Acrylic or Enamel???

QUOTE: Originally posted by jjlopez Acrylics for me.. flow better on airbrushes!!...(enamels wear them out) ..Sorry boys

How do enamels wear out an airbrush?

Mike

Generally, I have found that I get better coverage with lighter colors if I use enamels. I've thrown out my white acrylics, just took too many coats toget decent uniform coverage.

Funny thing for me is that I'm starting to use enamels again after moving to acrylics. My best brush painting paint are acrylics too. There are a couple of reasons I started using enamels again. I seem to keep aquiring paints even old stock or new paint with interesting colors. I just got a bunch of White Ensign paints because of their excellent color matches. I learned about lacquer thinner so I can clean my airbrush well and also get an extra bite with the spraying. I got a respirator. But still, if I could get all the colors I want in Polly Scale I would not be getting any other paints.

I've used both enamels and acrylics, and would go with acrylics for the bulk of painting, with enamels reserved for weathering etc, as they take longer to dry and therefore remain workable for longer. Useful when blending colours.

I primarilly use Gunze and Lifecolour acrylics, with some Tamiya. In my experience they all spray well, but the lifecolour seems to have a slightly rougher finish than the Gunze and the Tamiya, making it good for armour and scenery.

I used to airbrush enamels years ago, and when I returned to modelling, and bought an airbrush did not want to risk knackering my airbrush with enamels.

As for primer, some manufacturers kits seem to require it, otherwise the paint doesn't adhere properly, but as Mike said a primer coat is useful for identifying those areas which require further work, prior to final coating. There is nothing worse than putting on a top coat only to discover there is a visible seam line on the model!

Sorry to go on, but I hope it helps.

Karl

Acrylics for me.. flow better on airbrushes!!...(enamels wear them out) ..Sorry boys

I use Tamiya acrylics on my armor and aircraft. I do not use any primer before airbrushing.

I usally ruff-up the surface (lightly) with a green Scotch Brite pad. Seems to give the acryic paint... something to grab.

amen to that dss902!!!!!

Hi all,

I started out using the Testors Model Master Enamel line. Using this paint I had nothing but head and heart ache. It was hard to use and harder to spay and even harder to clean up.

Then I was given a bottler of Tamiya Acrylic paint and every thing improved. All was easier to do and was more fun to do it....

It is now a joy to paint.

I do use Enamels, Tamiya, to wash.

In short I will never go back and always suggest to new modelers and veterans a like to use or make the switch to Tamiya acrylics. Say what you want about Tamiya. However, when I open the box or bottle, I know that I will always receive a top notch quality product not found in any other manufacturer in the business.

dss902

Thanks Roosterfish,
Seems like everyone has a good arguement over one or the other. For my first project or until I get use to an air brush, which have never used, I think I will go with the acrylics the first time around. Just sounds like the clean up will be a little easier.

I'm a rare enamel paint fan. I've tried to use acrylic paints but I didn't like the coverage that I got out of enamel. My enamel paints seems, after an air brush session, to smooth over and stick better. While I agree it is easier to clean acrylic paints out of an air brush I found that eventually there would be an acrylic paint build up in the brush. I almost cried when I had to do a through cleaning to get the acrylic binder off the air brush parts. There were small acrylic bits that could clog the small and expensive air brush parts. I'm very through about having a clean and well-maintained air brush. With enamel paints I like being able to spray or wipe solvent through the air brush and have it easily come clean.

I've used enamels forever and got used to their painting properties and quirks. They 'stick' better on models and are softer than the hard shell acrylic paints. Softer enamel paint is good for me as the more resilient paint will absorb inevitable bumps that a model gets with out chipping off like hard shell acrylics would.

I think I'm going to be an amateur enamel painter forever.

Thanks Mike

QUOTE: Originally posted by keeg Hey Mike, Thanks for the reply, and from reading other post in this forum may I say you seem very diligent in helping people like me out and I for one appreciate it. Ok enough of the warm and fuzzy .

I'm glad to be able to help if I can, as are all of the other great modelers here.

QUOTE: So would there be any advantage of using the Poly S Plastic Prep over Dish soap and water?

Probably not. Some people use isopropyl rubbing alcohol also as it does a good job of cleaning oils and dirt and you don't have to risk getting water in somewhere that you don't want it.

QUOTE: Also, after a coat of primer and you do find a flaw, are there any best practices to repair it? I mean do you just put the putty right over the primer? This may be to general of a question and also covered in another location.

I am not positive but I believe you can just put putty right over the primer and it will work.
Correct me if I'm wrong guys.
I have never done any priming and repairing so I am unsure.

Mike

Thanks cassibill,
I need to check on the brand name, but I'm sure there was an acrylic paint at Wal-Mart that said it was for smooth hard surfaces. I was thinking of giving some of them a try. If they work, they are much cheaper than what you will pick up at the hobby store. Also you may have to blend the colors together to get color you want. And If they don’t work, like you said, they would be good for the ground work.

keeg:I use Walmart Acrylics on ground work but I haven't tried it on a model. Might try to use them to blend my figs. into the ground work.

I use Acrylic, primarily, because I live in a small apartment.

If there is a need to handbrush, then I will use enamels.

Hey Mike,
Thanks for the reply, and from reading other post in this forum may I say you seem very diligent in helping people like me out and I for one appreciate it. Ok enough of the warm and fuzzy .

So would there be any advantage of using the Poly S Plastic Prep over Dish soap and water? One thing I’m thinking is water contaminate residue like minerals. I feel I’m going a little overboard with the question but to me and other things I do prep is an important thing. “Measure twice, cut once”

Also, after a coat of primer and you do find a flaw, are there any best practices to repair it? I mean do you just put the putty right over the primer? This may be to general of a question and also covered in another location.
If you couldn’t tell I don’t know much about all this and I’m dieing to start working on two models I purchased two weeks ago but I don’t want to rush into them and make it a disaster.
Thanks for the help in advance.

Keeg,

The Poly S Plastic Prep I mentioned is NOT a primer, it is a cleaning solution that you wipe the plastic with to remove oils, fingerprints, and static.
You let it air dry and then you can airbrush the model.
A coat of primer after the Plastic prep would be a good idea to reveal any flaws in your work and to give the paint a little more tooth to adhere to.

Those other paints you mentioned I am not familiar with, but I have heard a few people using them with some success. Most water-based acrylics like that were designed for textile and craft uses and usually do not adhere really well to hard surfaces, although some may. If you are not going to mask over them then they may work fine.

Mike

Wow, my head is swimming. A lot of good information and it seems both paints have pros and cons.
Question:
Should you use a primer like "Poly S Plastic Prep" , which Mike mentioned in another post, before you apply acrylic paints or any paint? Also, has anyone tried the acrylic paints like they use for ceramics or crafts? You know the kind you can pick up at Wal-Mart or are they totally different?
Thanks

As in south africa tamiiya acrilic is the main brand I have found that the colors do not spray on as even as enamals.I used jap green on a plane and found the tone varied to such a degree that the plane appeared patchy.Same happend on a tank,dispite further coatings.I will stick to enamels.Harry

Depends what I'm doing. Acrylics for figures, landscape etc because they dry fast, are easy to blend, mix and shade.

I use enamels for 'hardware' for exactly the same reason. Enamel colours tend to be stronger an more vivid and don't seem to be as 'organic' as acrylics.

I have yet to try acrylics on plastic models and have only used Model Master enamels thus far. I am going to try acrylics to see if I like them soon as spraying enamels in the garage with no paint booth is a pain.
The only negative about acrylics, at least all of the ones I have used or heard of, is their inability to take masking without an overcoat of clear. Acrylics by nature do not have a chemical that will etch the plastic and provide good adhesion as you get with paints like lacquers, urethanes and enamels. This is why automotive airbrush artists use mainly urethanes as their adhesion is fantastic. They are chosen for durability also which would not be a factor for a plastic model paint job, unless you plan on leaving it out in the rain.

Mike

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Replying to 9x19mm - comparing enamels to acrylics, unshaken, in the bottle, is like comparing apples to oranges. The chemistry of the two is different. The pigment in acrylic paint will almost entirely settle out after sitting. If you look at the pigment in the bottom of an acrylic paint, medium green, for instance, the pigment is a very dark green and the diluent or liquid, is a blue color. So you cannot compare the two until a coat of the paint has been laid and completely dried. You are better off comparing the color chips on the paint racks in the store.

I almost made the switch to acrylic today, but while I was at the hobby store looking at paint I noticed that it seemed sickly compared to the same brand enamel. The color was model master medium green. I didnt stir the paint but opened the lid on both and it didnt seem like they were the same color. I showed the employee and asking him to verify, and his response seemed to be thats the way it is. Anyone else seem to notice this or just bad batch/mismarked?

It sems that all the airbrush users prefer acrylics but if you are brush painting you will find that enamels give much better coverage, especially the lighter shades.

QUOTE: Originally posted by kurlannaiskos

(<-the only artifact I still need for the Unlimited Set btw.)
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I think acrylic paints win for most applications . However, they may take a few weeks to cure 100%. They're fine to the touch and recoating in less than an hour but don't touch with bare hands! Put on thin white cotton gloves, fingers will leave nasty greasy prints, esp. visible on matte surfaces.

Thanks for everyones input.
I did use some MM acrylics this weekend and had great results considering its my first time using them. I didn't have to thin and cleanup was a snap. I did have a little spatter or overspray with them but nothing to be worried about. I believe if I thinned them out a little bit that would help quite a bit. I was actually using a wide spray needle in my brush so that could have contributed a little.
Needless to say I think Im hooked. Another good thing I noticed at least here locally is that they are a little cheaper than enamel paints. Not much but any savings is better than none!.

Thanks for the input South Aussie...I did notice that happen this weekend. I preshaded with black then waited about 15 min then sprayed a base color and it all blended together on the particular piece I was painting. Actually I got lucky and it made the color more what I wanted but this is very good information.