echnique

A fresh look at

Enamels!
How to use the old standby modeling paints
By Pat Covert Photos by the author

T
hese days we have many options for painting models.
The hobby paint manufacturers and aftermarket com-
panies have bombarded us with a plethora of new
offerings – from aqueous acrylics to exotic automotive
coatings. It can be confusing, and you might find your
shelves filled with a myriad of paints and thinners!
Good old-fashioned enamel paints have gotten lost in the
shuffle. Yep, the ones many of us grew up using. What a shame,
because enamels are still the most reliable paints available to mod-
elers. Gloss enamels take on a fantastic shine when polished and
there are more colors and varieties of these available to the mod-
eler than ever before. Likewise, flat enamels come in an
unbelievably wide choice of colors for any type of modeling you
choose. Also, other types of paints can be used in conjunction
with enamels to enhance their usefulness.
In this article we’ll take a fresh look at enamel paints, show you
the many ways to use them, and perhaps open some new doors
that can make your modeling easier – and more fun!
Proper preparation for painting. Before you begin paint-
ing, wash the model parts thoroughly in a solution of warm water
and dish detergent, 1. This will remove oils and mold-release
agent and ensure that your primer and paint will adhere properly.
Resin kits have mold-release agents that are a bit tougher to
remove, so use the company’s recommendations to strip these
coatings.
I advocate using primer before applying gloss paints. Plastic
can be a slippery surface, and primer gives the surface a “tooth” to
which paint can better adhere. Primer also helps you spot surface
flaws that must be corrected before painting.
I recommend going outside the hobby paint market and using

LEFT: Enamels are the most reliable hobby paints, and most model-
ers find them easiest to use. The AMT Ford GT-90 was finished in 1 Always wash kit parts with a solution of dish detergent and
gloss yellow, while the Sci-Fi 3D contraption was sprayed with flat water to remove oils and mold-release agents. After washing,
green and camouflaged with an airbrush. rinse the parts off and allow them to air-dry before painting.

FineScale Modeler November 2000 November 2000 FineScale Modeler 47


Primer helps paint adhere better to plastic. Pat prefers the light
ray automotive-based primer packaged by Model Car World.
Always warm up gloss paint before spraying. You can use a
owl with about 2-3 inches of hot tap water or simply hold the hot
ater in your sink.
Start your gloss paint job with light mist coats. Build up several
mist coats until you get complete coverage.
FineScale Modeler November 2000
a commercial grade primer made for 1:1 scale automobiles.
Hobby enamels do not require special primers for blocking hot
solvents, but some commercial enamels do. These “modified”
enamels can “craze” (etch) plastic, so it’s a good idea to use an
automotive-grade primer to protect the plastic. You can find these
at department stores and auto-paint supply houses under such
brand names as Duplicolor or PlastiKote. My favorite primer is a
light gray Martin Senour blend by Model Car World, a company
that specializes in packaging auto paints for hobbyists, 2.
The number of primer coats you need depends on how much
modification is necessary to bring your body, fuselage or whatev-
er up to snuff. If you have simply removed molding seams, you
can get away with just one or two coats. If you have done a lot of
filling and contouring, you may need several more coats of primer
to fill minor imperfections in the touch-ups.
Primer may look smooth, but sanding will make it even
smoother. Smoothing primer won’t make the color coats stick any
better, but it will allow the paints to lay more evenly. A fine 800-
or 1,000-grit wet sandpaper works well here, or you can use a
3,200-grit pad or cloth from a polishing kit. Sand lightly, as cut-
ting through to the plastic will require re-priming the affected
area.
Using primer under flat paints is only necessary if you are cre-
ating a barrier for forthcoming “hot” paint (paint that might
craze) or sealing fillers. When in doubt, use primer.
The glossiest gloss. Gloss enamels’ high resin content
enables them to be polished to an ultra-high shine. Because of
this, clear-coating is optional. Gloss enamels in particular have a
high viscosity (syrupy), so they need a little extra attention when
spraying. Warming enamels before applying them helps them
flow better, and cuts down on texture problems such as the dread-
ed “orange peel” effect. Aerosol enamels can be heated in a bath
of about 3" of hot (not boiling!) tap water for five minutes before
spraying, 3. Between coats, return the can to the bath and replen-
ish the hot tap water when it cools. If you are airbrushing
enamels, keep the room warm. Cold temperatures are gloss enam-
els’ worst enemy.
To thin or not to thin? There is no hard and fast rule for
thinning gloss enamels for airbrush use because viscosity can vary
from one bottle to the next, even in the same manufacturer’s line.
Also, paint tends to thicken the longer it stays on the shelf, due to
slow evaporation of the solvents. The rule of thumb is to thin
enamel to the consistency of milk. For most bottled paints, this
ratio is two parts paint to one part thinner for most bottled paints.
Paint flow is critical with gloss enamels. When airbrushing any
paint, test the flow of the paint on a scrap piece of plastic before
painting your project. In your test, you should achieve a solid wet
coat with two or three passes of the airbrush. If you get a wet coat
on the first pass, your paint is probably too thin. If it’s hard to get
a wet coat at all, or if you’re getting a lot of texture on the surface,
the paint needs more thinner. If the paint does not flow well or
spatters, you may need more thinner, or the airbrush tip may be
clogged.
Whether using an aerosol can or an airb ru s h ,a lw ays start by
spraying three dry, mist coats, spaced about 15 minutes apart to
allow each to set up, 4. Now you can apply wet coats. Spray just
enough paint onto the surface to impart a wet look, 5, but not so
much that it drips and runs. Apply each wet coat in several pass-
es, judging your progress as you go. For best results,allow 25-30
minutes between wet coats to allow the gloss paint to set up.
Inadequate time between coats can cause the paint to drip or run,
so don’t get overanxious here.
A typical gloss enamel paint job requires four to six wet coats
from an aerosol can – even more from the airbrush, as the paint is
thinner. And remember, because there is a wide range of paint vis-
cosity, these estimates only serve as a guide.
The biggest disadvantage of gloss enamels is drying time. You
should set the painted parts aside for at least a week to allow the
paint to cure .A fter the paint has fully cured, you can use a pol-
ishing kit to “rub out” the finish to a textureless, high-gloss shine,
6. (For an even more detailed look at applying gloss enamels,
check out my book The Modeler’s Guide to Scale Automotive
Finishes [Kalmbach Books]. Also read my “Polished to perfection”
article in the October 2000 FSM.)
Clear gloss overcoat – need it? There are certain circum-
stances when gloss enamels can benefit from a clear gloss
overcoat. As a rule, properly applied enamels polish out beautiful-
ly. Clear coats over solid colors can add a bit more visual depth. 5 Several wet coats follow the initial mist coats. The trick is to
However, some clear enamels have a warm, yellowish tint that apply just enough paint to gloss the surface, but not so much as to
shows up on cool, light colors such as white and baby blue. Stay cause drips and runs.
away from clear coating in these instances. Warmer colors, even
lighter ones such as yellow, are not as affected by the yellowish tint
in clear enamel.
The pearl paints in the Testor Colors by Boyd line are translu-
cent, so much so that they must first be undercoated in a color
coat. These paints have a high carrier-to-flake ratio, so clear coat-
ing is an option. On the other hand, the tiny flakes in metallic
colors tend to be more abundant than in pearls, and these can
have a flattening effect on the paint.
Consequently, clear coating can improve the appearance of
most metallic paints, especially if you intend to rub out the finish.
Keep in mind some manufacturers add more gloss to their metal-
lic paints than others, so clear coating may not be necessary for
every metallic enamel paint you encounter. Test the paint on a
piece of scrap plastic first to see if it meets the level of gloss you
desire. If you’re satisfied with the gloss you get, don’t bother with
clear coating.
Spraying clear gloss over decals is not recommended. The yel-
low tint found in clear enamel can darken over time, drastically 6 Enamel paints are loaded with gloss carrier and polish out
affecting light-colored decals.Also, some decals could be adversely beautifully. Usually, gloss colors do not require clear coats.
Enamel Do’s and Don’ t s
• Do use a primer under gloss enamel paints. The paint
will adhere better.
• Do warm gloss enamel paint cans before spraying. The
paint will cover and flow much better.
• Do use clear gloss over metallics and other paints that
aren’t very glossy. The clear coat will add more visual
depth.
• apply mist coats for gloss and flat enamels before
Do
spraying wet coats. The paint will adhere better.
• Do use “mild” thinners for washes. “Hot” solvents can
blister or even dissolve the paint.
• Don’t use clear gloss over white base coats. It will yellow
over time.
• Don’t apply washes over uncured paint. The solvents
could soften and dissolve the undercoats of paint.
• Don’t mix resin-based enamels with acrylic enamels of
any type. The solvents are not compatible.
• Don’t spray lacquers, even Glosscote, over gloss enamel 7 Flat enamels are easy to apply straight from the can. Here Pat
paints. This can damage the finish. used Testor Medium Green military color for base coats on the
SF3D manned walker.
November 2000 FineScale Modeler 49

A light camouflage pattern was applied by airbrush over the
reen base coats. Flat enamels are opaque, so applying a light
an over the green wasn’t a problem.
An enamel wash can be used over chrome to take away the
oy-like quality of model car grilles.
Dry-brushing light colors was done to accent the high points
n engine components.
FineScale Modeler November 2000
affected by the solvents in the clear coat and cause cracking or
wrinkling; this may take months to become evident. The only rem-
edy is stripping the paint and decals off and starting over (see Chris
Appoldt’s article “Stripping Paint” in the September 2000 FSM).
Never spray gloss lacquer paints or clear coats over gloss enam-
els. Automotive lacquers have very “hot” solvents in them that can
blister enamel undercoats. Lacquers with cooler solve n t s ,s u ch as
Testors Clear Gloss Lacquer, will not blister enamels but they will
separate over time – shedding away from the enamel like a snake
loses its skin – so stay away from these as well.
The clear coat I recommend is Testor “Clear Top Coat” (No.
2736 in the bottle, No. 2936 in the spray can). It won’t separate
from enamels and won’t blister them, either.
Those unflappable flats. Spraying aerosol cans of flat enam-
el is so easy that a beginner can do it without much trouble, 7.
Testor offers a tremendous range of colors for all types of modeling
interests. Unless you’ve used fillers on your model, you won’t need
to prime before applying a flat enamel. It is, however, essential to
wash the parts to remove oils that may affect the paint’s adherence.
When painting with aerosol flat, apply a heavy mist coat first
– one that all but covers the subject. Wait about five minutes or
so, then lay down a wet coat for complete coverage. Flats are more
opaque than gloss paints, so you won’t need so many coats. Light
colors painted over dark are the exception, of course; you may
need an extra coat or two.
Applying flat enamels with an airbrush is easy, too. Flats don’t
contain a lot of resin in the carrier, so they are not as temperature-
sensitive as gloss enamels. They cure faster and can be thinned to
a wider range of viscosity than their gloss counterparts.
For fine, smooth coverage, thin two parts of flat enamel with
one part thinner (use the brand’s recommended thinner for best
results), 8. Depending on the brand’s viscosity, you may need to
add more thinner. Airbrush a heavy mist coat to serve as a base.
After that, one or two solid wet coats is all you need for full cov-
erage. If you are not particularly concerned with covering up detail
and just want solid coverage fast, add less thinner to the paint.
Don’t forget that decals don’t sit well on flat paints, so prepare
flat-painted models with a couple of coats of clear gloss before
decalings. You can always apply a coat of clear flat after decaling.
Fresh paint for an old look. While flat enamels are useful
for most aspects of weathering, the gloss variety can be used as
well. For instance, if you want the look of fresh oil, mix a bit of
gloss black and clear enamel together to the density of your
choice. The more black you add, obviously, the dirtier the oil.
Thin this to the consistency you desire (not too much or you’ll
lose the gloss) and drip it over your engine block, wheel hub, or
whatever for an oily look.
You can also drip the mixture on the base of your diorama or
vehicle hauler to simulate leaking oil that has dripped from an
overworked engine. Want to simulate oil that’s not so dirty? Use
brown paint instead of black and lean heavier on the clear gloss in
your mixture.
Flat enamels open up a world of effects for weathering mod-
els. A “wash” is drastically thinned paint that collects in corners
and crevices and darkens the shadows, 9. Allow the flat color
coats to cure for at least two days before applying the mostly thin-
ner wash. Use a mild thinner (Testor is good) so the wash doesn’t
undermine the color coats. Test your thinner before applying the
wash to your project.
Washes made from water-based acrylic paints can be used
harmlessly over flat enamels, but they may be repelled by the
somewhat oily enamel surface (oil and water don’t mix, right?).
You can solve this problem by adding a drop of dish detergent to
your wash. This helps reduce the surface tension and allows the
wash to flow better.
“Dry-brushing” is common in military and figure modeling.
Here, a flat brush is dipped into the flat enamel, and then wiped
onto a clean cloth so that most of the paint is removed. The thin
layer of pigment left on the brush is gently stroked onto raised
details, 10, highlighting the . . . well . . . highlights!
Aircraft modelers often dry-brush silver paint onto leading
edges of wings and tail fins to simulate exposed metal left by paint
peeling away. For ground vehicles,dry-brushing an earth-colored
paint can be used to simulate mud splatters around the body pan-
els and undercarriages.
Flat coats. It is generally safe to use a flattening agent, such
as Testor Dullcote or lusterless enamel over flat enamels, 11.
These are mild lacquer paints but, unlike their gloss lacquer coun-
terparts,they don’t separate from flat enamels because they have
very little resin content. I prefer to apply a flat coat because it
helps protect against solvents associated with washes and from 11 Testor Dullcote can be applied over flat enamels. It is available
damage caused by handling the model. in aerosol cans or in bottles for airbrushing.
The bottom line. Enamels have been available to the hobby-
ist for decades, but just because these paints have been around for
a while doesn’t mean they’re outdated. Two huge advantages REFERENCES
The Modeler’s Guide to Scale Automotive Finishes Pat
enamels have over other paints are that they are easy to use and
Covert, Kalmbach Books, Waukesha, Wisconsin,1998
more consistent from brand to brand. Those are monumental
benefits to beginners who need to build confidence. SOURCES
Enamels allow experienced modelers to move through projects Primer MCW Automotive Finishes,Box 518,Burlington,NC
more quickly, granting the builder more time to concentrate on 27216-0158,http://ourworld.cs.com/mcwautofinishes
adding more detail. So next time you’re at the hobby shop look- Polishing kit LMG Enterprises,1627 South 26th St.,
ing for the latest, newest paint for your impending project, take a Sheboygan,WI 53081
fresh look at enamels. Like an old friend,they won’t let you down!
FSM
Humbrol – The “other” enamel
Testor Corporation is the largest
producer of hobby enamels, but
England’s Humbrol has been a major
player in the hobby paint game for sev-
eral decades.Humbrol paints, widely
used in Europe, can be found in the
United States in some hobby shops and
mail-order sources.
Humbrol packages its paint in 14ml
“tinlets.” The only identifier is the lid,
which is painted with the color of the
paint and has the product number
stamped into it. Humbrol paints have a
product number, but you need to have a
Humbrol color chart to know what that
color is, and they are not easy to find.
With more than 150 colors, grabbing
the right one can be a problem.
Flat military colors make up more glosses cover quite well when brushed Properly thinned, Humbrol covers
than two-thirds of the Humbrol line, onto a surface. I tested three colors: well when sprayed through the air-
but there is a small selection of gloss, gloss red, matte black, and matte silver. brush. The mist coat/wet coat tech-
satin, and translucent paints. Each took only one coat to achieve nique worked to perfection.
Humbrol paints have very finely total opacity. They seem just a tad thin- If you can find a good supply, con-
ground pigments and an excellent ratio ner in viscosity than Testor enamels, so sider Humbrol enamels. – Pat Covert
of pigment to carrier. Both the flats and if you thin, keep this in mind.
November 2000 FineScale Modeler 51