Paints/Brushes - Enamel and Acrylic Ramble

[Mortis57]

Rather than completely derail Pete's thread I thought I'd start a new one.

A few of my (close to hand) paints:


I used to use Humbrol enamels exclusively but in the eighties (longer ago than I care to remember) I started using acrylics for D&D type figures (mostly the Games Workshop/Citadel and Miniature Paints ranges).

Over the years other ranges have crept in (and out) of my paint collection.

Enamel-wise I still (90%+) use Humbrol but have also started to use the Revell and Colourcoats (originally owned by White Ensign Models; now owned by Sovereign Hobbies) ranges.

Acrylics I commonly use are Vallejo, Ammo by Mig, and AK Interactive. I also use a few of the Games Workshop washes (mainly Agrax Earthshade and Nuln Oil), as well as their Teclis Blue (for cockpit canopies etc.) and have recently used their Valhallan Blizzard (for those snowy bases). I've also tried Tamiya acrylics but found that they didn't (at least for me) brush paint very well. Another problem I (and it does seem to be just me!) have a problem with acrylic matt varnish - I've never found one that dries completely matt. Or it dries white. I've also got one or two of the Humbrol acrylics which are fine but I find that they're not as hard-wearing as their enamel counterparts.

In regards to washes I have read/heard that it's advisable to use an acrylic wash over an enamel paint and an enamel wash over an acrylic paint as this will prevent the paint lifting.

And a few of my brushes:


One more thing: If you do use both enamel and acrylics I recommend that you use different brushes for each. Now the experts will say that you should use the most expensive brushes that you can afford and use sable for x and synthetic for y, but I use fairly cheap (£2-£3 each) synthetic brushes by Creative Models. I commonly use 000, 0, and 2 brush sizes. I try to have two on hand (one for the enamels; one for the acrylics) and a spare for when of the others loses it's point. I use a bit of Tamiya masking tape around the end of the brush handle and the little plastic cover to identify my acrylic brushes. I've also seen it recommended that you use another set of brushes for metallic paints but I've never found the need to go that far. Although I do have another brush that I only use for varnish.

Once a brush loses it's point I relegate it groundwork painting, applying pva glue etc.

<edit> One more thing (I feel like Columbo) I find that a larger brush (say a 000) that holds it's point is better (for me at least) than a 5-0 or 10-0 as it holds more paint and I'm not constantly back and fro to the paint pot / palette.

[redleg]

Thanks for starting this discussion and sharing some good info on paints and brushes, Gazza! Can you also please go a little bit into the difference between acrylic and enamel paints? I know that I'm not supposed to mix them, but beyond that I don't know what the benefits of using one type over another are. Right now I am painting exclusively with Tamiya brand paint, but that is because it's what the local hobby store carries, not because I have any real preference.

You ever not know something that everybody else seems to know, and then you're afraid to ask because you'll look dumb for asking the question that's common knowledge, and then you just spiral out of control in your own ignorance? Yup that's me with acrylic and enamel. I'm just proud of myself for not mixing gloss and flat paints on the same model!

[Mortis57]

Can you also please go a little bit into the difference between acrylic and enamel paints?

Well I'm no expert but it basically comes down to the type of medium in which the paint pigments are suspended. Acrylics use an acrylic polymer (I believe that not all acrylic paints use the same medium and thus maybe cannot be intermixed - I could be wrong though) whilst enamels use a solvent base.

A quick google gave me this page (not specifically about model paints but should suffice): https://acrylgiessen.com/en/enamel-vs-acrylic/

<edit 2> Never be afraid to ask about something you'd like to know.

[Hoth_902]

Mortis57,

Thanks for starting this thread. Its good that more people are starting to contribute again. I will try and add some of my experiences a little later. The one thing I wish is that GHQ would put folders to help you search for things. There should be a whole folder just for this type of stuff.

Redleg, No one in this hobby should be afraid to ask questions. That helps us all learn and it increases the usefulness of this forum. Might even breath some new life into it. The back an forth with me and Pete, I feel has really gotten some momentum going. I think if more people asked questions, it might generate more content.

[Mortis57]

Another thing I should mention is that I have a couple of apps on my phone that suggest matching colours from various paint ranges. These are Hobby Color and ModelShade (the latter also has website). The suggestions aren't always 100% accurate but they at least give you a starting point if you're trying to match a colour from a range that is difficult to locate.

The Hobby Color app also has the 'Colorator' mode which uses your phone's camera to an-al-yse the colour at the centre of it's viewpoint. I've used it once or twice to i.d. a colour in an image. One of the pitfalls of being a colourblind painter (greens, browns, reds)

Obviously this is somewhat subjective as real paint colours vary from batch to batch, fade over time, become dirty, etc. Never mind that most (all?) model paints don't take scale effect into account.

Here's a link about the latter.

<edit> I forgot that a certain word would fall prey to the censor filter

[pmskaar]

Good stuff here, Gazza!

I have been painting these little things for over 30 years now. I interested to see what techniques and tools people use and if I can adapt some of these for my own use. While I still use Humbrols for my 1/285th scale miniatures, I am working into acrylics for some larger scale figures. Much for me to learn as I have spent most of my time using enamels and are familiar with how to use them and what I can do.

[BurtWolf]

So what is the advantage of enamel - durability? I have been solely using acrylics (Vallejo and MiG) and I like the ease of cleaning plus I have gotten used to using a wet palette.

I tried the color contrasts but they don’t add too much at this scale. I went back good ole Nuln Oil and Agrax Earthshade for my washes. I’m trying to pin wash when I can without a ton of success…

[Mortis57]

So what is the advantage of enamel - durability?

That's certainly my experience with them.

Back in the 70s when I started making plastic kits they also had the added benefits of being commonly available in local toy shops, newsagents etc. - at least locally and also having an extensive of range of military colours. I actually started with the Airfix range of enamel paints - which were in a slightly taller but narrower tin compared with the 'standard' Humbrol tins. Here's a photo I found online (I don't remember those glass jars however):


These latter advantages are no longer such given the extensive acrylic ranges from Vallejo, Mig, etc.

I tried the color contrasts but they don’t add too much at this scale.

I've not tried them - I tend to try new paints when I run out of a paint or it has been discontinued.

I went back good ole Nuln Oil and Agrax Earthshade for my washes.

They're the two I generally use - although at the moment I'm out of both and I am using Seraphine Sepia on some Elefants and assorted vehicles.

I’m trying to pin wash when I can without a ton of success…

I've tried a more precise application of washes on engine decks, tracks, or (if they're defined enough) in the panel lines/control surfaces of aircraft to varying degrees of success. Another method I tried for the panel lines/control surfaces is a very fine tipped black Sharpie (or similar).

[StarCruiser]

Down here in "Tejas" - I originally depended on old Testors and Pactra Enamel paints. That was all that was available in the 1960's to 70's where I lived.

Later, I did find Humbrol (never saw Airfix paints here) and still have quite a few old - old as in 1980's era - tins that are still good.

One of the benefits of Enamel paints that is often not considered is their natural glossy finish. Since they are oil based, they tend towards being glossy, while most Acrylics tend towards a natural matt/flat finish.

Their only durability fault is that Enamel paint is hard and inflexible. If you use it on a flexible surface, it WILL crack.

[Mortis57]

Later, I did find Humbrol (never saw Airfix paints here) and still have quite a few old - old as in 1980's era - tins that are still good.

I've not got any of my Airfix paints left, but I do still have two or three from the old Humbrol Authentics range. Plus a number of colours that Humbrol have since discontinued such as Humbrol 142 - Field Drab.

One of the benefits of Enamel paints that is often not considered is their natural glossy finish. Since they are oil based, they tend towards being glossy, while most Acrylics tend towards a natural matt/flat finish.

Given the subjects that I paint a glossy finish tends to be a problem - although I will sometimes give items a coat of Johnsons Klear floor polish (basically a glossy acrylic varnish) before applying decals. Before applying a final coat of matt enamel varnish!

Their only durability fault is that Enamel paint is hard and inflexible. If you use it on a flexible surface, it WILL crack.

I remember trying to get it to stick to the old 'bendy' polythene figures Airfix etc. produce.

[StarCruiser]

Ohhhhh my, yes - those and Matchbox's equivalent. Pretty much soft plastic figures were a mess!

[Mortis57]

I was going to post this in my Gazza Stuff thread but in hindsight felt that here was the better choice.

Sometimes when deciding on how to paint something (colours, camo scheme etc.) I use google and search scalemates.com for the instruction sheet for plastic models of the subject at hand.

For example for the Elefants I'm currently doing I used the search term 'site:scalemates.com elefant'. There were a few instructions sheets available and I downloaded 4. The best one for my purposes was for a 1/35th scale Elefant from the Amusing Hobby company (a new one for me). The instruction sheet has 6 full colour pages with a different scheme on each page. Here's the link if anybody is interested.

Of course, not every search is as productive as that one.

[BurtWolf]

Great thread - I am enjoying it. Great tip on scalemates as well! Appreciate it!

[Mortis57]

I went to a couple of different shops today to buy some GW paints and also some Humbrol paints and a couple of brushes.

I got the GW stuff without issue, however a couple of the Humbrol enamels I wanted had been discontinued - I was lucky enough to get one of them which had been placed at the bottom of the rack with the other discontinued paints that he still had in stock.

It seems to be down to the fact that Humbrol (all?) enamels contain a nasty substance "MEKO" (Methyl Ethyl Ketoxime, MEKO; CAS 96-29-7) which is subject to certain regulations (more details here: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/ind ... ol-enamel/)

I did a bit more googling and found this list in a post at britmodeller.com (https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/ind ... s-deleted/):

Continued:
1 Grey Primer Matt
2 Emerald Gloss
3 Brunswick Green Gloss
5 Dark Ad Grey Gloss
7 Light Buff Gloss
9 Tan Gloss
10 Service Brown Gloss
11 Silver Metallic
12 Copper Metallic
14 French Blue Gloss
15 Midnight Blue Gloss
16 Gold Metallic
18 Orange Gloss
19 Bright Red Gloss
20 Crimson Gloss
21 Black Gloss
22 White Gloss
24 Trainer Yellow Matt
25 Blue Matt
26 Khaki Matt
27 Sea Grey Matt
28 Camouflage Grey Matt
29 Dark Earth Matt
30 Dark Green Matt
31 Slate Grey Matt
32 Dark Grey Matt
33 Black Matt
34 White Matt
35 Gloss Varnish Gloss
38 Lime Gloss
41 Ivory Gloss
46 Matt Orange Matt
47 Sea Blue Gloss
48 Mediterranean Blue Gloss
49 Matt Varnish
52 Baltic Blue Metallic
53 Gunmetal Metallic
54 Brass Metallic
56 Aluminium Metallic
60 Scarlett Matt
61 Flesh Matt
62 Leather Matt
63 Sand Matt
64 Light Grey Matt
65 Aircraft Blue Matt
66 Olive Drab Matt
67 Tank Grey Matt
69 Yellow Gloss
70 Brick Red Matt
73 Wine Matt
76 Uniform Green Matt
77 Navy Blue Matt
78 Cockpit Green Matt
80 Grass Green Matt
82 Orange Lining Matt
85 Coal Black Satin
86 Light Olive Matt
93 Desert Yellow Matt
94 Brown Yellow Matt
98 Chocolate Matt
99 Lemon Matt
101 Mid Green Matt
103 Cream Matt
110 Natural Wood Matt
113 Rust Matt
121 Pale Stone Matt
127 US Ghost Grey Satin
130 White Satin
131 Mid Green Satin
147 Light Grey Matt
153 Insignia Red Matt
154 Insignia Yellow Matt
155 Olive Drab Matt
160 German Cam Red Brown Matt
164 Dark Sea Grey Satin
174 Signal Red Satin
186 Brown Matt
191 Chrome Silver Metallic
200 Pink Gloss
201 Black Metallic
220 Italian Red Gloss
222 Moonlight Blue Metallic
27001 Aluminium Metalcote
27002 Polished Aluminium Metalcote
27003 Polished Steel Metalcote
27004 Gunmetal Metalcote

Discontinued:
71 Oak
72 Khaki drill
74 Linen
81 Pale yellow
83 Ochre
84 Mid Stone
87 Steel grey
89 Middle Blue
90 Beige Green
91 Black green
100 Red Brown
102 Army green
109 WWI blue
111 Field grey
116 US dark green
117 US light green
119 light earth
123 extra dark sea grey
126 US medium grey
128 US compass grey
129 US gull grey
132 Red
133 Brown
135 Varnish
140 Gull grey
144 intermediate blue
145 medium grey
149 dark green
156 Dark camoflage grey
159 Khaki drab
163 dark green
165 medium sea grey
166 light aircraft grey
173 track colour
195 Dark green
196 Light grey
224 Dark slate grey
226 Interiour green
234 dark flesh
238 Arrow red
239 British racing green
240 RLM02 Grau
241 RLM70 zwarts grau
242 RLM72 grun
244 RLM73 grun
245 RLM74 grau grun
246 RLM75 grau violet
247 RLM76 lightblau
248 RLM78 himmel blau
249 RLM79 sandgelb
253 RLM83 Dunkel grun

Further posts in the topic go on to mention that the colours being removed from the enamel range will be added to their acrylic range. There are various
comments also on the quality of Humbrol's new acrylic range (which is in the dropper bottles typical of Vallejo etc.). One photo of such shows a 'snake' of thick paint - almost like that squeezed out of a tube of artist's oil paint.

I'm a bit miffed at the moment as there are a number of paints in the discontinued section that I use on a regular basis:
72 Khaki drill - mostly as a final drybrush to pick out edges etc.
83 Ochre - as the base colour for my late war Germans - I guess I'll try 94 instead.
111 Field grey - WW2 German uniforms - not super accurate, but at 6mm...
159 Khaki drab - the base colour for late WW2 British armour (and Russian uniforms!)

There's a number of others that I use on a less frequent basis (such as all the RLM colours).

I guess I'll end up trying the acrylics and also finding alternatives from Vallejo, Mig, AK Interactive etc.

[StarCruiser]

Yeah - I've heard some grumbling about the newer Humbrol paints. Looks like they may be doomed by incompetent management...

Lots of companies produce good quality Acrylic paints so, they have NO excuse there.

MEKO is a suspected carcinogen is restricted in consumer products in the UK, EU and I believe Canada as well.

Testors enamel paints have it as well and, are no longer sold outside of the USA (doomed as well). They (stupidly) dumped their (actually quite good) Acrylic line just in time for this all to hit. BRILLIANT!