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Made in ca
Regular Dakkanaut





Oh Canada!

I've found P3 to be the closest to old GW paints in terms of handling, viscosity and opacity. They make for an excellent replacement foundation paint line. The Vallejo Extra Opaque line are good too where high coverage is needed. I don't much like regular Vallejo paints because of their tendency to separate, their washes are terrible and Game Inks aren't pure ink either, but some bastardization of medium plus ink plus ??? that separates like mad. For inks you can pick up artist acrylics at a arts and crafts or fine art store, or P3 inks are comparable to the old GW 2000's era range in formula, if not exact colour matches. Exceptions being the ones labelled 'wash' which have matting agents added. P3's metallics (black label, newer formula) are also reminiscent GW's. Rhulic Gold is a slightly better Retributor Armor, for example. They're glittery, which some people don't like; in that case Vallejo Metal Color is a more realistic looking option. Have to be shaken well before use, like any metallic flake paint.

Vallejo has some of the best variety and availability. My biggest complaint about most of them is that they separate, hard. Both in the bottle and on a wet palette. Having to shake the snot out of a bunch of bottles every time I want to use them just isn't enjoyable. Storing them on their sides somewhat mitigates this, as does adding mixing balls but much like Army Painter I'd rather not have to fight with my paint before use.

I like some Reaper paints, but the pre-thinned quality limits their utility in some ways. Standouts include Brown Liner 09064, which makes an excellent black ink replacement / panel liner. Despite its name, it's not really brown but a heavily pigmented, high flow, warm black. I wasn't impressed with their actual Inks, which are much like Vallejo's - mixed with a bunch of other stuff rather than just ink.

Coat D'arms is an option if you are looking for really old school colour matches, but it tends to have lower pigmentation than the more modern brands. I didn't like their washes nor metallics.

Army Painter's acrylic line are fine but not exceptional for the most part. They have separation/mixing issues as pointed out already. The yellow and orange paints are poor (seriously don't buy 'em), but all their Quickshade washes in droppers are wonderful. Strong Tone is a direct equivalent to old Devlan Mud and Dark Tone is to Badab Black. Be aware the Quickshade sold in big metal tins is NOT the same product! It's a shellac/floor polish type heavy wash that takes a long time to dry. The dropper bottle quickshades are standard acrylic washes.

My only experience with INSTAR was with their Vintage line, which was 100% horrible in both quality of product and customer service. I cannot in good conscience recommend them as a company.

I have tried Scale75 and did not like it. The pigmentation was excellent but the medium feels weird to me on the brush, almost gelatinous. The utter matte look also just isn't my thing, but many artists swear by them. They absolutely require thinning on a palette before applying to a model, so there's a learning curve regardless if you're a beginner or experienced with more standard acrylic paints.

I've found the best white comes from airbrush ranges. My go-to is Createx Airbrush Colors Opaque White. Dirt cheap per ml, and not chalky like so many other whites are. Golden Airbrush Colors are good too, I use their Carbon Black when I need the smoothest of layers.

My advice is to try a couple samples of many different product lines. They're all a little different, and the more you paint the more you will discover personal favourites and duds. The best paint is the one that ends up on your models; everything else is secondary.
   
Made in ca
Librarian with Freaky Familiar






Oh man you know what that reminded me, OP
Please see this post if you do go with vallajo paints

what ever you do, do NOT, i repeat do NOT thin Vallejo pure black paint with alcohol. Something in their black paint does not like alcohol at all, and will cause it to gunk up.

To many unpainted models to count. 
   
Made in us
Lieutenant General





Florence, KY

Fire_Forever wrote:
The Vallejo Extra Opaque line are good too where high coverage is needed.

Note that Vallejo themselves have confirmed that the Game Color Extra Opaque paints are just rebranded Model Color paints.

'It is a source of constant consternation that my opponents
cannot correlate their innate inferiority with their inevitable
defeat. It would seem that stupidity is as eternal as war.'

- Nemesor Zahndrekh of the Sautekh Dynasty
Overlord of the Crownworld of Gidrim
 
   
Made in gb
Fresh-Faced New User




 Backspacehacker wrote:
Oh man you know what that reminded me, OP
Please see this post if you do go with vallajo paints

what ever you do, do NOT, i repeat do NOT thin Vallejo pure black paint with alcohol. Something in their black paint does not like alcohol at all, and will cause it to gunk up.


I went with Vallejo, cheers for the tip!
   
Made in ca
Regular Dakkanaut





Oh Canada!

 Ghaz wrote:
Fire_Forever wrote:
The Vallejo Extra Opaque line are good too where high coverage is needed.

Note that Vallejo themselves have confirmed that the Game Color Extra Opaque paints are just rebranded Model Color paints.

Yep! But it saves a newbie the trouble of figuring out which of the Model Color range have the best opacity. Like all paint ranges, different pigmets can be more opaque or more transparent. Everything in the Extra Opaque line is, well, just what it says on the tin. But it's perfectly fine to buy the MC equivalents if that's what's in stock at your local shop. Same paint.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2022/01/27 06:07:06


 
   
Made in us
Lieutenant General





Florence, KY

Fire_Forever wrote:
 Ghaz wrote:
Fire_Forever wrote:
The Vallejo Extra Opaque line are good too where high coverage is needed.

Note that Vallejo themselves have confirmed that the Game Color Extra Opaque paints are just rebranded Model Color paints.

Yep! But it saves a newbie the trouble of figuring out which of the Model Color range have the best opacity. Like all paint ranges, different pigmets can be more opaque or more transparent. Everything in the Extra Opaque line is, well, just what it says on the tin. But it's perfectly fine to buy the MC equivalents if that's what's in stock at your local shop. Same paint.

The Extra Opaque paints are in the Game Color range (which is thinner than the Model Color range). It does not indicate that they're opacity is better than any of the other Model Color paints, just the other Game Color paints.

'It is a source of constant consternation that my opponents
cannot correlate their innate inferiority with their inevitable
defeat. It would seem that stupidity is as eternal as war.'

- Nemesor Zahndrekh of the Sautekh Dynasty
Overlord of the Crownworld of Gidrim
 
   
Made in ca
Regular Dakkanaut





Oh Canada!

 Ghaz wrote:
Fire_Forever wrote:
 Ghaz wrote:
Fire_Forever wrote:
The Vallejo Extra Opaque line are good too where high coverage is needed.

Note that Vallejo themselves have confirmed that the Game Color Extra Opaque paints are just rebranded Model Color paints.

Yep! But it saves a newbie the trouble of figuring out which of the Model Color range have the best opacity. Like all paint ranges, different pigmets can be more opaque or more transparent. Everything in the Extra Opaque line is, well, just what it says on the tin. But it's perfectly fine to buy the MC equivalents if that's what's in stock at your local shop. Same paint.

The Extra Opaque paints are in the Game Color range (which is thinner than the Model Color range). It does not indicate that they're opacity is better than any of the other Model Color paints, just the other Game Color paints.

Granted I haven't tried every Model Color paint to compare, but I have found the ones in Extra Opaque are better than average. Not surprising, given they're mostly muted tones (+black and +white) or pigments that have good coverage to begin with, like ochre. *shrugs*
   
 
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