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Paint Finish: Acrylic vs. Enamel?

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  • Member since
    June 2009
Paint Finish: Acrylic vs. Enamel?
Posted by BKSinAZ on Saturday, June 6, 2009 10:54 AM
Hello. Sorry for the stupid question. I am a new modeler who will be going out today to buy my very first selection of paint.

Is there a difference in appearance (after dries) with acrylic vs. enamel? Say I painted an acrylic flat black and a enamel flat black.. after it dries, could someone tell the difference by the appearance or texture?

please explain.

One other question pertaining to paint please... Is there a standard set of colors most builders keep on hand, not counting the specialty colors.

I will be doing Moebius and Polar Lights monster models (mummy, witch, etc.)
  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Peoples Socialist Democratic Republic of Illinois
Posted by Triarius on Saturday, June 6, 2009 11:58 AM

Assuming they are both applied properly, and that the pigments are the same, the difference in appearance is nil.

The difference between acrylic and enamel is in how they behave.

Acrylics dry rapidly, but cure slowly, and do not develop full adhesion or strength until fully cured. They also require a CLEAN surface for application.

There is a wealth of information in these forums on this subject (I know 'cause I put a lot of it there) as well as other scale modeling forums. I suggest a thorough search here and elsewhere.

There is an appreciable difference between different brands of acrylic hobby paint. Check that out, too. 

Ross Martinek A little strangeness, now and then, is a good thing… Wink

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