leprechaun studio
New member
P3
What are the hands down, no questions, best paints out there in your oppinion?
- Thread starter lizcam
- Start date
Roger Bunting
New member
Not to put a spanner in the works here but...there\'s always artists acrylics too, especially the W&N Finity range.
I haven\'t got any Kommando Khaki paint but it does sound a lot like Davy\'s Grey (a kind of translucent greenish-grey). Not much good on it\'s own for coverage but mixed with other colours or as a glaze, it works out really nicely.
Having said all that, I haven\'t actually used artists acrylics on minis as of yet; I\'ve only been back into the hobby for a few months, both painting and gaming, after some 14-15 years absense. I still have some of the really old citadel colour paint set and inks...
I haven\'t got any Kommando Khaki paint but it does sound a lot like Davy\'s Grey (a kind of translucent greenish-grey). Not much good on it\'s own for coverage but mixed with other colours or as a glaze, it works out really nicely.
Having said all that, I haven\'t actually used artists acrylics on minis as of yet; I\'ve only been back into the hobby for a few months, both painting and gaming, after some 14-15 years absense. I still have some of the really old citadel colour paint set and inks...
Avelorn
Sven Jonsson
@Mattsterbenz et al: When using graveyard earth for example I mix my own for basing then use GW\'s for highlights. Kommando khaki is awesome as well.. Their poor coverage makes them the perfect layering paints for smooth transitions...
If I could choose I\'d have every highlighting paint like kommando khaki and then use an expanded foundations set as the base colours.
@lizcam: So you see taste really differs. Differs with technique and everything else.
If I could choose just one paintset I\'d choose Citadel. But I have favourites in every line and they all have different uses.
If I could choose I\'d have every highlighting paint like kommando khaki and then use an expanded foundations set as the base colours.
@lizcam: So you see taste really differs. Differs with technique and everything else.
If I could choose just one paintset I\'d choose Citadel. But I have favourites in every line and they all have different uses.
generulpoleaxe
New member
i use a variety of paints, they all have their uses.
for most shades i use vallejo model colour, sometimes game colour, but i am slowly replacing these with model colour as i find the tones much more suited to what i am after.
for glazes i generaly use gw inks and the foundation paints.
for most shades i use vallejo model colour, sometimes game colour, but i am slowly replacing these with model colour as i find the tones much more suited to what i am after.
for glazes i generaly use gw inks and the foundation paints.
EArkham
Necromancer
It\'s entirely dependent on your painting techniques. My experience:
Vallejo lends itself better to wetblending due to strong pigments and palette use. The colour variety in the VMC line is also currently unmatched. Vallejo seems best for more realistic tones.
Vallejo colour recommendations: VGC Black, VMC 918 Ivory, VMC #887 Brown Violet, VMC #898 Dark Sea Blue, VMC #914 Green Ochre, VMC #822 German Camo Black, VMC #859 Cadmium Maroon, VMC #939 Smoke, and VMC #934 Transparent Red.
GW are great for layering and washes, but I have huge problems with them drying out. Especially when wetblending, which means lengthy times with the flip top opened. GW seems best for bright colours.
GW recommendations: Mithril Silver, Skull White, Scorched Brown, Snakebite Leather, Shadow Grey, Red Gore, Blood Red, Lich Purple, Dwarf Flesh.
I only have a few Reaper colours, but I have seen some crazy mad improvement by folks who used Reapers almost exclusively. Triads are definitely nice.
Reaper colour recommendations (biased since I own so few): Violet Red, Ritterlich Blue (best...blue...ever), and Grey Liner.
So in short, for the greatest versatility you should pick what colours work for you best from assorted lines and not limit yourself to just one set.
Kep
Vallejo lends itself better to wetblending due to strong pigments and palette use. The colour variety in the VMC line is also currently unmatched. Vallejo seems best for more realistic tones.
Vallejo colour recommendations: VGC Black, VMC 918 Ivory, VMC #887 Brown Violet, VMC #898 Dark Sea Blue, VMC #914 Green Ochre, VMC #822 German Camo Black, VMC #859 Cadmium Maroon, VMC #939 Smoke, and VMC #934 Transparent Red.
GW are great for layering and washes, but I have huge problems with them drying out. Especially when wetblending, which means lengthy times with the flip top opened. GW seems best for bright colours.
GW recommendations: Mithril Silver, Skull White, Scorched Brown, Snakebite Leather, Shadow Grey, Red Gore, Blood Red, Lich Purple, Dwarf Flesh.
I only have a few Reaper colours, but I have seen some crazy mad improvement by folks who used Reapers almost exclusively. Triads are definitely nice.
Reaper colour recommendations (biased since I own so few): Violet Red, Ritterlich Blue (best...blue...ever), and Grey Liner.
So in short, for the greatest versatility you should pick what colours work for you best from assorted lines and not limit yourself to just one set.
Kep
funnymouth
Active member
good answer. i have found that the paint lines vary greatly between colors, so perhaps a mixed collection of all the best colors would be good. has anyone tried the reaper yellows?
I\'m still new and experimenting, but while I like the GW paints, the flip tops really bug me. I do like to mix colors, and I can\'t really get accurate measurements for mixing without using some other sort of tool to use as a dropper. It takes a lot of time, and I\'m stingy about the thought of wasted paint. I have recently started buying some of the reaper paints, and I really like their dropper bottles. Everything is measured by drop. Easy.
StillLifeMiniatures
New member
I\'ve used GW, Vallejo, and RMS. Each have their uses, but my all around favorite is the RMS. Andrea has a really good paint that is similar to RMS. RMS paints cover well, the colors are a breeze to mix and work with, and it thins a lot better than Vallejo for airbrushing. The metallics are nicely done as well. The down side to RMS paints is that the tip can gum up if you don\'t clean them after every use and you really need to shake them to get the pigments mixed. For the cost, the RMS is more bucks for a smaller bottle than Vallejo , but the paint won\'t dry in the bottle like GW and the eyedropper type top will dispense paints conservatively so that one bottle will last a long time. If I had to pick one set that someone else is to buy, I\'d go with RMS.
I am a vallejo convert. I have used GW for years, but unfortunatly GW are an inferior product to others on the market. I have found that a lot of fellow painters have made the switch and most are better painters for it. VMC and VGC do make you work harder mixing and thinning but i think anyone will feel the benefits of it in time. Dont get me wrong i1ve still got a few GW favorites knocking around, but superior quality aside. the variety of color given to you with VMC makes you think differently when picturing a mini. I would still recomend GW to a beginer or an army painter because mixing and thinning are too daunting to start with and the range of colors in VMC would make thier heads explode!! I know there are still a lot of really good painters out there using GW but i bet they would improve further if they made the switch.
Wren
Member
I\'ll have to echo the opinion a lot of people have already mentioned - there\'s no one best paint, but there are paints that work better for different techniques/artists. So whichever paint you pick, be prepared for a learning curve of a mini or three as you learn how best to use the paint with your techniques and habits.
Personally, I love the Reaper Master Series paints. I previously used a mix of Reaper Pro Paint, Adikolor and a handful of GW, but since I bought my first lot of the RMS, I\'ve hardly touched other paints. They are designed for people who like to use layers and glazes, and work admirably in those regards IMHO. Some of the colours don\'t have the greatest coverage for basecoats, but that\'s due to the properties of pigments and will be true of just about all paints. (I suspect the new Foundation paints don\'t include bright red or yellow because you can\'t get them to cover, where you can get a brick red or an ochre yellow to cover better.) The colour selection is a really nice mix of vibrant \'fantasy\' colours and natural and dulled colours, both of which have their uses for painting.
Being able to purchase the whole Reaper set in one go would set you up pretty well, as the set will include bottles of flow release, sealer, anti-shine agent (add a smidge to paints that are a little too satin for your tastes), black and white primers, silver, gold and coloured metallics, inks, and paints designed specifically for doing lining, although they are also handy for shading and can be used as regular paints.
Being a big paint junkie, I did also purchase the P3 paints. The comments previously mentioned reflect my experiences - nice coverage, slight shine and plasticky feel (though you\'ll get that with some of the Reaper paints, too). It\'s been very hard for me to get the right mix of water/gunk to paint for my style of painting. What I find works for me when I want to use the P3s is to use a Master Series paint as the highlight colour I mix in. I\'m still on my own personal learning curve with these paints.
Unfortunately I haven\'t used Vallejo Model Color, so I can\'t add a useful compare and contrast on that. I have used a few of the Game Color, and didn\'t like them - very slick and plasticky, one time the basecoat wouldn\'t even accept shading layers, the paint just beaded up. Plenty of folks do use them, though.
Personally, I love the Reaper Master Series paints. I previously used a mix of Reaper Pro Paint, Adikolor and a handful of GW, but since I bought my first lot of the RMS, I\'ve hardly touched other paints. They are designed for people who like to use layers and glazes, and work admirably in those regards IMHO. Some of the colours don\'t have the greatest coverage for basecoats, but that\'s due to the properties of pigments and will be true of just about all paints. (I suspect the new Foundation paints don\'t include bright red or yellow because you can\'t get them to cover, where you can get a brick red or an ochre yellow to cover better.) The colour selection is a really nice mix of vibrant \'fantasy\' colours and natural and dulled colours, both of which have their uses for painting.
Being able to purchase the whole Reaper set in one go would set you up pretty well, as the set will include bottles of flow release, sealer, anti-shine agent (add a smidge to paints that are a little too satin for your tastes), black and white primers, silver, gold and coloured metallics, inks, and paints designed specifically for doing lining, although they are also handy for shading and can be used as regular paints.
Being a big paint junkie, I did also purchase the P3 paints. The comments previously mentioned reflect my experiences - nice coverage, slight shine and plasticky feel (though you\'ll get that with some of the Reaper paints, too). It\'s been very hard for me to get the right mix of water/gunk to paint for my style of painting. What I find works for me when I want to use the P3s is to use a Master Series paint as the highlight colour I mix in. I\'m still on my own personal learning curve with these paints.
Unfortunately I haven\'t used Vallejo Model Color, so I can\'t add a useful compare and contrast on that. I have used a few of the Game Color, and didn\'t like them - very slick and plasticky, one time the basecoat wouldn\'t even accept shading layers, the paint just beaded up. Plenty of folks do use them, though.
the news foundation paints have some great item:
I\'m in love with Astronomican Grey.
I love GW but also a line called minipaint, cheaper and interesting colors. (if you are in London go to Ork\'s nest for these)
I don\'t know why but Vallejo does not work for me.... they feel like another type of paint, don\'t know why.
I\'m in love with Astronomican Grey.
I love GW but also a line called minipaint, cheaper and interesting colors. (if you are in London go to Ork\'s nest for these)
I don\'t know why but Vallejo does not work for me.... they feel like another type of paint, don\'t know why.
Reaper is good. Really Good. Metallics aren\'t the best, but...they are good.
GW\'s stuff dries way too fast but is altogether very nice and dries nice and smooth and tough. Their metallics are wonderful.
Vallejo is excellent, pretty opaque, smooth but is not at all durable, and tends to rub off if you look at it wrong...need some 5 coats of sealant to be sure of it. Plus, the droppers clog like nobody\'s business. Finally, you can SEE the pigment grains in their metallics.
The GW foundation paints are pretty good, I must admit, good enough that I bought the set of them and am using them quite frequently.
Haven\'t tried P3, but want to.
Tamiya makes the best clear paints out there, and are beautiful over a silver metallic. They also have a huge line of greys and greens, military colors, and they are as matte and flat as anyone could hope for.
Finally, Artist\'s acrylics...good for shading, washes, weathering, but too thick and too translucent for my tastes.
In all honesty, I say you have to go with what will get painted. If it\'s very military, gritty, camouflage, get tamiya, maybe GW\'s foundation set (lots of greyish colors therein). Otherwise, go Citadel. If you hate citadel or don\'t like to use lots of water/extender/whatever, get Vallejo.
And if you don\'t need the color equivalency to Citadel Colour, go with Reaper all the way.
That was longer than I expected, but hope it helped...cheers!:beer:
GW\'s stuff dries way too fast but is altogether very nice and dries nice and smooth and tough. Their metallics are wonderful.
Vallejo is excellent, pretty opaque, smooth but is not at all durable, and tends to rub off if you look at it wrong...need some 5 coats of sealant to be sure of it. Plus, the droppers clog like nobody\'s business. Finally, you can SEE the pigment grains in their metallics.
The GW foundation paints are pretty good, I must admit, good enough that I bought the set of them and am using them quite frequently.
Haven\'t tried P3, but want to.
Tamiya makes the best clear paints out there, and are beautiful over a silver metallic. They also have a huge line of greys and greens, military colors, and they are as matte and flat as anyone could hope for.
Finally, Artist\'s acrylics...good for shading, washes, weathering, but too thick and too translucent for my tastes.
In all honesty, I say you have to go with what will get painted. If it\'s very military, gritty, camouflage, get tamiya, maybe GW\'s foundation set (lots of greyish colors therein). Otherwise, go Citadel. If you hate citadel or don\'t like to use lots of water/extender/whatever, get Vallejo.
And if you don\'t need the color equivalency to Citadel Colour, go with Reaper all the way.
That was longer than I expected, but hope it helped...cheers!:beer:
Elly3438
Member
I\'m glad I found this topic... being frustrated with GW paints and all. They do have some decent colors, but they usually end up frustrating me by drying out very quickly. I dont know if this is because when I blend I leave them open for extended periods of time, or because of another theory I heard, where the plastic lids are a different plastic than the container, and end up expanding/contracting at different times, so air gets in and dries them out. I have wasted so much money on paints that dry out from them, that I have to search for alternatives!
I think I will definitely try out the reaper, I have a few colors and I like the consistency of them better than GW. I havent seen vallejo around where I live, but Ill definitely keep my eyes open.
It seems as if having a wide variety of paints will always keep your options open though, so the few colors I like of GW Ill keep around~
I think I will definitely try out the reaper, I have a few colors and I like the consistency of them better than GW. I havent seen vallejo around where I live, but Ill definitely keep my eyes open.
It seems as if having a wide variety of paints will always keep your options open though, so the few colors I like of GW Ill keep around~
devoncodain
New member
vallejo is the next set of paints that I am going to buy. I have used GW paint alot and like it.
After advice from Yellow One I have recently changed to Vallejo Model Colour and I am kicking myself as to why I didn\'t do it a long time ago. For me they are so effortless to use and match my painting style very well.
I have just completed the Chaos Marine deathguard and my client wanted them drybrushed. With the Vallejo I could put enough pressure on the brush that it flattened and polished the finish without taking paint off and it now looks like I spent forever on really smooth blending.
The matte finish and flatness of the paint seems to give effortless blending or layering.
I have just completed the Chaos Marine deathguard and my client wanted them drybrushed. With the Vallejo I could put enough pressure on the brush that it flattened and polished the finish without taking paint off and it now looks like I spent forever on really smooth blending.
The matte finish and flatness of the paint seems to give effortless blending or layering.
Thunderhawker
New member
I personally have quite a variety of paints on the old paintier. If you have seen my workspace pics, then you will notice GW (both citadel color and foundation paints), Vallejo model color (for which I have fallen in love with the dropper tip) and P3 (which are the best hybrid paints out there). I have yet to try RMS, though its on the wish list.
