Looking to get new paints. Vallejo or RMP?

[Tybalt Russ]

Im just starting back to painting and need paints. My last experince with citidal's was bad. So I'm looking for your experince using eithier Vallejo and/or Reaper Master Paints. Let me know how well it flows, covers, and does it need waterted down.

[Brother Valerius]

I haven't used RMP, but Vallejo is pretty bad in my experience. My Vallejo UM blue always separates into a lighter and darker shade of blue, and I have to constantly re-mix my paint. My bottle of DA green was super watery and hardly had any color, which it turned out was because the pigment was clumped up in a big ball in the center. Not to mention that there was not anything that they did better than my Citadel paints.

 

So yeah, personally I'm never buying Vallejo's junk again. I'm happy with Citadel paints, but even if you're not I would suggest looking at something other than Vallejo.

[Sharpsilver]

I haven't used RMP, but Vallejo is pretty bad in my experience. My Vallejo UM blue always separates into a lighter and darker shade of blue, and I have to constantly re-mix my paint. My bottle of DA green was super watery and hardly had any color, which it turned out was because the pigment was clumped up in a big ball in the center. Not to mention that there was not anything that they did better than my Citadel paints.

 

So yeah, personally I'm never buying Vallejo's junk again. I'm happy with Citadel paints, but even if you're not I would suggest looking at something other than Vallejo.

 

Strange. I find Vallejo paints better in quite a few areas. Which include price, quantity, pigment, applicator (dropper bottle) general range of colours and the Tone of those colours.

 

I wouldn't discourage anybody from that route. I find them much better than Citadel in opposition to your, "Dont buy them for love nor money". :huh:

 

Vallejo paints don't have to be watered down. It's optional they already come relatively easily-flowing depending on how much paint is on the brush. Water however, does help.

[templarboy]

Your best bet is to try everything. I am currently in love with Vallejo's new Heavy Colour line. Just like GW foundations. GW metallics are the best I have ever used. Heck, I even use cheapo Ceramcoat paint for when I need massive amounts of colours like black. For washes, there is absolutely nothing better than the GW brand. Period.

 

All of this is, of course, my opinion but I would hate to have you miss something by sticking to one paint provider.

[Mike the Zealous]

Personally, i use Formula P3 from Privateer press along with my Citadel paints. The P3 has nearly the consistency of reg Cit paints, but dont need to be too watered down, and still have the coverage of Foundation paints do. Also, u get a good amount for the same price as Citadel. However, i use mostly Citadel so the Redshirts dont look at me crossly lol

[CainTheHunter]

I like Coat d'Arms paints - these are actually the former good old Citadel paints, before they had some dispute with GW and had to split.

[madscuzzy]

You do not have to get all the paints from a single line. It is alright to mix paints from different series, and each series will have certain paints that are stronger.

 

VGC overall have better coverage than GW paints, but are thinner (which is good and bad thing). Some colours are pretty bad, such as DA green equivalent, and boltgun metal. GW's silvers are superior, but the golds in VGC are better. Model colours are good too, and model air is also quite suitable for painting straight on like Game Colour.

[Lorenzen]

i much prefer the vallejo model colour range to the gw range, the selection they offer is greater, they come in dropper bottles, they're cheaper and you get more for your money.

 

some of the colours will seperate but thats easy enough to remedy via shaking them and this is something you will find with a whole lot of paint ranges including gw's ones (just look at the foundation paints..)

 

personally my paint range looks like this atm..

 

vallejo model colour for all "flat" colours, glazes, and various other bits and bobs (glaze medium, verdigris, liquid mask etc)

gw paints for metallics - namely shining gold & the range of silvers.

[ShinyRhino]

I'm a Reaper Master Series user, and I really enjoy the line. I like that they group everything by "triads", so I don't have to do a ton of random mixing. I'm no master of color theory, so knowing what to mix with what for a proper gradient is really annoying.

 

The dropper bottles eliminate paint drying in the container, and allow you to put a little on the palette at a time. Note, however, that Reaper's early releases of the MSP line has had some issues with the dropper bottles clogging. I have several early-run bottles that clog constantly, and I resort to pulling the nozzle out, and tapping a drop or two into my palette. I've heard that this was resolved with the recent production runs of theb ottles, though.

[Red Fury]

I started with GW paints (like everybody) then moved on to Reaper paints and now use Vallejo.

 

GW has thick globby paint and crappy pots that leak and dry out your paint. GWs new washes are the best ever though.

 

Reaper paints I liked at first but then you get so damn annoyed with the bottles with the rattle inside. They clog all the time and are a serious pain to keep clean. I also notices that when I apply multiple layers of paint that cracks would often form on the surfaces.

 

Vallejo is great. The bottles work great, they keep your paint from drying out and you can get to the paint when you want to. They are a little bit thinner then GW paint, but I still add a drop of water now and then, usually about 3:1 paint to water for most colors. Using the dropper bottle and a pallet makes it easy to see the consistency of your paint before slopping it on your mini.

 

The milky swirl that you sometimes see is nothing to worry about. It is the matt medium in the paint just separating a little bit and even if you paint with it not fully mixed, matt medium dries clear and will only leave the color of the pigment. Don't worry too much.

 

So my vote is for the Vallejo game colors. The game colors (versus the Model color line) are cool because their names are similar to GWs so that transitioning from one brand to the other is easy and matches well.

 

-Fury

[Slyen]

I just picked up a a set of Vallejo... like the box set for their Model colors. They look like they are a lot better then GW's normal line paints.

 

I am curious though if anyone is aware of how good Humbral Paints are? I picked up a few at a model shop for my IG but have not tried them yet. Mainly cause it is for my Imperial Guard, but I havn't really touched it to much.

[templarboy]

I just picked up a a set of Vallejo... like the box set for their Model colors. They look like they are a lot better then GW's normal line paints.

 

I am curious though if anyone is aware of how good Humbral Paints are? I picked up a few at a model shop for my IG but have not tried them yet. Mainly cause it is for my Imperial Guard, but I havn't really touched it to much.

You may want to check this but I think Humbral's are enamels. Enamels can be dicey to use if you are not used to them. They are also tough on your brushes.

[Slyen]

I just picked up a a set of Vallejo... like the box set for their Model colors. They look like they are a lot better then GW's normal line paints.

 

I am curious though if anyone is aware of how good Humbral Paints are? I picked up a few at a model shop for my IG but have not tried them yet. Mainly cause it is for my Imperial Guard, but I havn't really touched it to much.

You may want to check this but I think Humbral's are enamels. Enamels can be dicey to use if you are not used to them. They are also tough on your brushes.

 

Sorry let me retcon this. I thought they were Humbrals as that is primarily what the shop carries. They are actually Revell. Sorry about the mistake >_<;

 

But thanks for the heads up! I used to use enamels on my 40k stuff when I didn't have anything better. Didn't help that I was new to the hobby.

[tahrikmili]

It all depends on how picky you are..

 

I'm ok with using FolkArt craft paints for most of my painting (except a couple of foundation paints, washes and blood red from Games Workshop) for example, which is anathema to most people who paint miniatures.

 

Just try and see..

[Brother Atheos]

personally i've been using the GW line for years, with only the dodgy hex pots causing me problems when they dried out every 2 minutes. Never had any major issues with them. The pots will leak if you aren't careful about how you open them just like most other pots, the foundation separating tends to only happen if the paints become diluted and the only issue i've ever had with coverage has been with the yellows. I've often been tempted to try vallejo or some other range but with a GW store just down the road, i'd personally pay a little bit more and be able to go in and pick them up right when i need them than have to order them and wait for them to arrive.

 

As has been said, mix and match from various ranges seems to be the way forward for most people. Perhaps buying a few pots from each range of similar colours and doing a few test would be a worthwhile investment? Yes you will have a few pots you will never use but you'll have saved money in the long run by finding out which paints work best for you without dropping more on a much wider selection from the wrong range for you.

[Todosi]

I have used Polly Scale, and GW in the past and currently use mostly Vallejo Game Color. I am a HUGE fan of the GW Foundation range and Washes. So use a bit of everything and see what you like.

 

And for the record...ALL paints need to be watered down.