Cheap and good paint for scenery ?

[sundayhero]

Hi,

I'm currently searching for cheap acrylic paint suitable for scenery purpose.

For now, I'm using a mix of expensive arts paint (in tube) and paint from hardware store.

Here in France, these 2 products are really expensive. It's difficult to find the good colors too (especially in hardware stores), and they are often satin or glossy, and not always enough charged in pigments. Size and package are not very handy too (you have to dilute the arts tubes a lot, and the hardware store cans are a mess). 

I know that americans often use brands like Apple Barrel or Folk Arts, wich come in medium sized drop bottles. Is there a cheap alternative for us european people ?




thank you for your help.

[FramFramson]

Look at universities. Over here school shops have "Student Grade" paint. Which is still decently cheap, but is at least half-decent in quality. Too thick for miniatures (you can't thin it that far without it coming apart), but certainly good enough for scenery.

[sundayhero]

thanks,


Sadly I'm living far from any university (the nearest arts university is about 200kilometers far). By the way, I don't remember such stores when I was a student, 17 years ago.

[Norm]

I can highly recommend the large tubes of Graduate Acrylic by Daler Rowney. They have much better pigment content than cheaper craft paints and will behave much like the artist quality that you are used to. Also the colour range is ideal for the wargamer. I have just used Buff Titanium and Venetian red and Raw Umber in my Stalingrad city hex project shown a bit further down this page.

The buff titanium is very useful to knock back other colour and is not as harsh as white.

[zizi666]

I've got some large bottles from theWindsor & Newton galleria range.
(They have different sizes of bottles)
check out their site, there's a store locator. With luck, you'll find one near you. :

http://www.winsornewton.com/row/

Also, you might take a look at DIY stores that sell samples of their acrylic paints. I've used sand-coloured paint to drybrush terrain pieces that came out of those applicators (tubes with a sponge on top) Very good stuff and not too pricey.

[Buntaro]

Hi,

I use small pots of colors from Leroy Merlin : gamme "EnVie !" de Luxens. 75 ml.
There is a large choice in the colors and they are not expensive.

[Vermis]

I know that americans often use brands like Apple Barrel or Folk Arts, wich come in medium sized drop bottles. Is there a cheap alternative for us european people ?

There is, but IMO the American brands are superior. There's Royal & Langnickel in the UK, but the entire range seems to be glossy and a bit thin, and I'd agree with your opinions on that. I've also tried Lefranc & Bourgeois' 'Multi' craft paint, but it's awful chalky stuff with a huge colour shift, and it looks like it's discontinued anyway.
L&B sell a few other lines that seem to fall between artists' paint and hardware paint - Deco matt and tempera acrylic, for example. If you can't find any Anita's or Folkart imports (which have steadily disappeared in the shops here) I wonder if any of that would suit?

[sundayhero]

Thanks for your help. The samples seems to be a good idea. The small hobby craft paints here are too pricey, about 3.50-4.50euros (5-6usd) for 50ml. Especially compared to the 1 or 2 USD apple barrel or Folkarts in USA for barely the same quantity...

[OSHIROmodels]

Our local art shop has started supplying Pebeo Deco paints which I believe are French and they certainly do the job.

cheers

James

[sundayhero]

Thanks, but it's still too expensive for me.

I'll see what is the cheapest option, between importing 1usd paint bottles from USA or direct buy DIY stores samples.

The first idea, buying big packs in USA, may be the best option.

[has.been]

I do most of my scenery with matchpots (the small test tubs which are about 50mm tall) In the UK they are available from the big stores (B&Q /Sainsburys homebase/ The Range/ Wilco etc) If they turn out a bit too shiney I spray it with a matt artist spray. They cost  about a pound to £1.30 a pot and cover a great deal.  I get lots when my wife wants to redecorate, we paint a patch on the wall of each colour & I then get all the pots.

[sundayhero]

Thanks

Yes, I have to see and compare these with american paint, and see the cheapest solution.

[Lowtardog]

Not sure if online but the Works sell cheap acrylics, I pick up bottles from time to time for terrain and basing. Local art and craft shops have cheap offerings much like the apple barrel ones, picked up a dozen or so last week for £1.15 a go

http://www.theworks.co.uk/c/art-supplies/artist-paint#artist-paint/?pageSize=20&facet=parentCatgroup_id_facet%253A(%2210202_51065%22)

[Cubs]

I do most of my scenery with matchpots (the small test tubs which are about 50mm tall) In the UK they are available from the big stores (B&Q /Sainsburys homebase/ The Range/ Wilco etc)

Ditto. I have a smattering of tiny Dulux pots picked up for much cheapness when on offer.

[AndrewBeasley]

Though US based, this may be of interest from TerranScapes:



A mini review of terrain paints