L
Levi van den Berg
Guest
Hi I was wondering why almost everybody dislikes enamel paint so much I use enamel and have never had a problem with it.
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 wellMostly 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 …)
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 finishI 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.
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 noticeableAll 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
In my case I never tried acrylics because I always use enamelIn 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.
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.dry brushing is all but impossible with acrylics
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.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.
For FULL Forum access you can upgrade your account here UPGRADE