Painting wolves with 'Folkart" paint?

[Hrathnar Flintfang]

Brohters, I admit I have never been good at painting models. My hand is not steady and even a 20/0 brush seems too big for most tasks. Because of this I have never been good at or comfortable using most traditional model paints as they are too thin and hard to control, while Citadel is far too expensive to use en-mass. My current solution has been to use a brand of paint known as 'folk art', but there is a problem. I will admit that starting out I used citadel paints, and for many of the colors I need I have found a relative match (The most important one being Folkart medium grey to replace Codex Grey). However due to my bad eye for color matching I have yet to find a proper substitute for other citidel shades such as red, yellow or tan. Other colors I can easily work around, but I would like to ask any here who might paint with Folkart paints just what analogs they would prescribe, or if perhaps there is a cheaper/more appropriate brand I should look into since Folkart does seem to go on rather thick. I wait eagerly and hopefully for any word from my brothers to help with this little problem and thank you all in advance.

[Brother Tuditanus]

Folk Art and Apple Barrel are my buuuuddiees.. I tell you what.. I'm formulating my receipe for SW now from them, so as the painting continues, i'll update you with what I use for what..

 

Folk Art may be thick, but it's a LOT easier to thin down given the nature of the bottle it's in, and the quantity/price means you can afford wastage!

[Hrathnar Flintfang]

Thank you kindly brother! I wait eagerly to hear your results. You are definatly right though, the price is just too good to pass up, especially on sale! I have been able to get bottles for a dollar or less each when lucky

[Brother Tuditanus]

It takes patience to master them, and I would still use my GW or Vallejo paints on HQ's just for pigment, but for rank and file they work amazing.

 

I do advise you stick with Vallejo or GW metallics, and of course Washes.

[Hrathnar Flintfang]

To be honest I actually tried a test between Vallejo metallic blue and Folkart Metallic blue sapphire for parts of a Rune Priest. I tried the Vallejo first on the highlights I wanted (Working on the rune priests bike, redoing an older strategy from a model I can't find) and even after a few coats using a 20/0 brush I couldnot get it the way I wanted, and it kept bleeding over into the other parts of the model. I will admit the blue sapphire is a bit flatter overall but it has managed better and given a better coat, and I think that once I figure out how to shade it will be about as acceptable, but then I've never had good luck with Vallejo. I tend to use alot of Folk art metallics though for a few things and they seem to work ok, but it may simply be that I don't know how to use the thinner pigments as well or without making a mess of things.

[Warhorse47]

I use the Folk art paints regularly, but only for priming coats and bases. Great useful paints in their use. I use Testor's Model master paints for the rest. Better price, much better consistency and last longer. Good luck.

[WolfLordLars]

I gave away all of my Folk Art (and other $1 bottles) last year after being turned on to Vallejo. I do alot of 15mm models these days, and the lack of pigment in the folk art shows with models that small The only ones I kept are my wash/highlight colors for my wolves, because I cant seem to find the same shade in Citadel/Vallejo.

 

Thinking about branching out to other types of paint for vehicles, but not there yet.

 

 

My advice to new painters/players is that you get what you pay for. Sure, its $1 (or less) a bottle, and there is alot of it... but its really poor quality paint. That will show through in your work, almost guaranteed (I say almost, because I have seen a few folks who can doctor them up enough to make them passable.. but thats alot more work than most are willing to do).

 

If your having a hard time controlling the paint because of how thin it is, your using too much at once. Several thin layers will do wonders as opposed to globbing it on.

[ORKILL]

Folkart works just fine...........................for terrain. Stick to quality paints for quality results.

[Hrathnar Flintfang]

Well I have been a wolf player for a while, but have never been good at painting, or most visual arts at that point, unless you count AutoCad. Frankly I've never had anyone just sit down and show me any method, which is why I have also never made an attempt at highlighting. Even before taking a rather long hiatus though high school and part of college I didn't have many models and most of them were painted by the very childish method of dipping them IN the paint and brushing it around/off ((Which looked horrible, but I honestly had little idea what I was doing at that point so it doesn't matter too much)).

 

I suppose I should ask just how many layers are needed though, since I put two or three of the Vallejo for the highlights I wanted with a 20/0 brush and it didn't really seem to do much, leaving a lot of gaps and a weak look to it. Then I put on the coat of the folk art Metallic sapphire on and it seemed to look a lot better. I can easily assume though that I need to figure out some new ways to improve my painting skills since there seems to be a consensus about what looks better, and because even with the smallest brush I can find I either cannot spread the paint properly and bleed over with an inability to make straight lines on my own or keep things neat and clean. I have even contemplated using masking tape though i'm pretty sure that might damage the paint just as badly since this is not like house or car paint.

 

I would like to know if there is any place to get some real and concise demonstrations on how to paint things rather than text instructions. I think if I see someone doing all of this I will be able to do better, because I have taken things about as far as I can with tried and true trial and error or reading up on things.

[Quillen]

Folk Art paints work just fine. Cost like a fraction, and last for ever. I have Folk Art paint I was using like 5 years ago. GW paint dries up on me usually in 3 years or so.

 

If you want to do alot of models at once use an air gun. Spray those suckers with a base coat. You will need like Model Master paints for it. It works the best. It's what most military modelers use. Just get the base coat you like and then mix up the pain with a little thinner and spray it in mass on the models. You can base coat 200 minies and 10 tanks in under an hour. I know for a fact. I just did it a while back. Still painting them up.

 

You need good brushes. That is what makes a good paint job. Folk paint works awesome. And Citidal paints are way over priced. Like Painfully over priced. Which is why soo many people I know use Folk Art or Model Master.

[WolfLordLars]

Well I have been a wolf player for a while, but have never been good at painting, or most visual arts at that point, unless you count AutoCad. Frankly I've never had anyone just sit down and show me any method, which is why I have also never made an attempt at highlighting. Even before taking a rather long hiatus though high school and part of college I didn't have many models and most of them were painted by the very childish method of dipping them IN the paint and brushing it around/off ((Which looked horrible, but I honestly had little idea what I was doing at that point so it doesn't matter too much)).

 

I suppose I should ask just how many layers are needed though, since I put two or three of the Vallejo for the highlights I wanted with a 20/0 brush and it didn't really seem to do much, leaving a lot of gaps and a weak look to it. Then I put on the coat of the folk art Metallic sapphire on and it seemed to look a lot better. I can easily assume though that I need to figure out some new ways to improve my painting skills since there seems to be a consensus about what looks better, and because even with the smallest brush I can find I either cannot spread the paint properly and bleed over with an inability to make straight lines on my own or keep things neat and clean. I have even contemplated using masking tape though i'm pretty sure that might damage the paint just as badly since this is not like house or car paint.

 

I would like to know if there is any place to get some real and concise demonstrations on how to paint things rather than text instructions. I think if I see someone doing all of this I will be able to do better, because I have taken things about as far as I can with tried and true trial and error or reading up on things.

 

I understand your problem. I cant give you a full tutorial, but what I will try to do is write you something up, fairly basic, with what I do. Mind you, I am not the best painter. Probably not better than half-rate, but I am also fairly lazy, and refuse to spend alot of time on them... but I also want them to look good. Using a few simple techniques, and fairly inexpensive brushes/paints, you can achieve this...

 

I will try to write something up in the next day or so and post here.

[Hrathnar Flintfang]

I thank you brother, to be honest after over a decade of on-and-off attempts and a lack of satisfaction with most of my own work I would most assuredly appreciate something that is more comprehensive than the books and free tutorials offered by GW, and I would like to avoid spending money on a tutorial video if at all possible. It is all money that is better spent on something like food or classes.