multiple thinned and semi-transparent layers of paint can be used to create blending and effects, and being non-toxic. For all of their advantages, acrylic paints are the most popular choice among figure painters, with the majority of painters, particularly display and competition painters, using exclusively acrylic or mostly acrylic with some other paint types used for achieving specific effects, although some figure painters still use enamels out of personal preference or nostalgia. As well as acrylic paints formulated for figure painting, it is possible to use regular "heavy body" acrylics to achieve highly detailed results, provided they are of a high artist grade quality. Oil paints can also be used for figure painting. The slow drying time allows for painting wet-on-wet, commonly called wetblending by figure painters, to produce smooth blends of color and value. When using oil paints for figure painting it is usual to first apply a coat of acrylic paint to provide a starting color foundation, followed by a coat of a gloss or matte varnish to avoid the risk of oil thinners stripping the acrylic. Using oil paints in this way to paint entire models is much less common than acrylic paints, although is popular among display painters who specialize in historical models, and is often considered a more advanced method compared to acrylic paints. A more common use for oil paints in figure painting is to paint the model with acrylics then use thinned down oil paint to apply oil washes for shading. Other paint types can be used, but are much less common. Lacquer paints can be used for applying fast drying and very hard wearing, chip and scratch resistant coats of paint through an airbrush, but are even more toxic than enamels so are not widely used. Watercolors can be used for weathering effects as they can create dust or dirt effects quickly and can be reactivated with water to remove excess, such as for pinwashing, although these cannot be easily used to paint the full model and require sealing with a varnish after application. Tools Preparation It is common for models to require some preparation before they can be painted and a variety of tools can be used for this. Plastic and resin models will often need to be removed from the sprue. This can be done with a hobby knife or a pair of small scissors, although many companies make specialized