David Smith | 04 Jan 2015 1:37 p.m. PST |
Looking to replace some older and dried up paints. Think I will buy a full set [up to a point]. Which paints/manufacturers do you guys recommend? I know this is everyone's individual preference, but trying to gauge if there is a consensus. Thanks in advance. Dave |
Timmo uk | 04 Jan 2015 1:56 p.m. PST |
Vallejo but it depends how you like to paint. I mix all my colours but if you like to take paints straight from the pot without mixing you might prefer a paint system like Foundry that has ready to go tones for each colour. Of all the brands I've tried I like Vallejo the most as it's very highly pigmented thins well and has good coverage. Other brands I've tried feel too coarse or grainy in comparison. I have about 25 colours in my main palette and can mix most of what I want from those. |
RavenscraftCybernetics | 04 Jan 2015 2:00 p.m. PST |
It is more the question of your painting requirements. Enamel or Acrylic. Regardless of your choice the actual manufacturer will most likely be the same. It is a matter of how much you want to pay for the lable on the bottle. As acrylic paints go, I've found even the cheapest are sufficient in quality for my needs. ymmv. RC |
combatpainter | 04 Jan 2015 2:03 p.m. PST |
Reaper, Reaper, Reaper…. Foundry has lasted me 12 years and I still use them. Vallejo is "go to" for sure. Anyone else is a bit volatile for me. |
David Smith | 04 Jan 2015 2:06 p.m. PST |
Yes, I should indicated I use acrylic. I have used the Foundry system, and GW. Don't care much for the containers the paints come in though. Dave |
Winston01 | 04 Jan 2015 2:20 p.m. PST |
First you have to ask if you want use Enamel or Acrylic, if you are in the U.S. and want Acrylic for the coverage and price I would recommend Vallejo. Vallejo also seems to have a good shelf life. I found Howard Hues tend to dry up, though I did like some of the colors. I have used and liked the Foundry system and some GW colors but the cost is a factor at times. |
Elenderil | 04 Jan 2015 2:47 p.m. PST |
I tend to use a mix of manufacturers. Vallejo is my main go to but I also use some Tamiya especially their translucent colours orange and yellow combined make a good varnished ply effect if used over white. A could of the Revel colours are good as they dry to a good matt finish. As others have said I like a paint which thins well as I paint in small scales and often use a wash technique. |
Mark RedLinePS | 04 Jan 2015 2:51 p.m. PST |
I'd go for Citadel if you're buying a set, then get some Vallejo to fill any gaps ( their bright reds and yellows are a must, also great WW2 colours ). I also recommend Coat d'Arms horse colours. btw, my Foundry and Vallejo tops have started to crack and break, really annoying as the paint is still good! Oh and keep adding drops of water to Citadel/GW new pots or they will thicken up and dry. |
MajorB | 04 Jan 2015 3:18 p.m. PST |
Coat d'Arms – the ORIGINAL Citadel paints. |
Winston Smith | 04 Jan 2015 3:51 p.m. PST |
There is no such thing as THE range of paints. I regularly use everything from Testor's enamels to Vallejo acrylics. All have their good and bad points. |
McWong73 | 04 Jan 2015 3:51 p.m. PST |
For c20-c21 and beyond gaming I'm very impressed with Ammo from Mig and AK Interactive |
Garand | 04 Jan 2015 4:32 p.m. PST |
I've tried a number of different paints, and arguably some are better than others. I however use a combination of Citadel and Vallejo Game Color, for the very simple reason that my FLGS stocks them. Reaper is great, Coat d'Arms has that nostalgic feeling, but both I must mail order if I need it. Much rather go to the FLGS and in 15min have the bottle of paint in my hands. So for me, the first question is: how easy is it for me to get replacement paints? Damon. |
Wargamer Blue | 05 Jan 2015 12:04 a.m. PST |
Vallejo is my first choice followed by Army Painter. |
Das Sheep | 05 Jan 2015 4:00 a.m. PST |
Vallejo or Games Workshop. I have hundreds of Vallejo paints. I love their bottles and their colors work for me. That I can have like twenty shades each of brown, green and grey for WWII is awesome and amazing. The new line of Games Workshop paints makes me a better painter. Their colors are amazing, the technicals for rust and the like awesome, and their wash line is great too. I would not suggest any Games Workshop products because of their price normally, but I think their paints are about average, and really, they are amazing products. I only have about 30 or so of their new colors, mostly the washes, technicals and metalics with some skin tones and reds, but they are awesome and I plan to get more in the future. Das |
John Treadaway | 05 Jan 2015 7:00 a.m. PST |
I use everything, pretty much. Mostly Army painter to match in with their sprays (and for their excellent inks and dips) but an eclectic mix after that of Foundy, GW (old and the odd new one from the dry brushing range). Anything I like the look of, really, colour wise. I don't think my painting techniques push paint to the limits so any of them will do a reasonable job in my thick fingers. John T |
Umpapa | 05 Jan 2015 7:24 a.m. PST |
Acrylic: Valleyo. Few GW or Army Painter. |
TKindred | 05 Jan 2015 7:29 a.m. PST |
I was recently in a similar situation. I use all sorts/brands of paints but all of them were starting to run out. After much experimentation, reading reviews, comparisons, etc, I settled on the Army Painter line. I bought one of the Master Paint sets on Amazon and have been VERY happy with my choice. I especially like that the bottled paints (same type bottles as Vallejo uses) are exact matches for their spray paints. That lets me shoot the minis with a base color and then touch up where it needs it without having to play around with the color(s). I also like their inks and shading colors. Very nice and easy to work with. Having said that, I will add this: I don't use the Army painter "tones" for dipping/shading. They are oil-based and I don't like the fumes and the need for a paint thinner for cleaning brushes, etc. I do use the "dip" method but instead I prefer to brush it on. Instead of the Army Painter stains, I went to my local Walmart and bought a couple tins of acrylic stain by MinWax. Being it's water-based, I can clean it up easily and it doesn't have ant strong fumes. It's a bit thick so I just put some in a small dish (I save those plastic jello/pudding cups) and add a little water and it works just wonderfully. I still by large bottles of craft paint for use in terrain and buildings, etc, but for all my minis I am absolutely sold on the Army painter system. V/R |
Codsticker | 05 Jan 2015 8:23 a.m. PST |
"Having said that, I will add this: I don't use the Army painter "tones" for dipping/shading. They are oil-based and I don't like the fumes and the need for a paint thinner for cleaning brushes, etc" To clarify: the dips may be oil based but the tones that come in the dropper bottles are water based. |
TKindred | 05 Jan 2015 6:12 p.m. PST |
True. I should have clarified that. I REALLY like the inks and tones that come with that set. It's the stuff in the cans I don't like. Thanks for pointing that out. |
Spudeus | 06 Jan 2015 7:55 a.m. PST |
I have a selection of Vallejo but I'm wondering do the folks here find them difficult to stir? You can't really open up the eyedropper style bottletop; of course you can just shake them but I never feel I'm getting top consistency that way. I think someone on TMP recommended an electric shaker but I never got around to getting one. |
ACWBill | 06 Jan 2015 11:13 a.m. PST |
The eyedropper bottles used by Vallejo are fairly easy to open and re-seat. |
Fizzypickles | 07 Jan 2015 3:33 p.m. PST |
Marine grade stainless steel nuts or ball bearings are your friend. Pop one in a dropper bottle, voilą! On the topic of new year, new paints, I'm tempted to get some Scale 75 paints in. Especially now that you can buy each colour separately. |
HobbyDr | 08 Jan 2015 7:00 a.m. PST |
I also had problems stirring Vallejo properly, until I discovered the nipple top pops off. The tip of my stirrer still wouldn't fit in until I did a little surgery on it. Here is a blog entry from 2011 that shows what you need to do. link |
Blackhorse MP | 10 Jan 2015 6:18 a.m. PST |
I'm partial to Vallejo and Howard Hues. Also you might want to give the craft paints(Ceramcoat, Americana, etc) a try for your basic colors if you're on a budget. I find they do an adequate job for my style(block paint/dip). |
Kensboro | 11 Jan 2015 9:18 a.m. PST |
btw, my Foundry and Vallejo tops have started to crack and break, really annoying as the paint is still good! Here's the solution to that problem: link |