the risk of the aforementioned visible ‘steps’ between adjacent colors.

Mr. Color GGX LG 113

Mr. Color GGX LG 112

Mr. Color GGX LG1

Mr. Color GGX LG2

GGX Varnishes

Painting has always been a topic of much discussion in plastic modeling. Nowadays, we can find a large number of gloss clear coats on the market that create a glossy surface suitable as a base for decals and as a surface protector during weathering procedures. So far, I have been very satisfied with, for example, the Mr. Color GX112 Gloss varnish, which has always worked perfectly for me. When testing the new gloss clear from the GGX series, I must say that its gloss is a step forward in terms of quality, even with a thin layer. During my testing, I tried to subject the varnish to many weathering products to verify its resistance to damage, and I did not notice any higher sensitivity compared to the previous paints from the Mr. Color series. On the contrary, the surface seems extremely durable to me. Matte varnishes are an even bigger topic in the modeling community. The typical problems of most matte varnishes on the market are their inability to create a truly matte surface and they only dull the existing surface of the model with a result that we would describe as semi-matte. To the contrary, the matte varnish, which creates a very satisfactory flat finish, have another and fundamental problem, which is the matting component in the paint causing a visible ‘graying’ of the surface, and therefore a change in the shades of camouflage, to which we can add the loss of our weathering efforts, if they were applied before spraying with matte clear coat. Here, in the best sense of the word, the matte varnish Mr. Color GGX LG113 took my breath away. First, it perfectly dulls the surface in the first layer, but at the same time does not create a rough surface with the above-described effect of changing the shades of the model. The result is a velvety matte surface without changes in shades. For this test, I deliberately applied a flat clear coat onto a black surface, where the typical problems of matte varnishes are most evident. In general, I would recommend diluting the varnishes with a higher ratio in favor of the thinner. When adjusting my air brush pressure, a ratio of 5:1 worked for me. Thanks to the extreme coverage of the new Mr. Colors Color GGX, we will achieve the described results without the risks associated with diluting the varnish too little. For a deep flat surface, I recommend diluting the matt varnish Mr. Color GGX LG113 with Mr. Color GGX Rapid Thinner, which itself helps to create a flat surface. If we want to slightly reduce the hard flat surface, I would recommend Mr. Color GGX Thinner, which helps to create a gloss to semi-gloss surface and in combination with the flat clear may be a better choice for many modelers. A similar logic applies to the Mr. Color GGX LG112, gloss varnish where we can optimize the degree of gloss for the individual needs of each modeler by using different thinners. The last point that is worth mentioning is the protective UV properties of GGX varnishes, which we were able to notice for the first time in the GX varnish series. Both mentioned varnishes contain special chemical additives that act as a filter against ultraviolet light, which is intended to stop or significantly slow down the aging and degradation of the model's surface over time. In the case of applying the varnish over decals, they will not turn yellow even after decades, which is also true in the case of repainting clear parts, since some manufacturers use plastic for clear parts that have a nasty habit of severe yellowing over time. Another example concerns vacuformed canopies. The UV filter also protects the colors of the model that are prone to losing saturation over time, such as red or yellow. When applying Mr. Color varnishes with a UV filter, we are sure that the result of our work will be stable for decades and will not change under the influence of light.

GGX Compatibility

As already mentioned, the new GGX series colors are not a separate chapter in the development of Mr. Color paints, but are its next evolutionary step, which has a positive impact on their compatibility. For the sake of order, let's summarize the possibilities of use. Mr. Color GGX colors are designed so that they can be combined without any problems with classic Mr. Color (C series) and Mr. Color GX paints. A different situation occurs with the Aqueous Hobby Color (H series) and Acrysion (N series) lines. These colors utilize a different chemical base (water-soluble acrylics and emulsions). If we try to mix Mr. Color GGX color with Aqueous or Acrysion color, a chemical reaction will occur, during which the color will coagulate and form lumps, which negates any possibility of its use. When applied to already dried surfaces, the GGX series behaves like a typical lacquer color, as we know when using Mr. Color and Mr. Color GX paints. The ideal base for GGX series paints are all types of primers, such as Mr. Surfacer 1000, 1200, 1500. GGX paint adheres perfectly to these matured bases, does not tear anywhere and creates an extremely durable surface. We can also apply Aqueous Hobby Color (H) or Acrysion (N) paints without any problems to an already hardened layer of GGX paints, since these water-based paints do not damage the base varnish in any way. On the contrary, if we proceed by applying GGX paints to a hardened surface of Aqueous Hobby Color (H) or Acrysion (N) paints, I recommend proceeding very carefully, since lacquer paints contain strong solvents and can easily damage the lower, less durable acrylic layer and cause it significant harm. The solution for such a combination is to apply several thin layers to a thoroughly cured surface of water-based paints and avoid pooling or applying thicker layers. This procedure will achieve rapid evaporation of the thinner after spraying, which will prevent the base layer from reacting.

As a guinea pig for testing various Mr. Color flat clear coats, I used a base in the form of black paint, which I then sprayed with gloss varnish to a mirror finish. This base served as a contrasting surface for creating a flat surface. I mixed all flat varnishes in the test sample (C182, GX113 and LG113) in the same ratio to make the test objective and applied them in one continuous layer. Each clear coat could be diluted in individual ratios and applied in a different number of layers and then better results would be achieved, but the goal of my test was a direct and objective comparison under the same conditions without favoring individual products. The photo is taken under direct light without a softbox to make the result more visible. After curing, we can see that the flat varnish C182 does not create a matte surface as strongly in the first layer as the other two. On the contrary, GX113 produces flat very strongly, but leaves a rougher surface with traces of ‘graying’ and slightly changes the shade of the base. Conversely, the new varnish LG113 creates a perfectly deep flat finish without changing the base shades and came out best among the test subjects.

The test of the gloss varnishes (C046, GX112 and LG112) had similar results to the test of the flat ones, with the exception that none of the gloss coats visibly changed the shades of the base colors. In conclusion, it can be said that the difference is mainly in the intensity of creating a gloss finish with one layer, which, especially in the case of Mr. Color GGX LG112, saves a lot of time and eliminates the need to apply multiple layers to achieve the desired gloss finish.

The test of gloss coats photographed in a softbox optically reduces the differences between the individual varnishes. This proves that the test results cannot be divided into good varnish vs. bad varnish, but under extreme lighting in the previous shots, the differences in the results, which are less noticeable in indirect light, can be seen better.

The test results of flat varnishes photographed in a softbox are, similarly to the gloss versions, less obvious, but compared to them, we can objectively say that the resulting differences in surface quality are greater between the flat finishes and the difference between Mr. Color LG113 compared to other Mr. Color varnishes is visibly greater in a positive sense.

I performed the white paint coverage test on a black matte base. I again diluted the individual test colors (C001, GX01 and LG001) in the same ratio as in the case of the varnishes and made a line on the surface with one stroke for an objective representation. The results show a higher amount of pigment in Mr. Color LG001 compared to Mr. Color GX01 and especially C001. We can objectively say that the coverage of Mr. Color LG001 White is a level further than the aforementioned colors.

I prepared the same test for the black paint as for the white (LG002, GX02 and C002). Again, the coverage of the Mr. Color GGX LG002 Black under the same conditions was visibly higher.

Conclusions

The new Mr. Color GGX paint range is a clear step forward. If I skip the benefits such as the price per ml of paint and the reduced odor, I see the biggest advantage primarily in their high coverage properties. My personal favorite is the perfectly covering white Mr. Color GGX LG001 and the matte varnish Mr. Color GGX LG113. At the same time, I recommend using both thinners intended for GGX paints, as they visibly affect the results of use in various combinations and are also usable for Mr. Color (C series) and Mr. Color GX paints, which I personally see as a crucial point in their flexibility of use.