Having been a modeling guy for an extremely long time (30+) years I've purchased Testers, Testers Model Master, Polly and Humbrol paints. By far, Humbrol is the very best I have came across and ❤ them.
Good day to you sir, when I started model building kits in 1965,i started working on airfix kits,and my choice of paints was humbrol enamel paints,,i still use them today,the humbrol brand,and im 65 year old american model builder,i enjoy airfix kits, keep on rockin brother.sincerely jim martin in the united states' of America, California area.
Deeply indebted to you Jason, been wanting exactly this on YT for years- many of my questions answered and hopefully the rest will be laid to rest with your forthcoming feature on airbrushing with Humbrol enamels. I really am profoundly glad you've given us this, many many thanks.
Thank you very much for a very informative video, much appreciated. I have been using enamels since I started in the modeling hobby, ( age 5, 1967). Back then we had ,( here in USA ), mostly pactra, & testors. After leaving the hobby from 1983-1991, my pactra paints were gone,( bought out by testors). So I went to Humbrol enamels. To this day, it is my favorite go to brand. Even compared to tamiya, & vallejo. Thanks again. 😊👍
I'm so glad that I stumbled across this video as, I'm a "born again" aircraft modeller (to borrow a motorcycling phrase), and it's given me the confidence to stick with what I was using in my childhood! I did have a sneaking suspicion that enamels were going to be the best option! Sometimes you just need to "hear it from the horse's mouth." I'm looking forward to watching the airbrushing video next!
I've been using acrylics precisely because I bought into the myths you discussed. Thank you for putting me straight and providing a guide to using enamels. I feel confident now in giving enamels a try.
Takes me back a bit. Woollies, W H Smiths, Newsagents, & model shops at every street corner. I still have Humbrol Enamels that are well over 20 years old, and you're right they are still ok. After 60 years of modelling, I now have a collection of every type of paint, airbrush, and tool imaginable. You are right about storage and care of the paints & containers, especially the tops. This is critical to stop air getting into the tins/jars/bottles, etc. This is the first time I've heard about Humbrol re-issue a new line of enamel paints, because I thought they were going to scrap them altogether. Humbrol need to get their message out quickly because many of my mates are dumping their enamels and so was I until I saw your video. Thanks for the info. I'm now going to watch your next video.👍
Agree with all your points, I shall be recommending this video to people. I’ve been using enamels since the 1960s and the only problem I have ever had was not stirring matt colours enough, if you do that it dries glossy and requires a matt varnish coat. However giving a tin of Humbrol a stir with a cocktail stick (for at least a minute) is a lot less exercise than shaking the dropper bottles (for a similar time in my experience). I bought a vortex mixer in the end as my arm was starting to ache, but that’s not a pocket money purchase Just did a couple of hundred 20mm knights using acrylics, hard work due to all the colours. Acrylics may be better for an artist but you need a couple of coats to get decent coverage and repainting 200 knights with all their odd colours was a right royal pain. Enamels cover very well, one coat (even a thin coat) does the job. Ended up going over the swords and other sharp pointy things with ‘aluminium’ (a dull silver) enamels as the ‘silver’ acrylics just didn’t look right (to me). With acrylic washes I find I get rather strong staining, personally I have two thinners bottles, a dirty one for washing the brush and a clean one for final cleaning. The dirty enamel thinners make a fairly decent wash, I don’t seem to get staining as bas as the acrylics washes (you cant use the dirty water, I tried that) and they tone down transfers nicely as well. To store my paints I have a set of paper drawers, for the dropper bottles I had to concertina fold some cereal card to store them on their side, the Humbrol tinlets fit perfectly (I have three drawers, currently one each for enamels, acrylics and brushes). I can take the drawer to the desk (at the moment that’s one end of a dining table) and being just over A4 it doesn’t take up much room. One area all paints seem to suffer from is labelling. I cannot remember the Humbrol numbers (other than a few I use a lot), so I store them upside down to seal the lid and write the name of the paint on the bottom with a magic marker (or these days a sharpie). The acrylics have weird names, is Dragons Dentures the same as Trogloditic Grimace? Who knows? What we need is an internationally recognised colour system with names and numbers for the spectrum and a 4 digit + letter code for specific odd colours (RAL no longer has 7028 Dunkelgelb in it for example, which is a bit of a big hole for military modellers, but Humbrol Dark Earth serves well enough for toy soldiers, and slate grey works as a German WW2 European uniform colour). Ideally they could add something like a + or a * to indicate a lightened version suitable for models (colours look lighter from a distance). The last time I looked no one does SSC2 (the standard greeny-brown used on all British kit in later WW2). Mike Starmer has suggested some mixes but really we could do with the right colour in a tin. I make up toy soldier sets to give away to less well off folks and I still recommend enamels for any additional troops or tanks they might buy. A couple of the kids tried acrylics but went back to enamels, one lad did stick with acrylics but he was getting into Warhammer and trying to follow painting tutorials online. The people I give them to have neither room nor money for an airbrush, and I doubt younger kids would have the patience to use one (or clean it). You can get spray tins of military coloured paints intended for motoring enthusiasts and re-enactors, I use RAL 1001 as the base colour for everything in a desert setting (including khaki uniforms). It’s cheaper than model spray tins and to date I have not had any problems other than finding suitable colours. As I say I’ll be recommending your video to the youngsters, although I think they’ll probably be painting straight from the tin for 'toy soldiers'. I use plastic bottle tops for paints.
Love the way you think, thanks for the kind words. I have a spreadsheet with all my paint inventory on it which allows me to cross reference matching paints from other brands, so running out of a colour in one brand means I can go straight to a match or near match in another, but trying to reduce mu paint systems to just 4!
Hi Jason, This is a great video, lots of very useful tips. When I first started off building models back in the late 1960's the only paints available to me were the Testors Enamels. I didn't even know Humbrol existed, you know, way back when you had to dial the phone and got your news from a newspaper. I'm sure Humbrol paints are really good, but they are not very well known here. I just took a look at the web page of the place I order from and to my surprise they do carry Humbrol paints. Next time I place an order I'll have to pick up a few and give them a try. Thanks for sharing. Have a great day. Jeff
@@basilbean5085 really model master's enamels are rare? I have a bunch of them , i used to find them in a model shop that's closed now.. but i think that they are very common in the older shops here in Greece.
Great video, Thank you for sharing. I had to move to acrylics due to health reasons, BUT still have my secret stash of Humbrol. That stuff is great, still have some tins from the 70's and they are still good. Back in 2001 I went to Beattie's and they had a sale of Humbrol for 10 Pence a tin. I almost cleaned them out. Was worth it paying extra for my luggage. Lost 90% of my paints in a move in 2018, but still have my box of Humbrol ( my precious) 😁😁 Hope you have a great week !
@@ModelkitStuff Sorry for your loss ! I was there when the Queen Mother passed away , and the whole city closed. We were just returning from a trip to RNAS Yeolviton . Take care my friend and hope you have a good week.
I remember having to use Testors gloss enamels, matt paints,,, what`s them ? back in the day. My Airfix aircraft and ship models were very shiny LOL Happy days But by far enamels are my favourite go to, Humbrol , Revell and Colourcoats airbrush and brush paint nicely!
Fantastic video my friend you definitely opened my eyes with enamels the local model shop has a great selection of these but I must admit I overlook them but after seeing this I think I could be converted you explained how to use them thin them and clean up thanks for sharing 👍👍
Very good video, remenber my chilhood when i start modeling in the 80´s,. I love enamel paints for me are the best. I start with Airfix kits and Matchbox, and still have some of them. Very good the subject you remnber in video. Greetings from Portugal.
Todays Tip: Use some thick plastic cement to clean up the edges around your Humbrol tinlets. Just let it sit for a minute and you`ll see the glue starting to dissolve the old dried out paint remnants.
I live in Hull, the home of Humbrol. Enamels are available in three locations in the city centre.......acrylics in one shop in the west of Hull. Thanks for the tips!
Thank you for your engrossing tutorial on Humbrol Enamel Paints. I have been using Humbrol Enamels for a long time and having gone back to them recently after a brief and disappointing dalliance with acrylic hobby paints. Humbrol enamel paints have always been a superb line of hobby paints. I have found no other paint medium or brand that compares. What would be really great if Humbrol could revive, at least some of their discontinued line of colours i.e. French Artillery Green (please).
And Russian Green 114! It was great for Russian and British military vehicles; have 2 unopened cans tucked away! And field drab 142, and US Marine Corps Green 161! I found 3 cans of 179 French Artillery Green on eBay. Still unopened.... I've tried the acrylics - Vallejo and Mig- but find them wanting; especially when the colors of the brush versions don't match the air ready versions. Been using Humbrol enamels since the mid 70s. I can open a tin from then, give them a stir and they're fine. Airbrush just fine - I use Humbrol thinner for that. Only problems have surfaced recently when they have to change formulas to satisfy some health and safety boffin because enamel paints may make you sick if you drink it.... I recently ordered 2 cans of a new color online, they were both a gooey mess. That's never happened before.
Yep, Humbrol are going to re-issue a new line of enamels (thanks for the info Jason) and I agree with you that they would be on to a winner if they re-issued the original line of colours. "French Artillery Green" -now your talking...!!!👍
Don't drink and drive, smell enamel and fly!! Ok, jokes aside. This is a really helpful video Jason! I started with enamels and i still have a bunch of them. I moved to acrylics because of the odour and because i didn't know how to use them properly. I learned a whole bunch now and i am thankful for that. Take care and keep up the good work my friend.
Man you're video was spot on with me same thing in the United States we could get a kit and paint almost every store I have to order everything I'm a full time model builder and it's to bad I don't have a hobby store that not a hour away and it's mostly RC they don't have much of anything. I just started using my enamel paint again. I do love mr.color paint and Tamiya and AK real color is my favorite. Keep up the great work 👍
Great video. I've found that they are more pleasant to use than lacquer paint as the smell isn't that strong and I can use the same paint with a brush. I would also argue that you get so much more paint from a tin compared to others but that could be because I'm thinning in the region of 4:1 thinner to paint with an airbrush.
I remember those little tins of paint you’d always run out when you needed it most and didn’t have the pocket money to buy more And it was the same with the tubs of Britfix glue
Nice one Jason I use Tamiya but have a nice stash of Humbrol enamels some over 40 yrs old most 20 yrs plus checked regularly and stored always stirred and tapped up with thinner , lids marked and put back on in same position. I stirr with the good old tamiya stirring stick 👌😎☕️ regards Fred ps if you really thin the tamiya with mr thinner and a nice sable brush it seems brush on ok 👍🏻
I still use enamels. Just can’t get Testors model master line anymore and humbrol is getting harder to find here in the states.tho on line I guess it’s available. But I’m swapping over to Mission Models line along with Tamiya, AK 3rd gen , Vallejo, etc. for winter use.
Very nice video about the pros and cons from different paints. Would really like to see how to airbrush enamels because i also have still some of them for 30 years on my shelf. I am y fan about acrylics for painting figures and the quick use of tiny amounts of paint. But as you mentiones about hardness they really suck if it comes to weathering and so even with priming.
Hiya first off can I say great channel and so much info! I have always used enamel paints but get it wrong when using an airbrush when building armour or aircraft, so what I'm asking is can you do a video of using enamel paints in an airbrush from start to finish please? I so get told when asking for help that I should only use acrilic paint and not enamel paints any help would do please! again great channel! thank you.
I am planning to do just that, airbrushing enamel paint is no more difficult than acrylic, even easier. just make sure you have thinned your paint sufficiently thats the most common mistake. have a play on some card or an old model
Thank you very much for sharing and the content; Excellent video, nice pace, well articulated, and educational; When using enamels for scale model planes, figures, cars, etc., do we need to Prime the plastic first? or may a good wash be enough for the paint to adhere to? Other than Humbrol, any other recommendations for Enamel paints? Thank you in advance for your time and insight.
Priming is up the the individual, you don’t ‘need’ to prime although its beneficial if painting multiple substrates such as plastic that has etch on to ensure your colour saturation is uniform
@@ModelkitStuff Thank you for your time and response. I am overseas (North America), Humbrol is not as readily available as Tamiya or a few lesser known others. I am assume the concept is the same regarding their use, thinning, etc.
cheers. . thank you. . .great information.. im new to your channel. .do you have an opinion of enamel adhesion on metal.(possibly a technique you prefer) and possibly adding a clear top coat for durability?
Hi, following your comment I went out and bought a Master Tools mixer, ... and I just tried your technique for the first time just now. Big frustration! I found that the first layer of enamel "wash" dried quickly, yes, ... but when I then tried to apply a second layer (at least an hour later) it was really horrible: the second layer started dissolving the first layer... and even peeling some bits away in unsightly patches. So I went back to this vid and I see that in it you are painting on an old model which already has paint all over it. Whereas I was painting the first layer directly on to the plastic. Could this be why my first attempt failed? And if so, is there some product you might recommend as a primer? Maybe something enamel-based but not hobby-based (and so cheaper) might work OK. Or any thoughts about surface preparation?
sorry too hear you have had a problem. what do you mean by a wash? do you mean the paint was heavenly thinned? if so thats your problem when you lay a second layer thinners will reactivate the first layer. if your paint went down ok first layer, you don't need a primer. if you want to use a primer any acrylic primer will do, rember the rule is enamel on acrylic. if you wanting to lay 2 layers of paint make sure the first layer is cured first you could seal the first layer with an acrylic varnish. check out my airbrushing enamels vid may be helpful ua-cam.com/video/sDGU9AsGWU0/v-deo.html
@@ModelkitStuff Just watched your airbrush video: impressive protocol! So I'm going to leave it for 24 hours to see if this makes any difference (touch dry/hardening). I don't think the paint was thinner than what you show in this vid here... and here you say "apply 5 layers". But maybe the first layer (if directly on plastic) should be a bit thicker. Also, this is not Humbrol but Colourcoats, RAF Dark Green... I just looked at the tin and interestingly it does say "wait 6 hours between coats". No doubt enamels differ. Anyway, seems I have to do some experimenting... and trying a bit of patience...
@@ModelkitStuff Just following up on this: even though I left the paint to dry for well over a day, I again found that applying a new bit of diluted (white spirit) enamel started "reactivating" the existing layer of paint. I'm using a brush (as you do in this vid). This means that there is bound to be some mechanical action that you wouldn't get with a spray gun. Perhaps I'm diluting the paint too thin? You're obviously very experienced with doing this: it'd be great if at some point you might think of showing in more detail how you do this (multiple diluted layers of enamel paint by brushing) and get really good results, particularly directly on to bare plastic. On your Scharnhorst are you planning to do this? Or are you going to use an airbrush mainly?
@@mikerodent3164 difficult to understand the problem here, I would have a play with different amounts of thinner on some scrap and see what works for you. given that you first described your paint as a wash, it could well be you have put to much thinner in. First coat should be the thickest, least thinner, subsequent coats getting thinner as needed. unfortunately it's not scientific different colours behave differently its just experience. If you check out my 2022 Christmas build, a spitfire that was all painted in enamels. Scharnhorst is way to big to do by brush it will be airbrushed almost totally.
The thin down matt white humbrol enamel is the best undercoat for me. For skin tone, enamel mixed with oil paint give the best finish. I am NOT a fan of gloss enamel colours. However, gloss finish on wargame figures make them very hard wearing.
Really great stuff. Just what I was after. Ah, shops! Remember them too. I can only really see one paint mixer of this type on Amazon... Badger. Is that what you use ... or do you maybe have a recommendation?
Depends on what your doing next and with what if using enamel washes for example you want to put an acrylic varnish down and vice versa. The modern humbrol varnish does not yellow.
@@ModelkitStuff Are you saying Humbrol changed the composition of their varnish products at some point? I only tried it once around 1995 with a brush and laid it on pretty thick and i got yellowing everywhere. I am talking about the matt varnish #49 now. As far as washes, there just so much out there. I have a lot of those Mig abteilung tubes. Truth be told i haven`t really settled on any ONE wash yet. Can i use the johnsons "Future" on top of Humbrol enamel to seal it U think or would this only work for acrylics since Future is an acrylic product?
Very good discussion, thank you for sharing. I’ve been exclusively using Tamiya acrylics and getting some excellent results with it out of an airbrush. However just about to start a Corvette project and I am keen to try Colourcoats enamel as they are authentic Royal Navy colours. I am concerned though as I’ll maybe also need some acrylics on for example, small deck areas. Can I combine the two? Also must I use an enamel clear coat and what effect would that have on the acrylic? Finally the question of enamel or acrylic or a neutral wash for weathering and panel lines? It’s a bit of a minefield!
Hi Gordon, to make it simple think of it like layers, enamel can go on top of acrylic and acrylic can go on top of enamel. use acrylic for washes on top of enamel and enamel washes on top of acrylic. most purpose made washes are enamel working on the asumption that most people use acrylic paints so it works. personaly I would use all enamel then do your washes in acrylics Colourcoats are excelent paints and my recomendation would be to have a play on some scrap plastick doing washes on diffrent paints and se how they react and clean up. also using the varnishes you have find what works as its all down to what thinners you use. play with waht you have first and see if that works. I always use the varnish related to the paint system if possible.
@@ModelkitStuff I tend to use Mr Color Leveling Thinner for Tamiya and it produces exceptional results. I suspect it would also work pretty well with Colourcoats.
I hate all the bother of using an airbrush. So all you have to do is to thin right down the enamel paint, use a good soft brush [I use sable] and use several coats waiting 24 hours between coats. The results are as good as any airbrushing and no hassle of cleaning up your airbrush and cleaning all the excess spray off of your work bench.
Enjoyed the video. Ditched my Humbrol enamels before I even used them as I thought acrylics would be the way forward for brush painting. I should have given them a try but I use spray can primers and thought there might be some issues. The Tamiya XF acrylic is a mystery to me I think I only have it because it was on offer in Hobby Craft. Saw you had some Hataka acrylic, was it from a set ? Been on the look out for single colours. Do you find white enamels work well as I find white a problem with acrylics.
thanks for looking in and taking time to comment. Yes the Hataka paint was from a set, never seen them as indevidual paints even at shows. Take a look at my Rotodine build i brush paint white enamel in that. I often use white enamel as a primer for white acrylic.
Well like yourself and being of a certain age....You must have visited Ashton models. I still have enamel paints that are 45 years old and still as good as new.
Re your comment at 5:07 about "true acrylics". There's no such thing. The "acrylic" chemistry refers only to the constituents of the paint's resin binder. Acrylic resins can be formulated to be soluble in water - what most think of as "acrylic paint" - but also in mineral spirits, alcohol and other organic solvents. The first commercially available acrylic paints to be mass marketed in the late 1940's were a line of artists' acrylic by Golden Paints in New York, and which were soluble in mineral spirits (white spirit to you Brits). So the Tamiya acrylic paint IS a "true acrylic" paint, even though it's primary solvents are alcohol and water.
Yep, the point I am making is Tamiya acrylic has lacquer characteristics you cannot easily thin it with water like other acrylics, MIg, Humbrol, Vallejo etc whilst it may not be 'technically' correct I stand by the point that Tamiya Acrylics should be treated as a lacquer paint and differently to other acrylic model paints.
Having been a modeling guy for an extremely long time (30+) years I've purchased Testers, Testers Model Master, Polly and Humbrol paints. By far, Humbrol is the very best I have came across and ❤ them.
Good day to you sir, when I started model building kits in 1965,i started working on airfix kits,and my choice of paints was humbrol enamel paints,,i still use them today,the humbrol brand,and im 65 year old american model builder,i enjoy airfix kits, keep on rockin brother.sincerely jim martin in the united states' of America, California area.
Very cool! still amongst the best paints for me.
Deeply indebted to you Jason, been wanting exactly this on YT for years- many of my questions answered and hopefully the rest will be laid to rest with your forthcoming feature on airbrushing with Humbrol enamels. I really am profoundly glad you've given us this, many many thanks.
glad it was useful Nick, more soon
Thank you very much for a very informative video, much appreciated. I have been using enamels since I started in the modeling hobby, ( age 5, 1967). Back then we had ,( here in USA ), mostly pactra, & testors. After leaving the hobby from 1983-1991, my pactra paints were gone,( bought out by testors). So I went to Humbrol enamels. To this day, it is my favorite go to brand. Even compared to tamiya, & vallejo. Thanks again. 😊👍
Thanks for looking in, if only their acrylics were as good as the enamels
I'm so glad that I stumbled across this video as, I'm a "born again" aircraft modeller (to borrow a motorcycling phrase), and it's given me the confidence to stick with what I was using in my childhood! I did have a sneaking suspicion that enamels were going to be the best option! Sometimes you just need to "hear it from the horse's mouth." I'm looking forward to watching the airbrushing video next!
I've been using acrylics precisely because I bought into the myths you discussed. Thank you for putting me straight and providing a guide to using enamels. I feel confident now in giving enamels a try.
look up my Christmas build videos from January this year I focus on airbrushing with enamels
@@ModelkitStuff Thankyou but I am a dedicated brush painter
Takes me back a bit. Woollies, W H Smiths, Newsagents, & model shops at every street corner. I still have Humbrol Enamels that are well over 20 years old, and you're right they are still ok. After 60 years of modelling, I now have a collection of every type of paint, airbrush, and tool imaginable. You are right about storage and care of the paints & containers, especially the tops. This is critical to stop air getting into the tins/jars/bottles, etc. This is the first time I've heard about Humbrol re-issue a new line of enamel paints, because I thought they were going to scrap them altogether. Humbrol need to get their message out quickly because many of my mates are dumping their enamels and so was I until I saw your video. Thanks for the info. I'm now going to watch your next video.👍
Agree with all your points, I shall be recommending this video to people.
I’ve been using enamels since the 1960s and the only problem I have ever had was not stirring matt colours enough, if you do that it dries glossy and requires a matt varnish coat. However giving a tin of Humbrol a stir with a cocktail stick (for at least a minute) is a lot less exercise than shaking the dropper bottles (for a similar time in my experience). I bought a vortex mixer in the end as my arm was starting to ache, but that’s not a pocket money purchase
Just did a couple of hundred 20mm knights using acrylics, hard work due to all the colours. Acrylics may be better for an artist but you need a couple of coats to get decent coverage and repainting 200 knights with all their odd colours was a right royal pain.
Enamels cover very well, one coat (even a thin coat) does the job. Ended up going over the swords and other sharp pointy things with ‘aluminium’ (a dull silver) enamels as the ‘silver’ acrylics just didn’t look right (to me).
With acrylic washes I find I get rather strong staining, personally I have two thinners bottles, a dirty one for washing the brush and a clean one for final cleaning. The dirty enamel thinners make a fairly decent wash, I don’t seem to get staining as bas as the acrylics washes (you cant use the dirty water, I tried that) and they tone down transfers nicely as well.
To store my paints I have a set of paper drawers, for the dropper bottles I had to concertina fold some cereal card to store them on their side, the Humbrol tinlets fit perfectly (I have three drawers, currently one each for enamels, acrylics and brushes). I can take the drawer to the desk (at the moment that’s one end of a dining table) and being just over A4 it doesn’t take up much room.
One area all paints seem to suffer from is labelling. I cannot remember the Humbrol numbers (other than a few I use a lot), so I store them upside down to seal the lid and write the name of the paint on the bottom with a magic marker (or these days a sharpie). The acrylics have weird names, is Dragons Dentures the same as Trogloditic Grimace? Who knows?
What we need is an internationally recognised colour system with names and numbers for the spectrum and a 4 digit + letter code for specific odd colours (RAL no longer has 7028 Dunkelgelb in it for example, which is a bit of a big hole for military modellers, but Humbrol Dark Earth serves well enough for toy soldiers, and slate grey works as a German WW2 European uniform colour). Ideally they could add something like a + or a * to indicate a lightened version suitable for models (colours look lighter from a distance). The last time I looked no one does SSC2 (the standard greeny-brown used on all British kit in later WW2). Mike Starmer has suggested some mixes but really we could do with the right colour in a tin.
I make up toy soldier sets to give away to less well off folks and I still recommend enamels for any additional troops or tanks they might buy. A couple of the kids tried acrylics but went back to enamels, one lad did stick with acrylics but he was getting into Warhammer and trying to follow painting tutorials online. The people I give them to have neither room nor money for an airbrush, and I doubt younger kids would have the patience to use one (or clean it). You can get spray tins of military coloured paints intended for motoring enthusiasts and re-enactors, I use RAL 1001 as the base colour for everything in a desert setting (including khaki uniforms). It’s cheaper than model spray tins and to date I have not had any problems other than finding suitable colours.
As I say I’ll be recommending your video to the youngsters, although I think they’ll probably be painting straight from the tin for 'toy soldiers'. I use plastic bottle tops for paints.
Love the way you think, thanks for the kind words. I have a spreadsheet with all my paint inventory on it which allows me to cross reference matching paints from other brands, so running out of a colour in one brand means I can go straight to a match or near match in another, but trying to reduce mu paint systems to just 4!
I also have 25 years old Humbrol paints as well. What a great line huh.
Great little "primer" on the use of enamels Jason!! Enamels, acrylics and laquers are all in my rack. They all have their place. Well done!🍻
I was fortunate that my local newspapers had matchbox and bagged airfix kits,and only stocked Humbrol paint.
I've been thinking of doing my next kit mostly by paint brush, so I'd best pay close attention to this. Thanks for posting! 👍
You may find enamel paints easer to work with than your current brand and get better coverage.
Hi Jason, This is a great video, lots of very useful tips. When I first started off building models back in the late 1960's the only paints available to me were the Testors Enamels. I didn't even know Humbrol existed, you know, way back when you had to dial the phone and got your news from a newspaper. I'm sure Humbrol paints are really good, but they are not very well known here. I just took a look at the web page of the place I order from and to my surprise they do carry Humbrol paints. Next time I place an order I'll have to pick up a few and give them a try. Thanks for sharing. Have a great day. Jeff
@@basilbean5085 really model master's enamels are rare? I have a bunch of them , i used to find them in a model shop that's closed now.. but i think that they are very common in the older shops here in Greece.
great for doing washes on your acrylics Jeff
agree, i only have one pot
Great video, Thank you for sharing. I had to move to acrylics due to health reasons, BUT still have my secret stash of Humbrol. That stuff is great, still have some tins from the 70's and they are still good. Back in 2001 I went to Beattie's and they had a sale of Humbrol for 10 Pence a tin. I almost cleaned them out. Was worth it paying extra for my luggage. Lost 90% of my paints in a move in 2018, but still have my box of Humbrol ( my precious) 😁😁 Hope you have a great week !
Humbrol enamel is like having a good friend by your side
@@ModelkitStuff Sorry for your loss ! I was there when the Queen Mother passed away , and the whole city closed. We were just returning from a trip to RNAS Yeolviton . Take care my friend and hope you have a good week.
I remember having to use Testors gloss enamels, matt paints,,, what`s them ? back in the day. My Airfix aircraft and ship models were very shiny LOL
Happy days
But by far enamels are my favourite go to, Humbrol , Revell and Colourcoats airbrush and brush paint nicely!
I use Humbrol enamels for all my armor and figure models. There's nothing better!
Very nice discussion of the pros and cons about using enamel paint. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
I’ve always used humbrol enamel paint it’s the very best a man can get 🤟🤟🤟
Probably high time we went retro. I shall give a go through the airbrush
just check your airbrush is ok with enamels first, most are but a few art they ussualy say if they cannot in the instructions
Fantastic video my friend you definitely opened my eyes with enamels the local model shop has a great selection of these but I must admit I overlook them but after seeing this I think I could be converted you explained how to use them thin them and clean up thanks for sharing 👍👍
great for making your own washes
Very good video, remenber my chilhood when i start modeling in the 80´s,. I love enamel paints for me are the best. I start with Airfix kits and Matchbox, and still have some of them. Very good the subject you remnber in video. Greetings from Portugal.
Todays Tip: Use some thick plastic cement to clean up the edges around your Humbrol tinlets. Just let it sit for a minute and you`ll see the glue starting to dissolve the old dried out paint remnants.
I have thinned Tamiya Enamels with their Lacquer thinners. Sprays great and drys fast.
I live in Hull, the home of Humbrol. Enamels are available in three locations in the city centre.......acrylics in one shop in the west of Hull. Thanks for the tips!
Thank you for your engrossing tutorial on Humbrol Enamel Paints. I have been using Humbrol Enamels for a long time and having gone back to them recently after a brief and disappointing dalliance with acrylic hobby paints. Humbrol enamel paints have always been a superb line of hobby paints. I have found no other paint medium or brand that compares. What would be really great if Humbrol could revive, at least some of their discontinued line of colours i.e. French Artillery Green (please).
And Russian Green 114! It was great for Russian and British military vehicles; have 2 unopened cans tucked away!
And field drab 142, and US Marine Corps Green 161!
I found 3 cans of 179 French Artillery Green on eBay. Still unopened....
I've tried the acrylics - Vallejo and Mig- but find them wanting; especially when the colors of the brush versions don't match the air ready versions.
Been using Humbrol enamels since the mid 70s. I can open a tin from then, give them a stir and they're fine. Airbrush just fine - I use Humbrol thinner for that. Only problems have surfaced recently when they have to change formulas to satisfy some health and safety boffin because enamel paints may make you sick if you drink it.... I recently ordered 2 cans of a new color online, they were both a gooey mess. That's never happened before.
Yep, Humbrol are going to re-issue a new line of enamels (thanks for the info Jason) and I agree with you that they would be on to a winner if they re-issued the original line of colours. "French Artillery Green" -now your talking...!!!👍
Don't drink and drive, smell enamel and fly!!
Ok, jokes aside. This is a really helpful video Jason! I started with enamels and i still have a bunch of them. I moved to acrylics because of the odour and because i didn't know how to use them properly. I learned a whole bunch now and i am thankful for that. Take care and keep up the good work my friend.
Man you're video was spot on with me same thing in the United States we could get a kit and paint almost every store I have to order everything I'm a full time model builder and it's to bad I don't have a hobby store that not a hour away and it's mostly RC they don't have much of anything. I just started using my enamel paint again. I do love mr.color paint and Tamiya and AK real color is my favorite. Keep up the great work 👍
Great video. I've found that they are more pleasant to use than lacquer paint as the smell isn't that strong and I can use the same paint with a brush. I would also argue that you get so much more paint from a tin compared to others but that could be because I'm thinning in the region of 4:1 thinner to paint with an airbrush.
Interesting video. I would like to see a enamel brushed full project.
Coming soon!
Awesome tutorial Jason!
I remember those little tins of paint you’d always run out when you needed it most and didn’t have the pocket money to buy more
And it was the same with the tubs of Britfix glue
Nice one Jason I use Tamiya but have a nice stash of Humbrol enamels some over 40 yrs old most 20 yrs plus checked regularly and stored always stirred and tapped up with thinner , lids marked and put back on in same position. I stirr with the good old tamiya stirring stick 👌😎☕️ regards Fred ps if you really thin the tamiya with mr thinner and a nice sable brush it seems brush on ok 👍🏻
I still use enamels. Just can’t get Testors model master line anymore and humbrol is getting harder to find here in the states.tho on line I guess it’s available. But I’m swapping over to Mission Models line along with Tamiya, AK 3rd gen , Vallejo, etc. for winter use.
Very nice video about the pros and cons from different paints. Would really like to see how to airbrush enamels because i also have still some of them for 30 years on my shelf. I am y fan about acrylics for painting figures and the quick use of tiny amounts of paint. But as you mentiones about hardness they really suck if it comes to weathering and so even with priming.
Nice video, thanks for sharing. 👍🙂
I was picking up some Humbrols to replace a few tins and it seems like the range has been made quite a bit smaller.
Hiya first off can I say great channel and so much info! I have always used enamel paints but get it wrong when using an airbrush when building armour or aircraft, so what I'm asking is can you do a video of using enamel paints in an airbrush from start to finish please? I so get told when asking for help that I should only use acrilic paint and not enamel paints any help would do please! again great channel! thank you.
I am planning to do just that, airbrushing enamel paint is no more difficult than acrylic, even easier. just make sure you have thinned your paint sufficiently thats the most common mistake. have a play on some card or an old model
Thank you very much for sharing and the content; Excellent video, nice pace, well articulated, and educational; When using enamels for scale model planes, figures, cars, etc., do we need to Prime the plastic first? or may a good wash be enough for the paint to adhere to? Other than Humbrol, any other recommendations for Enamel paints? Thank you in advance for your time and insight.
Priming is up the the individual, you don’t ‘need’ to prime although its beneficial if painting multiple substrates such as plastic that has etch on to ensure your colour saturation is uniform
Humbrol are the best but I also like Colourcoats.
@@ModelkitStuff Thank you for your time and response. I am overseas (North America), Humbrol is not as readily available as Tamiya or a few lesser known others. I am assume the concept is the same regarding their use, thinning, etc.
cheers. . thank you. . .great information.. im new to your channel. .do you have an opinion of enamel adhesion on metal.(possibly a technique you prefer) and possibly adding a clear top coat for durability?
Hi, following your comment I went out and bought a Master Tools mixer, ... and I just tried your technique for the first time just now. Big frustration! I found that the first layer of enamel "wash" dried quickly, yes, ... but when I then tried to apply a second layer (at least an hour later) it was really horrible: the second layer started dissolving the first layer... and even peeling some bits away in unsightly patches. So I went back to this vid and I see that in it you are painting on an old model which already has paint all over it. Whereas I was painting the first layer directly on to the plastic. Could this be why my first attempt failed? And if so, is there some product you might recommend as a primer? Maybe something enamel-based but not hobby-based (and so cheaper) might work OK. Or any thoughts about surface preparation?
sorry too hear you have had a problem. what do you mean by a wash? do you mean the paint was heavenly thinned? if so thats your problem when you lay a second layer thinners will reactivate the first layer. if your paint went down ok first layer, you don't need a primer. if you want to use a primer any acrylic primer will do, rember the rule is enamel on acrylic.
if you wanting to lay 2 layers of paint make sure the first layer is cured first you could seal the first layer with an acrylic varnish.
check out my airbrushing enamels vid may be helpful ua-cam.com/video/sDGU9AsGWU0/v-deo.html
@@ModelkitStuff Just watched your airbrush video: impressive protocol! So I'm going to leave it for 24 hours to see if this makes any difference (touch dry/hardening).
I don't think the paint was thinner than what you show in this vid here... and here you say "apply 5 layers". But maybe the first layer (if directly on plastic) should be a bit thicker. Also, this is not Humbrol but Colourcoats, RAF Dark Green... I just looked at the tin and interestingly it does say "wait 6 hours between coats". No doubt enamels differ. Anyway, seems I have to do some experimenting... and trying a bit of patience...
hope it goes well. I will be using Colour coats fairly exclusively for my 1/200 Scharnhorst
@@ModelkitStuff Just following up on this: even though I left the paint to dry for well over a day, I again found that applying a new bit of diluted (white spirit) enamel started "reactivating" the existing layer of paint.
I'm using a brush (as you do in this vid). This means that there is bound to be some mechanical action that you wouldn't get with a spray gun. Perhaps I'm diluting the paint too thin? You're obviously very experienced with doing this: it'd be great if at some point you might think of showing in more detail how you do this (multiple diluted layers of enamel paint by brushing) and get really good results, particularly directly on to bare plastic.
On your Scharnhorst are you planning to do this? Or are you going to use an airbrush mainly?
@@mikerodent3164 difficult to understand the problem here, I would have a play with different amounts of thinner on some scrap and see what works for you. given that you first described your paint as a wash, it could well be you have put to much thinner in. First coat should be the thickest, least thinner, subsequent coats getting thinner as needed. unfortunately it's not scientific different colours behave differently its just experience. If you check out my 2022 Christmas build, a spitfire that was all painted in enamels. Scharnhorst is way to big to do by brush it will be airbrushed almost totally.
The thin down matt white humbrol enamel is the best undercoat for me. For skin tone, enamel mixed with oil paint give the best finish. I am NOT a fan of gloss enamel colours. However, gloss finish on wargame figures make them very hard wearing.
Really great stuff. Just what I was after. Ah, shops! Remember them too.
I can only really see one paint mixer of this type on Amazon... Badger. Is that what you use ... or do you maybe have a recommendation?
mine is master tools its identical tp the badger one, I have had it for years no problems
Interesting re look at enamel paints
I thin my Humbrol so I can decant it into a dropper bottle,then I clean the tinlet with enamel thinners and add that to the dropper bottle.
What a great idea, I guess you need some form of small funnel? love it
@@ModelkitStuff I use a pipette,takes a few minutes but no mess and no fuss
What product do i use to "seal" my Humbrol enamel paint job? I tried the matt varnish #49 long ago but it yellowed.
Depends on what your doing next and with what if using enamel washes for example you want to put an acrylic varnish down and vice versa. The modern humbrol varnish does not yellow.
@@ModelkitStuff Are you saying Humbrol changed the composition of their varnish products at some point? I only tried it once around 1995 with a brush and laid it on pretty thick and i got yellowing everywhere. I am talking about the matt varnish #49 now. As far as washes, there just so much out there. I have a lot of those Mig abteilung tubes. Truth be told i haven`t really settled on any ONE wash yet. Can i use the johnsons "Future" on top of Humbrol enamel to seal it U think or would this only work for acrylics since Future is an acrylic product?
Silly question is white spirit mineral spirits?
No it I sent white spirit is cheaper and you can get it odourless. Mineral spirit is really for tube oil paints
@@ModelkitStuff ok thsnks
Humbrol has dropped so many enamel colors, it is hard to keep using it.
I agree totally
Very good discussion, thank you for sharing. I’ve been exclusively using Tamiya acrylics and getting some excellent results with it out of an airbrush. However just about to start a Corvette project and I am keen to try Colourcoats enamel as they are authentic Royal Navy colours. I am concerned though as I’ll maybe also need some acrylics on for example, small deck areas. Can I combine the two? Also must I use an enamel clear coat and what effect would that have on the acrylic? Finally the question of enamel or acrylic or a neutral wash for weathering and panel lines? It’s a bit of a minefield!
Hi Gordon, to make it simple think of it like layers, enamel can go on top of acrylic and acrylic can go on top of enamel. use acrylic for washes on top of enamel and enamel washes on top of acrylic. most purpose made washes are enamel working on the asumption that most people use acrylic paints so it works.
personaly I would use all enamel then do your washes in acrylics
Colourcoats are excelent paints and my recomendation would be to have a play on some scrap plastick doing washes on diffrent paints and se how they react and clean up. also using the varnishes you have find what works as its all down to what thinners you use. play with waht you have first and see if that works. I always use the varnish related to the paint system if possible.
@@MrSmith7726 Yep, basically just keep an eye on thinners though
@@ModelkitStuff I tend to use Mr Color Leveling Thinner for Tamiya and it produces exceptional results. I suspect it would also work pretty well with Colourcoats.
What is the name of the holder/item called to hold the model plane ✈️ while it dries and where can I get one?
google universal work holder
I hate all the bother of using an airbrush. So all you have to do is to thin right down the enamel paint, use a good soft brush [I use sable] and use several coats waiting 24 hours between coats.
The results are as good as any airbrushing and no hassle of cleaning up your airbrush and cleaning all the excess spray off of your work bench.
Yep and brushes work first time every time, could not agree more
Enjoyed the video. Ditched my Humbrol enamels before I even used them as I thought acrylics would be the way forward for brush painting. I should have given them a try but I use spray can primers and thought there might be some issues. The Tamiya XF acrylic is a mystery to me I think I only have it because it was on offer in Hobby Craft. Saw you had some Hataka acrylic, was it from a set ? Been on the look out for single colours. Do you find white enamels work well as I find white a problem with acrylics.
thanks for looking in and taking time to comment. Yes the Hataka paint was from a set, never seen them as indevidual paints even at shows. Take a look at my Rotodine build i brush paint white enamel in that. I often use white enamel as a primer for white acrylic.
good stuff!
thank you very good 😃🖖
Well like yourself and being of a certain age....You must have visited Ashton models. I still have enamel paints that are 45 years old and still as good as new.
Re your comment at 5:07 about "true acrylics". There's no such thing. The "acrylic" chemistry refers only to the constituents of the paint's resin binder. Acrylic resins can be formulated to be soluble in water - what most think of as "acrylic paint" - but also in mineral spirits, alcohol and other organic solvents. The first commercially available acrylic paints to be mass marketed in the late 1940's were a line of artists' acrylic by Golden Paints in New York, and which were soluble in mineral spirits (white spirit to you Brits). So the Tamiya acrylic paint IS a "true acrylic" paint, even though it's primary solvents are alcohol and water.
Yep, the point I am making is Tamiya acrylic has lacquer characteristics you cannot easily thin it with water like other acrylics, MIg, Humbrol, Vallejo etc whilst it may not be 'technically' correct I stand by the point that Tamiya Acrylics should be treated as a lacquer paint and differently to other acrylic model paints.
Bill horan always used humbrol enamels on his figures
Woolworths Australian?
Ur store is .uk?
U said quid, there's Woolworths in Europe?
Woolworths UK. now sadly gone
anyone would think you don't like Tamiya Paints (pulling your leg)😉😉
Multe ..multe vorbe in plus....
Hope you didnt walk to model shop on a Wednesday afternoon or a Sunday 😂
those were the days