Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I'm broke as hell, can i use walmat paints to paint my model, even if its harder? I know it works for spray-paints, but i'm talking about paint pots. I can dilute them, i necessary, of course, so it doesn't clump on details. I've used the citadel paints before, so I'm familiar with them.

you can use the cheaper craft paint. But I think you might get frustrated with the quality of it. There wonderful for terrain, not to say you cant use them for miniature painting.. I know of several on this board use the craft paints instead of GW or vallejo.. So give it a shot and look at the results

I've actually been using acrylic Martha Stewart paint from michaels/Walmart lately to supplement my paints. While its nowhere near ideal because they won't have as many different colors. as long as their oils or acrylics you should be fine. I think as long as you canthin them to a suitable level it's all good. Like you said it will be harder and a big MIGHT not look as good(this is debatable). I'm sure you can make something work.

I forget which brands - but most Walmarts carry one or two of the craft paints. They are acceptable for most. You can also pick up some OK art paints.

However, if it were me - I would instead look at the 40% off coupons from stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby. It is an excellent way to stretch your hobby dollar. Although they don't carry hobby paints like Vallejo or Reaper (or any others) they do generally have a descent selection of model paints which are just as good. The Model Master's Acryl for example will give you a nice water based paint set.

Then of course you have the artists acrylics. Things like Golden Fluid Acrylics are very, very highly pigmented and again can be purchased in sets (which allow you to get even more for your hobby dollar with the coupons).

If you need to pinch the pennies even tighter - you can pick up sets of the craft paints as well...again with the coupon. If you are patient and watch, they have even bigger sales which rotate through departments. You can get brushes and paints at up to 80% off - however it may take a couple months before what you are after gets the deep discount like that.


http://www.hobbylobby.com/weekly/weekly.cfm

Folk Art paint from Wal-Mart is ok at best. It's too coarse for really good detail. If you really want a good bang for your buck cheap paint check out Delta's line of Ceramcoat paints. They're great. Just make sure that you only get paints labeled "Opaque" and not "semi-opaque" or "transparent" as you may be disappointed by the amount of pigment in the non-opaque colors. You can find Delta Ceramcoat paint at Hobby Lobby,and it's barely more expensive than the Wal-Mart Folk Art paint, plus it's got everything you need including metallic gold and silver. With mixing you'll be able to create everything from boltgun metal to chainmail metal to mithril silver. Really they're great paints. Not the best,but better than good, they're great.

I've used Wal-mart apple barrell paint on several occasions for mini's. One of my friends has a Nurgle army that has won numerous best painted awards, and was done with walmart paint.

However there is a difference between them and say Vallejo paint. It's worth the money for good paint, just as it is with brushes.

Mantic paint set is pretty cheap for what you get.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfYLqUDXdPo

I just finished a 5-part series about getting started painting on the cheap! I'm a broke college student, so I know where you're coming from. Mini painting as a peaceful hobby and very fulfilling but can get terribly expensive. I hope this helps!

Most acrylic paints (all? maybe some obscure ones that are not) can be suitable for painting minis if you thin them out properly. I suggest getting some decent quality acrylic mediums,and working with those and any paints you can test out. Matt medium first, maybe glaze, something to thin; airbrushing medium or alcohol can work well.

 Sean_OBrien wrote:
I forget which brands - but most Walmarts carry one or two of the craft paints. They are acceptable for most. You can also pick up some OK art paints.

However, if it were me - I would instead look at the 40% off coupons from stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby. It is an excellent way to stretch your hobby dollar. Although they don't carry hobby paints like Vallejo or Reaper (or any others) they do generally have a descent selection of model paints which are just as good. The Model Master's Acryl for example will give you a nice water based paint set.

Then of course you have the artists acrylics. Things like Golden Fluid Acrylics are very, very highly pigmented and again can be purchased in sets (which allow you to get even more for your hobby dollar with the coupons).

If you need to pinch the pennies even tighter - you can pick up sets of the craft paints as well...again with the coupon. If you are patient and watch, they have even bigger sales which rotate through departments. You can get brushes and paints at up to 80% off - however it may take a couple months before what you are after gets the deep discount like that.


http://www.hobbylobby.com/weekly/weekly.cfm

Liquitex you can get much more paint for less get the "student kit" with the previously mentioned coupon.

Good Luck!

Somebody posted that Hobby Lobby recently began to stock Vallejo Model Color paints and - more importantly for the 40% off coupon - paint sets. I think their big sets usually have 72 paints (?), so that would still cost $100 or more, but they would be so much better than craft paints it would be well worth hocking some stuff to do it. I bought some craft paints for my kids to paint with and did up a mini with them as best I could. It's possible, sure, but the difference is obvious.

I use the folk art paint for all my models and I'll vouch for them and say that they get the job done just fine.

However I have never used any other brand of paint so I don't have much to compare it to.

I do use a few GW washes and the army painter quickshade though. I stongly advise you to buy a little droper bottle of armypainter strong tone and dark tone for use on your models. The strongtone is the same color os devlen mud and the dark tone is the same color as nulin oil or close enough that the differnce isn't noticeable... plus it's way cheaper!