dmbrad
Paint Manipulator
Posts: 204
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Post by dmbrad on Jul 18, 2013 11:56:36 GMT -5
What is the difference between craft paint and that expensive miniature paint?
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luciano
Paint Manipulator
Posts: 202
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Post by luciano on Jul 18, 2013 12:44:26 GMT -5
Good discussion!
Seeing the work of Scotty and DMG here I think the miniature painting techniques as dry brush, wash and all the wrapping other involving the "righ light" are definitely applicable to models of Dungeon Tiles.
I think in this case, they mix is just one work.
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Post by belatucadras on Jul 18, 2013 15:18:43 GMT -5
The main difference, I think, is the pigment size and ratio to medium. The pigment in expensive miniatures paint is very fine so as not to clog up the finer details in the sculpt. Also the pigment is more concentrated. Miniature paint also sometimes have flow enhancers that allow them to spread easily and evenly on the small miniatures.
Craft paint, on the other hand, has courser pigment and higher ratio of medium to pigment. Try painting a miniature with craft paint and you will see how grainy the outcome. It it perfectly suitable for painting terrain and set pieces, but if you want the small details to show through, then miniature paints are the way to go.
I don't actually use craft paints. I prefer tube acrylics in their stead. I paint so I have them on hand and they are a middle ground between the craft paints and miniature paints. I also have miniature paints, but I don't use them to paint terrain as they are expensive.
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thedmg
Room Planner
Posts: 327
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Post by thedmg on Jul 18, 2013 18:18:45 GMT -5
I definitely prefer acrylic paint. I use a limited pallet of colours to keep costs down. When I painted minis I only had about 8 colours. As all pigment colours come from yellow, red, blue, white and black those are the ones I start with. Then I add those additional colours that have a high use: brown, green, etc. There are some issues with using a limited pallet as having different colour tones is useful in enhancing colour using colour theory. I am not made of gold coins Using mini paint on terrain is REALLY expensive, like painting your house with artists oils. You could use it sparingly on small details to add some punch though. Craft paint is quite coarse as stated by belatucadras (also referred to as poster paint or premixed powder paint). It is great for large areas of colour on cardboard, very large areas.
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dmbrad
Paint Manipulator
Posts: 204
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Post by dmbrad on Jul 18, 2013 19:31:17 GMT -5
Thanks for the feedback, I have been aching to paint some minis but didnt want to buy mini paint if the craft paint was just as good.
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thedmg
Room Planner
Posts: 327
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Post by thedmg on Jul 19, 2013 7:55:13 GMT -5
Mini paint is the best for minis. For terrain use acrylic
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Post by dm1scotty on Jul 19, 2013 8:57:16 GMT -5
Yeah don't use your expensive miniature paint for your large crafts like tiles.
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justsix
Cardboard Collector
I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, de-briefed or numbered! My life is my own!
Posts: 41
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Post by justsix on Jul 19, 2013 9:02:40 GMT -5
Yeah, for dedicated mini painting, stick with the miniature paints. I use craft paint for terrain because it's cheap, has plenty of color choices, and comes in larger containers. I do use some miniature paint for my terrain (washes and metallics, detail work), but only because I have a lot of it and I don't paint many minis anymore...
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AJ
Room Planner
Posts: 315
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Post by AJ on Jul 27, 2013 9:05:26 GMT -5
I find that using craft/artist acrylics with miniatures can end up looking dark (ok if you like a gritty, dirty, realistic look I suppose), whereas the miniatures paints are all designed to add vibrant colours that make the mini stand out.. bright and bold, lots of smooth flowing, concentrated pigment that doesn't alter much when it dries. I should try painting a miniature with oil paints one day, just to see how it turns out
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Neil
Paint Manipulator
Posts: 160
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Post by Neil on Jul 27, 2013 13:29:32 GMT -5
The main difference, I think, is the pigment size and ratio to medium. The pigment in expensive miniatures paint is very fine so as not to clog up the finer details in the sculpt. Also the pigment is more concentrated. Miniature paint also sometimes have flow enhancers that allow them to spread easily and evenly on the small miniatures. Craft paint, on the other hand, has courser pigment and higher ratio of medium to pigment. Indeed belatucadras you are wise in the ways of pigment size and medium. For minis I like - P3 from privateer press - Citadel from Games Workshop, Vallejo and Mantic warpaints. For me - for tiles its Craftsmart ! When it goes on sale at Michaels ! I learned a few things about paint at the local artist supply store. Art shops will at times have talks on paints. Golden paints for example sends out reps to give talks and hand out free samples. You listen to a fairly boring talk on pigment, binders, medium, and what thinning does - you can end up with 40 to 80 dollars worth of free paint. Its like the magic card or controlled substance free sample thing, they hope you will get hooked and come back for more. For on line info goldenpaints web site has some info if you want to Nerd Out on paint.
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sgtslag
Paint Manipulator
Posts: 102
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Post by sgtslag on Jul 30, 2013 23:23:41 GMT -5
Bottom line: craft paints are cheap, mini's paints are expensive -- experiment first, then decide where to spend your money. I've seen painters who are far superior to my skills, produce fantastic work with craft paints. Don't buy into hype, and sales pitches. Cheers!
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