What is your preference?
I’ve been taking a break from actually building models for a few weeks and was thinking about making trying out acrylic paints once I start up again. Throughout the years I’ve use the enamels and am leary about making the switch. I tryed a couple of bottles (of the arylic) awhile ago and was disappointed when the finish appeared cloudy.
The biggest problem I find with the enamels is the vapors, particularly from the airbrush; ventilation or no ventilation [xx(]
The merchant at my local hobby shop recommended acrylics to me about a year ago. I’m glad he did, because they seem better than enamels in almost every aspect. The best thing about acrylics is they’re easy to clean up.
I never made the big switch altogether… Never really liked the Tamiya acrylics but I’ve used, and keep using, a few jars when required. I like their transparent red, orange and smoke! My favourite acrylics are the ones I find in my local automotive shop, in cans, that I use as primer or when I build airliners (white mostly!) because nothing I’ve ever tried comes close to being so versatile and resistant to whatever I put on top… Acrylic white stays whiter than any enamel I’ve tried, which is a BIG plus in airliner world!
For the rest of my interest in modeling, I simply use both acrylics and enamels from various brands, plus a number of oil-based, acrylic and watercolour tubes from the local artist’ shop.
acrylic is a lot safer and very easy to clean. I find that Gunze Sanyo is better than Tamiya. and you could really clean up acrylic paint (even dry) with ammonia
For normal colors, I use acrylics. For gloss and metallic colors, I use enamels. I prefer to use acrylics because I can use them indoors without the need of necessary ventilation equipment required if using enamels or lacquer paints. Acrylics are easier to clean, too.
I in the past have primarily enamels…however since my return to the hobby I have added more acrylics to my paint line…I plan on slowly phasing out the enamels all together and using almost exclusively acrylics with the exception of as Dwight said metallic colors…
Maybe its just me but I have yet to find an acrylic metallic that covers as easily and smoothly as the enamel counterpart and I have tried Vallejo,MM Acryl,and Tamiya
I started with enamels, then gradually added Acrylics (mainly Tamiya) to my paint box, found acrylics ok for airbrushing but was not fully happy with them when hand brushing. Like Dwight only used enamels for metallic colours, was never happy with the acrylic type.
Lately been experimenting with Vallejo Acrylics and have been impressed with the results, so much that I am considering using them exclusively.
Hi all,
until about six years ago I only used enamels until the doctor told me either stop with modeling or use an alternative paint. So I gave all my colors to my nephew and switched to acrylics. In the beginning I could not get used to it when using the airbrush and/or with handpainting. But once I got the hang of it I simply think they are very good. Now I use Tamiya, Lifecolor and every other brand of acrylics. But be careful not every brand of acrylic uses the same thinner. For instance for the Tamiya you can also use windshieldwhiper fluid but you cannot use thes on the lifecolor and other acrylics so experiment with the thinners to find out wich one is the best to be used. Also very important is although these paints are safer to use don,t forget to take your safety measures when using the airbrush
rob
I used to use Tamyia Acrylic paint but i get really fed up with its lack of control. i tried to paint a harrier canopy with acrylics and the damn thing wouldn’t stay where i put it. it seemed to collect at the oddest places and thin out where i really needed the paint. maybe i mixed it wrong, but it really [censored] me off. So, i made the switch to enamel, and i haven’t regretted it yet (except for the fact that they’re a bit harder to clean). As for the fumes, it’s all a government conspiracy! Me, i like to snfif my paynt nd it hleps me rleax. adsg jawph gpas dgkm qq48 dvnq [advl m [weuf amd vnpa dgy4 pakq… [zzz]
my personal experience is that it is rather tricky to apply acrylic directly on transparent, at least I always try to avoid that. what I do now is after masking the canopy, I will apply a layer of primer which is enamel I guess and then put on acrylic. by this way it is a lot easy to get great coverage.
even that I prefer acrylic, however I admit that enamel primer is stil a MUST…
My last few builds have been Luftwaffe aircraft, and I’m using Color of Eagles acrylic RLM 66 (cockpit interior color) over canopies that have been bathed in Future. I do several light, misting coats, and I’ve had no problems with adhesion or coverage. My main paints are Model Master enamel, but I have a few bottles of Color of Eagles acrylic (the only acrylic I have).
Like most everyone, I prefer airbrushing acrylics, much easier cleaning and not as obnoxious smelling. I do prefer enamels for brush painting, they just seem to cover better.
“It is well that war is so terrible, lest we grow too fond of it.”-R.E.Lee
I need to join you people in getting into the acrylics too.
I don’t have a paint booth and the garage smells pretty bad after spraying lacquer thinner. [xx(]
With acrylics, which I have always used for textile airbrushing, the clean-up is easier and less toxic. I could also use my boxfan with a furnace filter or two in front of it to draw away the acrylic particle overspray when painting. [:D]
Mike
imostly use acrylics also, but some enamels…
I am concidering switching to acylics and I have been doing some experimention with several brands to finalize my desicion. I tested Model Master Acryl, Gunze Sangyo Aqueous, Tamiya and Poly Scale. Of these brands my favorite by far is Gunze. This paint performs as good if not better than enamels for general spraying and fine line work. It atomizes very nice using distilled water with a little alcohol and brush painting was good to. I like its semi-gloss finish; saves me a step for decaling and because it’s acrylic I can go emmediately to weathering washes and etc. The color range is comparable to Model Master and like Tamiya they have transparents like clear smoke and such. The choice for me is obvious. Now I just have to find an online distributor that sells it and find out how to get rid of over 100 bottles of MM enamels! Anyone interested?
Greg,
Are the Model Master acrylics any good?
Mike
I personally didn’t like them when I did my experimentation. One aspect about them that really stands out is that they dry very fast in the airbrush and your paint brush. They are hard to thin for fine lines with alot of clogging. Repeated wiping of the tip just to do some general spraying was very frustrating…man what was Testor thinking wen they made this formula!..it sucks! (IMHO) However; they did level quite nice and the paint film was quite hard and durable. Beyond that, in my professional opinion, I’d say avoid them.
I agree with robvandodewaard that you need safety equipment when airbrushing acrylics as well as enamels. Proper ventillation and a good respirator. Safety goggles too.
DJ
I also use mostly acrylics and some enamels for specific colours like metallics.
My prefered range of colours are the Gunze Aquaeous but their airbrush ready metallics are also nice and buff well, stopped using metalcote after they came out.
Don’t like Tamiya acrylics much.
Two questions:
Does enamel finish look better/more realistic than acrylics?
Can I paint a coat of clear enamel over acrylics for protection?