Looking for recommendations on your favorite paint "sets". I prefer acrylic paints, and I'm wondering if anyone has a favorite 'starter set' that might include a metallic color or two...
Both of these are highly recommended. Many people also really like citadel/contrast paints (I think the paint pots are odd and I wonder how much gets wasted due to drying if not kept sealed but from what I see from others is a great finished product even for less experienced painters). I have a few army painter colors but I didn't necessarily really like the flow or finish.
Also, paint brands (like just about any other products) definitely have their brand loyalists no matter what. I'm a reaper master series paint user myself for last couple of years, and I'm unlikely to largescale change or reinvest in a new different brand because I'm old and cranky and set in my ways. The price is right and it fits my needs. My recommendation would be (if possible) to buy just a couple bottles each from 2 or 3 specific brands to test and work with to see the differences and decide what works best for your needs and desired look of the finished product.
I use Citadel/Games Workshop paints. i used to paint their minis and had bought one of their full paint set packages, the one from 2010/2011 i think, so use that, but yeah the pots arn't great and due to non-use had started to thicken/dry out, so have been transferring them to dropper bottles from amazon for better use and putting in a glass bead paint agitator to try and combat the thickening issue.
I use Citadel/Games Workshop paints. i used to paint their minis and had bought one of their full paint set packages, the one from 2010/2011 i think, so use that, but yeah the pots arn't great and due to non-use had started to thicken/dry out, so have been transferring them to dropper bottles from amazon for better use and putting in a glass bead paint agitator to try and combat the thickening issue.
You can add medium (or distilled water) to thin the paint down again as long as it hasn’t dried out too much.
If you live in the States, I would look strongly at Reaper Miniatures Paint lines. They are very comparable to Vallejo (similar dropper) but often easier to acquire and usually somewhat cheaper (depending on whether you are getting the regular line or the HD line). Citadel paints are good paints generally, but the paint pots are (IMHO) more difficult to use and shake thoroughly than the dropper bottles and I find my paint lasts longer when I'm not opening and closing the wide mouth like Citadel uses. Some of the shades though and effects are very good and Warhammer does a great job of showing you how to use their products (hands down excellent tutorials... and their interactive PDFs / iBooks are amazing in detail and interactivity in showing you how to paint their line of miniatures). You might also want to check out the Citadel mini holder as well...
Look at how to make your own Wet Palette before you begin (it will save you a lot of paint... I still throw mine out at the end of the session, but it keeps it viable the entire time I am painting). Tabletop Minions has a great video on how to make your own wet palette with household products and you can experiment before diving off into trying to find a better one...
And buy GOOD brushes. You want Sable brushes, preferably Kolinksky Sable. I used to swear by Winsor & Newton... and they are still good but I have had a few in a batch that didn't hold a point as well as previous versions. I now pretty much only use Rosemary & Co brushes. FYI... don't lick the paint... there are a lot of toxic ingredients... and if that doesn't do it for you, the best sable brushes come from the butt end of the weasel...
Edit: Oh... recommended paint sets with metallics. Actually, I think all of these lines recommended have good starter sets (they have a strong incentive to get you hooked out of the gate). Vallejo has a pretty solid starter set that includes metallics. Reaper has some sets that you can just include whichever paints you want and get the bundle price. GW does a lot of theirs by type of paint, so may be less flexible than the others (as is generally the case in a lot of the products... but they have a wide, diverse range).
Army Painter Inks? Absolutely Awesome! Paints? Had some good ones and some bad ones. I wish they had more variety in sets, cause I think some of their zombie ones actually perform really well. And that is one thing about Reaper... you can start at a $40 set on up to the $400 sets... so you get a better chance to customize your level of pain versus most of the others ones that sell primarily large sets of paint.
Looking for recommendations on your favorite paint "sets". I prefer acrylic paints, and I'm wondering if anyone has a favorite 'starter set' that might include a metallic color or two...
Thanks in advance!
Vallejo or GW.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
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Both of these are highly recommended. Many people also really like citadel/contrast paints (I think the paint pots are odd and I wonder how much gets wasted due to drying if not kept sealed but from what I see from others is a great finished product even for less experienced painters). I have a few army painter colors but I didn't necessarily really like the flow or finish.
Also, paint brands (like just about any other products) definitely have their brand loyalists no matter what. I'm a reaper master series paint user myself for last couple of years, and I'm unlikely to largescale change or reinvest in a new different brand because I'm old and cranky and set in my ways. The price is right and it fits my needs. My recommendation would be (if possible) to buy just a couple bottles each from 2 or 3 specific brands to test and work with to see the differences and decide what works best for your needs and desired look of the finished product.
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Vallejo (Game and Model Color ranges) because of the bottles they are using.
I do not like the Citadel (aka GW) pots.
I use Citadel/Games Workshop paints. i used to paint their minis and had bought one of their full paint set packages, the one from 2010/2011 i think, so use that, but yeah the pots arn't great and due to non-use had started to thicken/dry out, so have been transferring them to dropper bottles from amazon for better use and putting in a glass bead paint agitator to try and combat the thickening issue.
You can add medium (or distilled water) to thin the paint down again as long as it hasn’t dried out too much.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
If you live in the States, I would look strongly at Reaper Miniatures Paint lines. They are very comparable to Vallejo (similar dropper) but often easier to acquire and usually somewhat cheaper (depending on whether you are getting the regular line or the HD line). Citadel paints are good paints generally, but the paint pots are (IMHO) more difficult to use and shake thoroughly than the dropper bottles and I find my paint lasts longer when I'm not opening and closing the wide mouth like Citadel uses. Some of the shades though and effects are very good and Warhammer does a great job of showing you how to use their products (hands down excellent tutorials... and their interactive PDFs / iBooks are amazing in detail and interactivity in showing you how to paint their line of miniatures). You might also want to check out the Citadel mini holder as well...
Look at how to make your own Wet Palette before you begin (it will save you a lot of paint... I still throw mine out at the end of the session, but it keeps it viable the entire time I am painting). Tabletop Minions has a great video on how to make your own wet palette with household products and you can experiment before diving off into trying to find a better one...
And buy GOOD brushes. You want Sable brushes, preferably Kolinksky Sable. I used to swear by Winsor & Newton... and they are still good but I have had a few in a batch that didn't hold a point as well as previous versions. I now pretty much only use Rosemary & Co brushes. FYI... don't lick the paint... there are a lot of toxic ingredients... and if that doesn't do it for you, the best sable brushes come from the butt end of the weasel...
Edit: Oh... recommended paint sets with metallics. Actually, I think all of these lines recommended have good starter sets (they have a strong incentive to get you hooked out of the gate). Vallejo has a pretty solid starter set that includes metallics. Reaper has some sets that you can just include whichever paints you want and get the bundle price. GW does a lot of theirs by type of paint, so may be less flexible than the others (as is generally the case in a lot of the products... but they have a wide, diverse range).
The Army Painter Wargamers Complete Paint Set
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N2HBOP1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I have a few from Reaper as well, but the Army Painter set gave me everything I would need.
Army Painter Inks? Absolutely Awesome! Paints? Had some good ones and some bad ones. I wish they had more variety in sets, cause I think some of their zombie ones actually perform really well. And that is one thing about Reaper... you can start at a $40 set on up to the $400 sets... so you get a better chance to customize your level of pain versus most of the others ones that sell primarily large sets of paint.
Great recommendations! Thanks for the input all! I grabbed some Vallejo's and some good brushes! here we go!
Best wishes and good luck! Remember that your minis (or boats, whatever) only have to meet YOUR personal standard of quality and table
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