Enamel Paints
Humbrol Enamel has been the modeller's standard for decades. This solvent-based paint covers in two thin coats, dries hard in four to six hours and holds up outdoors as well as on the bench. The range spans Matt, Satin, Gloss and Metallic finishes in 14ml and 50ml tinlets.
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What Enamel does that acrylic does not
Enamel is solvent-based, so it flows further off the brush and self-levels as it dries, leaving fewer brush marks on large flat surfaces. It cures to a harder, more resilient film, which is why it is the sensible choice for models that live outdoors or get handled. The trade-off is drying time: four to six hours hard-dry against one to two for most Acrylic colours.
How to apply it
Brush straight from the tinlet or a palette. For an airbrush, thin at two parts paint to one part Enamel Thinners. Two thin coats beat one thick coat every time, and the first coat needs to be hard-dry before the second goes on. Touch-dry is 20 to 40 minutes; hard-dry is four to six hours. Thinning shortens both.
What it sticks to
Most plastics, resin, wood, glass, ceramics, metal, cardboard, sealed plaster and sealed hardboard. On bare plastic the paint grips well enough on its own, but a coat of primer evens out filled or sanded areas and stops the base colour showing through.
Finishing and weathering
Seal the finish with a matching Enamel Varnish, or leave a Gloss coat under decals and knock it back afterwards. For a buffable metal finish rather than a Metallic colour, Metalcote polishes up to a sheen once dry. Enamel Washes thin with the same Enamel Thinners, so weathering over an enamel base needs no extra kit.
Brushes and clean-up
Enamel Thinners cleans brushes; water will not touch it. Synthetic brushes handle enamel well and survive solvent cleaning. Work in a ventilated space, as with any solvent-based paint. The full Paint range covers acrylic alongside it, with Aerosol Sprays ranged separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Humbrol Enamel and Acrylic?
Enamel is solvent-based and Acrylic is water-based. Enamel self-levels better, cures harder and stands up to outdoor use, but takes four to six hours to hard-dry. Acrylic is hard-dry in one to two hours for most colours and cleans up with water. Both cover the same substrates and both work best in two thin coats.
What do I thin Humbrol Enamel with?
Enamel Thinners. The ratio is two parts paint to one part thinner for airbrushing, and the same thinner cleans your brushes afterwards. Water will not thin or clean enamel. Thinning also shortens both the touch-dry and hard-dry times, which is useful when you are building up coats in a single session.
How long does Humbrol Enamel take to dry?
Touch-dry is 20 to 40 minutes and hard-dry is four to six hours. Wait for hard-dry before recoating, masking or handling the model, or the second coat will lift the first. Thinner coats dry faster than thick ones, which is the practical reason two thin coats beat one heavy pass.
Can I use Humbrol Enamel outdoors?
Yes. The cured enamel film is resilient enough for garden railway stock, outdoor dioramas and models that get handled regularly. Seal it with an Enamel Varnish for extra protection against weather and wear. That resilience is the main reason enamel remains the standard for anything that leaves the display cabinet.