Walk into any hobby shop and the paints section can look bewildering — rows of pots and bottles from half a dozen brands, in different formulas, different finishes, and sometimes even different naming conventions for the same colour. If you're just getting into scale modelling, Warhammer, or any other painted hobby, understanding the difference between paint types makes a real difference to your results.
This guide covers the three main types of paint used in scale modelling — acrylic, enamel, and lacquer — and explains when to use each, how to thin them, and which brands are worth considering.
Acrylic Paints
Acrylics are water-based paints and are by far the most popular choice for hobby painters today. They've largely replaced enamels as the go-to for most modelling work, and for good reason.
Advantages of Acrylics
- Clean up with water — no solvents needed for brushes or spills
- Fast drying time — usually touch-dry within 15-30 minutes
- Lower odour than enamels or lacquers
- Forgiving of mistakes — you can wipe off wet paint easily
- Wide colour range available from all major brands
- Safe to use in poorly ventilated spaces (though ventilation is always advisable)
Disadvantages of Acrylics
- Can be trickier to get brush mark-free results compared to enamels
- Can be less durable than enamel or lacquer if not varnished
- Some formulations can lift if you paint over them with enamel washes
Thinning Acrylics
Acrylics can be thinned with water, but dedicated acrylic thinners from your paint brand often give better results — they maintain the paint's flow characteristics without affecting adhesion. For airbrushing, a purpose-made airbrush thinner or flow improver is worth using. For brush painting, thin sparingly — too much water will make the paint weak and prone to pooling.
Acrylic Paint Brands
Citadel (Games Workshop) — The standard for Warhammer and miniature painting. Citadel paints are well formulated, consistent, and available in a system designed to work together (Base, Shade, Layer, Contrast). They're excellent for miniature work. Browse our Citadel paint range.
Vallejo — A Spanish brand producing two main ranges: Model Color (for scale models) and Game Color (for miniatures). Vallejo paints are widely respected for their quality and pigment density. They come in dropper bottles which makes dispensing onto a palette much cleaner than pot-style containers. Popular with serious scale modellers.
Tamiya Acrylics — Tamiya's acrylic range is well suited to airbrushing and produces very smooth results. They thin with Tamiya's own thinner or isopropyl alcohol rather than water, which technically makes them closer to solvent-based acrylics. Excellent for panel painting on scale models.
Browse our full acrylic paints range.
Enamel Paints
Enamel paints have been used in scale modelling for decades — Humbrol enamels have been a staple of the hobby since the 1950s. They're oil-based and require white spirit or enamel thinner to thin and clean up.
Advantages of Enamels
- Self-levelling — brush marks tend to even out as the paint dries, giving a smooth finish
- Excellent for washes and panel line effects — enamel washes over a sealed acrylic base are a popular technique
- Long working time — stays workable longer, giving more time to blend and manipulate
- Durable finish once fully cured
Disadvantages of Enamels
- Require solvents for thinning and cleanup — white spirit or enamel thinner
- Slower drying — can take hours to fully dry, longer to cure
- Stronger odour — need good ventilation
- Applied directly to bare plastic, strong enamel thinners can crack or damage the plastic (always use a barrier coat or apply over a sealed acrylic base)
Thinning Enamels
Enamels are thinned with white spirit or purpose-made enamel thinner. For washes — a very popular technique for adding depth to panel lines and recesses — thin the paint significantly with white spirit, apply liberally over a painted and sealed surface, and wipe back the excess with a clean brush dampened in thinner before fully dry.
Enamel Paint Brands
Humbrol — The original UK modelling enamel. Humbrol's colour numbering system is a reference point that's been used in kit instructions for generations. Their range covers military colours, general paints, and specialist finishes. Browse our Humbrol range.
Browse our full enamel paints range.
Lacquer Paints
Lacquers are solvent-based paints that dry very quickly and produce an extremely hard, durable finish. They're most commonly used by advanced modellers and are primarily applied by airbrush rather than hand brush.
Advantages of Lacquers
- Very fast drying — can recoat within minutes
- Extremely hard finish — resistant to handling and chipping
- Excellent for base coats and primers
- Self-levelling properties give a very smooth finish
Disadvantages of Lacquers
- Strong solvents — require good ventilation and appropriate safety precautions
- Will damage acrylic or model paints beneath if applied too heavily — must be used carefully or as a base layer
- Less beginner-friendly — the fast drying time that's an advantage in some contexts can make brush application difficult
- Not ideal for indoor use without proper extraction
When to Use Lacquers
For most hobbyists, lacquers are used primarily as primers, base coats, and final varnishes rather than for painting detail work. If you're airbrushing scale models and want the hardest possible base coat, a lacquer primer is excellent. For miniature painting or general hobby work, acrylics will serve you perfectly well without the extra handling requirements.
Which Paint Type Should You Start With?
For most beginners — whether you're painting Warhammer 40K, scale aircraft, or model cars — acrylics are the right starting point. They're easier to use, forgiving, clean up with water, and the ranges from Citadel, Vallejo, and Tamiya are extensive enough to cover anything you need.
As you develop your skills, you'll naturally encounter situations where an enamel wash would improve your work, or where a lacquer clear coat gives the best protection. At that point, you'll have the foundation to use those products safely and effectively.
The best approach is to pick one brand, learn how their paints behave, and build from there. Mixing brands from the same paint type (all acrylics, for instance) is generally fine once you understand what you're working with.
Browse our full selection of model paints and varnishes at Access Models — and if you have questions about a specific product or technique, feel free to get in touch with us in Newark.