what is better, enamel or acrylic

[peebeep]

I've not read the blurb, but for sure the surface will need to be thoroughly degreased before applying any paint. Having said that nothing is likely to convince me that aqueous acrylic paint has enough adhesion to survive much handling and especially masking if applied over bare plastic.

[Ratch]

They have got used to the smell of enamel and white spirit (which we all personally don't think smells that bad anyway).

 

 

Conversely, my wife hated the smell of enamels and white spirit, so after 50-odd years of using enamels I switched to acrylics. Yes it's a learning curve, but I continually re-evaluate how I go about modelling, looking for better ways of doing things, and so I've embraced the acrylic way of doing things.

[peebeep]

I switched to acrylics because other modellers I know whose opinions I valued were telling me that enamels were old hat and that acrylic was the way forward, but they were talking about spirit and lacquer acrylic, not aqueous. I was put off because of previous experience with aqueous acrylic, but once I tried other acrylic media I didn't look back. With lacquers you can paint, wait 20-30 minutes for it to set, mask, re-paint, remove masking, job done. I take my hat off to anybody that's mastered the art of getting aqueous acrylic to stick and neither rub off with handling nor peel with masking.

[Ratch]

I take my hat off to anybody that's mastered the art of getting aqueous acrylic to stick and neither rub off with handling nor peel with masking.

 

 

It can be done, Paul, just requires different methods of working.

[paul71]

I use both but i pick acrylics over enamel if i have the colour in both types, i wash the kit in hot water and a bit of washing up liquid then rinse under a hot running tap dab off the water then let it air dry for a day or so, I've never used a primer on a kit yet i just paint straight on to it, I've not had the acrylic rub off when handling but i do hold it very lightly and the way i do models it could be days between coats and i always leave it a day or so before i mask it up and I've not had it pull any acrylic paint off but i do leave it a few days before i take the masking tape off to make sure its fully dry.

A lot of my acrylic is humbrol i always use the small pots that come with starter sets I've found them to be great just give them a good stir before use, i also use revel and vajello acrylics and I've got humbrol and revell enamels and i use any combination of acrylic and enamel from any manufacture on the same kit, i just give anything a go and see what happens when it comes to painting have i just been lucky so for with this I've not had a problem yet.

[Tour de Airfix]

It's the speed of drying, ease of cleaning brushes and lack of smell that has turned me to acrylic. I still have my tins of enamel and thinner, just waiting for an excuse to use them though 😂

[Peter Terry1707820234]

Acrylics have come a long way over the past few years and work well brushed as well as airbrushed as that what i find and using a few drops of retarder certainly makes brush painting a lot better i have used Tamiya over a good number of years and had some good results🙂

[inkpen]

Interesting question.

From experience, I'd say that it's down to personal preferences.  I was a dyed in the wool enamel user until within the past three years.  I decided to complete an Airfix 'Starter Kit' which included the small pots of acrylic paint.  I found that if these were thinned using the same brand acrylic thinners, and successive coats built up, just as when using enamels, good finishes were generally achievable.  Even whites, yellows and reds produced good results.  I had no difficulty finishing clear parts eg canopy frames provided these had been washed prior to painting.  I brush paint exclusively and found that you can paint successive colours without 'lifting' previous finishes both on a large and detail level.  

I generally don't mix enamel with acrylic and recall that you can't enamel over acrylic [or vice versa] as the top surface breaks up if not immediately then over time.  

When seeking a gloss finish, I find enamel preferable to acrylic as the 'sheen' is more pronounced on drying.  I've found some acrylic metallic finishes present difficulties compared to enamel metallics, but this is infrequent.

Some acrylic brands are great to use having good opacity even after thinning.  Modern acrylics are so much better that they were even a short time ago, and many are formulated to allow satisfactory brush painting to.

In short, modern acrylics compare well with enamels and with both a good result depends upon thorough agitation before use!  I've an egg timer and agitate for five minutes with enamel particularly having been stirred to break up settling.  A small coin added to the tin also helps thoroughly agitate too.  Small metal ball-bearings can be bought to add to acrylics which help ensure the paint is appropriately agitated before use.

The answer is to try them, perhaps using a 'starter kit' and see how you get on!