Let's Talk Paints
Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 6:50 pmI kow there's only a few of us around, but I thought I'd try to start a conversation of some sort, so I decided let's talk about paints everyone uses/prefers. Also, I thought we could use this thread to talk about or ask and recommend colors. For example, I was always looking for a decent blue for Cobra characters, and found from asking elsewhere, that Army Builder Ultramarine Blue was a really good choice to match GI Joe Cobra blue. So, let's talk shop...
When I first began years ago I used mostly Model Master paints because they were readily available at Hobby Lobby and I could get them cheap if I only bought one at a time using the 40% off coupon. But I always hated the way to bottles would always get stuck after many uses and I would have to run them under hot water to loosen the lids. Sometimes I would buy a Vallejo dropper bottle as well, but I never really liked dropper bottles because the cleanup was more of a pain.
Eventually I started going to a local hobby store where they had Citadel Paints and Tamiya as well. But that shop closed a few years ago. Last fall I discovered a new hobby shop on the other side of town where I've found myself getting much more into dropper bottles, especially Reaper paints.
I used to love Citadel for their variety, and it was easy to use by just shaking it up and painting from the inside of the lid (that's why the Model Master paint jars always seized up on me), but I'm starting to think they might be too thick, which is why I'm really digging Reaper Master Series Paints, they have a real nice selection of paints, and they seem to be thinner, so the application looks smoother. Plus, I really like their triad sets, especially their skin tone paints with the highlight and shadow colors.
As for my least favorites, I've never cared for Tamiya much. It always seems a bit tacky to me as it dries, and the paints have a scent to them, it's not unpleasant, but a little weird. They do have some of the most vibrant colors, though, so I've used them on occassion. I also like their Smoke X-19 which is good for a wash on metallic items like droids or weapons.
There's just so much out there!
So what's everyone else like?
When I first began years ago I used mostly Model Master paints because they were readily available at Hobby Lobby and I could get them cheap if I only bought one at a time using the 40% off coupon. But I always hated the way to bottles would always get stuck after many uses and I would have to run them under hot water to loosen the lids. Sometimes I would buy a Vallejo dropper bottle as well, but I never really liked dropper bottles because the cleanup was more of a pain.
Eventually I started going to a local hobby store where they had Citadel Paints and Tamiya as well. But that shop closed a few years ago. Last fall I discovered a new hobby shop on the other side of town where I've found myself getting much more into dropper bottles, especially Reaper paints.
I used to love Citadel for their variety, and it was easy to use by just shaking it up and painting from the inside of the lid (that's why the Model Master paint jars always seized up on me), but I'm starting to think they might be too thick, which is why I'm really digging Reaper Master Series Paints, they have a real nice selection of paints, and they seem to be thinner, so the application looks smoother. Plus, I really like their triad sets, especially their skin tone paints with the highlight and shadow colors.
As for my least favorites, I've never cared for Tamiya much. It always seems a bit tacky to me as it dries, and the paints have a scent to them, it's not unpleasant, but a little weird. They do have some of the most vibrant colors, though, so I've used them on occassion. I also like their Smoke X-19 which is good for a wash on metallic items like droids or weapons.
There's just so much out there!
So what's everyone else like?
