As a rule, two main types of paints are currently used for painting scale models:

• acrylic solvent-based water;
• enamels (Enamels);

The use of one type or another depends both on the features of the surface of the model and on personal preferences in modeling.

Scale model paint type

Water based acrylic paints
Almost all manufacturers have water-based acrylic paints in their product range. They are easy to handle and safe to use. Non-toxic and dry quickly. They have a low odor and are suitable for both brush and airbrush. It is currently probably the most popular type of paint used when painting scale models. In this case, ordinary water acts as a solvent.

Although acrylic paints are very different from enamel paints, they are no worse and that is why they have found such widespread use today. However, acrylic paints are not very good where you need to mix different colors, for example, when painting faces on figurines. Many modelers use acrylics for their clothes and oil paints for their faces.

Enamel helmets
Producers of enamel paints: Revell, Testors, Humbroll, Tamiya, etc. These paints dissolve well with native solvents.

Enamel paints provide a durable coating with very good hiding power (that is, a thin layer covers the previous one well), but not resistant to various oils (including grease on fingerprints) and various non-polar hydrocarbons. Therefore, the enamel coating must be covered with a finishing varnish. Enamels dry much longer than acrylic paints – about 6 to 12 hours, but a completely dry coating is resistant to water and alcohols of typical concentrations. As a rule, this type of paint goes well under the brush.

In enamel paints, the color transfer is made exactly in accordance with the colors of military aircraft and vehicles, so a huge number of modelers use enamels when painting their scale models.

Tips for mixing different types of paints:

• Do a test before applying any mixed paints and note how they dry.
• Oil paints usually work well with each other.
• Never try to mix acrylics with oil-based paints. Oil and water do not mix!
• Mix the enamels well with each other, even if they are produced by different manufacturers, as well as with oil paints. The same goes for oil paints.
• All acrylic paints can be thinned with water, although it is better to use specially manufactured solvents.
• Acrylic paints from the same brand can be mixed with each other, but when mixed with paints from other manufacturers, lumps can form.