Acrylic vs. Lacquer

[Strummer]

I want to start painting my gundams, and it appears the general idea is to use either one of these kinds of paint. However, I dunno which one would be ideal to use. Acrylic is safer, but doesn't adhere to plastic well. Lacquer's the opposite. I'd go with lacquer, but I don't want to die painting my models. Which one should I use?

[Kurando]

I want to start painting my gundams, and it appears the general idea is to use either one of these kinds of paint. However, I dunno which one would be ideal to use. Acrylic is safer, but doesn't adhere to plastic well. Lacquer's the opposite. I'd go with lacquer, but I don't want to die painting my models. Which one should I use?

Lacquer with a mask on? maybe? Im just guessing it's the fumes that are unhealthy.

[Strummer]

Yeah, the fumes are pretty bad. It's even banned in some countries.

[Hyakushiki]

In my experience acrylic works just fine on plastic.

[Strummer]

Hmm. I think I'll give acrylic paint a try on my MG Shining Gundam.

[dj898]

if you use the airbrush Acrylic is the way to go and not just for heathwise~
I find hand brushing Acrylics isn't that easy - or maybe I lack the patience when it comes to the hand brushing... -__-;;

[Strong_Machine]

Acrylic is fine for plastic, it just needs some time left alone to cure properly.
Anyway, if you're going to be using an airbrush you should be wearing a respirator no matter what type of paint you're using.

[ulnhyrr]

I switched from acrylics to lacquer because I lack the patience to allow the parts to cure before moving on...

So I built a spray booth using a range hood and a large bathroom fan and I wear a respirator when I paint.

If you are starting out with airbrushing, I recommend using acrylics as they are more forgiving to work with, just be mindful of the cure times.

If you are handpainting, then I recommend using enamel paints. These are oil based paints that have a slow dry time but cure as they dry. The slow dry time allows for the paint to self level which eliminates brush strokes if you properly thin the stuff when painting.

[DragonMasterZero]

So an enamel brand would be better than say Tamiya for handpainting? What enamel brand should I get?

[ulnhyrr]

Check your local hobby shop. Model masters and Humbrol are both excellent brands of enamel paints. Best to wear a mask when painting because they give an awful smell.

There are a couple of brands of acrylic paints that are good for hand painting, such as Vallejo paints, but they tend to be a little bit more expensive. If you are really unsure, I recommend trying different paints out, as what works best for some folks, may not be the same for you. The more comfortable you are with a specific brand or type of paint, that much better a model painter you will become.