Enamel or Acrylic, what is your paint of choice?

[Dave Jay]

Just a little survey to see what is most popular!

 

[BarryW]

I paint entirely with acrylic - specifically Vallejo and AK Interactive. Likewise, varnishes are acrylic.


Reason being, non-toxic, odourless, great and increasing choice of colours, easy clean up...


Weathering - I now use enamel washes, reason, they compliment and do not damage acrylic finishes.

 

[Lubusheshka]

I usually use Tamiya because there`re a good choice of colours.

 

[dubster72]

Enamels!! Cheap to buy, white spirit is cheap, lovely smooth finish ....


With a spray booth the smell is almost nothing.


No tip clogging, no need for fancy (expensive) cleaners!

 

[Dave1973]

Ive got my range of Tamiya acrylics, and a big range of vallejo paints too.


Ive also got a bunch of enamel tinlets, but i really dont use them anymore, (hence why theyre for sale.....shameless plug!!)

 

[Caledonia]

I use nothing but Lifecolor these days and artists acrylic oils for weathering.

 

[dave]

Mainly Vallejo, but I have some Games Workshop acrylics. But I also use a few enamels and artists oils as well.

 

[Richy C]

Depends what you build , my modeling passion are race cars and bikes but happy to build military stuff if I like it ,


I can`t have a favourite , Zero paints and clear coats and Alclad - both makes dangerous stinking solvent stuff , Tamiya and Vallejo acrylics paints , Mig , pro modeller stuff for washes etc etc works for me .

 

[Laurie]

Bit shy on this one. But oh hell it is Vallejo Acrylics


Laurie

 

[Polux]

I’m absolutely agree with Barry on this theme


General paint / Acrylics


Weathering / Enamels

 

[john i am]

Just my opinion I loathe enammel paints and love acrylic.

I find that enamels stink then the phaff of getting the lid of the clogged tinlets decanting and thinning also a pain then there's the smelly cleaners get some on your hands and it's out with the Brillo pads to clean up. As you can see I've had my experience with them which were dark days for me IMHO


Then one day a breath of fresh air I discovered acrylic quick shake n squeeze n your good to go clean up with two or three droplets of airbrush cleaner into your airbrush cup wipe around with tissue flush with water ready for next colour . And no waiting a week for them to cure. There not expensive in my opinion and give great value for your pennies as there is no waste and they go along way. I'd never go back to enamels

No doubt some love enamels but there not for me anymore.

It's down to the individuals preference and what ever floats your boat.

 

[demon]

Tamiya acrylics for me mainly because the smell of enamels can't be good for ya

 

[demon]

Oh ok I'll be truthfull I have a pet Guinea pig they have an extremely sensitive nose and I honestly don't think he would take kindly to wearing a gas mask whilst I airbrush my favourite mustang kit so it's acrylics all the time apart from tamiya primer which I do outside lol


Roger

 

[yak face]

Here we go again! how about this one , Whats best bacon or sausage? Its the same type of comparison , some like one better than the other ,some like both, either way its just down to personal preference so remember , lets not get carried away

 

[Laurie]

Whats best bacon or sausage

Bacon Tony. :D close run thing. Sausage came second.


Laurie

 

[Dave Jay]

It seems as though acrylics are in favour for the majority of area painting whereas enamels are used for detail painting and dry brushing.


When it comes to cost is there much difference, I know that acrylics are a bit more costly but do they go further than enamels and is there less wastage?


Bloody confusing choices and it's enough to make you despair and give up the whole thing of modelling, wheres the enjoyment when sometimes it can be so frustrating :mad:

 

[Robert1968]

I had hundreds of the little tins of the enamel paints but never liked the smells and the odours etc and her indoors got annoyed at me so I went to Acrylic and found Revell. So I got all 80 odd of those and possibly have a lot more now ( then I went to acrylic with Tamiya and found this paint good however it has or so I found has some annoyance with primers ( so I've found ) then I progressed to Vallejo acrylics and primers and all the air brush dilutanrs and flows etc


I found the humbrol paints ( enamels good for painting small items ( never used in A/b


Revell acrylics coverage was fair to average with A/b but tends to clog A/b even when thinned down to milky constancy


Tamiya Acrylic paints work well with A/b or brush and thin down well but seem to have some issues with primers unless you use there own


Vallejo and model air are good coverage but don't like playing I found with other primers. Vallejo has to have Vallejo primer I have found. ( Laurie prob gonna jump on this one at some point as I know he swears by Vallejo.


Vallejo paints paint well by A/b thinned and even with flow reg added but I have to admit there are soooooooooo many colours it's hard to get them all ( can be a bit pricey too


Overall though I will continue to use Acrylics over enamels


Cheers


Robert

 

[Dave Jay]

Thanks for that Robert. I appreciate the time taken to explain things to me.


I appreciate everyone's input. Many thanks.

 

[Laurie]

Bloody confusing choices

No no. Just get those acrylics and try them. You will never know unless you try


them yourself. You can read Dave until the cows come home about enamels and acrylics.


All you read will be other peoples experiences.


Only one person can tell if you like enamels or acrylics. Dead easy.


Laurie

 

[Deleted member 3568]

This old clash will go on forever, those who love enamels (me among them) and those who hate them, the only good use I've found for acrylics is on the backgrounds of my dios, so I won't discount them entirely but will never use them on a model IMHO they are rubbish (just my opinion, don't shoot me) as I've said elsewhere if they stopped selling enamels I would quit modelling, there will always be people who love acrylics and hate enamels and vice versa personally I don't see any benefits to acrylics they take just as long to cure are incredibly fragile and nowhere near the colour choice of enamels, and of course you have to stock a thinner and a cleaner for every type of acrylic you use also you have to buy flow enhancers (whatever they are) enamels white spirit no other requirements you can thin your paint clean your ab you don't need special enamels for brush painting or airbrushing you use the same tin for both. Oh and as for the oh acrylics don't smell the cleaners do and worse than white spirit so do the thinners. Nope I will stick with enamels.