Where to start...

[C1Rob]

Hi everyone,

My first question and my first real post besides my intro post.

 

As a new modeler I have a question about paints:

 

How do you guys go about your paint buying/collecting. I've tried searching but cant really find any discussions or solid info about this on the web.

 

Do you buy paints per kit or do you buy a handful of paints and only purchase that missing specific/exterior paints?

 

Things like the various greys / greens /blacks, both matt, satin, and glosses. The various metals etc.

 

Is there a list of common colors that are good to get for a starting modeler?

My LHS went out of business last year so i have to order online. If i'm missing a paint it means i cant continue for a couple of days :/

 

I still have some 10 year old Testor paints, but i think those are lacquers and mostly gloss. I don't think i will used those very much and don't really feel like dealing with Lacquers anymore...

2 years ago I took an interest in miniature painting (battletech to be precise) and ordered a starter set acrylic paints from The army painter . I've been using these so far and they seem fine. I definitely enjoy painting with acrylics a lot more!

 

I've since ordered 2 Vallejo paints (the 2 main exterior colors for the dutch navy helicopters) but im interested in Ammo by Mig(both are the same price) and some Hataka paints as well(they have some nice paint sets and the paints seems to be true to real life).

 

I'm building my firsts real model now (a revell UH1) which came with some revell paints (i think the Aqua series, but seem to be Lacquer based by smell) but i'm missing a lot of paints, hence the question on where to start. I've managed to mix some of the included grey with some black and white from the army painter set (yea... mixing water based with lacquer based... i wanted to continue!) to match reference pictures but i'm at a point that i need to buy some more colors or spent half my day mixing paints wasting alot of paint.

 

I'm keen to hear your thoughts on this

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Personally I buy only the paints I need for a kit. That and the basics like black and white. Then i buy only what i need as i proceed. Unless your a rivet counting type, you can usually get fairly close by mixing and matching colors. That is until you have it in the stash. Buy going with different types of subjects and camouflages. Your paint rack will grow pretty quick without buying colors you dont really need. I got back into the hobby 4 years ago with 9 paints that were 10-15 years old. Im at about 50-60 now. 

   As for types and brands, that falls to personal preference and some trial and error. Im almost always a Vallejo/AMMO by Mig user so if you have questions please ask me by using this @Corsairfoxfouruncle To get my attention. 

 

Dennis

Edited April 11, 2018 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[C1Rob]

Thank you Dennis for the insight

 

I'm going to see what I really need to order for this kit and the next kit I'm thinking of building and go from there. I'm going to test out some ammo and hataka paints as well so I have an indication of what I want to focus on.

[PC2012]

Hi C1Rob,

Imho i started off reading as much as I could on the subject. There are so many paints out there it can be quite bewildering. There are paints you definitely can mix together and paints you cannot! Also you can use paints for different effects, for example putting acrylics then followed by oil paints to stop the paint bleeding in to one another. You don't have to make up your mind yet, after all its supposed to be a hobby, right? 😁

[C1Rob]

2 hours ago, PC2012 said:

Hi C1Rob,

Imho i started off reading as much as I could on the subject. There are so many paints out there it can be quite bewildering. There are paints you definitely can mix together and paints you cannot! Also you can use paints for different effects, for example putting acrylics then followed by oil paints to stop the paint bleeding in to one another. You don't have to make up your mind yet, after all its supposed to be a hobby, right? 😁

Correct I've been reading and watching videos about the different types of paints

 

I'm going to try out the various brands to see what works for me.

[cruiserguy]

Hi C1Rob,

 

I built my collection of paints slowly buying what I needed for each kit I made. The other thing I did was choose different manufacturers paints, test them, learn how to use them choose one or two makes stick to them. Eventually I plumped for Vallejo and Lifecolor. It cost me a fortune. Now, I have more paint than I will ever need for the three or four kits I build a year. At the risk of annoying some on this forum I would advise you to avoid all Humbrol paints, acrylic and enamel.

 

Here's a summary of what I would do if starting again:

 

1. Decide whether you are going to use acrylics or enamels;

2. Decide whether you will brush, airbrush or both;

3. buy single pots of paint and practise with them on scrap plastic or models. For the record I tried in no particular order Humbrol acrylic and enamels, Colourcoats, Tamiya, Coat D'Armes, Games Workshop, Citadel, Vallejo, Lifecolor, and others I have forgotten; 

4. Once you have chosen your preferred brand(s) learn how to use them well;

5. Always use the manufacturers own accessories or good equivalents, and forget about thinning paints with Windex and anything else that's suggested by modellers to save money. I've written more than once on this forum of how it is false econony to risk ruining a £30-40 model for the sake of saving a few pennies on accessories. For instance I use only Vallejo, Lifecolor, or Ultimate products;

6. Remember some artists materials such as varnishes are better and cheaper than their modelling equivalents.

 

Sincerely,

 

Will. 

 

[C1Rob]

4 hours ago, cruiserguy said:

Hi C1Rob,

 

I built my collection of paints slowly buying what I needed for each kit I made. The other thing I did was choose different manufacturers paints, test them, learn how to use them choose one or two makes stick to them. Eventually I plumped for Vallejo and Lifecolor. It cost me a fortune. Now, I have more paint than I will ever need for the three or four kits I build a year. At the risk of annoying some on this forum I would advise you to avoid all Humbrol paints, acrylic and enamel.

 

Here's a summary of what I would do if starting again:

 

1. Decide whether you are going to use acrylics or enamels;

2. Decide whether you will brush, airbrush or both;

3. buy single pots of paint and practise with them on scrap plastic or models. For the record I tried in no particular order Humbrol acrylic and enamels, Colourcoats, Tamiya, Coat D'Armes, Games Workshop, Citadel, Vallejo, Lifecolor, and others I have forgotten; 

4. Once you have chosen your preferred brand(s) learn how to use them well;

5. Always use the manufacturers own accessories or good equivalents, and forget about thinning paints with Windex and anything else that's suggested by modellers to save money. I've written more than once on this forum of how it is false econony to risk ruining a £30-40 model for the sake of saving a few pennies on accessories. For instance I use only Vallejo, Lifecolor, or Ultimate products;

6. Remember some artists materials such as varnishes are better and cheaper than their modelling equivalents.

 

Sincerely,

 

Will. 

 

Hi Will,

 

Thank you very much for the information and suggestions, much appreciated!

 

Humbrol, for me, resonates with testores and Revell in my head. Probably nothing wrong with them but  doesn't feel right for some reason.

[Nigel Heath]

Well paint wise I am a convert to Mr Color lacquer type paints. They spray well, dry quickly and are very robust. The Mr Color and Mr Color Aqueous both seam to work well for me. The best matt varnish I have found is the Windsor and Newton acrylic artists varnish, for gloss Alclad's Aqua Gloss is my choice, better than Klear floor polish although that still does have it's uses. 

[C1Rob]

10 minutes ago, Nigel Heath said:

Well paint wise I am a convert to Mr Color lacquer type paints. They spray well, dry quickly and are very robust. The Mr Color and Mr Color Aqueous both seam to work well for me. The best matt varnish I have found is the Windsor and Newton acrylic artists varnish, for gloss Alclad's Aqua Gloss is my choice, better than Klear floor polish although that still does have it's uses. 

Thanks for the suggestion

 

I placed (and received) an order at from AMMO by MIG. Ill give these a shot and experiment with some more brands. (the oilbrusher was free!)

For Laquer type paints i really need to get a spray booth with a ventilator which i dont have right now.

 

I do wanna try those though.

Edited April 20, 2018 by C1Rob

[Nigel Heath]

Ohw, nice selection of Mig Jimenez products. I really need to get some of that guy's stuff - it looks really good after reading his

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Encyclopedia of Aircraft Modelling Techniques

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I also ordered the book on weathering of armour subjects tonight to help with the completion of my ongoing Sherman build.