Hi,


I bought a lot of model master enamel paints but I have problems with them :9...
please let me explain;


-I prime the military figures with Tamiya primer
-I slap on the paint of model master thinned with model master thinner (no1156)..so far so good

from here on I fumble I guess, I tried the following.

1-washed the figure with model master thinner (no1156) mixed with a darker shade, ofcourse all the paint dissolves and doesn't work so this went wrong bigtime.
now I heard this could be fixed by first spraying the model with a gloss spray to seal the model? and then you could apply the thinner wash?
I don't feel comfortable with this since thinner seems to dissolve all kind of paints and coatings.

2-washed the model with acrylic shades, this went a lot better, the paint does not dissolve, although the washed dry up really really ugly first class. After I try to drybrush it (first I drybrush the basic colour again and then I move up to lighter shades).
eventually I give the colours a wash again to bring the highlights and shades together, but the effect still does not look right to me.
It's just not nicely painted hence the frustrations again.

3-added shades in folds and creases with normal enamel paint and highlights as well. next thing I try to do is to blend the colours with the thinner again and ofcourse all paints dissolve again right through to where you see the plastic under the primer again.


so:(...

as you all can see I try a lot of techniques on the models but all seem to fail miserably, I have been painting for over 17 years now and the result never looks as I want it to be.
I am certain I am doing things totally wrong first class, yet I don't know what I do wrong at all.

so fellowmodellers out there please help me out and tell me how to paint with enamel colours because after so long it kinda drives me beyond patience.

How can I make subtle and nice looking shade and lightning effects on models with enamels, I just can't get to get it right and realistic.

Hello there.

i've been painting models for about 4 years and I use mostly Model Master enamals.. they are my favorite.. I also use tamiya acrylics, pollyscale acrylics and some others as i like..

I havn't done much figure painting as I havn't got to far into that line yet.. but I can tell you I think MM enamals are great paints.

I try not to put the enamals on top of the acrylics but I've never really had a problem as long as the colors are dry. I put acrylics on top of enamals all the time. mostly as a dusted on filter layer.

Enamals take a while to dry as they cure from the outside in.. so even if the outside is dry it really won't be "cured" for a couple of days or so.

Model Master thinner is some harsh stuff. if you base your wash on it it will disolve the enamals already on the model.. I've heard some people will use a coat of future between the enamal paint and a enamal wash.. personally I havn't done this as of yet. so I can't vouch for it.

I tend to use acrylic's for wash's or artist water colors. and yes they dry and make the model look a bit ugly.

what I do is after the wash is dry and you have the wash in the recess and basicly over a bit of the model as they do dry funky.. I use the base color enamal again but thinned much thinner.. but not as thin as a wash.. and spray it in a light spay over the model this tends to "clean up the look of the model but still if your carefull leave the recessed area's darker..

you can see this technique in panzer grey at the folling link on my website.

Horch page

on the same site I also used that technique on the 2 1/2 ton truck only lighter with olive drab and the sherman firefly was done heaver as more of a sludge wash..

I've also had some sucess in useing a milder thinner to thin my enamals for some of my "dusted" models that worked fairly well without damaging the enamal undercoat. One thing I used was Testors Brush Cleaner. it seems a much milder thinner..

I used it mixed with enamals to dust coat the 250 and the dukw and didnt' damage the base coat. Don't know how it would work on blending...

I'm sure you will be able to find more and better advice on figures from some of the figure modeler's on here.

Hi Delbert,

wow thanks for the fast reply!
I am going to try some of the tips you mentioned, can't wait to get started.
good to hear that enamals need a long drying time, I was used to acrylics and they dry really really fast.
oncemore thanks!


*happy Dutchman*

Why not use acrylic washes over your enamel? I do this and also Oil washes over both as well. This saves using varnish or future between coats.

Most of the figure painters I know use the same techique as well