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So we moved back to India recently and after weeks of looking I have not found hide or hair of my model paints.

They may yet turn up, but I am not optimistic (of all the things to steal/misplace/lose?).

Is there a good starter set anyone can recommend with a good range of colors?

Obviously I'll pick up the ones particular to my needs on their own, but is there a good box of paint to start with?

I'm fond of Vallejo so this looks good, even though the bottles are only half sized.
https://www.amazon.com/Vallejo-080260-Premium-Basic-Starter/dp/B08C9QTTFW/

This looks like a good full size set but with fewer colors
https://www.amazon.com/Vallejo-Basic-Colors-Paint-17ml/dp/B009162PWU/

Other recommendations?

I bought this paint set last year, and I really like it. It's great for learning how to mix custom colors, and nice for experimenting with color theory in general. If used straignt from the pot without mixing, some of the color tones have a wonderfully retro, oldhammer feeling to them.. I suppose acrylic paint mixes were simpler back then

https://ak-interactive.com/product/basic-starter-set-14-colors-selected-by-josedavinci/

I guess availability in India would be the biggest hurdle? Although, you're linking to Amazon US so they're able to ship to you? But definitely shop around on different webstores for the best prices, including shipping. For example, when I bought Scale75 paints, I would buy them from their Spanish webstore on sale, because even with shipping it was still cheaper than buying from the US webstore. If you really like Vallejo, see if any of the major EU sellers have good prices + shipping to India.

Anyway, you can take a stab at the new Army Painter stuff, but they're still a month away. The 50-paint set looks like a good selection, and even comes with a paint rack. If you don't want to wait a month, I'll always shill for Pro Acryl stuff. Their base set really is a solid set of basic colors, but Pro Acryl is so popular that they're not always available, as they're currently sold out on their site and stupidly overpriced on Amazon by a 3rd party.

I believe KK is overseas spying on government business, so he gets treated like a US address.

For a start from scratch standpoint, Pro Acryl is amazing by as noted, perennially out of stock.

Vallejo are rock solid.

Army Painter's new range looks interesting, although we've all been burnt by them before.

For Contrast-a-like, I’ve been enjoying Army Painter’s Speed Paint. Their metallics have also been fine so far.

 Polonius wrote:
I believe KK is overseas spying on government business, so he gets treated like a US address.

Nothing that sexy I'm afraid. I'll be the States next month and taking the chance to restock. Assuming the missing paints don't just turn up somewhere.

I found suitcase stuffed with a dustbuster, t-shirts, and a random space fighter and then a board game box filled with magazines, so there's still a chance they're just shoved into a box of wine glasses or whatever.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
For Contrast-a-like, I’ve been enjoying Army Painter’s Speed Paint. Their metallics have also been fine so far.

Amazon has them, a smaller set for $40 and a bigger one for $80, this might make sense, plus supplement with whatever I can get while I'm home.

Green stuff world have a lot of options and pro acryl do all their paints in a few sets I think

 tauist wrote:
I bought this paint set last year, and I really like it. It's great for learning how to mix custom colors, and nice for experimenting with color theory in general. If used straignt from the pot without mixing, some of the color tones have a wonderfully retro, oldhammer feeling to them.. I suppose acrylic paint mixes were simpler back then

https://ak-interactive.com/product/basic-starter-set-14-colors-selected-by-josedavinci/

I've just got started with painting and have no real experience whatsoever, but this is the set I've bought and painted my first mini with. I really like the colors, very nice and vibrant. Did not regret the purchase at all.

If you are buying the Army Painter Speed Paints, make sure they are Speed Paint 2.0. Supposedly the reactivation problem is fixed.
https://taleofpainters.com/2023/04/review-the-army-painter-speedpaint-2-0-finally-fixed/

Personally, I prefer the Vallejo Xpress colors if going for a GW Contrast-type paint. Otherwise the Vallejo Model Color line for standard acrylics. They are available on Amazon US, including a $215 set of 72 colors which strikes me as overkill.

 Frozium wrote:

 tauist wrote:
I bought this paint set last year, and I really like it. It's great for learning how to mix custom colors, and nice for experimenting with color theory in general. If used straignt from the pot without mixing, some of the color tones have a wonderfully retro, oldhammer feeling to them.. I suppose acrylic paint mixes were simpler back then

https://ak-interactive.com/product/basic-starter-set-14-colors-selected-by-josedavinci/

I've just got started with painting and have no real experience whatsoever, but this is the set I've bought and painted my first mini with. I really like the colors, very nice and vibrant. Did not regret the purchase at all.

They are a great learning resource IMO, and somehow remind me the og Citadel Paint Set alot. Just add your custom tone mixes to it (ie. your specific faction/subfactions standard colors) and you can already do a lot of stuff.

For metallics, I still hear praise for the Vallejo metallics. Supposedly the best non-laquer/enamel based metallics out there, although I doubt nothing beats the AK True Metal waxes if you really want ultra realistic metals..

 tauist wrote:

 Frozium wrote:

 tauist wrote:
I bought this paint set last year, and I really like it. It's great for learning how to mix custom colors, and nice for experimenting with color theory in general. If used straignt from the pot without mixing, some of the color tones have a wonderfully retro, oldhammer feeling to them.. I suppose acrylic paint mixes were simpler back then

https://ak-interactive.com/product/basic-starter-set-14-colors-selected-by-josedavinci/

I've just got started with painting and have no real experience whatsoever, but this is the set I've bought and painted my first mini with. I really like the colors, very nice and vibrant. Did not regret the purchase at all.

For metallics, I still hear praise for the Vallejo metallics. Supposedly the best non-laquer/enamel based metallics out there, although I doubt nothing beats the AK True Metal waxes if you really want ultra realistic metals..

I actually went with Vallejo Metal Color Silver for my metals, mainly because I forgot to buy the AK one when I made my order
Not that I've regretted that either, great metallics.

I have a few of the Vallejo Xpress paints and like them, but haven't tried enough of the line to say they are 'mostly' good.

The Army Painter Speed Paints have been great. I haven't had a problem with them reactivating, but I have been deliberately replacing them with 2.0 as I use them up. The thing I like a LOT more than GW Contrast is that they dry slower, so you don't get as much problem with patching/layering with them. Heck, I have been able to use them on terrain (Necromunda Ash waste interiors). The Speed Paint metallics are really, really nice. They do the job for most things I need, and a little highlight on important areas with a standard metallic afterwards looks just as good as more time spent with standard metallics. The Speed Paint metallics do not have the amazing coverage of say, Vallejo Metallic Air, but they don't seem to have the grainy appearance of some metallic paints.

Well I hit the FLGS for the first time in 5+ years and got the Army Painter set plus some micl stuff.

Can't wait to bring it home and try it out.