Enamel

[Levi van den Berg]

Hi I was wondering why almost everybody dislikes enamel paint so much I use enamel and have never had a problem with it.

 

[Jakko]

Mostly because it requires solvent-based thinners instead of water or alcohol, I think. Acrylic paints are easier to clean up, less smelly, and dry (actually: harden) much faster, so there’s also less waiting time between coats. Another minor reason is probably because if you apply an enamel wash over dried enamel paint, chances are you dissolve the latter; this problem doesn’t exist with acrylics unless you do something unusual like thin them with methanol (I speak from experience: yes, you get a very thin wash that’s more controllable than if you use water, but unfortunately the dried paint underneath will also run …)

 

[Levi van den Berg]

Mostly because it requires solvent-based thinners instead of water or alcohol, I think. Acrylic paints are easier to clean up, less smelly, and dry (actually: harden) much faster, so there’s also less waiting time between coats. Another minor reason is probably because if you apply an enamel wash over dried enamel paint, chances are you dissolve the latter; this problem doesn’t exist with acrylics unless you do something unusual like thin them with methanol (I speak from experience: yes, you get a very thin wash that’s more controllable than if you use water, but unfortunately the dried paint underneath will also run …)

But isn't it true that you have to prime your model before using acrylics because i spray with enamel and never prime my model and it still sticks on well

 

[Jakko]

I only prime models if they’re metal (or just the metal parts), or if they have many different colours of materials (to prevent those affecting how the paint looks), and often but not always if they're mostly resin. I’ve been painting with acrylics for over 30 years and haven’t primed the vast majority of those models before painting; I can’t say it’s made any difference, really. Acrylics stick just as well to models as enamels do.

Oh, and another advantage I forgot in my last post: if you need to paint something that will stay flexible, like soft plastic figures, enamels are a poor choice because dry enamel doesn’t bend well, while acrylics do.

 

[Levi van den Berg]

I only prime models if they’re metal (or just the metal parts), or if they have many different colours of materials (to prevent those affecting how the paint looks), and often but not always if they're mostly resin. I’ve been painting with acrylics for over 30 years and haven’t primed the vast majority of those models before painting; I can’t say it’s made any difference, really. Acrylics stick just as well to models as enamels do.

Oh, and another advantage I forgot in my last post: if you need to paint something that will stay flexible, like soft plastic figures, enamels are a poor choice because dry enamel doesn’t bend well, while acrylics do.

You just saved my Bandai evangelion hg model kit I'm gonna paint that with acrylics ( also because the colors aren't available in enamel at my hobby shop) I'll try acrylics with that kit cause it has Lots of rubber parts. I'll still paint my other kits with enamel because I'm only missing 20 out of 88 of the revell colors and with some kits I need the dry time to be longer because it needs to smooth itself inorder to get a flat finish

 

[Tim Marlow]

All that Jakko has said is true. However, there are also pluses to the use of enamels. They respond far better to techniques such as dry brushing and blending because they have a longer drying time and can easily be reactivated after they are touch dry with a brush damp with thinners. The drying time makes them less detrimental to brush life as well, because they can be cleaned out of the bristles more easily, even after they have dried. Both blending and dry brushing is all but impossible with acrylics, hence the use of oils over acrylics by some modellers.
Basically I use all three where necessary to get the result I want. You do not have to go all one way or all the other..
Cheers
Tim

 

[Steve O]

In my case i have never tried enamel when i got back into serious modelling i started of with Vellejo model air learned how to use it and have stuck with it ever since, i have often thought about giving it a go especially as some of the cars and trucks on youtube are amazing but i think i'll stick with what i know for now.

But you never know in the future it could be a possibility.

Steve.

 

[Levi van den Berg]

All that Jakko has said is true. However, there are also pluses to the use of enamels. They respond far better to techniques such as dry brushing and blending because they have a longer drying time and can easily be reactivated after they are touch dry with a brush damp with thinners. The drying time makes them less detrimental to brush life as well, because they can be cleaned out of the bristles more easily, even after they have dried. Both blending and dry brushing is all but impossible with acrylics, hence the use of oils over acrylics by some modellers.
Basically I use all three where necessary to get the result I want. You do not have to go all one way or all the other..
Cheers
Tim

So with acrylics if you scratch away a bit of paint after it has dried ( for example ) you can't just paint it with a brush and apply some thinner over the area so it becomes smooth again and flat. For example look at the picture I scratched away some paint around the hole and just took some paint and thinner and fixed it it is hardly noticeable

 

[Levi van den Berg]

In my case i have never tried enamel when i got back into serious modelling i started of with Vellejo model air learned how to use it and have stuck with it ever since, i have often thought about giving it a go especially as some of the cars and trucks on youtube are amazing but i think i'll stick with what i know for now.

But you never know in the future it could be a possibility.

Steve.

In my case I never tried acrylics because I always use enamel

 

[Tim Marlow]

Hi Levi
I would say no, once acrylics are scratched they can’t be smoothed out with thinner. They can be cleaned off with airbrush cleaner, so that could at least thin the damaged edge allowing overpainting, but that needs a light touch as it can also remove the primer coat. It’s a reason why I use a Tamiya primer, not Vallejo primers. I find the acrylic primers are excellent if the surface is perfect, but if you need to carry out remedial work, such as filling, I have simply been unable to sand down the primer paint prior to recoating.
Acrylics are unbeatable for detail painting though, and acrylic gloss coating is superb prior to pin washing or oil spotting.
In summary, I think both have their uses and I use them indiscriminately depending upon the effect required. To be honest, I don’t know about modern enamels, all of mine are at least twenty years old, and i have heard that modern formulation has changed the characteristics of the paint.
Cheers
Tim

 

[Jakko]

dry brushing is all but impossible with acrylics

My experience is that that depends on the brand and even colour. Most Tamiya acrylics are difficult to almost impossible to drybrush with, but Games Workshop’s (the old ones anyway, from 10+ years ago) drybrush very well, for example. But even within the Tamiya range there are some that drybrush fairly well, and others thatjust won’t. Don’t ask me why, though.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Hi Jakko
I would say tamiya paint is almost impossible to brush at all, dry or otherwise LOL. I have mostly used Vallejo acrylic paint, and find it is so quick drying the brush solidifies almost immediately when dry brushing...
If you’re interested, oils dry brush superbly, but take overnight to dry. Light yellow ochre is fantastic for fading out dunklegelb....
Cheers
Tim

 

[Jakko]

I have very little problems brush-painting Tamiya acrylics, except if the jar is very old, then it can become almost impossible. It usually takes two coats to cover, though, even from a new jar. Now Lifecolor, on the other hand, is complete crap — maybe they airbrush well, I haven’t tried that, but brush-painting them needs about four or five coats to cover.

 

[flyjoe180]

Not everyone dislikes enamel paint, I use them almost exclusively. It's an age old debate. Best advice for anyone is to try different types and find a brand/type that you get on with.

 

[BigGreg]

l don't dislike enamel.... i don't like to use solvents that smell... i don't use Tamiya for the same reason. l only use acrylic water based colors because l use only water to clean my brushes...
Since l paint with vallejo.. l adapted my skills to super fast drying colors.... it's a question of subsequent very thin layers... if you can master this technique it the results are spectacular....
PS
I haven't reached a super level but l'm happy with my skills

 

[Jakko]

Not everyone dislikes enamel paint, I use them almost exclusively. It's an age old debate. Best advice for anyone is to try different types and find a brand/type that you get on with.

Definitely. I tend to buy at least one bottle of any model paint brand I come across (IRL, anyway), just to see what it’s like. I used to use enamels exclusively, because the local store that sold models (mostly Matchbox) also had a rack of Humbrol paints, so that made the choice for me. Since discovering acrylics 30+ years ago I’ve since moved using those almost exclusively, but I have no problem at all with using enamels if the colour I need happens to be in that, or for their often better drybrushing for example.