Painting Techniques using Acrylic and Enamels

I've searched the forums for a little while about some questions I've been having. I came up with some very good answers but need to "focus" in on a few of them. Here is my situation.

I've bought acrylic paints (Polly Scale) using Rogue Studios paint list. I prefer working with acrylics because they are so much easier to clean (the airbrush that is). However, some of the colors such as "Caboose" and "Bright Silver" had to be bought in enamels. I looked for them but couldn't find them and the ones I found were no longer in stock. So, I went ahead and placed a large order for the paints. I plan on using masking fluid (Winsor and Newton Colorless Masking Fluid) and using layers to create the "damage" on Boba's helmet.

My questions are these:
*If I prime it using any rattlecan primer, I will then place a cote of Floquil "Bright Silver" down. I will let this dry for at least 24 hrs. Can I then add my masking fluid to the areas that need it and paint the acrylic paint on top of this?

*I could only find "Caboose" in the enamel Floquil colors. Once I get the helmet going, should I lay down the "Caboose" color and then add the acrylics on top of that?

*Will the masking fluid come up with out removing any of the enamel silver below it? Also, wen adding masking fluid from acrylic paint to acrylic paint, will the masking fluid chip the acrylic? And if that the case, is there any way to get around that?

These are the pages I found useful but didn't quite see these answers in there...

http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/show...ich-to-paint-first-!?highlight=acrylic+enamel

http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/show...amel-Paints-Together?highlight=acrylic+enamel

Fettobsessed,

Here is what I can tell you from my experience. After putting down the primer coat and your first color coat of silver after it dries i.e. 24 hrs I would hit it with a clear coat to seal the silver. One it helps seal that first layer color but it also gives the masking fluid something to grab onto. From my experience if I did not seal the silver with a clear coat the masking fluid would bead up and the following color to go on top of the silver would sometime peel away when removing the masking tape.

since caboose would be the last color that you would use for the layering effect I don't think that there would be a problem but to be safe I would put down another clear coat down in those sections mandies and trim just to make sure you do not get any pealing.

As for the masking fluid I would not leave it on any longer than say two days as it can get kind of hard to peal up. Also the color underneath will remain unaffected and should not peal up when you remove it. I would always re mask everything after each layer as sometimes after the layers would build up I would have a hard time telling where the fluid was in some places. it is a tedious process but it works out well in the end.

Hope that helps and I am sure other will chime in with their experiences as well.

I too am about to take on a similar helmet painting project.
My experience is enamel over acrylic not acrylic over enamel, the acrylic will not adhere to the enamel and will chemically react. If you simply mist the acrylic over enamel there won't be a problem until you start to build colour, this is hit and miss though, good technique for weathering. You will need to leave the enamel to dry more than 24 hrs, then except where you want the enamel colour damage exposed, lightly sand the enamel, then lay down your acrylic.
These 2 types of paints simply don't mix. I would not lay down that silver, the caboose will be fine. I did a similar thing with my armour, laid down the silver enamel by mistake then acrylic yellow, the yellow blistered. I had to take ALL the paint including the undercoat off and start again, it completely ruined the job.
I have not tried the clear sealer mentioned but in theory it sounds good, check out that option, I will for myself.
Hope that helps