Enamel Paint

[TemPHawkins]

Hi there,

I have been reading as much as I can about painting miniatures, and most guides use acrylic paint for the miniatures, I use acrylic paint myself but have been contemplating for a long time about switching to enamel paint...but I can't find any information on the pros and cons of these paints. If anyone could offer some comprehensive infromation about the use of enamels, pros and cons, it would be most helpful.

Tem

[TheBugKing]

Enamel Paints

Pros:

As long a working time as you want. You can continue to add thinner to keep working.

Thinning odes not require a matte or gloss medium. Washes naturally find recesses whith out the addition of soap. Are far superior when used in an airbrush. Superior coverage and pigment fastness. Come in gloss and matte so you can do effects with luminosity as well as color theory. Acrylic masking mediums will not lift airbrush work. No need to varnish or prime.

Cons:

Require thinners that contain VOCs. Are rougher on brushes. The use of thinner can destroy work beneath what you are working on, care needs to be taken to be sure areas are completely dry before applying washes and glazes. Increased drying time. (Yes a positive and a negative)

The primary drawback is that you need some form of airflow control to use them safely. All the things you do with acrylics can be done with enamels. However acrylics do lend themselves to some techniques better then enamels. This will require some experimentation. I primarily use enamels but I also use acrylics still to apply final glazes and the like. Also, enamels and acrylics go over each other just fine.

[TemPHawkins]

Are Enamel paints good with techniques like blending (Feathering and layering as opposed to wet blending)?

[TheBugKing]

They are ok for feathering and layering. However they are much better at wet blending.

It is what I prefer to do, which is another reason why I use them so much. (Airbrush and wetblending) Feathering can be accomplished with about the same efficiency. layering requires that the lower layers of paint be completely dry.

[TemPHawkins]

Thanks for the information, one question, you said that by using thinner you can damage the layers of paint underneath, do you use white spirit as a thinner or a 'proper' thinner. If using the manufacturers own thinner rather than white spirit or the like, does the issue of damage to underlying paint still apply?

[TheBugKing]

I use toluene with Testors Model Master paints. Their thinner is about 90% toluene so it works fine.

The issue is that the enamels can be softened even if they are completely dry by the thinning agents. I am not familiar with White Spirit. What is in it?

[Bexley]

White spirit = mineral spirits. It would probably be okay to use, but always test first. You'd probably be better getting the odorless variety, which is a little more refined. And less stinky.