Acrylic vs. enamel

bpwmd

Young Tutorling
Ok so quick question.
airbrushing enamel over acrylic or vice versa. can it be done.
also all I see online is that the difference between enamel and acrylic is that acrylic is softer but dries faster.
Im painting a Boba Fett helmet for trooping and i plan to hit it with testors dullcote in the end, do I really need to worry about if the paints are acrylic or enamel???
basically the problem is one of the colors I need humbrol says it wont be back in stock for a while. but they have the same color in acrylic.
 
Answered this in your other posting, most waterbased acrylics can be coated with clear enamels but the main difference it ones water based and ones oil based (generally), but saying that make sure your waterbased earlier layers are well set. (heat set if necessary) personally i wouldnt do it the other way around as freshly painted enamels will excude the oil that they are based in and this could affect top layers of waterbased products..try to stick to the same paint type throughout a job, it garauntees a lot less issues..Or experiment and see what those issues cause as sometimes it may just look cool LOL, but on a helmet or the like i'd just stick with acrylics all the way through and then use an acrylic clear, or use enamels all the way through and stick with an enamel clear, best of luck

Really depends on the application m8, enamel wont always crack on waterbased but it can be the result mainly because of that flexibility you mention, but on a stiff object that essentially wont flex its not really a big issue.
 
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Answered this in your other posting, most waterbased acrylics can be coated with clear enamels but the main difference it ones water based and ones oil based (generally), but saying that make sure your waterbased earlier layers are well set. (heat set if necessary) personally i wouldnt do it the other way around as freshly painted acrylics will excude the oil that they are based in and this could affect top layers of waterbased products..try to stick to the same paint type throughout a job, it garauntees a lot less issues..Or experiment and see what those issues cause as sometimes it may just look cool LOL, but on a helmet or the like i'd just stick with acrylics all the way through and then use an acrylic clear, or use enamels all the way through and stick with an enamel clear, best of luck
I did see that and thanks for that was taking the advice of the other person and moving the question to the correct location

thanks for the additional info !!!
 
Answered this in your other posting, most waterbased acrylics can be coated with clear enamels but the main difference it ones water based and ones oil based (generally), but saying that make sure your waterbased earlier layers are well set. (heat set if necessary) personally i wouldnt do it the other way around as freshly painted enamels will excude the oil that they are based in and this could affect top layers of waterbased products..try to stick to the same paint type throughout a job, it garauntees a lot less issues..Or experiment and see what those issues cause as sometimes it may just look cool LOL, but on a helmet or the like i'd just stick with acrylics all the way through and then use an acrylic clear, or use enamels all the way through and stick with an enamel clear, best of luck

Really depends on the application m8, enamel wont always crack on waterbased but it can be the result mainly because of that flexibility you mention, but on a stiff object that essentially wont flex its not really a big issue.
Ok so I have all my enamel sourced and now I'm looking at the finish looking at the rustolium oil based dead flat clear spray finish. Available at my home depot. Will that work on enamel?? All the answers to that I've found only are referring to the type of paint you put on canvas.

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Not 100% sure on the paint brands your using, been many a year since using enamels but I don't believe its a good idea if the rustoliam oil based is a laquer? laquers tend to attack the enamel base as its solvents burn hotter but it can be done. Probably more info in area's like modelling for you as thats the main enamels market. Best idea is a test piece that way you will find out any info you need and specifically on your desired substrate :)
 
Not 100% sure on the paint brands your using, been many a year since using enamels but I don't believe its a good idea if the rustoliam oil based is a laquer? laquers tend to attack the enamel base as its solvents burn hotter but it can be done. Probably more info in area's like modelling for you as thats the main enamels market. Best idea is a test piece that way you will find out any info you need and specifically on your desired substrate :)

Im going to be using all Humbrol enamels and I cant get ahold of the Testors Dullcote here in Juneau, AK (hazmat and what not) so im looking for something I can get ahold of at home depot. Not much in the way of model shops here in Juneau. (read none)
 
again cant advise you on specific brands, I use brand x or in other words what evers still left in the shed, just stick with the basic rule of dont mix types and generally everything will be fine. mix types and although you may not have an immediate bad result, issues can occur down the line unless you've tested your mixes...Australia isnt the best place to buy paints either but can always shop online.
 
yer cop that here too LOL but generally just means customs will hold them up until they see they aint a bomb LOL but can understand that prob. Other alternatives are abound though but depends really on where you live as sometimes that can really restrict your choices. best of luck and hope you find something suitable but if its essentially all enamel you should be right..Can you simply get a Humbrol enamel Clear?
 
ill certainly try but I need dead flat and I had to pull a few strings to get this batch lol
 
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