Lead Adventure Forum
Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: cmsciulli on July 30, 2007, 08:28:22 PM
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Hi all,
I was curious as to what brands of paint are your favorites to work with and why?
So far I have been using Howard Hues, Testors, and Model Masters.
Thanks!
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I can't say I have tried many brands, but since a couple of years I am deeply in love with all Vallejo Paints: a lot of colors, a good value for money, and they never get dry due to their bottle type. Their silver metallics are not good for me, however.
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Vallejo make up the bulk of my paints but I also have a few GW, Cote d'arms and Miniature Paints ones.
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I mostly use Anita's, it's very cheap and works well for me:
http://www.synta.com/anita1.html
My local craft shop don't carry Anita's metalics, so I've been using some from DecoArt:
http://www.decoart.com/cgi-bin/Products.cgi?Dazzling_Metallics
I use GW paints for some things, like the gunmetal and some nice greens and a colour called Shadow Grey for my WWII German Uniforms.
Also I've finally given Vallejo a try as I couldn't find a good colour for WWII British uniforms, very nice.
Can anyone tell us if the Vallejo flesh tones are good?
I used to use GW 'Bronzed Flesh', but it seems to change each time I buy a pot, the last one I got was, well, a bit orange.
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The truth is, I've never found an entirely reliable range of paint. No-one seems able to get their product to be truly consistent from batch to batch. Some come up shiny and thin - some are beautifully opaque and matt. Buy the same pot of acrylic paint twice from the same manufacturer, and there's absolutely no guarantee it's going to be the same. The old Humbrol enamels were a lot more reliable - but a lot less flexible than water based acrylics.
I have a lot of Vallejo Model Color which I've found to be generally pretty good, although some colours - especially the blues and greens - have a tendency to come up rather shiny. And occasionally, they are just hopeless. I have one maroon red which is simply unusable - thin, shiny, sticky, horrible! Also, I find the teats clog really easily, the pigment and medium separate easily and they take a lot of mixing - shaking doesn't cut it.
I have used a few GW paints too. They're pretty good, but I hate going in there because I can't abide being badgered and pestered by the smug, greasy nerds they employ every branch.
Have never tried the Foundry 'system'... I mean, do I really need all those shades of shades? Yeah, I'm sure it makes the job quicker and easier, but I prefer to mix my own shades, and I also prefer subtler shading to the stark effect achieved by the fabled 'three-colour method'.
Actually, the paint I probably use most of all is dirt cheap 'hobby' acrylic here in the UK made by Inscribe, and available in every craft shop. It comes in giant 59ml bottles (yes that's about 350% of a Vallejo bottle), the colours are incredibly deep and opaque, and best of all it costs just 99 pence. That's just about one US dollar - or less at today's advantageous exchange rate :mrgreen:
I'm guessing some fellow figure painters might be a bit sniffy about this, but I have to tell you - it's the best bl**dy paint I use! (Especially the black and white) The downside - only 30 or 40 colours in the range as opposed to 200!
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Inscribe sounds just like the Anita's I use, 99p for 59ml, I guess the local shops here just carry a different brand.
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Mostly Vallejo Game and Model colour ranges, some GW (a lot less these days) and some cheap artists paints for terrain, bases etc
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Have never tried the Foundry 'system'... I mean, do I really need all those shades of shades? Yeah, I'm sure it makes the job quicker and easier, but I prefer to mix my own shades, and I also prefer subtler shading to the stark effect achieved by the fabled 'three-colour method'.
I use Foundry paints. I find the three-shade pots helpful to cut down guesswork on shade mixing but in order to improve the subtlety of shading I use intermixes between the three shades supplied and also between the colours. I agree, the simple three shade approach creates too stark a transition for my taste.
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I have GW paints (not many), Vallejo paints (way too many) and some of the new P3 paints.
All of them have their uses and all of them have their annoyances. Almost every bottle of Vallejo paint I have clogs and that pisses me off to no end.
The Vallejo metallics aren't that great. I use the new P3 metallics for most of my metal work now.
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I have used a few GW paints too. They're pretty good, but I hate going in there because I can't abide being badgered and pestered by the smug, greasy nerds they employ every branch.
Can I add that to my "useful sentences" booklet?? :mrgreen: :lol:
Seriously now, I like GW metallics. I've tried many but always return to them... I am tempted to try some of their new "foundation paints". Time will say.
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Mostly Vallejo (my Favourites) Some GW, The Foundry system and cheap Acrylic artists paints for terrain pieces.
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Inscribe sounds just like the Anita's I use, 99p for 59ml, I guess the local shops here just carry a different brand.
Yep, think I've seen the same bottles under different brand names - DecoArt as well. Basically, it's all the same stuff, just slightly different ranges of colours under different labels. Honestly, it's good gear - don't just save it for your bases and terrain!
Must try the new P3 metallics. They sound good... Is there a metallics 'set' and who sells them?
Sorry about the GW rant - I just object to being sold to with such blind determination on every visit!
'What are you looking for?'
'Nothing - just browsing'
'Nothing in particular then?'
'No, just browsing.'
'What are you into?'
'Oh, all sorts...'
'Is it for you?'
'Might be.'
'Do you have kids?'
'Might have'
'Do they play Warhammer?'
'Occasionally.'
'How old are they?'
'Mind your own ****ing business.'
'They might want to join our club.'
'No thanks.'
'It meets 6 nights a week - they can spend all their money here' (Okay, they never actually say that, but it's about that transparent!)
'No thanks. Now, do you mind if I just have a look at the things you are selling?''
'Is there anything in particular you're looking for?'
'FOR GOD'S SAKE JUST LEAVE ME ALONE, CAN'T YOU???? I'D BUY A LOT MORE STUFF IF YOU JUST BACKED OFF!!!!!'
I usually walk out at around this point because I just find the approach intolerable.
Hence I have very few GW paints!
Erm - sorry, that was another rant wasn't it? And totally off topic :mrgreen: (Sound familiar to anyone though?)
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Erm - sorry, that was another rant wasn't it? And totally off topic :mrgreen: (Sound familiar to anyone though?)
Yep, I used to be just like that when I worked there. You missed the all important lines:
Have you got this months 'Dwarf?
Do you need some glue for that?
:lol:
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I know exactly how you feel. I used to try and explain the games we play but now I usually say its for my nephew and I have no idea what its all about. That way I tend to get left alone and not sold anything I don't need!
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Mostly cheap Artists Acrylics by manufacturers like Windsor and Newton ( 500ml of black for a few quid at my local discount store), Vallejo for WW2 colour matches and GW for certain shades ( like doing denim etc).
I used to buy purely GW but tried some cheap hobby acrylics and found that some of them had much better coverage and were about 1/3 the price!!!
PM
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I use mostly Vallejo. But the the metallic colours from GW are just great, the only thing I keep buying from them. For terrain I use some cheap acrylics.
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Sorry about the GW rant - I just object to being sold to with such blind determination on every visit!
Well, at least they are consistent with their corporate policies. I'm across the pond and had been an employee with GW for over six years. We were asked to always "establish a rapport with the customer" - it is customer service commandment number 6 of 10. Some people were offended and also thought we worked on commission, but it was really trying to "help" the customers. In fact, if we didn't "badger" you, we could be fired. The problem comes from the high turnover rate of employees. The veteran employees knew the veteran hobbyists and there was never really a problem. Just don't let there be someone form corporate in there or else it was like the Spanish Inquisition!
By the way, if we could get a kid so excited during an intro game that he wet himself, we would get a free boxed army! and that is customer service!
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Wow. I'm genuinely sorry that I insulted all you ex-GW employees... :lol:
Seriously, I can't blame them for selling hard - but it's depressing that they just don't understand the basics.
Good sales training teaches you to ask lots of questions - and GW have obviously got this bit.
Unfortunately, the part they haven't understood is that you then LISTEN to the answers - listen twice as much as you speak, in fact - and read the customers' buying signals both from what they say, and from body language and so on. This is the basis of good sales technique. The GW 'keep interrogating the customer even as you can see them shutting down under the assault' is just crass salesmanship.
I kid you not when I say that in all honesty, I would spend a lot of money in GW if the b*ggers just backed off! One size does not fit all. For such a successful business, I'm amazed they haven't figured that out yet. And you're right - the customer experience is very much the same from shop to shop. Equally un-empathetic. Okay - rant over :mrgreen:
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Sorry about the GW rant - I just object to being sold to with such blind determination on every visit!
'What are you looking for?'
'Nothing - just browsing'
'Nothing in particular then?'
'No, just browsing.'
'What are you into?'
'Oh, all sorts...'
'Is it for you?'
'Might be.'
'Do you have kids?'
'Might have'
'Do they play Warhammer?'
'Occasionally.'
'How old are they?'
'Mind your own ****ing business.'
'They might want to join our club.'
'No thanks.'
'It meets 6 nights a week - they can spend all their money here' (Okay, they never actually say that, but it's about that transparent!)
'No thanks. Now, do you mind if I just have a look at the things you are selling?''
'Is there anything in particular you're looking for?'
'FOR GOD'S SAKE JUST LEAVE ME ALONE, CAN'T YOU???? I'D BUY A LOT MORE STUFF IF YOU JUST BACKED OFF!!!!!'
I usually walk out at around this point because I just find the approach intolerable.
Spot on. They really don't make you feel welcome.
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Wow. I'm genuinely sorry that I insulted all you ex-GW employees... :lol:
Being an ex-GW employee myself, rest assured that I don't take insult at all. The management there sucked, and so did their CS policies... not to mention their other policies... But I digress.
I used IWM paints, which are the Ral Partha paint line from back in the day... Since IWM reduced their range considerably not too long ago though I have been forced to look elsewhere. So, Vallejo and now P3 are the two other paints I have started using. Not really sure I like either of those all that much (Vallejo bottles never work for me, and P3 seems to be glossy).
n.
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Wow. I'm genuinely sorry that I insulted all you ex-GW employees... :lol:
No insult taken. I just wanted to show that not all GW employees were naturally annoying :lol:
As far as listening, that was commandment 4 of 10.
Back to paints...the old Citadel paints, now made by a different manufacturer are still some of my favorites. I like the Foundry system and colors, but there aren't any stores over here that carry them. I have to get them from the Warstore and they are too expensive for me to add them to my large arsenal of existing paints. I recently bought some of the P3 paints, but haven't given them a go yet. I'm not adept enough to use Model Color and my Game Color gets a case of the squirts every now and again (very irritating). Sometimes I want to NPP - no paint painting - and just game with my miniatures in the raw. :oops:
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When you guys say GW, are you referring to Games Workshop Citadel paints?
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Yes, GW paints actually mean Citadel paints. But people also call Citadel minis GW minis...
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Yes, GW paints actually mean Citadel paints. But people also call Citadel minis GW minis...
Gah, all this technical jargon! :o
Thanks guys.
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I use a mix of everything - Valejo, Foundry, P3, GW, Reaper Master, but find myself using the cheap craft paints more often than not, usually Ceramcoat. The Foundry & GW paints seem to dry up too fast, and now that Foundry raised their US price to $4 pot I am not interested in them much anymore. I am sticking to the dropper bottles in the future -P3, Valejo & Reaper. I do like the GW Foundation Ochre as a good base for yellow as yellows are so hard to find that give a good cover over black.
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Vallejo model color mostly and vallejo game color secondly. Topped off with a few citadel inks and tamiya clear colors.
I gave away all the citadel paints I had because I was sick of all the dried out pots (the older twistcaps, before the newer fliptops) and I fell in love with the finer pigment and dull finish of Vallejo model color.
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Wow. I'm genuinely sorry that I insulted all you ex-GW employees... :lol:
No worries, I've heard from a few people how bad they are in GW stores these days. I didn't remember it being so bad when I worked there 12 years ago so I went down and 'tested' it in the local store.
Yep, just as bad as people here have said, just for entertainment I asked why a single 28mm plastic Space Marine Commander, or two plastic Empire Wizards cost £10 (about €15). Which was fun.
Next he tried to tell me that Forge World Imperial Guardsmen are expensive because Resin is expensive compared to Metal or Plastic.
But you're right, they won't just leave you alone to browse about.
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Being a relative noobie, I use Foundry and Vallejo. One day I hope to get somewhat close to the high standards that are shown here on a regular basis.
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Being a relative noobie, I use Foundry and Vallejo. One day I hope to get somewhat close to the high standards that are shown here on a regular basis.
Freaking tell me about it ><
I need to go take some painting classes. . . you guys do some awesome work here with figs and buildings/terrain.
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Yep, just as bad as people here have said, just for entertainment I asked why a single 28mm plastic Space Marine Commander, or two plastic Empire Wizards cost £10 (about €15). Which was fun.
Next he tried to tell me that Forge World Imperial Guardsmen are expensive because Resin is expensive compared to Metal or Plastic./quote]
Is this true? I mean, it is an empirical fact that the rpice of resin minis are often as high or higher than metal minis. With todays metal prices, why is that?
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Is this true? I mean, it is an empirical fact that the rpice of resin minis are often as high or higher than metal minis. With todays metal prices, why is that?
Nope, complete nonsense.
Resin is cheap, that's why it's used to do big bulky things like tanks and terrain.
Metal costs the earth and is getting more expensive all the time.
Plastic is super cheap but requires some fancy kit to be able to produce models.
With the price of resin so low and metal so high, some all metal companies, like Chieftain and Heresy, are looking to move some parts to resin to save money on materials and on postage.
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I'm glad I know how to strip the paint off my minis should their cost become prohibitive. (A good soaking in Simple Green- works on plastics too!)
Praise the GW grunts, curse the GW Kommissars!
Oh- and I use Reaper Master paints. Seems to have the color selection I need. There's a little bit of separation with a couple colors, but nothing a good jar-shaking can't fix :) Also a nice selection of metallics; the basics (silver and gold) and colored metallics all seem to have descent coverage; though I DO prefer GW metallics for the basic metals. Haven't tried Reaper's pearlescent colors or inks yet.
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started my hobby adventure with revell enamels, after that I was using pectra acrylics for very first models I had (immaculate fury and valpurgius from warzone :love: ), some time later I bought citadel colors starter set and for many years I was using only this brand but lately thanks to the cooperation with em4 (thanks Doug!) I got full set of vallejo game color and now they're my main brand :) I also have several reaper colors - really fine product