Some Paint Thoughts

I often talk about paints I currently use and have used, paints I’ve tested, and paints I’m currently testing. It occured to me that I have not really put out a “state of the paints Jon uses in 2026” type thing, as I know the modeling world is holding its collective breath for that. (Or maybe it’s just gas… 🤷‍♂️)

So… here it is.

Now, I am NOT suggesting, hinting, or implying that you should dump what you have and go get anything I’m using. This is just a list of what I currently use most often… for now, along with some thoughts on others.

My Primary “Go To” – Vallejo

I’m at the point now where the first thing I reach for in almost every scenario has “Vallejo” on it. Model Color, Model Air, and Game Color are the bulk of what I use. I already had a good collection of Model Color stuff. Then a local hobby shop had Model Air on sale for like 30¢ a bottle if my memory serves correctly, and I grabbed a boatload of that.

The thing I like about Vallejo is that I’ve never really found a product of theirs that I didn’t find useful. On occasion, I may find one brand or another that I favor in one area (more on that later), but for the most part, they’re like the old IBM. No one was ever fired for choosing IBM. I’ve said it in jest, but there is a real seriousness to it also: if Vallejo ever contacted me and said “we’ll give you whatever you need whenever you need it, but you have to use our stuff exclusively”, fine. Sign me up. Not that it will happen, but… it would be cool. #winksatvallejo

Houston, We Have A Problem

Not all is perfect, however, in the Land O’ Spanish Water And Pigments. One of the local hobby shops dropped Vallejo entirely, saying it was getting difficult for them to get resupplies. And this wasn’t “some guy”, but the store owner whom I’ve known for years. And a while back, I visited Hobby Lobby, and their Vallejo paint rack was completely empty. Plus, the more I look, the more I find that the signs point to Vallejo perhaps getting scarcer. It seems to be centered around shipping, tariffs, and production challenges as they deal with the labor strikes of late 2024 and the shift to their new formulas.

It doesn’t mean I’m giving up on Vallejo, but I do hope that whatever it is gets sorted out.

The Exceptions

If I am really concerned about red or metallic paints, I like Citadel. (Now called Warhammer Color, by the way.) Vallejo reds are good, but Warhammer Color seems to nail the red and metallic paints. And for me they are easy to get… it’s a 2 mile detour on my drive home to drop by the Warhammer Store. And it’s near Firehouse Subs. So… bonus. 🙂

I rarely need to get too deep into shades of yellow, but if I do – Warhammer Color again. Vallejo’s various yellows are really good, but if I’m doing something where I really need a variety of yellow paints, Warhammer Color is tops for that. But that is really way, way down the rabbit hole. If all you have is Vallejo Model Color Flat Yellow, and Vallejo Game Color Yellow Gold, that fits 99% of situations. If you’re in the other 1% you’re likely building Imperial Fists or some Orks. Or Orcs. Or… Eric.

And of course, there are a few colors, mostly canon Warhammer stuff, that are best served by Warhammer Color if “close enough” is not good enough. But those are rare… the only one that comes to mind right now is Warhammer Color’s Sons of Horus Green.

Acrylic Washes and “Speed-Type” Paints

For acrylic washes, Vallejo is good, but their line of washes (last time I looked) was limited in the number of colors available. They are definitely more affordable. So aside from the basic colors, I generally turn to Warhammer Color. They cost more, but they are really good. That said, I am testing AK Interactive’s Acrylic Washes – and liking the performance, color range, and price.

For the “speed-type” paints – and I use that term generically, I like Warhammer Color Contrast and Vallejo Express Color. Both work well, and it generally comes down to color choice, availability, and cost. Both have a fairly wide range of colors. Local availability gives the nod to Warhammer Color, but Vallejo is cheaper – if I can buy it locally. Which is not always the case.

Other Random Thoughts

I have tried Pro Acryl, and I did like them. However, availability and cost, and ultimately performance, caused me to shrug and move on. I get that many really good mini painters swear by them. In some cases, I suspect it is because they get a steady supply. And I also think that the very nature of being a successful YouTuber (which I do not count myself as) requires enthusiasm for something being “the best Jerry, the best!” In my own brief trials it wasn’t so much they weren’t good -because they were – but I saw immediately that there wasn’t enough of a difference to move me off of my investment in Vallejo. Now, if Vallejo gets hard to get, and I want to find a US supplier… these will certainly be on my radar. They are good paints.

When it comes to Two Thin Coats, I have tried those. A lot. I have Wave 1 and Wave 2. And I like them, a lot. BUT… cost and availability did not move them past Vallejo. If I could get a reliable local source I’d probably opt for those for many of the things I like Warhammer Color for. But I’d still go with Vallejo for the majority.

The AK Interactive 3rd Gen paints are very good. They may as well be Vallejo in a different bottle. But there is no local source. And if I do get them online, they’re generally a little higher in cost than Vallejo (by about 50¢) and are the same price as Two Thin Coats… which I prefer over AKI3G. So… still Vallejo.

A new one (to me) that I’ve tried is MicroMark Acrylic, MicroMark’s own house brand. They say it is made in the US, but I don’t know if they’re made by them, or for them. (Not that it matters much…) They even offered to send me some for review, but I prefer to purchase my stuff. They are good… like… Vallejo good. And their normal price is about the same as Vallejo. But they are ONLY mail order as far as I know. And their metallics… they’re just awful. Plus, their range is far more limited. If I lost ALL my paints tomorrow, I’d certainly buy the basic paints from Micromark to get started again. But… availability is the key.

Another paint I have seen, but not tried, is Squadron Hobbies Squadron Color, formerly Scale Color. These are also US made, according to Squadron. I’ve not tried them yet simply because I have SO many paints already. So that’s another one to consider.

Scale75 has a very nice range of paints. They are a Spanish manufacturer. I started to get into them after hearing Mark Sorastro speak highly of them, but again I ran into that wall of “but is it that much better than Vallejo?” And once again, the answer was no. They are good. But availability and price won the day again for Vallejo.

Speaking of Sorastro (check out the interview I did here) I noticed that over time, he has “drifted” paint brands. He was very much into Vallejo and Warhammer Color in his early years, then Scale75, and then a brand of tube acrylics. The last video I saw seemed to be heavy into Pro Acryl. So it gives me some comfort that if Sorastro “drifts” brands, it’s not an uncommon thing. And truth be told no matter what I’ve seen him use his stuff ALWAYS looks amazing.

Which proves, I suppose, in the end it is the hand that holds the brush that really matters.

You didn’t mention Army Painter?

No, I didn’t… but since you asked… 🤣

I will not use them. At all. Their old range was just not up to the Vallejo standard. It just wasn’t. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I really tried to make them work, because I bought into the whole “more affordable” spin for a short while. But it dawned on me that saving 10% but sacrificing more than that in quality is not actual savings.

And yes, I know they support the hobby, and they’re nice guys, and they’re very responsive. I’m quite sure I’d enjoy sitting down for a cup of coffee with them.

All of that is not enough to knock Vallejo of the top of my heap. Vallejo is a silent monolith for the most part. But I’ve never had to question “will this work?” when it comes to Vallejo.

Army Painter had to reformulate both that old range, and their original Speed Paints, to simply be able to claim “as good as Vallejo”. And a few people I know and trust that tested their latest stuff basically said “Yeah, good, but… not quite.”

Every product I’ve used from them – every single one – has an asterisk, so to speak. You have to know some additional piece of info… drain the extra fluid from the top. Old Speed Paints reactivated, which was a “feature”, until… it wasn’t and they re-did the whole line. Natural hair brushes that aren’t any more durable than other quality synthetics. What irritates me is they market it as if it is a huge cost savings… but against Vallejo? Not so much. So I never recommend Army, and will never use them. Fooled once, shame on you. Fooled twice… Jon, you’re a moron.

Now, if you use them, and you like them – cool. Stick with them. But with so many GOOD options out there… if I recommend a paint, it will not be Army Painter. Ever.

(I was actually offered their full range once for free. I turned it down.)

Closing Thoughts On Paints

Of course, there are many more brands than what I’ve covered above, even just among water-based acrylics. But you’ve probably detected a theme in my own use… is it better than Vallejo? Is it easier to get? Is it more cost effective? And most importantly, does another brand outweigh the fact that I have HUNDREDS of Vallejo paints already? That is a high wall to climb.

Because the fact of the matter is, there’s only so much you can do with water-based acrylics to actually get them to work. The basic formula is simple. There may be a few things that differentiate brands – mostly pigment density and the “add on” chemicals. But the envelope to make it all work, even with some variation, is very narrow. It’s why you won’t see a brand come out that is the jet equivalent of an F-35 versus an F-80. Though I am no chemist, what I do know says it’s simply not possible.

Ultimately, pick the paints you like. Not because of what I say. Not because some YouTuber hypes them. But do some testing. Make your choice. And…

Buy fewer paints. I wish I would have.

Live and learn.

Happy day to you friend,

jon