Is it just me, or does the CitadelColour app kinda suck?

[Kaede45]

Maybe I was expecting too much, like an app that lets you preview how certain colors may look on a mini, but I feel like the CitadelColour app falls even shorter of my expectations than I could possibly imagine…

 

I don’t know what it is exactly what it is, but the app feels way too lacking. Maybe it’s that it only shows you the default color scheme for any given figure? Maybe it’s that it only gives the color scheme of one unit in the entire squad? Maybe it’s that it doesn’t really let you know how to make certain colors, like the shiny blue swords of the Grey Knights, or just tells you how to make colors rather than show what each individual color will look? Or perhaps I’m just crazy? I don’t know.

 

The best use I have for it is keeping a catalog of what paints I have & what paints I don’t, but beyond that, it feels like the app is just superfluous at best. Anyone else have any strong opinions about the app? Let me know. Thank you & God bless.

[Axineton]

You know what? I was thinking it was pants the other day too. I went on it and it and it doesn’t help at all so I deleted it. I think I’d rather just use YouTube instead for painting guides and recipes. 

[DemonGSides]

8 hours ago, Kaede45 said:

Maybe I was expecting too much, like an app that lets you preview how certain colors may look on a mini, but I feel like the CitadelColour app falls even shorter of my expectations than I could possibly imagine…

 

I don’t know what it is exactly what it is, but the app feels way too lacking. Maybe it’s that it only shows you the default color scheme for any given figure? Maybe it’s that it only gives the color scheme of one unit in the entire squad? Maybe it’s that it doesn’t really let you know how to make certain colors, like the shiny blue swords of the Grey Knights, or just tells you how to make colors rather than show what each individual color will look? Or perhaps I’m just crazy? I don’t know.

 

The best use I have for it is keeping a catalog of what paints I have & what paints I don’t, but beyond that, it feels like the app is just superfluous at best. Anyone else have any strong opinions about the app? Let me know. Thank you & God bless.

 

I think it could definitely be better, but it does provide a pretty big picture of any color combination you want so I like it for that.  It would be better if it included some better hands on stuff, but the WH youtube page has a lot of "how to" videos and is relatively easy to search; they should put links in on the Paint app.

I like it for organizational purposes and seeing what a generalized idea of their basic 'eavy metal scheme is.

[Cleon]

I'd say kinda suck is being kind to it, but that's getting a little mean perhaps.

 

Personally I use it to keep track of the 'new' names of paints - so which I have and what is the base that goes with which layer - I could probably do something better in a spreadsheet but I've never bothered.

[sitnam]

I honestly use the app a ton to create inventory,  remember paint schmes for different projects, and being able to see different combinations for the paints is pretty useful IMO

[Domhnall]

TL:DR - It does the job well enough for it's limited ability. Yes it could be better at how it does things, and could offer more tools. But at the end of the day, it is a basic tool aimed at the beginner and/or painter who wants some help with organisation of their projects. A troop painter tool would be a very handy addition though! 

 

It's great for inventory and wishlists of paints; keeping track of my projects and what paints I need for them; referencing ideas for each colour and variations available for what I have; and just as a baseline for what I am looking to do. Honestly, that's about as useful as I'd expect it to be for a free app. It's certainly more value for money than my WH+  

It's effectively a list of GW product and models, and the way in which they paint them. 

 

Anything more than that would require a lot more development that's probably out of the scope of what the app could offer or would need to be a completely different app. For example, I really don't think it's developed in such a way to deal with mixing colours and what colour would result (and even then it wouldn't show the correct colour as what's on screen more often than not exactly the same as real life paint). To have something like that, would probably require being paid or (yet) another subscription, or would be just assumed if you're looking past the "paint by numbers" style that the app gives, then you're probably assumed to be able to mix and test your own recipes, or make up your own schemes*.

 

* - It would be awesome if they did incorporate a basic "troop painter" like we had here on the B&C back in the day, so you can test out ideas before putting paint to miniature, so this would be something that would a very useful addition! 

[Cactus]

For pure inventory management I use the paintRack app. It covers all the manufacturers I know of (plus many more) and the 'scan the barcode' feature works about three quarters of the time.

 

It doesn't have anything to help with project planning or organisation but I just use a notebook for recipes I want to repeat.

[Antarius]

I haven’t used it for a long time as I am not really in the target group, I guess. It’s ok for a free app, but for keeping track of colours, how they mix, and various paint recipes, nothing beats a nice, cheap (physical) notebook. It’s probably just me, but I find that the more I go digital with this stuff, the farther I get from actually painting anything - which is not to say that youtube etc. can’t be useful, but I think it pays off to put the information you get down in your own (brief) words and perhaps make some colour swatches in your notebook, to reinforce your retention of knowledge, thoughts and ideas.

Edited yesterday at 08:22 AM by Antarius

[Domhnall]

On 1/30/2025 at 8:22 AM, Antarius said:

I haven’t used it for a long time as I am not really in the target group, I guess. It’s ok for a free app, but for keeping track of colours, how they mix, and various paint recipes, nothing beats a nice, cheap (physical) notebook. It’s probably just me, but I find that the more I go digital with this stuff, the farther I get from actually painting anything - which is not to say that youtube etc. can’t be useful, but I think it pays off to put the information you get down in your own (brief) words and perhaps make some colour swatches in your notebook, to reinforce your retention of knowledge, thoughts and ideas.

 

It has been found "from studies" that generally, students who write down notes with a pen* retain more information than those who type it on a keyboard. Something about the thought needed for physically forming letters and sentences is retained more than the proceedure of hitting keys in pattern. Also it's why some schools looking to move back phyical writing rather than chromebooks for lessons.

I can't see why that wouldn't be the case for us hobbiests as well. Writing stuff down is always a good idea, digitally or physically. 

 

* - for the young ones here: it's a long thin tube, filled with a substance called 'ink', that you hold with your fingers and press onto paper** to make notes, sort of like a more phyically demanding keyboard. 

** - Like a tablet screen, but made of pupled wood fibre.