Acrylic paint over enamel

[Chris 422]

I want to detail an already painted interior with a darker shade but want to be able to easily clean up any mistakes as I don't have the steadiest of hands. Would water or alcohol based acrylic be good for this? I've never used acrylics before so am looking for any and all advice. Thanks.

[mrm]

1 hour ago, Chris 422 said:

I want to detail an already painted interior with a darker shade but want to be able to easily clean up any mistakes as I don't have the steadiest of hands. Would water or alcohol based acrylic be good for this? I've never used acrylics before so am looking for any and all advice. Thanks.

You can use acrylics pretty much over anything. But you pretty much can't use anything over acrylics. 

[Mike 1017]

Mozzi is right. I have used Wicked Transparent over Testors Gold Enamel to make Candy paint jobs.

Good luck

Mike

[Dave G.]

Enamel and acrylic have different dry/cure rates. You will want to be sure the enamel is well cured, as it's weeks or even months compared with acrylic. Before success gets etched in stone, it could be months or a year before you find a failure. So just be aware. I've seen acrylic top coat peel off of solvent based paints, like enamel or lacquer. And I've seen the entire finish wrinkle 2-3 months down the road. And I've seen all go well. Just sayin, I wouldn't make statements on this spoken with too broad a brush

[Miatatom]

20 hours ago, mrm said:

You can use acrylics pretty much over anything. But you pretty much can't use anything over acrylics. 

I've used Tamiya and Modelmaster clears over Createx and Wicked finishes. I don't know if they qualify as an acrylic. 

[Bugatti Fan]

Acrylics over Enamels is a no no !

The solvents in enamel paints leach out over a long period of time. Going over it with acrylic is effectively covering the old paint with an air tight plastic seal. The solvents in the enamel (unless many years old and eventually gone rock hard) will start to lift the acrylic as they leach from the enamel and attack the acrylic from underneath.

I would suggest that over painting enamel be done with enamel to be on the safe side.

[1959scudetto]

Been there, done that : as Noel said: Acrylics over enamel is an absolute NO GO (40 yrs. ago, Humbrol or Revell enamels with Duplicolor acryl overspray => result: a total mess, removing the paint and repainting everything again was unavoidable). Clear enamel turns into an ugly tan/yellow color over time. My solution: either both acrylics or both Tamiyas (I've got no airbrush), enamels only for brush-painting small parts. 

[bobss396]

Like I have said, mixing paint mediums is like starting the evening out on scotch and switching over to wine. YMMV in a big way. 

[rattle can man]

Just a curious thought. If you can't use acrylic paint over enamel, then why does acrylic floor polish seem to work? I've never heard of negative reactions with it.