| Beginning arts and crafts enthusiasts often have a | | | | Barrel, Folk Art, and Delta Ceramcoat. Americana |
| hard time deciphering what kinds of paints work best | | | | paints have probably the widest selection of colors, |
| when working with wood, glass, and other kinds of | | | | and their range of reds, browns, and yellows are the |
| surfaces. The results of a wrong choice can often | | | | best in the industry. Ceramcoat has the best blues and |
| lead to frustration, disappointments, and even | | | | greens, while Folk Art’s slightly cheaper shelf price |
| expensive setbacks in completing the project on-time | | | | provides quality, especially with its broad line of |
| and on-budget. | | | | metallic-finish enamel paints. Apple Barrel provides |
| There are important differences between enamel and | | | | several hues of blue, red, and earth tones that the |
| acrylic paints, including their chemical composition and | | | | other lines do not. |
| also the types of surfaces that best accept their | | | | Enamel paint is oil-based, sturdier, more tempermental |
| pigments and adherence, or “stickyness.” | | | | Enamel paint has oil as its main ingredient, typical of the |
| Knowing which ones to buy for which projects will help | | | | kinds of paint used in fine arts painting and |
| you avoid trouble both during the project’s | | | | model-making alike. Enamel is more durable than acrylic |
| execution and especially once it’s completed. | | | | paint, meaning it won’t as easily chip or flake off. |
| Acrylic paint is water based | | | | However, that virtue is also its greatest flaw. |
| Acrylic paints are water-based, meaning they are | | | | Enamel paint works best with canvas and ceramic |
| essentially water with concentrations of a certain | | | | mediums, especially if treated with a glazing agent or |
| color’s pigment. As the water evaporates, the | | | | sealant after the painting is completed. Enamel paint |
| pigment adheres to the painting surface. | | | | used on plastic sometimes never completely dries, |
| Acrylic paints work best with relatively non-porous | | | | remaining sticky to the touch long after the |
| surfaces such as plastic and wood. It’s also ideal | | | | project’s completion. |
| when working on a project with children: its water | | | | Painters working with enamel must use paint thinner |
| base allows for easy clean up and removal with | | | | (turpentine) to remove the paint from their skin and |
| ordinary hot water and soap. | | | | clothing. Finally, most brands of commercial nail polish |
| Primer goes on before acrylics | | | | are in fact the same kinds of enamel paints sold in |
| Acrylics almost always work best when the paint | | | | hobby and craft stores. |
| surface is prepared with one or more coats of primer. | | | | Testors enamel paints are available in the model kit |
| Primer is relatively cheap, typically available in white | | | | sections of most craft stores, as well as other brands |
| and gray shades, and can be found with the spray | | | | in the fine arts sections. Prices vary, but enamel is |
| paint in both craft and hardware stores. Using darker | | | | typically more expensive per unit than acrylic. |
| color primer will give the acrylic paint coated atop it a | | | | Sealing acrylic paints |
| darker hue, while white primer will give the paints a | | | | Hobbyists recommend using a fixatif, or sealant, to |
| slightly brighter hue. | | | | protect acrylic paints. The most popular brand, |
| The right kind of Acrylic paint brands | | | | Testor’s Dull-Cote, gives a matte finish and can be |
| There are four main brands of acrylic paint sold in | | | | found in the model kit section near (ironically) the |
| crafts stores such as Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, and | | | | enamel paints. |
| A.C. Moore. These brands are Americana, Apple | | | | |