Acrylics or Oils?

[Tonyf]

What do people prefer to use on their models?

personally I am inclined to not even consider using Humbrol paint or even oil based for my latest project and am going for Acrylics and inks from Games Workshop.
I find oils take way too long to dry and are a pain in the ass to clean out brushes etc... not to mention the smell.

another reason is also the cost, I already have a burgeoning collection of paint from my Warhammer days, and currently have no Humbrol or similar oils.

[MerlinJones]

I prefer Humbrol enamels, as I find these most accessible and usable with a Hairy Stick.
I'll occasionally use acrylics for internal works and enjoy the Gunze Mr.Metalcolor for...erm....metals.

Many in here swear by acrylics and their accompanying airbrushes and oils seem to be used for weathering.

Regards,
Bruce

[Tonyf]

I dont like the finish on enamels. they are too shiny. at least with acrylic you can apply a matt or gloss finish, weathering can easily be done by drybrushing with acrylic and you have a while range of coloured inks too to add some depth. :P

besides that, having a baby around, I cant have the house stinking of white spirit.

[MerlinJones]

Fair enough.
I find the matt enamels are matt enough, when I need a matt finish, although I'll always make it a gloss finish with Klear before I stick the decals on. (Stops silvering).
Some modellers only use gloss paints and apply their finish of choice after decalling.

Humbrol Mattcote is a great matt, non-yellowing varnish and I use this a lot, although the Satincote is good for a satin finish.



Regards,
Bruce

[JamesPerrin]

The main issue you will have is matching the colours needed. I use Citadel paints for figures and Mithril Silver when sprayed is an excellent Aluminium dope finish, but I'd struggle mixing up Extra Dark Sea Grey or Dark Green. Humbrol and other manufacturers do make acrylics which match aircraft colours, though you'll need to find which one will brush as well as Citadel.

[Tonyf]

Citadel have launched quite a few new paints in the last few years especially their foundation paint range and the new inks are superb. There are other acryllic options out there but I like the spread of citadel colours, if thats the right word. their new Gnarloc green is a nice colour which (with a little testing and mixing) I think would work.

my first project is a MkVb Spitfire so Green wont be an issue, its going to be done Desert fashion, North Africa and Malta campaign 1941-42.
Although not sure that the Decals for the fuselage will be 100% correct, I'm not entirely bothered by this. Its sort of a homage to my great uncle who used to fly hurricanes during the North Africa campaign. I think he used to fly the Mark IIB or C with the 4 20mm Hispano cannons mounted in the wings. I remember him telling me about it when I was a small boy.

I plan to use Khemri Brown for the darker shade and perhaps a mix of graveyard earth and snakebite leather for the lighter. I think my main problem will be mixing the kind of quantity I will need for a large model and keep the colour consistent.

[Ratch]

Don't restrict yourself to one type or brand, but only buy what you need to do a certain job
I use both acrylics and enamels. I was an exclusive Humbrol enamel man, but have discovered the possibilities using acrylics and even oil paints. Each medium has limitations as well as advantages, so experiment a-plenty and you'll discover the joys and frustrations of each medium. Incidentally, nowadays I mostly use acrylics for the base colours with enamels for the weathering - except on larger scale figures, where I'm discovering the joys of oils

[Tonyf]

Acrylics are excellent for fine detail as it dries quickly, allowing you to build up colour and shade it. nothing worse than waiting an hour to highlight a minute detail.
you surprise me by saying you use enamel to weather your models, I would have thought acrylic would be far superior as you can dry brush with it more effectively.

I think for larger surface areas Enamel might be a bit more economical and provide a more solid consistent result. good suggestion to use both. I may well do that.

[Tonyf]

Incidentally, this may be of interest to any modelers serious about weathering. Citadel released a new range of Weathering dust a ways back.
its only available form forgeworld though, and not Games workshop stores.

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Modelling-Supplies;

[tecdes1]

Why wait Tony f go & get Vallejo acrylics. Vallejo Model Air.

You will be at a loss to find you have wasted so much time without them. Model Air comes already thinned for airbrushing They come in a plastic bottle with a dropper on top & an air tight cap on the dropper. If you want more thinning the thinners also come in a convenient dropper bottle.

Need to mix colours use the dropper to count the drops of each. Gives a good even colour finish. The economical dropper method means paint lasts longer.

No smell, Humbrol users take note, no smell. Dead easy to clean the airbrush. I use an easy disconnect form brush. A good swish under cold water gets rid of most paint. Reconnect brush blast through a cup of Valljo cleaner. Finished clean as a whistle for the next paint job.

Vallejo also have the best web site I have seen modeling. Gives you a whole run down on using their paints.

Nearly forgot. They also do large 200ml bottles of primer. In grey white black & from memory Blue & Red. Also Matt satin & gloss varnish & they do give a superb finish. All these primers & varnishes are in dropper form.

Lastly Model Air & the brush type model are non toxic.

Laurie

[SJPONeill]

If you want to paint models, use model paints - over the years, I have experimented with most of the alternatives and each time come back to tried and trusted names like Humbrol, Tamiya, Gunze, Aeromaster and Polly S - the sole exception has been some of the spray can car paints...however, whether the colours used are dead accurate or not and whether that is important or not is solely up to the individual modeller...

Personally now that tube acrylics are so easily available, I would not bother with oils any more unless maybe I was doing some high end large scale figure painting which would probably be beyond me anyway so I don't bother with oils any more...

Enamels v acrylics...personal preference...often depending on whether that preference involves application via air brush or brush...

Bottom line...whatever makes you as the modeller happy...

[Ratch]

you surprise me by saying you use enamel to weather your models, I would have thought acrylic would be far superior as you can dry brush with it more effectively.

I use acrylics for the base colours, using oils/enamels over this gives versatility and can be removed without spoiling the base paintwork
Mig Pigments have some good weathering DVD's

[Saxon]

As I airbrush I use arcylics mostly as they dry faster and are easier to clean up airbrush wise. If I were to handpaint I would use enamels as I remember the coverage being better and if you use a light grade sandpaper you can get rid of the brushstroke marks.