# Buying Paint Question



## pejota (Mar 14, 2008)

Getting out of RC cars for a while and back into miniatures and starting up model cars, planes and tanks.

I was doing some research on paint and learned that Tamiya and Testors Model Master paints are good choices. I also learned that the Apple Barrel type paints work for other people as well.

I guess my question is this: should i look at buying the recommended paint colors from the instructions on the models or should i adapt the paints i already own and use for my miniatures?

I specifically use Games Workshop acrylic paints, but i'm pretty sure Goblin Green and Ultramarine Blue weren't used by Ford and General Motors on their automobiles. 

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/armySubUnitCats.jsp?catId=cat470005a&rootCatGameStyle=

Thanks!!


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## Cro-Magnon Man (Jun 11, 2001)

Once you've got a good stock of paints you probably don't need to buy particular paints for a particular kit any more, because you can find or make just about any shade in what you've got. But buying new paints to build up a collection is the enjoyable part, and you might want to buy some enamels or acrylics for the car kits, even if the paints you've got now are adaptable to planes and tanks.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

pej',

I've been using the Testors oil-based line for nearly fifty years myself.

I know a lot of people are going to disagree with me, but I don't recommend crafts store paints like Apple Barrel for anything but diorama materials or small details. These paints have never performed very well for me and I don't know how well they'll hold up over time. I sure as heck wouldn't use them for car finishes, except maybe to weather a dirty engine.


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## geminibuildups (Apr 22, 2005)

I would not go as far as to say that I disagree about the use of the Apple Barrel paints as it is all a matter of choice and personal experience. I can only say that I have been using them many years and they work very well for me. I use them almost exclusively in my figure work. I can say with certainly that they do hold up over time (with a clear protective coat, of course). I just sold some models from my collection that I built and painted more than 10 years ago and the finish is still perfect.

Geminibuidups

GEMINI MODEL BUILD-UP STUDIOS
www.geminibuildupstudios.com


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## rkoenn (Dec 18, 2007)

I don't think I would use the Apple Barrel paints for things like large surfaces and particularly for large surfaces of machines, cars, tanks, planes, etc. For cars I used rattle can Testors lacquers as you get an excellent glossy, realistic finish. I can't imagine getting something like that on a car with an acrylic that wasn't sprayed on. I use my Vallejo game colors for the fine detail brush work on figures and such. I also use Alclad when I want a very realistic metallic finish on something. All the paints work well but each works best at certain things.

Bob K.


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## pejota (Mar 14, 2008)

I've used Games Workshop paints exclusively for my miniatures except in the rare instance when the Apple Barrel type paints have a certain color that i need in volume. I've also used the craft paints for terrain projects, once again, because i needed them in volume for large hills, etc.

I was just wondering if should get the X-Brand Named Paint that matches the suggested named paints in the instructions. Or, will anyone really care if the transmission of the Shelby Cobra i'm working isn't the exact shade of aluminum as suggested in the instructions.

If i'm going to do something, i've learned that having the right tools goes a long way to making the project enjoyable. I already have a darker silver in the Games Workshop range, there is a LHS in the town where i work that carries a fair amount of Testors paint and the comic book shop where i live carries Games Workshop paints.

Just trying to decide if i want a collection paints JUST for miniatures and another JUST for models.


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## rkoenn (Dec 18, 2007)

Well that is going to end up being your decision I believe. If your existing paint matches the aluminum specified in the instructions reasonably closely than I would likely just use it myself. Even the suggested paint may only be what the model manufacturer thought was the closest as well as being a well known paint produced by either that model manufacturer or simply by a well know modeling company, i.e. Testors or Tamiya etc. If you are happy that is all that counts unless you are entering a contest and the judges are being really nit picky with their judging. But I will say having lots of paint options available in your shop is always nice. I use mainly acrylics for all the color work but use everything I can find that works for me. Rustoleum and Krylon almost strictly for primers. I am even going to use Krylon semi-flat white and black for my Saturn 5 I am doing now. I have Freestyle acrylics for the air brush, Freak Flex acrylics, Vallejo, Testors, Tamiya acrylics and lacquer spray cans, and at least a couple of other brands I use but it still seems like I am looking for another color altogether!

Bob K.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

I've used just about every hobby/model paint out there for nearly 40 years. Honestly, what paints you buy will be influenced by what you are making, and the type of paint you prefer.

As for the craft paints like Plaid/Apple Barrel/etc. I find they are not great for overall modelling. You can't paint a car with them (flat, dusty finish not a gloss). They also don't stick to plastic so you will need to use a solvent based primer on everything first. I did paint a large 1/4 scale figure with them and got a good finish, BUT that was it... I decided never to use them again for anything. There is a reason they are $.99 each...

I really like Tamiya spray cans for one color model finishes. THey are not cheap but are excellent. Tamiya jar paints airbrush excellent and are great for some detail work. Tamiya does have a new extender medium that makes them much better for hand painting larger areas and when you add the medium in for airbrushing, they dont plug up the brush so much. Overall they are very durable too.

I use Testors enamels a fair bit. They work okay, especially the small square jars. Some of the Model Master military colors are not accurate at all if you are doing specific work. The Luftwaffe RLM shades are wayyy off compared to any well known color references, for example.

Humbrol has a nice line of acrylics and enamels. I have used the enamels for years. The acrylics are new and pretty nice.

Vallejo paint is super for figure painting and detail painting. They have a staggering array of colors and special paints for things like shading black subjects, rust, liquid water etc.

Some of the specialty paints like Freak Flex are ok. I probably wouldn't go out and stock up on a lot for general modelling but they are good for figures.

Games Workshop stuff is good, especailly for detail work. You may need a primer for that too.

Poly Scale is good for hand painting but this entire line except for the railroad colors is being discontinued by the parent company that owns both Poly Scale and also Testors.

There are many many more paints like Mr. Color, Lifecolor, Andrea, Gianotes, etc.


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## armymedic80 (Aug 11, 2010)

I use Model Master acrylic and enamels. Tamiya are my favorite. But, I also use a brand called Americana by DecoArt. They are cheap to buy and come in long plastic bottles. I gotten some pretty good results with excellent permanent adhesion to plastic with 2 coats.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

rkoenn said:


> Well that is going to end up being your decision I believe.





djnick66 said:


> ...Honestly, what paints you buy will be influenced by what you are making, and the type of paint you prefer.


These two statements are the real answer to your question, pejota. I would add that experience has shown me that there are very few materials or tools in our hobby that can be used for any application all the time; you don't use only one grade of sandpaper for every smoothing job, so you might reasonably expect to need different kinds of paint for different applications. Take what you want from everybody else's posts with their own preferences, but what you decide to do at your workbench is the only thing that matters.

As for the specific application you mentioned, the aluminum paint for a Shelby Cobra transmission, you should know that model kit instructions are notorious for not being 100% accurate. For example, a set of Tamiya instructions might suggest their own brand of aluminum paint for their Shelby Cobra kit. Is it the exact hue and tonal value of the aluminum transmission you'd find on a real Cobra? Do any of the hobby stores in your area sell Tamiya paint? Do you even _care_ whether the transmission on your model is the exact color to be seen on the real car? Maybe and maybe not.

I am a member of the International Plastic Modelers Society and enjoy entering my models in their contests; building competitively means that I have to consider how my models will be judged by others. If that's your bag as well, then you may want to get a good look at the underside of a Shelby Cobra and see the transmission for yourself (although I doubt there are many contest judges who would be concerned about the specific color more than how smoothly you applied the paint on the tranny). In the final analysis, what looks right to you IS right - it's your model after all.


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## wolfman66 (Feb 18, 2006)

I use acrylic paints like,Delta,Americana,Apple Barrel and some other paints like FreakFlex,KB Life Tone paints


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## pejota (Mar 14, 2008)

Thanks All!

I figured it might be one of those, "What do you want to get out of the experience?" kind of answers.

My actual game plan is to just start simple, make it look good, focus on the basics and then go from there.


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## rkoenn (Dec 18, 2007)

pejota said:


> Thanks All!
> 
> I figured it might be one of those, "What do you want to get out of the experience?" kind of answers.
> 
> My actual game plan is to just start simple, make it look good, focus on the basics and then go from there.


Sounds like my game plan, if I am happy then it's good. I do enter contests as Mark does and am not always exactly happy with the results. In this forum we mainly model monster models, comic book characters, and other geeky stuff! In the IPMS contests most of the judges are either military or car people so their judging of the scifi and figures does not always really honor what are really the best models. But in the final deal it is what you like with your work on your shelf after its' complete.

Bob K.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

rkoenn said:


> ...In the IPMS contests most of the judges are either military or car people so their judging of the scifi and figures does not always really honor what are really the best models....


That's not entirely accurate, Bob. It's true that the preponderance of IPMS members build the "triple As" (Aircraft, Armor, and Autos) - as does the modeling community as a whole. But unless there is a shortage of judges at a given IPMS contest, the volunteers usually judge the categories with which they're most familiar. Indeed, I've had to do to just what you suggested in reverse, helping to judge categories of models that I don't ordinarily build because there weren't enough bodies to cover them.

The need for judges is so great because they work in groups of three. When I help judge models other than Figures or Sci-Fi, I know I'll be in the company of at least one other person who does build in the class which we're judging. For the Toledo show that's coming up in May, I will be serving as the Head Judge in the Figures class.

I can't recommend strongly enough that you volunteer to help judge at any event you attend. You'll be helping the host chapter out while getting a better idea of what judges look for as the evaluate your work. And, at any show anywhere, you must remember that judging is a subjective process - "ya pays yer money and ya takes yer chances."


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Actually IPMS judges should not judge color. They can judge how well (or not) the paint is applied, but color accuracy is not to be considered. This avoids a lot of the "exact shade of brown" used on a 200 year old item etc arguments. their rules state, " color shades should not be used to determine a model's accuracy or lack thereof" under section 7 of paint and finishing. So you can paint your transmission any somewhat close metallic shade and it will pass muster.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

Oh I agree, deej. I was thinking more of the guys who lose sleep over stuff like the precise shade of yellow the Flying Sub from _Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea_ "should" be. Most IPMS judges, being Sci-Fi builders themselves, might expect to see something close to yellow on an FS model, but would (or should) be more concerned with how well the finish had been applied - i.e., no drips, brush marks, orange peel, etc. And these considerations depend on whether or not one wants to build for competition at all.


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