I agree with the use of acrylics.
they are FAR easier than enemals, and can be made just as tough.
My general routine is:
Undercoat with a Games workshop undercoat - almost always the black ( black shades itself, with white you have to paint EVERYTHING).
If I'm using a brush, I'll use Games Workshop acrylics. GW do two types - normal and foundation. Foundation is, essentially, undercoat, and much thicker and covers black better, but they are all pastel shades.
If I'm spraying, I use Tamiya paints, which are also in small pots. I thin them with isopropenoyl so they go further.
then varish. GW do three vanishes, a matt, a gloss and a satin. All of them are designed to be painted over if required, so you can piant the base coats, varnish, and then weather afterwards.
Steve