Just bought Vallejo game set, need help!

[maxbrown]

I recently bought a set of Vallejo's 72 game colors on ebay. I'm having trouble using them as they seem to drop onto the pallet really watery and I can't get a nice even base coat. Now I realize there is a ton of info on this here, but wondered if I could get some specific advice. Before this I have been using Testors oil paints, model masters..etc. Everyone says water based acrylics are the way to go and the majority seem to like Vallejo. Nevertheless, I did a pretty good job with testors. I take it water based will just take some getting used to. I thought I shook the vallejo paint I tried up really well. Do I need to just keep shaking it? dish soap? put some something in the bottle to help mix it? If so, how the hell do you get the plastic piece off without ruining the bottle. Thanks so much.

Max

 

[Wicksy]

I found a similar thing whe i tried vallejo paint. It tends to settle out, which may explain your problem. I'd recommend perhaps a small stone or ball bearing in the bottle to aid redispersal of the components. I tool the top off mine and manually stirred it with the end of a brush.

 

[Rugne]

Just pry the dropper bit off, chuck in a couple of chopped up bits of metal sprue or some ball bearings, replace top and dropper and shake like your arm was gonna fall off, then go lay down for ten minutes to recover.

Marc

 

[maxbrown]

thanks, man. That's kind of what I thought, but it helps to hear it from someone with experience.

 

[Ghudra]

On another note, don't lose the enamels. They are outstanding for some applications and don't limit yourself to a single type of paint.

 

[Einion]

I recently bought a set of Vallejo's 72 game colors on ebay. I'm having trouble using them as they seem to drop onto the pallet really watery and I can't get a nice even base coat. Now I realize there is a ton of info on this here, but wondered if I could get some specific advice.

If you use those you'll see many threads that describe how watery some of the Game Colour (VGC) paints are. But with all Vallejo paints, most paints of this type in fact, you do have to be very careful to fully agitate them because they settle a lot on the shelf.

Everyone says water based acrylics are the way to go and the majority seem to like Vallejo.

One of the world's greatest miniaturists uses enamels and a bit of oils... just because something is popular doesn't make it the choice. You might find that you can't get along with paints like Vallejo, some people can't.

I take it water based will just take some getting used to.

Yes, problems aside they do have a very steep learning curve.

...don't limit yourself to a single type of paint.

:good: :good:

Einion

 

[maxbrown]

Good advice indeed, but since I just dropped $163 bucks on the set, I figure I'll see if I can make use of them. The couple of figures I screwed around with ended up being coated better than I had suspected once the paint dried. I'll shake the crap out of these and see what comes of it.

 

[Einion]

Expensive experiment! Four or five individual bottles woulda done that :cute:

Come to that, you could have gone down to your local Michaels or similar and bought a handful of craft paints (like Apple Barrel, Craft Smart, Americana) for about $1-2 a piece, just to give a taste of what the medium is like.

Anyway, you certainly don't want to waste what you have so definitely work on finding a use for them - even the colours that maybe are really weak (there'll be a few) might be useful in ways you don't realise yet, for glazing or toning.

Einion

 

[maxbrown]

Your work is incredible. What paints do you use?

 

[Home Of CadaveR]

I find that the best way to use Valleho colours is proper shaking. And the only good way (at least the way that works for me) is hitting the bottom of the bottle at the back of my palm. Apparently there is a tendency to gather the pigment at the bottom of the bottle so the watery part stays at the top... it sounds kinda silly I know but it works!

 

[Einion]

Your work is incredible. What paints do you use?

TVM! The stuff in my gallery is mostly done using artists' acrylics (the type that come in tubes) with some help from the airbrush, as well as some other paints types including a bit of enamels here and there. These days I mostly use Jo Sonja paints, with a little help from a few bottles of craft paints like the ones I mentioned above.

And the only good way (at least the way that works for me) is hitting the bottom of the bottle at the back of my palm.... it sounds kinda silly I know but it works!

Doesn't sound silly at all - whatever works to dislodge the sludge. I know people who bang them on a table before (and during) shaking!

Einion

 

[maxbrown]

I find that the best way to use Valleho colours is proper shaking. And the only good way (at least the way that works for me) is hitting the bottom of the bottle at the back of my palm. Apparently there is a tendency to gather the pigment at the bottom of the bottle so the watery part stays at the top... it sounds kinda silly I know but it works!

Right you are! I had nice results with a bottle of Cayman Green. I tapped/squeezed the crap out of the bottom and shook the living piss out of the bottle. A bit tedious, but the paint is nice. Thanks to everyone for the help. I'll post some picks when I get a unit of orcs complete and see what people think.

 

[flagoon]

Right you are! I had nice results with a bottle of Cayman Green. I tapped/squeezed the crap out of the bottom and shook the living piss out of the bottle. A bit tedious, but the paint is nice. Thanks to everyone for the help. I'll post some picks when I get a unit of orcs complete and see what people think.

Probably someone suggested this already, but you can use some kind agitators to help with shaking. I bought some "small balls" in bike shop for this. I don't know how you call them in English. Anyway in my shop they costs about 1,5 USD for 50 pieces.

 

[Einion]

Probably someone suggested this already, but you can use some kind agitators to help with shaking. I bought some "small balls" in bike shop for this. I don't know how you call them in English.

Ball bearings?

Einion

 

[maxbrown]

Yeah, I know ball bearings (bits of sprue...etc.) would help, but I can't figure out for the life of me how to get the cap off the bottle without doing major damage to it. I figured I'd do it the hard way for that reason.

Max

 

[Rugne]

That's relatively simple, use a knife blade and slip it between the two and _gently_ work your way around the bottle,once you have enough to grip, you should be able to just ease it out with your fingers. You might do a little cosmetic damage to the bottle, but nothing important.
Hope that helps.
Marc

 

[flagoon]

Yeah, I know ball bearings (bits of sprue...etc.) would help, but I can't figure out for the life of me how to get the cap off the bottle without doing major damage to it. I figured I'd do it the hard way for that reason.

Heh, I had the same problem with it, but it's easy to remove WITHOUT any tool. Just grab the top and move left, right and it's ready. This is that simple, really Works with Reaper bottles as well. Tried this yesterday.

 

[mickc22]

If you use a piece of paper towel, it can give you a bit of a better grip and also something to put the cap down on as it usually has some paint on the underside. Also when replacing it place the paper towel over the small hole before completely pressing it home as they sometimes a have a tendency to spurt at the end

 

[cfwheeler58]

...place the paper towel over the small hole before completely pressing it home as they sometimes a have a tendency to spurt at the end

dirty.......

 

[mickc22]

yeah, I think they get excited :smile-big: