"Craft Paint cross ref charts" Topic

I was wondering if there was any links or charts on how to go about using some of the cheaper paints but still get the same colors as some of the name brands paints.. There were but the links are broken now :( Im still experimenting with these hobby so im not willing to spend too much yet.

Any help is appreciated

I think such a chart would be almost impossible given the large number of different brands of "craft" paints.

Your best option is to learn to use a Color Wheel, around $6 USD at your local art supply store, for a small one. Once you learn to use the Color Wheel, you will never need a reference chart again, and you will be able to mix whatever shade of color you need. You can also record your mixtures, for future reference, and repeat-ability. Cheers!

The largest issue with craft paints is that the "recipes" for their paints are not consistent -- nor are their pigment sources. This is the reason that craft paints are inexpensive and why you can pick up 2 bottles of the same color and have them look and act different. If you are going to use craft paints, (which I use for terrain pieces BTW), I would suggest that you stick with the Folk Art "Artist Pigment" line. It has been my experience that these tend to be fairly consistent over time, and the grind seems to be not as large as some of the others. Finally, I would suggest that you contact John the OFM on these boards. He consistently uses Delta Ceramcoat in his painting and has for years.

If you are going to mix your own colors -- I strongly suggest you get a book called "Blue and Yellow Don't Make Green". It gives you a very good overview of color mixing with exercises and a good discussion on paints, what they are made of and why you have craft paints on one end of the spectrum with artist quality (oils, acrylics, watercolors, etc) on the other end of the spectrum. The book is about $12.00 USD from Amazon. If you are wishing to mix your own paints, I would start with a small set like The Army Painter Warpaints, which have mixing instructions in the box for colors commonly used but not made by Army Painter. Or a good scholastic acrylic set that you can find on sale at Michaels or Hobby Lobby.

If you want the GW conversion chart that The Warstore produced which gives a conversion of the "old" GW paint to the "new" GW paint, along with similar conversions to most of the other lines, except for Reaper, please PM me here or request it from frontdesk@thewarstore.com.

lots of useful information that you all kindly

wargames.nordalia.com has a valejo-craft paint conversion chart.

I agree with redbanner4145.
I find their conversion charts very useful, particularly if you are a "close enough" painter.
Besides, who's to say that the Vallejo paints are a 100% "accurate" match?

The link redbanner4145 put up is a great resource. I used it do do some mixing and was very happy. That said, I have just given up on the craft paint deal as I just find my time too precious to worry about mixing. I just get the Vallejo color I want from my LFGS and call it a day. I sent a good 50 bottles of craft paints that I hadn't even opened to Goodwill. I kept the 20 or so that I really like(DeltaCeramcoat Charcoal and Old Gold to name two).

I have done a chart for some of the paints in the better know craft lines but have not combined them into a chart for all the model types. I prefer Vallejo but in a pinch use what I can find close from craft paints. As I am doing mostly Zombies and Pirates and Cowboys and not much in the way of standard uniforms (Star Wars being the exception) I can stand some off colours. I need to finish up my chart and post the excel sheet to my blog. Just not a high priority right now with the holidays and W-Wing taking up much of my time.
VR
James Mattes

VR
James Mattes

Would it be possible to get a link to your blog, and even the sheet in a its tentative form?

When matching colors, it is important to keep in mind this lesson I learned in the US Navy – There is no such thing as
two uniform pieces that are the same color khaki.

I use cheap craft paints and usually do some boxing of the paint to migrate the color across different figures that are wearing the "same" uniform. I usually think I haven't done enough variation on things like skin tones.

There's a pretty extensive paint matching chart here: dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Paint_Range_Compatibility_Chart