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I've only ever used Krylon Primer, P3, and Armory (may it forever burn in Hell). The Army Painter seems rather expensive, but is it worth it?

Well I hate to be a plug, but most of my models thus far, excluding 90% of the Marines have been painted using Army Painter paints as well as their matte black primer. If you have a look at my sinister high elf thread you can see for yourself the coverage as there are plenty of primer models in there.

I like it, but I find that they don't have a lot of paint in them. The spray cans I mean. For 15$ I was expecting to do a lot more, but as I've learned to spray better the paint lasts longer. Some people complain that AP primer clogged details, but thoroughly believe this to be a case of poor application. I spray indoors, as it rains a lot here, in a well ventilated room using a catch box. I do short passes and never hold the can too close or "blast" them directly. Plus I never ever worry about nooks and crannies, not even a bit! The Army Painter matte black matches up perfectly.

I say you can't lose anything by trying. I like their paints. You might too.

Watch out for the daemonic yellow. it will eat your model.

At least the cans iv gotten so far.

There browns are nice.

Also, I mix and match with Army Painter and Citadel, I don't think you can tell. And I don't mean to say I paint all that great, but just from my experience I would say that it's not a matter of quality really between the two. It more that Citadel paints are a certain way and Army Painter is another. Different consistencies, small differences in the way the paints behave that make them noticeably different but not necessarily of differing quality.

Get what I'm saying?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Really Desubot? The yellow ate your models? What did your store do about it, or did you get the paint by other means?

I'm sorry to side rail, but I'm always curious to see how shop owners deal with their customers problems.

Oh no i didn't even bother going back because i bought it from a FLG FARRRR away. besides it only killed like 5 models since i was smart enough to only do a small squad.

Yeah the paint came out EXTREMELY thick and fluid and i couldn't strip it off. these where sprayed from a far distance too and shaken really well at room temperature.

I just used the Demonic yellow on a couple of ork models and the spray did not eat the models at all.

Peredyne wrote:
I just used the Demonic yellow on a couple of ork models and the spray did not eat the models at all.

Im guessing some of the earlier batches was just bad but its still a good thing to warn about.

The spray cans are horrendous, the paint is thick and clouds detail no matter what you do. However the drop bottles are nice and are pretty good value for money, the range isn't great but it's starting to really expand.

 PastelAvenger wrote:
The spray cans are horrendous, the paint is thick and clouds detail no matter what you do.

My experiences with the AP sprays has been the exact opposite of this. I've used both the black and white sprays and both have been great. Never had a problem with them. They are superior to the GW sprays too (but that doesn't take much).

Haven't used their bottle paints so I can't comment on them, but I have heard good things about their washes.

I haven't used the sprays before but I used a bottle of green as a test for my salamanders and the coverage was awful.

I'll stick with the spray primers I have and just use their dip if I want to paint something fast. That way I'm not risking anything.

My advice would be to get an airbrush. I just got one about a month ago and I've nearly painted 2 armies. Just by watching videos and taking a few tips from other painters I am getting great results. I've got mixing paints down pretty well now and you'd be surprised how far GW paints go when you mix with a little windex - a standard GW paint for 4 buck will cover about as much as that 12 dollar can of paint. Eventually it will pay for itself if you plan on painting a while. IMO the quality is superior too.

 Xenomancers wrote:
My advice would be to get an airbrush. I just got one about a month ago and I've nearly painted 2 armies. Just by watching videos and taking a few tips from other painters I am getting great results. I've got mixing paints down pretty well now and you'd be surprised how far GW paints go when you mix with a little windex - a standard GW paint for 4 buck will cover about as much as that 12 dollar can of paint. Eventually it will pay for itself if you plan on painting a while. IMO the quality is superior too.

I absolutely want to, but currently my space is limited (I live with my parents) so I prefer spray cans

The red spray has covered beautifully on my Space Hulk Blood Angels Terminators. Very flat, even and vibrant. With a few spot colours and Quickshade it looks remarkably good and is very fast.

Blue has gone on nicely on my Genestealers. A tad bright but the Quickshade brings it back down again.

The bone was a bit thick, but may have been my application.

I've used the Army Painter white spray and found it actually to cover a bit lightly for my taste. As noted above though, I was really really disappointed with how few models it lasted. Definitely not worth the price, but friends of mine are really happy with them (mostly the tan), so your mileage may vary.

I have had bad luck with Army Painter. I've gotten several cans with either damaged nozzles or not enough propellant. Plus, they're pretty pricy.

I have some AP primer/sprays. I never had a problem with them. All of the went on clean and not too thick. I'm especially impressed with the Green, yellow and necro flesh primer. Made my nurgle models look good, despite my crappy painting skills.
The Chaotic Red was a little too dark for my taste, but that's just my bad judgment!

I've never used the AP white or black so I can't say how those work. I used Amory primers for those colors and they are ok.

 Desubot wrote:
Oh no i didn't even bother going back because i bought it from a FLG FARRRR away. besides it only killed like 5 models since i was smart enough to only do a small squad.

Yeah the paint came out EXTREMELY thick and fluid and i couldn't strip it off. these where sprayed from a far distance too and shaken really well at room temperature.

Yeah, the yellow (and tan) are very thick, I find. My experience is that the brightest colors (yellow, white, tan) are much thicker. By the way, dunno if you're aware, but they suggest you spray from really close (I think 18"). There's a little video on the site, and it's different from every other rattle can I've used.

Frankly, after trying most of them (wolf grey, ultramarine blue, dragon red, pure red, uniform grey, demonic yellow, desert tan, angel green, goblin green), I can see no advantage over airbrush except that the color out of the can is very close to codex for GW models, which I suppose is time-saving over using an airbrush to prime, and then using an airbrush with Citadel paint (which is a pain). And, Citadel sprays are nigh impossible to find. On the downside, I find the coat that comes out of AP primers doesn't grab paint well, and the first coat of Citadel or Vallejo afterwards goes on poorly.

I'd consider them for (cheap) troop models, and blocky vehicles, but I wouldn't use AP tinted primers with my $30 ICs or $50/5 elites.

Yeah i did it at around 18" and tested at different ranges too. not much helped.

Its k though I use an airbrush now anyway.

 Desubot wrote:
Yeah i did it at around 18" and tested at different ranges too. not much helped.

Its k though I use an airbrush now anyway.

Oh, yes, you were right about stripping -- stripping AP primer that's set from plastic is like stealing candy from a five year old. I remember scrubbing and scrubbing with a toothbrush, picking it out with an awl and finally giving up and dumping the model into my graveyard bin.

Tough five year olds where you live?

Yeah. That's like the opposite of taking candy from a baby.

darkcloak wrote:
Tough five year olds where you live?

They look all cute and happy, but try to take away candy from one? Piercing Scream: D6 Wounds per turn, no saves permitted. Summons Angry Momma in subsequent turn who will also inflict D6 Wounds. She is Deep Striking and may charge in the turn in which she appears from Reserve. T3 Angry Grandma is summoned who will take back said candy and beat you senseless with a wet fish for even thinking of it.

5yo has a powerful formation. Don't underestimate!

How about their dips, though? I wasthinking of trying dipping on my undead army and considered them but I have no prior experience with dipping. Can I use other products for the dipping method?

I've tried the grey and I wasn't to impressed. First attempt created a fuzzy coat, I think I was too far away and the paint was drying mid air. Second attempt from closer range I found it quite thick and also a little to satin for my liking. Paint didn't seem to stick to it very well.

I'm not Goldilocks so I didn't try a third time.

I do not like the quick shade dips, or, whatever it is AP calls them. I have a few of them, and have found them underwhelming in comparison to GW's shades.

That aside, as a technique, I don't like dropping the whole model into a dip, or even slathering on washes. On a perfect model in a perfect world it might look ok, but the tendency is that too much paint pools in the wrong spots, making it look like a quick-and-dirty job, and it's not really possible to correct (without spending way too much time).

Also, if you add details after, an errant brush stroke is nigh impossible to correct, because you have to blend yourself "color + shade".

Instead, I prefer to carefully paint in the shades using a brush, and hitting the recesses only.

 heartserenade wrote:
How about their dips, though? Can I use other products for the dipping method?

Certainly. Quickshade is yet another example of a niche hobby company marketing to 'casual' hobbyists what 'core' hobbyists had already figured out how to do, themselves. Polyurethane stain/varnish is what the old timers used and it still works fine, today. I have a can of Minwax Polyshade (in Tudor Satin, a dark brown) that's been treating my "rank and file, speed-painted, 'just get them done' fantasy armies" test models rather well. Haven't actually dipped them, as it's frigid outside and I can't contain the mess indoors, but slopping it on by brush works just as well, it seems.

So are there advantages of using Quickshade versus the more traditional way of "dipping" using polyurethane varnish? I have really no idea with regards to this subject matter since I have done this before (just good ole brush painting for me!) and I don't know what suitable products here in the Philipppines I can use to do the same effect, thus me wondering if it's any better to just buy Quickshade.

 heartserenade wrote:
So are there advantages of using Quickshade versus the more traditional way of "dipping" using polyurethane varnish? I have really no idea with regards to this subject matter since I have done this before (just good ole brush painting for me!) and I don't know what suitable products here in the Philipppines I can use to do the same effect, thus me wondering if it's any better to just buy Quickshade.

Quickshade pretty much is polyurethane. They are just marketing it to wargamers.

BTW, my spray can of AP Necrotic Flesh and my friends cans of Skeleton Bone all work wonderfully. I just make sure to shake the tar out of it, and I let the can sit in warm water for a bit beforehand.

So I should just buy a polyurethane varnish and give it a go? I think I have models I can spare sacrifice for the sake of trial and error.

Anyone has experience with store-bought polyurethane varnish/stain versus AP quickshade? Is there a difference?