Enamel and Oils Questions

[sam500]

Hi guys,
I've been using the search feature and reading old articles and have amassed some questions for you.

As this is my first post, here's a little about me:
1.I came to painting through games workshop in the 90's.
2.Mostly I paint with vallejo now for military figs and citadel/P3 paints for fantasy figs.
3.I've been painting with acrylics for 12 years and now I want to try enamels and oils.

From what I've read it seems the more opaque oils are best to start playing around and making mixes with.

How are enamels mixed with oils and why? I haven't found any posts outlining the interplay between the two types of paint. Are enamels used to supply the desired color and the oil keeps them fluid and fuzzy enough for gorgeous wet on wet blends?

What brand of enamels are good for miniature painting? I've heard the old humbrol were the best, but how do the super enamel humbrols stack up against testors or other paint lines?

I was planning on buying a big lot of W&N oils from ebay and then either testor or humbrol enamels from an online discounter and having a play with them on some larger busts.

Any general advice you have on oils and enamels would be much appreciated.

ps: I've bought a cheapy walmart crock pot.

 

[Guy]

Hi Sam,

I am an oil (tube) and enamels man and have been using tube oils only for my flesh. I just like the richness of using oils when doing flesh.

I use Humbrol enamel and Floquil (model railroad paint) for everything else. I do not mix the two mediums.

I have never heard of anyone mixing tube oils with enamels as yet so can't advise you of the results.

I also like the older Humbrols but found that if you use an inexpensive paint stirer (battery operated) with the new Humbrols you get a much better mix and coverage.

The Floquil enamels are from the old Floquil Military Modeling paint (now discontinued) and I have matched up the old colors with the railroad colors.

Testors I do not use or like. Just a personal thing I guess.

Hope this is of some help.

 

[tonydawe]

Hi Sam,

I've used all of the different types of paint over 30 years and have settled on using acrylics and oils. I have tried using oils over enamels, but I found that the enamel paint was affected by the oil and often crazed. The secret to overcoming that was to spray a coat of Dull coat over the enamels before applying the oils. This creates a physical barrier between the paints and prevents any reaction.

Since you are already using acrylics I suggest you experiment with applying oils over acrylics, where you apply the base colour in acrylic, allow it to dry completely and then do the shading and highlighting with oils, particularly flesh areas and leather.

I hope this helps.

Cheers

 

[sam500]

On a similar note.
I remember reading a thread with some suggestions on a starting oil palette for a beginner.
Does anyone know the thread I'm refering to?
If not could you suggest a good starting palette for a bugeoning oil miniature painter?
Finally, where's the cheapest place (besides ebay) online to purchase W&N artist's oils in the USA?
Cheers,
Sam

 

[WPS]

Hello Sam,

I've been using enamels (matt), acrylics and oils on my figures without any problems.
If you are used to acrylics, you can use oils over them to create depth (skin tones) or highlights and shades.
The only times I mix enamels with oils is to get a nice gunmetal color, the down side to this is that the drying time is much longer than normal on both mediums alone.
If you are using oils over enamels take at least 48 hours drying time or 8 hours in a drying chamber set on 30 deg. Celcius.
The enamel needs to be completely dry and the oils need to "bleed" most of the oils out on a piece of paper before use.
NEVER USE THINNERS ON THE OILS.
For the fundamentals on using oils over enamels and acrylics read "the Verlinden way".

Have fun experimenting, Willem

 

[Steve]

Hello, Sam--I have used oils and enamels mixed with excellent results. I never attempted to paint large areas with it, but it is great for patching those places where no matter what you do, the oil alone will not cover like it should. The quick drying properties of the enamel and the coverage mix with the blending capability of the oils and it works great. This is I know a limited use thing, but for what it is it works for me.--
Good luck and I look forward to reading how this goes.----

 

[theseeker]

Sam,

I recently re-started painting figures a little over a year ago and you have come to the right place for help. I use oils over acrylics like many others here.
What I really like about oils is that you have plenty of time to work with them. Like Guy stated above, the oils are outstanding for flesh. I use them for basically everything. It would also help to know what scale you will be working in. If you are working with 54mm figures I would use acrylics and enamels.
To your question about a palette, get yourself a paint wheel and the basic colors to get you started. You will be amazed with what you can mix from 2-3 colors. I also recommend "The Verlinden Way" for getting started.
Just my 2 cents.

Rocky

 

[Einion]

From what I've read it seems the more opaque oils are best to start playing around and making mixes with.

I think so. But you will need to have a few paints that are semitransparent or transparent because you'll probably want a few colours where that's how they come (dark blues and greens for example).

How are enamels mixed with oils and why? I haven't found any posts outlining the interplay between the two types of paint. Are enamels used to supply the desired color and the oil keeps them fluid and fuzzy enough for gorgeous wet on wet blends?

Some people blend the two together but most people use them sequentially - enamels for undercoats and oils for the actual painting.

On a similar note.
I remember reading a thread with some suggestions on a starting oil palette for a beginner.
Does anyone know the thread I'm refering to?
If not could you suggest a good starting palette for a bugeoning oil miniature painter?

Beginner's oil palette (found using Advanced Search, looking for the word palette, in titles only, just within the Painting forum).

Just remember that one guy's must-have colour is another guy's "What's that?".

Finally, where's the cheapest place (besides ebay) online to purchase W&N artist's oils in the USA?

Probably Dick Blick but compare to Cheap Joe's and maybe MisterArt. Worth doing a search in Google for more options and doing a price comparison as there are now lots of online vendors for artists' materials.

Einion

 

[sam500]

Thanks for the link Eionin. I actually found it a day after I posted. And I also read a few of your articles including the one below:

http://www.armorama.com/modules.php...ns&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=36&page=1

I went the opposite direction to cheap and bought some Michael Harding paints based on your suggestion somewhere of getting the 3 primaries each with 2 hues, black, white, and some earth tones.

In a post somewhere you mentioned you weren't happy with a couple of that particular brand of paint. Which were they if you don't mind my asking?
Cheers,
Sam