whats closest thing to gw old paint?

[Ryan]

i thought they would just add to the range of paints, not replace the whole lot and leave my paint collection kind of obsolete, im not liking the idea of paying hundreds for a new range of paints unless i have too (and it wont be games workshop if i do) i have heard coat d arms and Vallejo Game Color are similar, but whats the closest? just lookin for information really id like to keep using the paints i have but if i have to replace a color half way threw or down the line they will need to match

thanks in advance

[Gangrel]

Cote d'Arms made the original GW paints years ago, so they have matches for the old, old colours. Vallejo have matches for some of the  recent colours but you might have to eyeball them. My local model railway shop (of all places) has a handy dandy chart that matches colours from about 8 ranges (including Citadel) so you can look up a colour and find a Humbrol/Testors/whatever match. I'd suggest asking at your local shop and seeing if they can help. Or stock up on paints while you can.

[Ben Brownlie]

Whilst many of them are similar they are not the same

Not even the Coat D'Arms to the really old stuff

Similar but not the same

Test before buying loads

[beefcake]

I had a look on the GW site a few days ago and they seemed to have a "most similar colour" table. Probably not much help though as you probably saw that.

[somaticon]

Check and see what colors you use most and then do a comparison. My wife iss glad GW appears to have brought tentacle pink back as it is one of the colors she paints her tyranids in

[Avicenna]

The tentacle pink lookalike is unfortunately a dry paint...

But tge actual range is pretty damn good imo - the paint flows well with minimal thinning, and also works well in the massive dilutions that I tend to use.

Regarding a replacement, what do you require? Is it colour matching or quality that most interests you? Vallejo GAME colour probably best matches colour-wise but I really don't like the actual paint - it dries really glossy and oddly plastic-looking. As for quality, it's difficult to beat the new rendition of the P3 paints. But I also do like the new citadel paints... You don't have to buy the whole range, and keep using the paint you've already got - its not really too much of a problem we've got paints from the original gw line that we still use and they are a decade + out of production

[Ryan]

im army painting, more worried that ill run out of some color or another and not be able to find a match thats the problem, didnt have a problem with gw paints till they got rid of the whole of my paint collection

[ink the troll]

There's this on DakkaDakka: http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Paint_Range_Compatibility_Chart
Might help to find a rough equivalent to whatever tone you're using now, it's a starting point at least.

[Ryan]

yeah i seen that mate and tried to read up about it, was thinking either Vallejo Game Color or going Coat D'arms didnt know what other people were using, or if anyone else was in same predicament as me

[cute_goth13]

I'm halfway through painting my Tau army and must admit I got rather cross when GW changed the range! I've gone for a very clean & bright colour set so any slight variation in colour really stands out. I simply trawled through Amazon/ Ebay & local model stores & bought about 8 of each of the old colours I use most before they went. I'd already switched to the Vallejo system for everything else, and was just using the GW for the Tau as they were started in them & I never found a match I was 100% happy with.

[Ryan]

how are you finding Vallejo Game Color?

[Gangrel]

I have a local stockist for old GW paints. I could get some and post them over if you're stuck for finishing off your Tau?

[DanG]

First thing I asked was if there was a comparison of old to new.  And the last White Dwarf (in addition to being a painting special) had a compare on the back page.

So at least they acknowledge that its not a total switch.  In many cases its a name change.

[Ryan]

dan would it be this one? http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m2320032a_Citadel_Conversion_Chart

says on there it is a total switch, sure white is still white and black probably still black but as for everything in between :/ who knows

[Gangrel]

One of the things I was told was that it was a condition of switching to the new paint manufacturer that no colours in the new range were matches for the old ones.

[cute_goth13]

I quite like the vallejo game colour. The dropper system is easier to use when thinning the paint and stops the pots drying out as fast. They have a nice colour range too.

@gangrel: I think I'm good for the Tau colours but thanks for the offer 

[Vermis]

The dropper system is easier to use when thinning the paint

 

I never got this myself.

[ink the troll]

Can be quite messy when you have to clean the clogged up nozzle on the Vallejo paints or have to add water or thinner to the bottle because the paint starts to get to thick/ dry out.
Vallejo can be a bit hit and miss- most of the skin tones in the Game Color range I don't like- worst offender being the Game Color Elf Skintone, lumpy stuff only suitable for gribbly minis like zombies/ nurgley creatures, where lumps and warts applied with a paint brush don't necessarily ruin a paintjob.
The Model Air metallics on the other hand are lovely, it's like a whole new world of metallics.
Most of the Model Color paints I've used so far dry slighlty different to what the wet paint looks like, so it takes a bit of time to get used to them.
Also I've found that you have to shake the paints like mad for some colours to get them to mix properly, I've started throwing bits of tabs and steel balls into the bottles to act as aggitators. Nowhere as bad as the Secret Weapon washes. Mixing is far easier with GW/ Coat'dArms pots.
Overall they do make some nice paints well worth trying.

[Gangrel]

I think the entire Model Air range is great; certainly my paints of choice for airbrushing. For brushwork, I'm getting to love Reaper's range.

[ink the troll]

I think the entire Model Air range is great; certainly my paints of choice for airbrushing. (...)

Despite owning an airbrush I've never used them with it. Someday I'll get around to cleaning up this whole mess and will have enough room for actually using that airbrush...
Out of curiosity: have you used their surface primers with an airbrush? That should give an ultra smooth surface (it's probably a bit sad that I'm looking forward to trying that someday).

Will have to try some more Reaper paints as so far I've only got the Dark Skin Tones triad set, which hasn't seen much use but was fairly promising.

[Gangrel]

I tend to airbrush over white, spray car primer. I'm no expert (far from it!) but that seems to work well for me.

I find the Reaper triads to be excellent. Lovely to work with, and they blend really well. Currently my paints of choice.

[leadhead]

I find the Reaper triads to be excellent. Lovely to work with, and they blend really well. Currently my paints of choice.

  That is all I own.  With the exception of Testors white primer and some Tamiya clear colors.

[somaticon]

I've had a few problems with Vallejo paints including one of the stoppers popping off in my face (literally) and spraying paint everywhere lol I may have squeezed too hard.

[Vermis]

I've had a few problems with Vallejo paints including one of the stoppers popping off in my face (literally) and spraying paint everywhere lol I may have squeezed too hard.

Ditto.    Hence my skepticism.

[Avicenna]

One of the things I was told was that it was a condition of switching to the new paint manufacturer that no colours in the new range were matches for the old ones.

This could be an old wives tale... the new manufacturer is actually GW themselves (so Ive been told)