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Basic Acrylic Colours Set (3010) ICM via Hannants Ltd ICM have long been a plastic model company that is well-known to most of us, but until recently they haven’t had their own paint range, which has now changed. There are 77 acrylic colours in the initial collection, plus three varnishes in matt, satin and gloss, all in the same 12ml plastic bottles. A conversion chart is available that will give you equivalents in AK, Tamiya, Humbrol, Gunze, Testors, RLM, RAL, FS, Revell, AK Real Color, and even Citadel paints, although there aren’t many direct cross-overs in that last one. This set is intended to be a foundation group to expand and vary your stock of ICM paint, and arrives in a card box with a header tab at one end, and inside are six 12ml plastic bottle with white plastic lids and a one-time tear-off safety ring. While they bear a passing resemblance to another brand of paint from ICM’s part of the world, they have stated categorically on Facebook that it is not a collaboration, and having now used both brands, they are indeed substantially different in every way other than being paint. The paint is undiluted, so will need thinning by between 40-60% with water or acrylic thinner for use with an airbrush, and they naturally have a semi-gloss finish that can be adjusted later by the use of varnishes, and are waterproof when dry like most acrylics. During my testing I used Ultimate Thinners, my go-to thinners for any acrylic paint, which helps keep the number of large bottles in my spray booth to a minimum. The paint comes out of the bottle quite thick and viscous, so it’s possible you’ll have to dilute for serious brush painting use although I used it neat during testing, so a small bottle will go a long way in either case. It sprays well when diluted, and like a lot of acrylics a light coat is best initially, then followed quickly after by heavier coats until you have the coverage you require. It dries quite quickly, and is touch-dry in 5-10 minutes in those long-gone summery 20-23oc temperatures, unless you’re in the antipodes as I write this. I have used them to create a number of spray-out cards and spoons for other sets in the range, and they both spray and brush very well, with little issue other than my inexpert application by brush. This set includes the following colours, which while they may seem garish on first inspection, are shades that can be very useful, especially the white and black for lightening and darkening many other colours: 1001 White 1002 Black 1003 Deep Yellow 1004 Deep Red 1005 Dark Blue 1006 Deep Green On the rear of the box are a number of suggestions for mixing of other colours using just the shades within this box, showing how your average artist can create a huge range of shades even from a limited palette, although they’re not hampered so much by the colour police that mutter persistently about Munsell values, argue over colours in black & white photos (eh?) and wave shade cards round like Neville Chamberlain. There are no such issues likely with these solid generic colours, although as usual I am confused by how light everyone else’s idea of dark green and blue is. That’s just a foible I’ve had since my art A Level days, and is unrelated to modelling. Don’t get me started on how limey grass green always seems to be! Conclusion ICM have created a very nice and economical paint system for their customers, which will increase their income stream and make picking up a suitably themed acrylic paint set along with your next ICM or other branded model more likely. We modellers do enjoy convenience. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of