what is better, enamel or acrylic

[the F-111C dude]

i've just built an academy f-111c and i was wandering which is better

 

[Matthew72]

I prefer enamels because of their durability but the odor can be overwhelming at times as you must use petroleum based products to thin them with.  I only use acrylic gloss coats as I use thinned enamel and oils for weathering.  I think enamels brush better too and are easier on brushes for some reason.  Of course many acrylics can be thinned with water but you should really use each company's proprietary thinner which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer.  Enamels can be thinned with generic white spirit thinners which may save you money.  Acrylics dry more quickly which can be a plus and minus.  Because of enamels' slower drying time you can "work" them for specific effects.  In the end it's up to you as quality finishes can be produced through either medium.

[Oliver Hyett]

I only use enamels in certain circumstances when i really need to because of their drying time but I prefer acrylics because if you want a quick drying paint, that's the road to go down.

Acrylics are also better because they have a wide range of other uses like being able to be sprayed by can or buy airbrush, which if you don't have they are a very good investment.

For a F-111 I would use acrylics because you could spray it and have it dry quite quickly.

Plus enamels take up a hell of a lot of thinners and yes the smell is nice (DON'T SNIFF IT!!!) but they can be very expensive.

I hope this helps.

P.S. you don't always need to thin the paint with acrylic but if you do use water because they are water soluble and they also wash h of clothes really quickly.

they only need a bit of water to wash the paint of the brush as well.

 

[Jonathan Mock]

The best paint is the one that works for you. Sounds glib, but I use various types (enamels, acrylics, oils etc...) for different aspects or effects.

[peter john bandee-underwoo]

Hi

i'm in the process of finishing an Airfix spitfire PRxix, with a mixture of airbrushed enamel and acrylic . I would like to say that Acrylics were far better due to low  odour and drying time , BUT (and its not the first time) im using Humbrol in both mediums the enamel sprayed fine but the acrylic 230 was useless for spraying despite using humbrol acrylic thinner it just turned into a sludgy mess in the nozle of my airbrush, so at the moment i'd go for Humbrol enamels but an-other make Acrylic  

[Kenneth ONeill]

Hi

i'm in the process of finishing an Airfix spitfire PRxix, with a mixture of airbrushed enamel and acrylic . I would like to say that Acrylics were far better due to low  odour and drying time , BUT (and its not the first time) im using Humbrol in both mediums the enamel sprayed fine but the acrylic 230 was useless for spraying despite using humbrol acrylic thinner it just turned into a sludgy mess in the nozle of my airbrush, so at the moment i'd go for Humbrol enamels but an-other make Acrylic  

In present weather I'd say "enamels", particularly for spraying, because of how fast acrylics, notably resin-based ones, dry at higher temperatures.

[peebeep]

I would agree that current ambient temperatures are probably sufficient to accelerate acrylic curing time. I don't know if there's any retarder in their acrylic thinner, but it's something Humbrol ought to consider. In the meantime you could get yourself to an art supplier and obtain some Winsor and Newton Galeria fluid retarder.

[spadgent]

i use a mix.  for some models i use acrylics (most matt models and some figures) and enamels for others.  i was doing a figure the otherday and i used a mix on the person.  i find pots of enamels tend to last longer e.g. i have had a 14ml pot of 19 red for therly 6 years now and it is just entering the to replace farily soon stage.

so the chioce is up to you and what your preferencis are.  i tend to use actylics becuse you can wash theh brushes in water.

each paint in my opinionn have there ups and downs so its up to the modeler

[Mr de Havilland]

not to different i find with that acrylic i can have qwicker drying time

[StuartN]

I prefer arcrylic due to the shorter drying time. Also, lately I've been opening the lids on my enamel paint pots only to find them either set or at least too thick to use.

[Ratch]

 Enamels smell too whereas acrylics generally don't pong

[nicholasj]

I'm about to order my fist kit and wonder if a newbie like me should start on acrylics rather than enamel.  Is one more forgiving than the other?  What should I consider before deciding?  Cheers.

[Kenneth ONeill]

I'm about to order my fist kit and wonder if a newbie like me should start on acrylics rather than enamel.  Is one more forgiving than the other?  What should I consider before deciding?  Cheers.

"It depends" I'm afraid. Most people will use acrylics for matt camoflage, but some, like myself, generally prefer enamels for gloss and metallic finishes.

[peebeep]

What works for some doesn't always work for others. you need to try out different media until you find what works for you.

[Ratch]

Paul is right, what works for one person doesn't necesarily work for another, it's best to try things out and you will find what works for you. Up to about five years ago I was a confirmed enamel user (40+ years), then my wife complained about the smell so I switched to acrylics and haven't looked back.

When I used enamels Humbrol were the best. I didn't get on with Revell or Xtracolour and didn't have access to other brands. Now I'n on acrylics Vallejo is my paint of choice and Humbrol are fine for detail painting. I don't get on with Tamiya or Revell (the only other paints readily available to me). I have a set of Lifecolour, which airbrushes very nicely, and a set of Hataka that I've yet to use.

Enjoy the experimentation - its what this hobby is all about.

[mark_75]

I HAVE experimented and found that ANY acrylic paint for plastic modelling is no good. I wont go on clear parts, separates on non clear parts despite having the parts washed. Nobody seems to do decent enamel paints, and even less do them in enamel for kits of US Navy aircraft. I have aircraft models lying unfinished now because i cant get the colours in enamel.

[Ratch]

I HAVE experimented and found that ANY acrylic paint for plastic modelling is no good. I wont go on clear parts, separates on non clear parts despite having the parts washed. Nobody seems to do decent enamel paints, and even less do them in enamel for kits of US Navy aircraft. I have aircraft models lying unfinished now because i cant get the colours in enamel.

That's a sweeping statement Mark! Do you prime first? I can get acrylics to cover on clear parts and I don't do anything special.

[peebeep]

I HAVE experimented and found that ANY acrylic paint for plastic modelling is no good.

 

Brush or airbrushing? If airbrushing and you haven't tried them I would suggest you have a go with Tamiya or Gunze acrylic paints. Gunze Mr Color is the best you can get (IMO), although I recently acquired some of the new Tamiya lacquer acrylics and first impressions are that they are superb. 

[mark_75]

acrylic doesnt stick to clear parts. it will go on but it will not stay on. it wont cover properly and it goes funny next to enamels.

[Ratch]

I painted these clear parts with acrylics

 

[PaulDM]

Acrylic every time.

Just apply different techniques for painting.

It is a different paint, so adapt your application....

[oldmodeller]

I have just tried humbrol 165 acrylic on a 1/48 seaking, as directed, straight from the dropper bottle onto the model via a soft sable brush. After masking and applying the contrasting fuselage colour (red) when I removed the masking tape the acrylic came off with it.

After delving on this site for comments I found that it was considered essential to prime with a solvent based primer (humbrol no 1) or equivalent to ensure that the acrylic paint adhered.

Excuse me, but I thought that the idea of acrylics was to get away from those nasty solvent based enamels that are destroying our eco system (yeah, right) but it seems that the whole model must now be covered in the stuff.

I'm going back to enamels

[Peter-378710]

I have experienced this problem. After experimenting, i find that applying an acrylic undercoat, leaving it 24 hours before applying the top coat and leaving the top coat overnight before removing the masking almost eliminates the problem.

[peebeep]

Excuse me, but I thought that the idea of acrylics was to get away from those nasty solvent based enamels that are destroying our eco system (yeah, right) but it seems that the whole model must now be covered in the stuff.

 

 

Enamels were considered nasty because frequently they contained MEK as an additive, used as a drying agent. MEK is flagged up as a carcinogen and its use is mostly discontinued in enamel paints, so you should be able to happily use enamel. There is a huge amount of misunderstanding about the different paint media we use in modelling, you could write an essay to explain it (I won't), but it's helpful to throw away the word acrylic and refer to the different media as water, oil or lacquer based. You might find it helpful to use acrylic primer out of an aerosol, it sticks much better than acrylic out of the jar because, wait for it, the propellant will contain a hot solvent. Games Workshop used to do excellent aerosol primers, they probably still do. Halford's spray primer is an old standby, although it can come up grainy, but a brief polish with some old denim will fix the problem.

[oldmodeller]

I agree with all that has been said but all my modelling is done in the lounge so that I can be with my family. They have got used to the smell of enamel and white spirit (which we all personally don't think smells that bad anyway). This precludes the use of airbushes or aerosol cans. ( although if I have a model that is predominantly one colour i.e. fire engine or other vehicle I will take myself out to the shed for half an hour or so to spray it).

My main gripe is that humbrol say in all their blurb, wash the model parts in warm soapy water for better paint adhesion (sic). No where does it say apply primer (should it be obvious). Two light coats of enamel give me the depth of colour I need and I can apply masking tape without fear of it taking the paint off.

Also, for all the purists out there who want everything right, if a model predates the invention of the spray gun (i.e. sailing ships, vintage cars or steam railway engines) shouldn't they be brush painted with enamels anyway, as they would have been in real life?