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When I was first getting into 40k and was accumulating my models at an alarming rate, I didn't do much research on the paint. Paint was paint, and it didn't really make a difference to me. I got some at a local hobby shop, Testers brand. The brand is inexpensive, and it's what my father recommended from his painting of models (planes and cars and the like.)
Turns out the stuff is oil-based and completely different from the water-based / acrylic paint from GW. I've done a bit of research, but I couldn't really find TOO much on the difference. Oil-based takes longer to dry and you NEED to seal it if you're going to play with the models, but there's a whole bunch of other questions I have.
Have you guys had any experience with oil-based paints on your minatures? What's the pro's and cons of oil-based and acrylic? Is it harder to strip oil-based paint of models if you're going to sell them?

 ShadowMageAlpha wrote:

Have you guys had any experience with oil-based paints on your minatures? What's the pro's and cons of oil-based and acrylic? Is it harder to strip oil-based paint of models if you're going to sell them?

Oils are a little harder to work with, but have more flexibility, longer working time, and are important for some advanced painting techniques. Oils generally make blending easier, for example, and if you are working with weathering pigments, you are going to be messing with a lot of similar stuff as you would with oils.

I don't use oils because I don't paint to a high enough standard for it to matter. Acrylics are cheaper and simple to use. I expect your father recommended oils because as a scale modeler he is shooting for more natural, realistic effects.

When I painted model cars and airplanes as a kid, enamel Testors paint (I'm assuming that's what you mean here) was all I ever had. Acrylics have several advantages:

1) Non-toxic. A brush-licker like me would be very ill if I still used enamels.

2) Water-soluable. Way more convenient to thin since you don't have to buy chemical thinner (although buying distilled water is a good idea for acrylics). Ditto for cleaning your brushes when you're done.

3) Smoother. Enamels show off brush strokes like crazy. I remember when acrylics started getting popular for scale models, everybody was like "Look! No brush strokes without airbrushing!"

4) Availability/Suitability. Today, you've got many great acrylic ranges designed specifically to paint minis. Citadel, Reaper Master Series, Vallejo Game Colour, etc.

Acrylic, 100% of the time for me.

I don't want to learn new paints.

ive experimented with oils. they are annoying to work with and they ruin stable brushes, i have been moving away from using them a little.

they are supposedly the most beautiful vibrant colours you can get. (i use w&n artists oils)
I'm not so sure about that, that was probably true at some point in time but todays acrylics are kicking ass.

and figure out a good brand of thinner, i think that's where i went wrong. i just bought the first bottle of odorless white spirits i could find. they are not all equal

These "oil" paints are normally called "enamels" and are based on an inorganic solvent. Until the early 80s, they were the only game in town and everyone used them.

As people have said above they have some advantages over acrylics and some disadvantages.

For general hobby purposes acrylics are more convenient in various ways, especially being non-toxic, however enamels are perfectly capable of giving excellent results and are still widely available and widely used.

IMO they are tougher on a model once dry, but any wargame model should be varnished to withstand handling regardless of the paint type. Enamels are better at self-levelling, to resist the appearance of brush-strokes.

Used to paint with revel enamel paints, when non-green solvents were allowed, it dried slow but some of my best painting were during that era, you had to paint in a good ventilated room or you would feel woozy, after the green solvents start to appear, oils started to dry faster, i switched to acrylics then.

I don't really see any advantage ever to using enamels..other than "I don't own acrylics so I have to use these". They just seem horribly difficult to use for no real benefit over water-based paints.

I use acrylics for my minis. When I need a wash I spray the model with gloss clear coat. This is very important or you'll dissolve the paint and it makes it easier for the oil to seep into fine details of the mini. Once the model is sprayed take some oil paint and thin down with white spirits. Then take a brush and apply to the model. When your done to get rid of the excess wash dip a cotton swab in the white spirits. When it's damp (not wet) wipe away the extra wash from the model leaving the recessed areas with a nice oil wash. After that you can touch up the model and to get rid of the gloss look by spraying with purity seal. This is the oil and spirits I use.

http://i1037.photobucket.com/albums/a457/cypherxv/0b9824cf38b17fe7ac610d0ace16741f_zps465482a0.jpg

 Kilkrazy wrote:
These "oil" paints are normally called "enamels" and are based on an inorganic solvent. Until the early 80s, they were the only game in town and everyone used them.

As people have said above they have some advantages over acrylics and some disadvantages.

For general hobby purposes acrylics are more convenient in various ways, especially being non-toxic, however enamels are perfectly capable of giving excellent results and are still widely available and widely used.

IMO they are tougher on a model once dry, but any wargame model should be varnished to withstand handling regardless of the paint type. Enamels are better at self-levelling, to resist the appearance of brush-strokes.

A minor correction - Floquil/Polly S paints were available in the 1970s, and I think the late 1960s (which was before my time in the hobby) aimed at the model railroading fans.

For the folks that complain about GW bottles... you should try Polly S - they have the worst paint bottles in the world. Good paint, including the best yellows that I have ever used, but the bottles....

The Auld Grump

 Kirasu wrote:
I don't really see any advantage ever to using enamels..other than "I don't own acrylics so I have to use these". They just seem horribly difficult to use for no real benefit over water-based paints.

Well the "horrible difficulty" is having to use white spirit rather than water as thinner.

The drying time is slower, which is an advantage for some techniques and certainly avoids the need for a wet palette. It makes it take longer if you paint individual models start to finish at one go, however it doesn't matter if you paint production line style.

I already mentioned the superior self-levelling. That is great for painting smooth coats on vehicles.

You can still buy two ranges of enamels in any model shop in the UK, so clearly there is a demand.

I use oil based paints for my tanks and what not, and acrylics for things like Tactical Marines, Gaunts and such.

 ShadowMageAlpha wrote:
Have you guys had any experience with oil-based paints on your minatures? What's the pro's and cons of oil-based and acrylic? Is it harder to strip oil-based paint of models if you're going to sell them?

Used to paint with oil.

Not enamels. Real artist-grade oil paints.

Pros :
- Takes ages to dry, you can really take your time.
- Blends very nicely.
- So many colors... Sky's the limit.

Cons :
- Takes aaaaaages to dry.
- Most of them have a satin/brillant finish.
- Some colors tend to be costly, especially if you're buying ExtraFine paint (and you want, believe me !)
- Organic solvents. You really, really don't want to lick your brushes. Or paint in your bedroom.
- Slightly more difficult to remove, you'll may want something a tad bit stronger than ethanol. Acetone works great, though, just keep it away from plastic/resin minis.

All in all, if you're a good painter, go for it, give it a try. Oil paints are very nice to work with. However, if you're just an average painter like me, it's not worth the hassle, acrylics are way more convenient.