Enamels or Acrylics?

[John]

What do you use most of? Enamels or Acrylics? I have just been looking at Modelmaster enamels and wondering if I should start to stock them, I only ever use acrylics and I know how they sell, from what I've read Testors Modelmaster are supposed to be a good paint.

[Guest]

Totally acrylics John.

Laurie

[stona]

I haven't voted as I use both!

Steve

[papa 695]

Idid use enamals but voted acrylics because thats all i use now

[Guest]

Acrylics, I have a few enamels but wouldn't dream of going back.

Slowly buying the entire Vallejo Model Air range, and I like Tamiya too so I'll probably end up with that lot as well.

I also have some Citadel acrylics I have inherited from my son, and although there aren't many that are useful to a military modeller, those that I have used are possibly better than anybody's. (their "Dwarf Flesh" is the colour of choice for many of my pilots faces...lol)

[Dave W]

I use both but mostly enamels.I've used the Testors paints and yes they are good.But i wouldnt say the quality of the paint was any better than Humbrol or Xtracolour (the enamels i mainly use).They do have a huge range though.Humbrol are not that good if you want specialist colours like Luftwaffe for instance.I buy Xtracolour when im building a Luftwaffe aircraft.But i would definately buy Testors if i could get hold of them.I like the screw top jars they come in.

[Guest]

i am far too impatient to wait for enamels to dry.acrylics all the way for me

[AlanG]

I mostly use acrylics but i do use enamels for small detail stuff in the cockpit and painting figures.

[Andy2035]

Hi John,

I too have been converted to Acrylics, I find them a heck of a lot easier to clean up after using them, just rinse my brushes etc with water rather than ruining them cleaning them with thinners...

So Acrylics all the way for me now...

Andy...

[John]

Thanks for the replies it's helped me decided, I won't be stocking them at the moment which is probably a good thing as I don't think I could find room for another big paint stand

[Guest]

Voted Acrylics, always used them since way back when painting Lead figures for D&D / Warcraft etc.

The beauty of them is you can buy the main (reference numbered) pots from model shops, which gives you your main (pre-determined) colours then if you get a large set of artist acrylic tubes from a cheapo shop you have many extra shades and tones with which to adjust the pre-bought colour tone or colour balance (bluey-black, red-black, white tinting etc) using a mixing pallette to suit your model exactly.

[saguy]

long live acrlyics ... easier to use, easier to clean ....just easier .....

[stona]

I don't want to divert the thread but whilst I'm not surprised by a preference for acrylics I am surprised that people find them easier to use.

For spraying in particular surely enamel paints are easier. Acrylics can be tricky,drying at the nozzle etc,and take a bit more effort to master. Also thinning acrylic paint is far more particular.

With enamels you can chuck in turps,white spirit or even cellulose thinners fairly inexactly and still get a good result. You can't do that with most acrylics. For newcomers to spraying them I always advise using the same brand thinners. Later they might try their own thinning,water,ipa etc along with flow aids and retarders. None of this is required with enamel paints!

Just my opinion.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

I am sure you are right Steve about enamel.

But they ponk. When I used them my shirt ponked, my garage ponked next morning, my hands ponked & they were all dry from turps & then washing off the turps.

Worst still Pauline her in doors, she would not visit the garage, moaned about my ponk. Acrylics she likes & this has advantages in my life.

Trouble is I seem to spill things, drip things. The lids generally fly off & 90% of the time land on their paint laden bottoms. If there is even the remote possibility of making a mess I will achieve perfection & enamel seemed to just love that scenario.

Strange but when I use acrylics I am not so messy.

Just do not like ponk & smelling ponky.

Laurie

[stona]

Well you're right about the stinky pong!

I actually switched entirely to acrylics for spraying a while ago for that very reason.I have found myself using enamels again from time to time. I did the white winter camo on my recent Fw190 with enamels,I really didn't fancy all those fine white lines in acrylic!

Cheers

Steve