Russ5281
Well-Known Member
What's better for undercoating when using oils, acrylics or enamels? Thanks.
Russ Hammond
Russ Hammond
Undercoating for oils
- Thread starter Russ5281
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btavis
A Fixture
Either one is fine. Just make sure the enamels are completely dry.
Most people use acrylics since they will absorb a little of the oil and give them more of a matte finish. The only problem with enamels is they dissolve with the same thinner you use for your oils. So if you wanted to apply a wash this could mess with your enamel base coat.
kansas kid
A Fixture
Aw durn burn it, I wasn't going to get into this thread. But after Mike in Tulsa
wrote his comments, which I also think are correct, I realized I guess . . . ah
I am going to get into this.
As a figure painter I would suggest you use acrylics as the base coat for
painting instead of enamels. Yes, enamels will work. And if you already have
boo koo (on the American Heartland that means you have a lot of them)
enamel paints then you can stick with those I guess. But acrylics do indeed
mix well together and dry quickly, especially if you speed up the drying time
with a el cheapo hair dryer.
Now when I paint with oils on figures, I do not dilute the oil paint. The colour
is mixed from several tubes of artist oil paints and applied right over the
acrylic base coat. However, if you dilute your oils with mineral spirits, or
terpinoid or terpentine and apply that over the enamel base coat, that mix
of oil paint and "thinner" can attack the enamel paint and cause it to curl.
So that is something to consider. The following is said here. But it is good
to keep in mind whenever you are trying something new, . . . ah. . . do it
as an experiment FIRST on something that doesn't make any difference.
Do NOT try something new on your new figure. Learn the lessons first on
something that you're just experimenting with. I am baffled why so many
model builders and painters of figures, do not do this. I just don't under-stand.
Hope all this diatribe does help in some small way.
Kansas Kid
wrote his comments, which I also think are correct, I realized I guess . . . ah
I am going to get into this.
As a figure painter I would suggest you use acrylics as the base coat for
painting instead of enamels. Yes, enamels will work. And if you already have
boo koo (on the American Heartland that means you have a lot of them)
enamel paints then you can stick with those I guess. But acrylics do indeed
mix well together and dry quickly, especially if you speed up the drying time
with a el cheapo hair dryer.
Now when I paint with oils on figures, I do not dilute the oil paint. The colour
is mixed from several tubes of artist oil paints and applied right over the
acrylic base coat. However, if you dilute your oils with mineral spirits, or
terpinoid or terpentine and apply that over the enamel base coat, that mix
of oil paint and "thinner" can attack the enamel paint and cause it to curl.
So that is something to consider. The following is said here. But it is good
to keep in mind whenever you are trying something new, . . . ah. . . do it
as an experiment FIRST on something that doesn't make any difference.
Do NOT try something new on your new figure. Learn the lessons first on
something that you're just experimenting with. I am baffled why so many
model builders and painters of figures, do not do this. I just don't under-stand.
Hope all this diatribe does help in some small way.
Kansas Kid
Gellso
A Fixture
Acrylics
I used enamels for years. I switched recently to undercoating with acrylic. It gives a better "bite" for the oil paint to latch on to I feel.
I used enamels for years. I switched recently to undercoating with acrylic. It gives a better "bite" for the oil paint to latch on to I feel.
Russ5281
Well-Known Member
Thanks!
Thanks for the info guys! I've been using acrylics but a friend suggested enamels. I thought I'd toss the question out there and see what people had to say. Thanks!
Thanks for the info guys! I've been using acrylics but a friend suggested enamels. I thought I'd toss the question out there and see what people had to say. Thanks!
