The Energon Pub

News Credits: 5 · by **Universe** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 11:26 pm

Another repaint using Testors Model Master enamels. Finished it with some dark chrome gun tips and spikes.

by **DAY ONE** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 11:35 pm

Really nice job. I'm new to repaints but this looks great. The paint apps and detail work are really clean. I've been using tamiya acrylics but from this and what i've seen of frenzyrumble's customs, enamel seems to be really good (maybe better?) Any thoughts on enamel vs acrylic from an enamel user?

News Credits: 5 · by **Universe** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 12:19 am

DAY ONE wrote:Really nice job. I'm new to repaints but this looks great. The paint apps and detail work are really clean. I've been using tamiya acrylics but from this and what i've seen of frenzyrumble's customs, enamel seems to be really good (maybe better?) Any thoughts on enamel vs acrylic from an enamel user?

I started out using acrylics, using both Tamiya and Testor's Model Masters. Purchased a couple dozen bottles of acrylics, did a few repaints and then also saw frenzyrumble's customs. While mine turned out good, the paint properties itself seemed noticeably different, so I purchased some paint and tried it. The result is this, my first attempt with enamels.

While enamels are softer and require more time to dry, it's variety and realistic properties of metallics are far superior. They're shinier and look like real metal. The colored metallics look like real premium car paints and actually have depth. I have both enamel and acrylics versions of some paints, and the enamels looks far better in every way. Being they take so long to dry, you can get extremely thin paint layers for drybrushing, almost like dusting, which is great for building out detail.

The downside for me is painting large solid surfaces, like a body of a car. Acrylics can easily be watered down and washed over, but enamels need to be properly diluted and it's probably best to airbrush, as it's easy to lump up. They're also softer, so some clear spray is helpful.

But, all in all, after this and the Voyager Megatron repaint, I'm sold on enamels overall, however if I do future repaints that doesn't require metallics, I'd still use the acrylics I've already purchased.

Hopefully that helps!

News Credits: 2 · by **MutantDinosaur** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 4:55 pm

This has got to be my favorite repaint! It's subtle (and not in a "painted-all-one-color-and-is-therefore-bland" sort of way) - which is perfect for Ravage, who should be subtle (or he wouldn't be very effective at his job :wink:

). Is that a flat black base coat and dry-brushed metallic silver? It looks absolutely fantastic!

News Credits: 5 · by **Universe** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 4:25 pm

MutantDinosaur wrote:This has got to be my favorite repaint! It's subtle (and not in a "painted-all-one-color-and-is-therefore-bland" sort of way) - which is perfect for Ravage, who should be subtle (or he wouldn't be very effective at his job ). Is that a flat black base coat and dry-brushed metallic silver? It looks absolutely fantastic!

Thanks!

Yes that's about right, it's a matte black base coat and then dry-brushed with several shades of grays and silvers. Model-masters dark grey, gunmetal, steel, chrome, and then chrome-silver.

News Credits: 9 · by **Mykltron** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 4:26 am

It's nice to see subtle chrome use. This is a beautiful piece!

News Credits: 1 · by **shonenfan4** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 11:15 pm

If this is what the Hasbro repaint of chrome ROTF ravage is gonna look like, I'm sold. The paint that you gave to Ravage made him look like a masterpiece ravage. :lol:

News Credits: 2 · by **Convotron** » Sat Aug 22, 2009 12:53 am

Very cool paint job!

Universe wrote:I started out using acrylics, using both Tamiya and Testor's Model Masters. Purchased a couple dozen bottles of acrylics, did a few repaints and then also saw frenzyrumble's customs. While mine turned out good, the paint properties itself seemed noticeably different, so I purchased some paint and tried it. The result is this, my first attempt with enamels.

While enamels are softer and require more time to dry, it's variety and realistic properties of metallics are far superior. They're shinier and look like real metal. The colored metallics look like real premium car paints and actually have depth. I have both enamel and acrylics versions of some paints, and the enamels looks far better in every way. Being they take so long to dry, you can get extremely thin paint layers for drybrushing, almost like dusting, which is great for building out detail.

The downside for me is painting large solid surfaces, like a body of a car. Acrylics can easily be watered down and washed over, but enamels need to be properly diluted and it's probably best to airbrush, as it's easy to lump up. They're also softer, so some clear spray is helpful.

But, all in all, after this and the Voyager Megatron repaint, I'm sold on enamels overall, however if I do future repaints that doesn't require metallics, I'd still use the acrylics I've already purchased.

Hopefully that helps!

I'll have to keep these tips in mind when I start painting!