"What is going on with all the new paints?" Topic

When I was a kid, your only choice was those cool little Testors glass jars for .19 . Then you got Poly S, Tamiya, and eventually the true paint snobs paint- Vallehjo.

And now, the big thing is to sell you a box of 6-8 bottles of some almost randomly collected colors, which I guess makes them easier to sell via mail, or in box stores.

But, it seems like every week I see a new paint brand being advertised. In fact this morning my facebook feed showed me not one, but TWO brands I had never heard of.

Is it just some factory in China making paint for anyone that wants to sell it as a house brand? or are there that many actual manufacturers of hobby paint? I wonder if you can just uy a case of paint form that mystery factory for cheap on wish or something. Or can TMP make its own branded paint?

Vallejo is reportedly reformulating their paints, which makes it hard to get some of them, at least in my part of the United States. The new version is due out sometime, one of these days. I'm grumpy because I'm almost out of my favorite Vallejo paint, Off White (Pergamino).

After a month or so of being unable to buy my one bottle of paint, I talked to the people at one of the stores and was told Vallejo (and others) may be switching to their own version of GW's contrast paints. However, that barely achieves the high-quality information level you'd expect from rumor status and could be completely wrong.

Grelber

jgawne: Don't forget Pactra; which gave you experience before buying Tamaiya. You also forgot the "real experts paints" back in the day: Humbrol.

But to answer your question, the essential answer is "Progress and Technology". The technology to produce and create now shades, tints, and effects, and higher quality paints which we didn't have "back in the day". How many times did you knock over that bottle of Testors Thinner? For me it was too much.

There are amazing colors and effects out there nowadays. Even with the standard craft paints, they are coming out with amazing effects colors.

As for the makers, I know that companies such as Reaper, and Privateer and GW have specific makers for their paint. They don't go to Wang Chungs Discount Paint Makers in Shanghai and say "Gimme a lot of shiny green!".

Reaper does a lot of samples. And many times when you order from them you will get a bottle of one of their samples. Problem being is that if it is a good color, and you use it up, it's gone.

I, for one, LOVE the new Army Painter speedpaints and contrast paints. Saves me so much time that my output has quadrupled.

I did not list every paint there ever was, like Humbrol (in the funny little tins that for me ended up being welded from drying out). Nor was I really talking about new formulations and 'types' of paint.

I was talking about new BRANDS of paint. We had GW, then Army Painter, (and more) and now I am seeing a lot of new BRAND NAMES. Many of which look to me that they may have come from the same factory, or at least the bottles do.

There cannot be THAT many factories making paint.

There can be lots of factories, but there don't have to be. In modern manufacturing, especially for consumable materials, you can just order from the same place other brands order and they will adjust their process, but use the same factory.

When my dad picked beans as a kid in rural Ohio in the 40's the factory canned them. Then the Del Monte truck pulled up with labels. They put them on and filled the truck. Then the next day, the Libby's truck would pull up and they would do the same.

Black and Decker tools come with a lifetime warranty. Break a B&D wrench? Bring it in and they will replace it. The Sears brand, Craftsman were made in the same factory. Just a different brand stamp. And they didn't spend as much time/money on the QA process. No lifetime guarantee and they were cheaper, but came from the same line as B&D.

Most grocery store brand foods, especially snacks like cookies and chips, are made at the same factory as name brand ones. You are literally buying the brand. My kids swore that the value brand not-Oreos tasted different than Oreos. They continue to assert this to this day (decades later) even though they know they are made as the same factory. It even says it on the package. That said, if they have looser QA on those it is possible – just don't tell my kids!

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I'm just not sure about the lack of brands in the past vice awareness, or maybe local availability vice Internet availability now. Vallejo started making acrylics in '72, and there were tons of brands then.

jgawne, I get what you're saying. Don't get me wrong as more choice is always good, but there seems to be quite a few new paint companies in the last year or two! On top of that there was an online hobby store advertising a new range of paints on FB Wargamers today, so that's one more. The store that I shop at used to have about 6' of paint displays and now it's more like 18' and they don't even carry the Reaper stuff or it would take up the whole front of the store. Not sure what's driving it and you have to wonder how many of these new ranges are going to succeed.

I keep noticing new brands of everything coming out compared to when I was a kid. Sometimes it is just a new line for an old name and sometimes it is a new company. It is not just hobby paints. There's a great big world out there!

Always new paints, but never old ones coming back. I would really like to be able to get new jars of certain old Pactra paints, and I miss the Polly S and Model Master historical acrylic colors terribly.

If the Vallejo reformulation means they have colors closer to historical matches right out of the bottle, I'll buy some. I find most Vallejo "matches" to be cartoonishly bright versions of a color I want flatter or more drab. That said, there are Vallejo paints that have become staples in my paint drawer, and rebranding/reformulation usually means a paint I depended on is now gone. Matching expired/depleted paints is one of the perennial struggles of this hobby. I hate having to completely relearn a painting technique because paint qualities or colors I worked out years ago just don't exist anymore.

- Ix

"Is today National Grumpy Old Man Day? "

Schwabian, based on his response, I would say "There's a good chance there is."

Well, you have the new AK 3G paints which are not for just WW2, but a whole range of colors. As bad as their previous paints were for brushing on, these are quite the opposite.

Yellow Admiral, 2 years ago I was given over a 100 bottles of unopened PollyS paints I gave away all the colors I don't use and kept the ones I do, Venetian Dull Red was one of my favorites as a shadow color for signal red.

One alternative to relying upon model paints and colors, is to use artist acrylics, which likely never really change in pigment hue or load. You will need to learn to color mix, on your own, but there are guides available. The artist market is likely more stable. Cheers!

Well, you have the new AK 3G paints which are not for just WW2, but a whole range of colors. As bad as their previous paints were for brushing on, these are quite the opposite.

Are they still chemical-thinner paints? Or can I finally use plain ol' water with AKI paints to thin and clean?

Plain old water. And they are wonderful. They flow well, cover well, and dry matte. AK3G Is one of my two "go to" paint brands.

The artist market is likely more stable.

Stable WRT brands? Nah. The colours are standardized. Phthalocyanine Blue is the same colour, no matter what brand. Or, punt another way …

A Blickrylic rose is a Faber and Castel rose is a Kroma Artist rose.
:)

Poly S had THE best black, ever. I rue the day my last bottle was gone. Hated Humbrel tins. But as for so many new paints, it's like video stores in the 90s, and Netflix etc., now,and miniatures for that matter…too many choices! Half the time I simply couldn't/can't decide and didn't/don't pick--or buy-- any of them.

I agree that the number of manufacturers is bewildering, as well as the choices of pots, droppers or (awful GW pots).

The types of paint such as metallic, colour shift, contrast, transparent, washes, inks, filters is also confusing, but each of these has a specific purpose, and associated limitations

There are so many brands – I don't know how many are really the same thing, repurposed house paint or whatever

I would be careful with artist paints. The cheaper ones are useless. The more expensive tubes of acrylics still have a gel like medium that needs to be diluted, so you are not going to get good coverage. I really like the golden liquid and fluid – they are fantastic for mixing and layering. The golden flat Matt in jars are awesome, but limited number of colours. I love acrylic inks

Artist paints may seem like they have consistent colours, but the pigment preparation between brands varies, particularly something like burnt sienna, which I have found to vary even within a brand

If you want to see artist materials applied to miniature painting, look at Marco Frissoni's YouTube videos

Vallejo has already released their version of contrast paint called Express Paint in the UK. Waiting for it to be widely stocKked/restocked in the US.

Thanks

John

Case in point- I got an ad for "Duncan Rhodes Painting Academy" model paints today.

There IS a "Wang Chung Discount Paint Makers Co."

Out of curiosity, I went to Alibaba and looked for hobby paints. There were a few, but his one had some nice photos of heir factory. Rading the poor english, they claim to be experts in "OEM" paints, which seems to be you tell them what you want, what kind of bottles, colors, labels, and they do the rest. They do acrylic and lacquer, and I'll bet if they don't do what you need, they will know who to go to.

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So I guess if anyone wants to start their own brand of Model paints, here's a start. I mean you might be a great figure painter, but do YOU have your own brand of paints?

I also use Cel-Vinyl paints by Cartoon Colors out of California, These were formatted for animators to use on acetate. This gives them a flexibility and I use them on horses mostly and can be mixed with acrylic paints. These come in standard colors and artist colors.

and now I got an ad for "Pro Acryl Paints"

My whole 55 years of painting toy soldiers have been with craft paints of various names I cannot be bothered to remember and nothing else-- very pleased and happy with them.
50 years before there were "washs" I made my own with 10% black,10% brown umber and 80% water mixed in a bottle.

Best regards
Russ Dunaway

There cannot be THAT many factories making paint.

Why not? Something like paint can take a big hit if sell a wonky product, and while the PRC has gotten better how much quality control can a paint company like Vallejo risk? The Army Painter speed paints as a case in point, water reactivation, had I known that I never would have bought them and am too cheap to chuck them now. Youtube is full of videos of people talking about it and Army Painter is doing some reformulation but to me those are a no-buy now.
I think the amount of new paint companies has to do with the tech as Murphy mentioned combined with more customers looking for better paint properties than in the past. Tamiya is good to spray, crap to brush. Well guess you go with one of 2 brands? Enamels and the cleanup needed, most people don't want that in the air or on their brushes. Now as more people are pushing the art end of miniatures and models the demand for paint that behaves a certain way grows. To me Reaper paints behave differently than Army Painter and both different than Vallejo Game.

Sgt Slag:
One alternative to relying upon model paints and colors, is to use artist acrylics …

Agreed. I use Liquitex, though I taught my nephews with Dick Blick house brand.

Is today National Grumpy Old Man Day? 😄

I yelled at a cloud and a tree today, I feel so much better.

I have so much paint it is going to be years before I need to shop for paint again.

At my age, every day is Grumpy Old Man Day, just in case I'm not there to celebrate it tomorrow.

But the real paint snob's paint isn't Johnny come lately Vallejo: it's Imrie/Riesely. (Anyone else remember all the Medium Brown eventually becoming bright orange? Or am I the last of my breed?)

Can't tell you how many factories are making wargaming paints, but there does seem to be less difference between brands than there once was.