GW's new washes

[uglybug]

Last week I ran out of my favorite wash, gryphonne sepia. I loved this color it was perfect for so many things specially on gold. So I went to the LGS and got the new seraphim sepia and a couple of others like the black and mud. Anyway the new sepia seems worthless it seems to be so watered down that it is not tinting at all. Did I just get a bad batch or is that the new formula? The black seems darker and a little chalky compared to the old black, and the mud is a little thinner too I think.
So do I go back and buy a new sepia and hope that my luck will change or will I just get more of the same? Any suggestions on where I can get a good sepia? I picked up a Dr. Martins #28B sepia radiant concentrated water color ink that I used in magic wash but that even seems to be to brown. Anyone have a recipe? Thanks for your help.

 

[In Chigh P.I.]

I was sceptical at first but now i love them, find them much better than the old ones. Regarding the thickness, i think you may have got a bad egg with yours. Of the pots i have i would say they were actually a bit thicker than the old ones, and need a bit more watering down.

Regarding alternatives, i've read good things about Army Painter equivalents ie: they match the old GW washes quite well. That said, i have not tried these yet myself.

 

[Einion]

If you're okay with making up your own wash I'd recommend starting with an artists' acrylic, used only for this one tube will probably last you the rest of your life.

Because sepias vary so much I have no idea the exact colour you're aiming for, this Burnt Umber close? I was going to recommend another paint from Tri-Art but they're much harder to get and they dry much more glossy too, so maybe the Blick one is a better choice all round (half the price too).

Einion

 

[Avelorn]

I have only tried them once but they seem good, and they also seem thicker. They do however need more shaking then the previous ones. Could that be the culprit?

 

[noneedforaname]

I've found with the new sepia that the colour varies wildly by batch. I've had to mix several pots together to ensure I have sufficient with a consistent tone to finish a project.

 

[uglybug]

Thank you for your inputs.
In chigh P.I. - i hope your right i picked up another pot today hopefully i will be better. I will look for army painter stuff next time i go to the store.

Einion- I think i read someplace that the tube acrylics were not suggested for mini painting because they were not as fine or something. DO you find they are ok or is it because i will be making a wash? That burnt umber is darker then the sepia i have and what i was use to. I went to blick today and picked up 3 new inks i have not tried this brand yet its called Daler Rowney, I bought Antelope Brown and Raw sienna i think if I mix them I can get close to what im after. Do you use inks at all?

Avelorn- oh i was shaking it plenty

Noneedforfame - that is what i was afraid of. I have some thick stuff at the bottom of my old pot that i may try adding to the new pot if its no good.

Thanks again for your inputs.

 

[Flow]

Thank you for your inputs.
In chigh P.I. - i hope your right i picked up another pot today hopefully i will be better. I will look for army painter stuff next time i go to the store.

I bought the army painter inks based upon this reference and so far have been happy with them, though I'm fairly new to painting and never used the old GM inks, so do not have a good basis of comparison.

However, the 'word on the street' is that the inks are a very good replacement. This blog for example rates the 'soft tone' to be about 85% close to a perfect match to gryphonne sepia:

http://anatolisgameroom.blogspot.com/2012/08/army-painter-warpaints-inks-review.html

 

[noneedforaname]

I have bought some army painter ones to try for a comparison though haven't had a chance to sit down and paint with them yet. Will let people know what I think when I do.

 

[Einion]

Einion- I think i read someplace that the tube acrylics were not suggested for mini painting because they were not as fine or something. DO you find they are ok or is it because i will be making a wash?

I've basically used nothing else for the last 30 years, so yeah, tube acrylics are okay for miniature painting :cute: Fineness isn't much of an issue these days: pigments for all kinds of paints come from the same sources and there'd literally be no difference in some cases; because of the way that thick paint is made certain colours may actually be slightly finer than would be typical for fluid hobby paints.

Do you use inks at all?

Nope. Well except for Tamiya Smoke, which is just about an ink.

How are the D-R inks with regard to gloss?

Einion

 

[uglybug]

Thanks einion, I will not be afraid to see what's in the tube paint aisle next time I'm at blick.
The DR ink appears pretty flat, I just put a drop on a tile with a little bit of water. I always add glazing medium when I work with inks now. When I first started I used an ink strait with a little water to do some tatoos on a space marine then when I went to seal it with a brush on varnish it smeared so lesson learned. DR had some cool looking pearlescent inks that I may want to try it may make a cool weapon effect. Of course I am using it at a tabletop level of painting.