potential dumb painting question time

[Michaelaface]

hello group its me again with another daft question thats probably more opinion based than anything

so recently I've started getting into repainting my locos and coaching stock and so far I've been using enamel paints via an airbrush for this, but after coming across the vallejo youtube channel and seeing what can be achieved with with acrylic paint is there any reason that enamel paint "appears" to be prefered or maybe the first choice?

I mean I'm no expert on paints and painting, currently just trying to teach myself everything, but right now I'm struggling to see why enamel paints are actually better? they stink, take ages to dry, are annoying to clean out of the airbrush and I always find I end up wasting more than I'd like just getting them out of the tin

now vallejo provide a range of acrylic paint designed for airbrushes that can be poured via a helpful nozzle directly in to the airbrush paint cup, so I guess my question here is, what are the advantages of enamel paints? why do they seem to be the ones I always see people using when doing model railway painting

[Paul-H]

Hi

I suppose the obvious difference is that Enamels should be a more durable finish once dried, although Acylics can be quite tough once fully cured.

Acrylics are easier to clean up after as they only need water and are quite odourless compared to enamels.

The Vallejo range of paints are excellent and although their Model Air range does seem a good idea at the time you soon come to realise you are paying a premium for less paint and more water. Its better to use the Model Color range and their thinner, although you can use water without too much issue, their thinner contains a resin to help adhesion.

Good like finding railway matched colours though, a lot of trial and error is needed to get a good match to rail specific colours.

Paul

[Michaelaface]

yeah I've just spent a good 20-30 mins cleaning up my airbrush, now have to wait a few hours for the enamel paint to dry and then do the whole thing again

so is it really just a case of manufacturers for railway specific colours mostly produce paints in enamel?

and I hadn't looked at prices just yet, just going off what I'd seen

[Michaelaface]

also what about this range? is it no good?

https://www.humbrol.com/uk-en/shop/pain ... lours.html

[b308]

I don't airbrush my stock but brush paint and the reason I mainly use enamel paint is that the finish I can achieve is better than with acrylic.

[Paul-H]

That's the advantage of enemels when brush painting, the slower drying times allow the brush strokes to level out. Acrylics can offer the same if you use a retardent, but then you are back to slow drying times.

[Michaelaface]

ahh so its brush painting too, I personally prefer using an airbrush so far than when I've used brushes

[Paul-H]

also what about this range? is it no good?

https://www.humbrol.com/uk-en/shop/pain ... lours.html

Never had any issues with Humbrol paints, although some do struggle with them.

Tamiya are also very good if airbrushed but rubbish if brushed.

There are quite a few makers out there often offering both Enamels and Acrylics, although new postal rules often stop dealers posting enamels.

[Ironduke]

Hi Michaelaface,
If you are doing two coats of the same colour just put the airbrush bits in a box in a very cold fridge. This stops the paint from drying on the airbrush. Just let it thaw for a few minutes before you use it again for the next coat.
I use the same trick for paint rollers when I'm doing walls. The fridge is also a good place to keep superglue to stop it drying out.

(Edited: removed reference to freezer; you shouldn't freeze acrylics)

[TimberSurf]

Using Humbrol is like buying a "Hoover" vacuum, it's an historic go to, but you would by a "Dyson" these days. I have humbrol tinlets from 30 years ago, why would I throw them away, they still work great? So much so, I started buying second hand ones at shows and online to supplement my stock!
I also started airbrushing in the last few years and have had mixed results. I had a discussion with an expert at a show a few months back and and discovered that Humbrol back then had coarse pigments that are unsuitable for fine spraying! (my issues were clogging up the airbrush)
So.....
Old humbrol are brilliant for hand painting, I will not be throwing anything out.
Modern Humbrol are not a patch on the old stuff, very thin and take forever to dry (as opposed to the 30 year old thats hard in 10 mins)
I have recently bought 48 Valejo Model colours (really cheap deal ) and will only be using them for airbrushing in the future.

[Michaelaface]

thank you for your replies everyone, I have a better understanding now

I'm going to order some of the humbrol acrylic paints and the vallejo ones and see how they compare to the enamels I've been using

here's a coach I painted yesterday using enamels from phoenix precision, I am very happy with how its looking, but the smells, drying time and messing about getting the right consistency and getting them out of their tins is the downside