Vallejo workers going on strike

[Stargrunt6]

Stock up, fellas.  I already have because I have been slow-buying a store's stock. 
 

 

[Ssnake]

I like their brushes, but don't use their colors (because, overpriced IMO).

[Stuart Galbraith]

They spray beautifully though. And having a set of authentically researched colours saves a lot of pissing about.

[Ssnake]

The inauthenticy of my zombie Santa Clauses can't be fixed by applying authentically researched colors.

[bojan]

Overpriced? What would you say about GW?

Vallejo "true metallic" paints are great. For the rest, some I like, some I don't, I tend to use mix of various paints, GW, Vallejo, MIG, Army Painter, P3, Tamiya etc. In general I go for specific colors, so I don't care about specific brand or price as long as paints are good (there was more than some disappointments during last ~25 years of painting miniatures) . They all have some shades that are better than other manufacturers, so I don't find small savings in price worth potentially worse product.

Ofc, that depends on the your own level of skill, through good paints do help to a certain degree, at least with basics like making even base coats.

One thing for sure - paints have improved considerably in the last 25 years. I remember yellows (and many others) being utter and total pain to paint over anything but a white undercoat - no so anymore, nowadays they look identical over both white and black undercoat and two coats are enough for a solic coverage....

 

[Stuart Galbraith]

My main problem with Vallejo is that the primer is very difficult to spray, far too thick. Someone suggested actually using Vallejo airbrush cleaner to thin the damn stuff down, and damn me if it didnt work.

Other than that its good stuff. Overpriced, well post Brexit, its not as we would notice anyway...

[bojan]

Vallejo primer is way too thick for airbrush, it is intended to be painted on with a brush. There is an airbrush thinner (71.361) that works OK with it, but IMO best primers are rattle can ones, if you can find good, really matte black. I use those, totally weather independent, no matter how cold or wet it is it gives superfine fully matte coat and basically it is impossible to obscure details no matter the amount you spray it on:

https://cosmoslac.com/products/color-lines/ral/ral-9005-matte-black/

And those rare occasions when I I need white one:

https://cosmoslac.com/products/color-lines/ral/ral-9010-matte-white/

Some other whites are also decent, but for a black, one above is an absolute king.

 

[Stuart Galbraith]

Believe it or not, for 1-16 scale tanks, I had a lot of use using Halfords red car primer as a base (well the tamiya ones are half metal anyway). Recently I stripped the paint off a Tamiya Tiger I painted 20 years ago to repaint it with Valejo, and Ill be damned if the stuff wasn still trying to cling to the base, even after judicious applications of paint remover. I wouldnt advocate it for smaller models, but for metal subject it seems a reasonable base.

Yeah well, it sprayed anyway. It proved to be a pretty good base on a Ural truck I was building.

[old_goat]

Switching to other brands is always a pain. Back then I always used Model Master paints, I LOVED those. Best enamel paints ever. But sadly, they arent sold here anymore. I had to switch, and I chose Humbrol. I had to figure out the thinning again, not as easy as in the case of MM. So yes, I know how it feels like. 

[Stuart Galbraith]

This was a good effort, not sure if this is Vallejo or not, but they are spraying either like that or Ak paints.

 

[Stargrunt6]

Vallejo expensive? News to me, over here in Samland they are always the cheapest brand, about $3.50 a bottle for Model Color.

I'm also surprised y'all think their primers are thick. I find them pretty thin, to the point that I have to add medium to use them effectively on minis.  Their white primer is a pain to use, I usually use it when mixing colors.

The one primer that disappointed me was AK's Sand color. I heard some batches were defective. It almost always clogs my airbrush and leaves a chalky appearance. I might just have it as a brush primer.

Vallejo's new version of Model and Game Color are vast improvements. They are more consistent in their viscosity and flow better. Their Xpress color is some of the best transparent paint out there, as good as GW but cheaper.

Army Painter's Fanatic is a vast improvement to their previous line. They went from one of the worst to one of the best lines out their.  Their spray primers are also some of the best. And everyone loves their washes.  I have cans of their quickshade dips that I can't wait to try.

Has anyone else tried ProAcryl? Since they are a small company, they may not be available across the pond. The company was founded by a husband and wife team who are professional artists. It's probably the best acrylic model paint out there. If you can't get it, hit me up, we'll work something out *wink. 

[Ssnake]

I prefer Army Painters; I exclusively hand brush my miniatures. Their paint bottles have a mixing ball, that's a huge advantage IMO. One day I shall unleash my zombie horde here, if only in pictures.

[bojan]

New AP stuff is good, but ironically it is more expensive that Vallejo around here (probably since Vallejo has multiple importers while AP has single one...). Vallejo is ~3euro per bottle, AP is ~4.4, GW is ~3.8, so AP is most expensive per bottle (and ~ same price range as GW per quantity)... And they don't have any really unique shades that I can not live w/o (through I have not yet tried their washes).

Among more expensive stuff (~4.2 euro per bottle) I have heard very good reviews of "Two Thin Coats" paints but so far I have not tried any of them.

[Stargrunt6]

I have TTC and can vouch for them. A little on the thin side (makes sense per the name) but still very good.

[bojan]

Nice, since I like some paints to be on the thinner side (those used as highlights for skin for example...), as that enables better color blending. Yes, you can (almost) do the same by adding more water or thinner* to paint, but having few designated shades speeds a process, especially if you practically never use those w/o diluting them.

*I had pretty great results using Vallejo airbrush thinner instead of water for thinning down almost all acrylic paints, but disadvantage is that it still flows different than a dedicated thin paint...

 

[Stargrunt6]

Have you tried Vallejo's matt medium? That might be what you need for thinning without losing adhesion.

[bojan]

Yes, it is still "different"*. Not an issue for 99% of application, but when doing very fine blending on faces can become one.

*In the gross territory human saliva is one of the best acrylic mediums...

[Stargrunt6]

3 hours ago, bojan said:

Yes, it is still "different"*. Not an issue for 99% of application, but when doing very fine blending on faces can become one.

*In the gross territory human saliva is one of the best acrylic mediums...

That would explain Juan Hidalgo's brush licking obsession.