What would I use Tamiya Smoke (X-19) paint for?

Tamiya X-19 Smoke is part of the Tamiya range of acrylic paints. As such it can be brush painted or can be airbrushed onto a wide variety of surfaces such as wood, styrofoam, resin and model plastics such as styrene.

Smoke is intended to mimic the effect of mechanical stains that amass over time, such as exhaust stains and can also be used to mimic other stains such as carbon and cordite build-up from gun barrels. Smoke can also be effective as a post-shading effect on a wide range of colour surfaces including natural metal finishes where it can simulate the presence of accumulated grime and dirt.

Smoke is particularly effective when thinned and applied in a series of light coats that slowly build up the desired staining effect. The ideal thinner is Tamiya Acrylic Thinner X-20A but iso-propyl alcohol (IPA) is equally effective.