Anyone else out there who just does NOT get on with acrylic paints?

God knows I've tried to get into them, and you can't argue with the results that some people get with them. Not to mention the fact that most modelling literature and "How To" books these days seem to have a very heavy acrylics bias.

But for some reason I'm never happy with the results I get using them, and invariably find myself returning to my trusty oil paints and Humbrol enamels and being far happier with what I produce.

Plus, I always think that if enamels and oils are good enough for the likes of the great Bill Horan, then who am I to argue?! Yet when I look around at what's going on in the hobby these days, I get the feeling I'm in a minority that's becoming increasingly small.

Does anyone else have similar thoughts on this? My figure modelling by the way encompasses most periods from Ancient to the Vietnam War (depending on my mood), and all scales from 54 mm to 200m, although I'm not into the Napoleonic era so much.

Since you mentioned figures, I will asume you mean brush painting with acrylics. If that is the case then I am with you on not getting along with acyrlics. I never brush paint with them. I do think that they are great with the airbrush though, very easy to clean up. But I will stick with the ennamels for all my brush work.

Exactly right. I base-coat figures with enamels, and then use oil washes and blends to shade and highlight. I find that I can get nice subtle shade transitions relatively easily. I just can't seem to get that with acrylics.

If you're happy with the results you get why change.?Who cares what others are doing. Personally I use acrylics only because of the smell. I can't install any kind of air filtration system yet and my wife is very sensitive to smells. Enamels tend to also give me a headache. That's just me though, if you don't have those issues why rock the boat?

I base coat my figures in acrylics, then use oils over those for shadows and hi-lites and facial work. Works for me. "Q"

Ditto

I don't have, and probably will never actually get an airbrush, so I paint all of my models by brush, no matter if they are figures or armour. I will only use enamel paints.