acrylic vs enamel

[Junkyard]

The post says it all, what are the advantages of both. Seeing as I am about to have to pick a direction, are both I should use or is there a great advantage of over the other ?

JYD

[huntermountain]

The reason I went for acrylics upon returning to the hobby was the smell. I didn't want to stink up the house by airbrushing enamels. There was quite a learning curve. Depending on the climate where you live, paint drying on the tip of your airbrush can be a real bugger. I use Vallejo Model Air, with acrylic retarder added. I keep a paintbrush loaded with airbrush cleaner and a piece of damp kitchen towel nearby to take care of paint clogging up the tip of the airbrush.

I can't compare acrylics to enamels as I never airbrushed enamels, but I just wanted to give you the reason I decided to go for acrylics. Another argument to consider is availability.

[Kurt H.]

It really comes down to a few factors:

What is available in your area?

What colors do you need?

Does the smell/use of thinner for clean up bother you?

Also I do not think you need to choose one or the other. I use Acrylic, Enamel, and Lacquer. They all do different things well.

I find enamels easier, and more forgiving to airbrush. I also have had better luck brush painting with enamel.

For some reason, the only white paint I have any luck working with is Tamyia in my airbrush. I also like tamiya semi gloss black when working on car models.

Lacquer is really great when painting car bodies.

The thing I really like about acrylics is clean up. The harshest thing you need to clean up your airbrush after painting is Windex.

My comfort zone is Model Master enamels. They are readily available and I like working with them, and all the colors I need are usually available in MM.

[Woody_]

I also use MM enamels. Easy to work with,easy to clean.

But I have one question,so if someone can help I will appriciate it.

One of my future project is SU-27. I got all enamels for painting it, except one color,Smoke Blue. I only manage to find Gunze Acrylic Smoke Blue.

So ,It will be the combination of enamels and that acrylic. Will it be possible to do it that way? Smoke blue goes underside and upper cammo.

If I let it to full cure,is it be safe to coat it with Future?

[Kurt H.]

I only manage to find Gunze Acrylic Smoke Blue.

So ,It will be the combination of enamels and that acrylic. Will it be possible to do it that way? Smoke blue goes underside and upper cammo.

If I let it to full cure,is it be safe to coat it with Future?

The thing to remember is

LEA

Lacquer -> Enamel -> Acrylic

Generally speaking, you are safe as long as the acrylic is last. enamels or Lacquers can crack if you put them over acrylic. I do not remember the science behind it, but it made sense when it was explained to me. I remember reading about it in FSM years ago, and on forums over the years. Future is always a good bet, you really can not go wrong using future as a barrier. As always, make sure the first color is completely dry. If the paint still smells like paint, it is definitely not ready to paint over.

[viscount806x]

Enamels are definitely more reliable for brush and certainly less faff in Airbrush use. The smell isn't too toxic either, being basically paraffin (kerosene). Spraying indoors is a luxury most of us have to forego anyway but so long as a form of extraction is used and a suitable protective mask, no major problems are presented. Acrylics might be better/safer for youngsters but then again, I used enamels as a young kid when it was all there was.

Another major plus which doesn't often get a mention is that the shelf life of enamel paint beats acrylic hands down. I'm still using some Humbrol enamels which are over 40 years old now and providing you treat the tinlets carefully when opening and closing, no reason why this isn't still valid for todays enamels. Others have commented on the same theme several times on 'another forum'.

But, at the end of the day, it is personal choice. I expect I am now going to be shot down in flames by an acrylic fan but that is life!

Nige B

[Woody_]

Thank you Kurt for your advices,I appriciate it.

[toadwbg]

I converted to Acrylics about 8 years back and am very happy with the conversion. So easy to clean and NO FOUL SMELL. I actually get sick on enamel and laquer fumes.

Yes, Acrylics require a learning curve but you will get over it.

I do the occasional Enamel or Laquer when I have to still and always take extra precaution with fumes- good ventalation, paint mask, disposal, etc. None-the less I still got sick again with Laquers last week.

[Ace Combat Zero]

I also use MM enamels. Easy to work with,easy to clean.

But I have one question,so if someone can help I will appriciate it.

One of my future project is SU-27. I got all enamels for painting it, except one color,Smoke Blue. I only manage to find Gunze Acrylic Smoke Blue.

So ,It will be the combination of enamels and that acrylic. Will it be possible to do it that way? Smoke blue goes underside and upper cammo.

If I let it to full cure,is it be safe to coat it with Future?

Yeah, I think so. You would have to do a coat of future before you move on to the next type of paint, like between usage of enamels and acrylics.

Like this:

Enamel

Future

Acrylic

Regarding Junkyard's question, for me, model paint is model paint, I just like to face things as they are, if an enamel or acrylic paint has the paint that I want I would get it, and learn how to use it.

Edited January 2, 2014 by Ace Combat Zero

[VA-115EFR]

I'm learning the art of airbrushing also. Never used acrylics (yet). I use MM enamels and thinner, and learned yesterday that a 50/50 ratio works for me, although it varies from user to user. Yes, enamels do stink, but having a airbrush booth and or a descent respirator helps greatly.

Jason

[Woody_]

And thank you Ace also for advice.

[Junkyard]

Thanks guys for all the GREAT advice. I found enamel to be easier after some late night experimenting. I have several large aisfresheners to dampen the smell so that's not a bother. I like the acrylics too but it was far more difficult to use. I will start practicing them but for now it looks like MM enamles for me.

Again a huge THANK YOU !!

JYD

[Triarius]

If you use enamels, a good spraybooth is an absolute necessity. Some solvents used in enamels are significantly more toxic than those used in most acrylics, and they are present in much higher abundance. This is NOT to say that you don't need a spraybooth for acrylics. You do. But not having one while airbrushing enamels is foolish at best. If there are others living with you, it is criminally negligent.

Enamels are not easier to clean up than acrylics, unless you enjoy bathing in and breathing toxic solvents.

The "smell" of a solvent isn't what's bothering you. The odor is a warning: DON'T BREATHE THIS! Applies to the solvents (except water) used with acrylics.

Beware of common names for organic compounds. For example (one of far too many) What is called mineral spirits in the US is also called white spirit (UK), as well as mineral turpentine, turpentine substitute, petroleum spirits, solvent naphtha, and Stoddard solvent. White spirit is also used to refer to various forms of naptha.

"Paraffin" is used in the UK and parts of the former British Empire and Commonwealth for kerosene, but that does not equate the two—it is merely an accident of cultural nomenclature. Kerosene is highly toxic whether inhaled or absorbed through the skin. The least toxic solvent commonly used in or with enamels is "mineral spirits" (US terminology), which is much less toxic than the solvents commonly used in the manufacture of enamels (toluene, xylene, others) and those found in lacquer thinner (just about all the common organic liquid solvents).

Getting back to the subject of which to use, the thing to remember is that acrylics are very different from enamels, and often different from each other. What works for one enamel will generally work for all of them. Different brands of acrylic paint use different solvent systems, and have to be treated accordingly. Some have advocated using lacquer thinner as a universal solvent for acrylics, negating two of the principal advantages of acrylics. These people are at best "set in their <enamel> ways" and refuse to learn the proper use of the material. This abuse of the material has also led to the misconception that acrylic paints are lacquers—they are not.

I use acrylics almost exclusively, mainly because they can be cleaned up using common household cleaners (Simple Green, Windex, Formula 409, etc.) and reduced to spraying viscosity (thinned) with distilled water or 90% isopropyl alcohol. Cleaning my airbrush between coats takes less than two minutes. Cleaning between sessions takes five unless I tear it down for longer idle times.) Acrylics, their cleaners and solvents are significantly less toxic than those for enamels.

For good quality acrylic paints, long term shelf life is not a problem. My oldest jar of Tamiya is over twenty years old. (I stocked up on Tamiya Sky Gray because I use it as a primer when I bother to prime at all.)

Adhesion of good quality acrylic paints is not a problem if the surface is properly cleaned. This leads to the only real advantage of enamels: enamels tolerate surface contamination better because the solvents they use are better at dissolving many surface contaminants such as skin oil and mold release.This is why you don't want to get them on your skin or breathe the vapors.

If you want to use either enamels or acrylics, the choice is yours—but use them properly. If you decide to use both, that puts more arrows in your quiver, but the same admonition still applies.