Good Enamel paint in UK?

[Subodai]

I'm just wondering what people's recommendations are for a good enamel paint for use with a paint brush are in the UK, I know you can get Tamiya shipped in since it's not directly available over here, but at expense and wait time...

I recall using Humbrol and/or Airfix type stuff as a kid (found some tins of this in an old star wars set I opened up recently), but haven't revisited those for at least 20 years... Was never keen on the pop-top style tins of those, am looking more for screw top if possible, just for ease of use/resealing. I recall the whites yellowed like mad back then too, is that still the case?

 

I mostly have a mix of Tamiya Acrylic, Lacquer and MRP paints currently, a couple Mr Hobby ones here and there and a bunch of Mig and AK enamel washes and effects. I did manage to pickup a full set of the Tamiya Panel Liners from Poland recently and get them shipped in too, wasn't terribly cheap but those panel liners are excellent from my initial tests.

Just want some for painting details on stuff, instrument panels and the like, I find acrylics are either too thin and require a million coats, or are too thick and make a mess, where as from what I've seen people use in most Videos with enamels.. seems like the perfect thing for it? So probably just a set of primary colours and black and white and maybe a grey?

Anyway open to options and opinions...
Thankyee kindly

Edited June 11, 2020 by Subodai
missed the fact this is for brush not airbrush

[Lothar]

I still have a good supply of XtraColor enamels from Hannants and White Ensign Colorcoats enamels - I think now manufactured and

distributed by Sovereign Hobbies - which I prefer over acrylics when it comes to detail painting like in cockpits or wheel wells etc.

When needed I use Hannant's XtraColor quick dry thinner also for the WE colors, works perfectly for me. Give them a try, I don't think

you will regret it - just my two cents!!

Lothar

[jenshb]

Personally, I think Humbrol is rubbish.  It used to be great paint, and old tins will still be useable with a bit of stirring.  Haven't tried Revell enamels for a long time, but remember not being terribly impressed by it.  Maybe I got a bad tin?  The best alternatives I find are Sovereign Colourcoats, Xtracolor and Precision Paints.  The latter is more expensive, but it is good stuff.

 

Jens

[quang]

Now that we have lacquers, who needs enamels?
Lacquers dry fast, hard and forgiving (easily repaired). Check  out Mr. Color, AK real colors, Tamiya LP. Also MRP if you have money to spare.

Quang

[Subodai]

1 hour ago, quang said:

Now that we have lacquers, who needs enamels?
Lacquers dry fast, hard and forgiving (easily repaired). Check  out Mr. Color, AK real colors, Tamiya LP. Also MRP if you have money to spare.

Quang

Hi quang, I covered most of what you mentioned in my first post.

[dennismcc]

I'm a 100% enamel type person and for detail painting I stick to Revell and Humbrol paints, I tend to use Sovereign Colourcoats and Xtracolor in my airbrush but have been known to use them for details as well.

Both Revell and Humbrol airbrush nicely as well when I have had to use them that way. Note that Humbrol paints went through a bad patch but are now made in the UK and the quality is fine.

Not forgetting Testors Model Master range of enamels which I use for detail painting and airbrushing. For thinning of all the above I use Xtracolor thinners.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[thierry laurent]

I like acrylic Vallejo paints for details brush painting. They offer all the advantages of acrylics, have an excellent coverage opacity, brush easily, have a good storage life and are sold in a bottle preventing spillage and premature drying. So, I will never go back to enamels.