Foundry (and others) Paint quality

[Braxandur]

Since there is a discussion about the new GW inks aready, I was wondering about paints.

I have a lot of brands, but am often tempted by the paint range from Foundry. Still each time I have resisted buying their paints. The big question...  should I just go for it or keep stalling?

For the people using Foundry paints, please give me your opinion about them. and specifically what is good and bad. Based upon that I might just buy the entire range at once (somehow, that became my standard shopping method...)

Or are there any other paints out there I should be aware of? I already own a healthy collection of Citadel (from old coat 'd Arms flip tops to the new stuff) I'm very happy with the foundations paints, use foundations, P3 paints and VGC a lot, but leave VMC mostly in it's big box. And no it is never enough, but better to know what to buy then just buying.

[Svennn]

Just my two penneth but it sounds like you already have it covered. Foundry paints are very good but I have to ask why you feel the need to add them? I think they are expensive, no better than the current CDA or others around which are cheaper and if you buy the set you will have a lot of paint that you will never use as there are some very similar colours and others that are just a little too odd.

[Malamute]

I use the Foundry painits along with Vallejo GW etc.
The good points - convenient, good selection of colours, reasonable coverage, good finish.
The bad points, some of the contrast between the three shades is minimal (The dark blue for instance) There is not enough depth between the three shades, so you may end up adding to them anyway. Which kinda defeats the object.

The big financial issue is you always use more of the basecoat shade from each set. So inevitably you will run out of that shade, but cannot buy replacement pots you have to buy the whole set of three so will end up with unopened bottles you do not need.

Overall they are convenient, and good for lazy people like me , but you have to spend alot of cash to build up a decent selection.

[Aaron]

I have acheived a similar effect by just buying my Vallejo paints in groups of three colors. I have some of the Foundry paints also though. As mentiones, they do cover well (except for the yellow - it is complete crap), but I find they dry out quickly. The pots mine are in tend to trap paint in the lid even though I store them upright.

[Yankeepedlar01]

From my experience: reds are poor, except the Scarlett; Yellow and Tan don't cover well, especially the Tan mid colour. Little shade variation in Dark Blue, echo that. Black shades better with Slate Grey shade than Charcoal Black I've found. But, that said, the rest are fine I find, although some highlights can look too 'high'. Some nice colours too, I like the Peaty Brown and the Storm Blue for my Pulp & Gangster charachers a lot.
As an aside, I have bought single pots on visits to the Foundry, so I'm sure you could order them like that over the phone. Its worth a try, I always find them helpfull.
David

[Heldrak]

I like them, but the quality does seem to vary widely between the various colors. One thing to bear in mind is that the entire range is designed to be more pastel than the more color-saturated GW range and some people have complained about a semi-glossiness.

The flesh Triad has been very good to me (Here's a link to an example in action):

http://battleglade.freeforums.org/wip-wardancers-t129.html

I also particularly like the Rawhide color Triad. I think you'll find that Foundry's strength lies in the browns, grays, greens, drabs, etc.

GW metallics are probably superior to Foundry (better consistency).

I can't speak to GW Foundation Paints, P3 or Reaper Master series as I haven't used them much yet...

[Hammers]

Foundry is about the only paint I do NOT use. It is mostly a matter of availability; no store I know of sell them in Stockholm, Sweden.

GW I use becuase of their Blod Red and the browns (Vermin, Scourched, Bestial, Snakebite) which makes excellent leathers and hair solours. I bloody hate their silly naming conventions though.

Reaper Pro Paint and Master Serieshas some excellent, excellent skin tones which I use extensively. They also have som off whites (White Leather, Fair Maiden, Ivory, Linen White) which I cannot do without. They thin very, very well so they are very useful for layering and feathering techniques. All this makes them worth ordering from across the pond (I have not found any European company pushing them).

IWE (Iron Wind, formerly Ral Partha): has a flesh tone which I basecoatall my caucasians with. Most compaies have variants which are too pink, this one is just right. They have Tan and Dark variants which are very good to. And I like the pots. And their above average Copper, Steel and Bronze. Have to be ordered.

Vallejo, Vallejo Game Color, Vallejo Air: these are my bulk paints and I use them for natural colours (tans, greens, browns, blues, ochres, khakis etc) I have a few VGC for vibrant colours liek yellow, purple turquois etc. I use Vallejo Air for washes, esp. the black, burnt umbre and white.

Humbrol Acrylics: work, their blue, red and above all yellow are good and the yellow actually covers. They are old formula though, the medium is not great and the pigment tend to form into a hard lump at the bottom which needs vigorous stirring.

Coat d'Arme sucks.

I use a bunch of other brands to, even some beautiful, small batch, hand made ones but I use them sparingly or to cover large pieces like terrain.

[MuleSkinner]

call me stingy if ya like but i use these paints http://www.doart.co.uk/acatalog/Anita_s.html

they are pretty decent paints, fairly large pots and don't cost an arm and a leg.

[Poliorketes]

The big financial issue is you always use more of the basecoat shade from each set. So inevitably you will run out of that shade, but cannot buy replacement pots you have to buy the whole set of three so will end up with unopened bottles you do not need.

You can get single pots

[Malamute]

The big financial issue is you always use more of the basecoat shade from each set. So inevitably you will run out of that shade, but cannot buy replacement pots you have to buy the whole set of three so will end up with unopened bottles you do not need.

You can get single pots

Thanks, thats very useful to know, you have saved me some money

[revford]

call me stingy if ya like but i use these paints http://www.doart.co.uk/acatalog/Anita_s.html

they are pretty decent paints, fairly large pots and don't cost an arm and a leg.

I use the very same, cheap and nice, fairly matt finish.

They have a great range of browns, but lack a good caucasian flesh colour or metallics.

For white folks, I use Vallejo Medium Flesh and Basic Flesh.  Also I have a few weirder colours not in the Anita's range from Vallejo, like the English Uniform khaki.

For metallics I've still got some GW paints I bought back in 95/96 on the go.  The same as sold by Cd'A these days as far as I know.

[Torben]

Reaper Pro Paint and Master Serieshas some excellent, excellent skin tones which I use extensively. They also have som off whites (White Leather, Fair Maiden, Ivory, Linen White) which I cannot do without. They thin very, very well so they are very useful for layering and feathering techniques. All this makes them worth ordering from across the pond (I have not found any European company pushing them).

Psst; http://shop.whitedragon.dk/group.asp?group=386&sub=2

I think that they have at least some of the colours that you use, so you'd only need to cross the smaller pond to get a hold of them

@Topic

I tend to use mainly Vallejo or P3 paints these days, but still use the GW inks and Rackham colours for terrain and undercoating. But then I also like to pick up odd bits of paints here and there and my collection of paints are... random at best, chaotic at worst.

[Hammers]

Excellent news! Thanks!

[Braxandur]

hmm, great advice all of you. I especially think the big cheap bottles of paint look very promising for painting up terrain

As for having enough paint. That's off course never the case. As the lead mountain is always growing, the paint collection should also

Thanks for all the friendly advice guys!

[capthugeca]

call me stingy if ya like but i use these paints http://www.doart.co.uk/acatalog/Anita_s.html

they are pretty decent paints, fairly large pots and don't cost an arm and a leg.

I use the very same, cheap and nice, fairly matt finish.

They have a great range of browns, but lack a good caucasian flesh colour or metallics.

I too use Anita's. I used to buy them from Hobbycraft in the UK but they seem to have dropped the range so thanks for the link.
I know that some websites rubbish them but I find them really great. They are quite translucentt so painting over a black undercoat allows it to show through sufficiently to form the shadows and then I can just build up the colour with 1-2 coats. You can get some quit subtle effects.
Gavin, Anita's do actually do a range of Metallis under the name "Anita's Metallics". They do most of the normal metallics plus metallic red, blue, green, etc.
For flesh, I use their Mocassin Brown as a first coat and then one of the two Peach colours. It seems to work for me.
I have also come into possession of some Vallejo and Tamiya acrylics but Anita's seem to suit my style more.
Hugh