Enamel or Acrylic??

[djselliott]

Im just beginning to get into models so thought id sign up here, so hi all.

Im getting tools etc together before i get started but im trying to think what to do about paints. Got given a few random enamels to get started with but all are the wrong colours so im going to get new ones.

Am looking at Revell paints but cant decide whether to go for acrylic or enamel paints? Will mainly be car models and have got an airbrush just need to sort a compressor v soon.

What are main differences and what would you recommend?

Thanks,

Dom

 

[Bunkerbarge]

Hi Dom and a warm welcome to the forum.

There have actually been lots of discussions on here over the years on this very subject so I would suggest a good place to start is to go to the forum main page and use the search facility to have a look through some of them. You will find a lot of the threads are in this very board that you have posted your question so it is well worth spending some time to have a read through some of the previous discussions which may well help you make a decision.

As always there is no easy answer and at the end of the day most of use use a combination of both paint types so a good start is developing an understanding of what paint type suits what application best. For instance i would use enamel for a car body for it's covering capability and it's high gloss finish but use acrylics for the engine and details.

Have a look around though and I'm sure more specific questions will then come to light.

Here's just one of them:

http://www.scale-models.co.uk/painting/11224-paint.html

This very board is a wealth of paint information already so there is a lot of very useful guidance to hand here.

 

[djselliott]

brilliant cheers for quick reply, i had trawled through the last 6 pages or so and had a read of that one aswell, didnt think of searching

i think im just going to go for a whole load of enamels at first and see how i get on.

Are there any issue of using enamels in airbrushes?

 

[Bunkerbarge]

I think it is generally considered that bit easier to use acrylics in airbrushes however there is nothing to say you can't use enamels successfully as loing as it is thinned to the correct consistency. You will possibly find that acrylics clean up that little bit easier than enamels when you strip down the brush but there may not be a lot in it. There is also the smell associated with enamels, which you will have to deal with in a small space.

I would build up your paint stocks slowly and remain open minded as to what you prefer to use. I have a drawer full of enamels and a drawer full of acrylics, built up over many years and I regularly use both on a model.

I'd buy a few enamels and a few acrylics and experiment a bit until you get a feel for what you prefer in what circumstances.

 

[m1ks]

Enamels are a bit messier and require solvents to thin and clean, (Enamel thinner for thinning and White spirit / Turpentine substitute for cleaning, you can clean with enamel thinner but it's pricier and no better for cleaning than Turps etc)

Acrylics are more 'house friendly' water thinned, less toxicity etc also they dry and cure much more quickly, but for car painting i'd say stick with enamels, you simply cannot get the level of gloss with acrylics to give a good shine to a car paint job.

I use a mix of both, I always prime with enamel, white or grey and the topcoat is dependant on, primarily, if I want a high gloss finish or matte.

 

[djselliott]

ive been having a better look around the forum and realise now this isnt quite a yes or no question, but thanks for the advice, ive got a couple of models to do and will be buying i think about 17 different enamel colours so ill see how they go.

 

[stona]

I sprayed enamel paints for many years and have only relatively recently switched to acrylics. There is no doubt for me that enamels are easier to spray for the beginner. By using slower drying thinners (like white spirits/turps) you easily avoid the early drying/needle clogging problems which take a bit of mastering when spraying acrylics. Some enamel paints have very fine pigments (White Ensign Colourcotes for example) which also help.

Enamel paints dry tougher than acrylics which can need careful handling and masking.

m1ks has pointed out the downside of enamels....the smelly solvents used both in the paints and to thin them.

Whilst I agree with both the fellas above that the best gloss finish will be achieved with enamel paints you can get a very glossy finish with acrylic paint by using a gloss varnish to finish.

Finally,like many members,I use both. I brush paint detail like cockpit knobs,levers and dials with enamels but spray acrylics for my camouflage coats.

Cheers

Steve

 

[djselliott]

also one more possibly stupid question, how do you clean an airbrush when using enamels? Spray some white spirit through it, dunk the head in white spirit?