Craft paints

[allenea]

I remember years ago I used various paints for my 28mm WW2 and had a decent out come with craft paints.

Starting to get back into 28mm Modern, does anyone else use craft acrylic paints on there figures.

I bought a bunch of paints cheap to try and keep the cost down.

Earle

[warlord frod]

I use a lot of them. Especially the basic colors white, black, green, etc Also like linen and ochre. they work well and are a sight cheaper then paints sold specifically for minis.

[DeafNala]

I been a "craft paint" user for quite some time; mostly Americana, Ceramcoat, & FolkArt. I've had good results with them & the price is OUTSTANDING.

[Vermis]

I was quite impressed with Anita's, even though I've heard it's supposed to be one of the poorer quality brands. Poorer quality, heh! You should see some of the European brands...

Not so much Americana or Delta Ceramcoat to be had over here, unfortunately. I've found a couple of bottles of Folkart, though.

[allenea]

Do you guys thin/water down when you use them?

[SBRPearce]

I do, just for workability. They have  lower pigment density than model paints, but that's mostly only an issue with colors like reds and yellows.

Vehicles and terrain are almost exclusively painted with craft paints, except when I take a color sample to my local big box home center and get a 6 oz. "color tester"...

[FramFramson]

I use mostly cheap art shop paints (the budget lines for art students in school). Never for figures, but always for terrain.

[gary42]

I'm about 90% craft paint.  True some pigment are thin in some but I just picked up FolkArt shiny gold and it's great!  I have a half dozen or so Valejos metalics and a few film  containers of animation cel-vinyl that I've been using since the late 80's from back in the days before digital painting.  Cartoon-Color still exists and it is fabulous paint.  Much better than any Citadel or Valejo, IMHO.  44 colours, 32 grays and 646 tints!

http://www.cartooncolor.com/cel-vinyl-paints/

[Vermis]

I use mostly cheap art shop paints (the budget lines for art students in school). Never for figures, but always for terrain.

I've got a bottle or two of that myself, that's been pretty useful. Should get more.

Although, going off-topic slightly: I got a Jackson's art catalogue a while ago that had a couple of brands (including Vallejo) of 'acrylic gouache', which I hadn't seen before. Not long after that I saw how James Gurney used a free sample of it. Some of the described properties make me wonder how it'd work on minis. I might invest in a couple of bottles.

[Marine0846]

I have been using craft paints for years. Like them a lot.
I use most of the major brands.
One thing I have noticed is that some of the Ceramcoat paint seem to be thinner
 and don't cover as well.

[CptJake]

I use craft paints for almost everything except skin tones.   You have to adjust techniques a bit but I like them.

Jake

[TheBlackCrane]

Yep, also use FolkArt, Americana etc for most of my painting, always comes out very well, although I still have trouble finding a decent white and red (I am still talking about paints there!  ) Of course, there's always much to be said for mixing and matching across several ranges I find.

[tin shed gamer]

Its going to sound daft but I didn't realise other people didn't use them,for me there just another tool,just like a sharp knife and super glue.(That sort of basic item you don't mention because everyone has it) .Now I'm wondering what brands of craft paints I actually use.As I store my paints in a set of draws,not openly as my workshop can get a bit dusty depending on the project. (I tend to just look at the colour and think 'that'll do donkey'or ' its worth a giggle')
As for actual brands of modelling paints I must have eight or nine manufactures,on the go.Again I choose by colour not by brand.I do tend to avoid some brands due to smell and texture reguardless of the colour choices.
I find that craft paints can make a good base for a wash,mixed with valejo air brush thinners.But the same mix can take for ever to clean out of an airbrush.(chocolate brown it just wont die!)
I tend to use them for horses and basecoats of buildings,and ship models.The move up to 50/50 mix for the next coat.Now I tend to play to the strenght of each pot.If its thin then I only use it as a mixing colour .
As for mixing/blending across several ranges Is the only way I work.(a little research and you often find its the same paint different name on the pot anyway)

[Dr Mathias]

Craft paints make up the majority of my African skin recipe, I mix quite a few brands in with GW, Vallejo, Coat d'Arms, etc. on plenty of other figures.

[gary42]

This really surprises me as I figured most of you extremely talented folks would pretty much exclusivley use the made-for-minis paint whereas cheap bastard, I was the only one to use the dollar/pound store paint!:)