I’ve been looking around at different paints for awhile. I’ve had very little luck with enamel and am wondering how far Acrylic can go. I have an ample supply of Acrylic paints. I’ve also heard that they can do well on models. What are some suggestions about the use of Acrylic paints?

I use acrylics exclusively on my metal and plastic wargames figures. I’ve used them for nearly thirty years.

Do you have any concerns or tips on the use of Acrylics?

Acrylics - Water clean up is great! Mixing colors and making washes out of them is a breeze.

The only thing I have noticed between water vs oil based paints is:
If the figures are going to get a lot of use, make sure you clear coat them after your done if you use Acrylics. The oil based paints seem to have a little more durablity even if not clear coated.

Inks can be made from water based paints but many use oil based wood stain to ink their figures

HG2 - 12 March 2008 06:46 AM

Acrylics - Water clean up is great! Mixing colors and making washes out of them is a breeze.

The only thing I have noticed between water vs oil based paints is:
If the figures are going to get a lot of use, make sure you clear coat them after your done if you use Acrylics. The oil based paints seem to have a little more durablity even if not clear coated.

Inks can be made from water based paints but many use oil based wood stain to ink their figures

Alright, thank you very much!
I also have a few more questions. What is inking and washing and how do you do it? I’m already familiar with drybrushing.

Inks and washes are used to highlight brighter or darker shadowed portions of a figure. They tend to give a more 3D color in depth range that normal painting does not achieve. Similar to drybrushing in concept.

Inks are usually darker colors and sometimes glossy. Washes are usually tonal variations on an already selected flat paint color either lighter or darker. Both are thinned to be semitransparent to accentuate the original color that was painted.

For example lets take chainmail:
You paint the entire area silver.
Make a wash of diluted flat black and paint this over the entire area of silver. The wash will wash into the crevases in the chainmail giving it a subdued appearance.
An ink of diluted gloss brass, bronze or copper can then be added in specific areas to create weathering or rust.
Lastly you can drybrush selected areas to highlight buckles or plates.

Alright, I see now. Now on another note, what are some other final touch-up techniques? I know a little about pigments.

P.S. Is there anyway to make pigments at home?