How to paint with generic acrylic paints (Marabu,Dal Rowney)

[Germanicus]

Hi everybody, I've read here in the forum that some of you use generic acrylic paints like Marabu or Daler Rowney ones. So I decided to try them given the low cost but I found their coverage to be muuuuuch less strong than dedicated paints. I used them on a black primer and mixed them with cold water only. To have them cover the primer decently I had to paint 4 layers. Do you have any hints on how to make them work?

[Minuteman]

I do use artists (tube) acrylics for certain things, but not every application when painting figures. I find that these paints work well - over a primer coat - for horses, and as a base (dark) layer on figures.

There are two reasons for my not using artists acrylics for all applications: One is the reason you have noted; they do not always always cover well ie: they are sometimes semi-transparent. The other is that some are slightly 'glossy' when dry.

I think the thing is to experiment and see what works. Cheaper paints will tend to be thinner, but still have some applications eg: for providing a thin base coat/wash over a primed figure to bring out the light and shade of the moulding.

More expensive paints are generally higher quality and cover better. Have a look at this site for instance to read more: https://www.goldenpaints.com/products/colors/heavy-body

Good luck!

[steve_pickstock]

Generally I don't use generic paints like this. The only exception is when I use them for scenery, terrain, that sort of thing. I did try to use them for figures, but the issues around coverage were what put me off.

I think when you need to paint a large area and coverage isn't an issue then they have value, certainly a lot better than using small bottles of Vallejo or Games Workshop. It's easy enough to blend in a few colours and make a large mess of paint to coat areas of ground or rock and slap it on, in some cases the underlying material (eg plaster etc) coming through the paint can actually enhance the effect.

[PaulRPetri]

I have only used tube acrylic paints as base coat primer step. My plastic soldiers are painted for wargaming so the tougher and more flexible the paint job the better. I read many years ago that the tube acrylic paints offered and excellent surface to paint on much better than spray primer. I have no idea why that would be, but it appears to me that this is correct. However because I am generally a lazy fellow I have gone back to spray priming most of the time. As stated above watering down the paints to get the correct consistency and then working the paint onto the miniatures takes some time which I prefer to spend on actually painting the figures. I would say give up on the tube acrylics for painting your miniatures. I even used the really cheap craft paints in the past to paint miniatures but have gotten away from that only using them on terrain pieces.

[Bluefalchion]

I mixed my cheap tube acrylic with vallejo matte finish and some water and it did the job priming a horse and rider after 2-3 coats. I also did a thin coat of PVA glue first and let that dry all the way. So far so good.

[Konrad]

I paint everything with MARABU ACRYLIC PAINTS.
The best colors if you ask me.

[Germanicus]

Nice to hear from a skilled painter like you that tube acrylic can do the job. Can you elaborate more on your technique?

[T. Dürrschmidt]

If you paint colors over a black primer, you will always get a quite dark result. If you use lower pigmented colors (like the GW "layers" or Marabu etc.) this can be an advantage….OK you have to paint more layers to get a bright result but the shadows look more natural (difficult to describe) and you can build up the color from dark to bright areas.

[Denyer]

After some fifty years of figure painting I now use a mix of paint types for my wargame figures;

1) Start with sprayed motor shop primers for metal and PVA?/water/base-colour for plastics.

2) Vajjeo or "imitation Humbrol" acrylic modellers' paints, mixed with tube artists' acrylics (particularly for large areas, horses, flesh, greys, greens and mid tones) and small (thimble sized) toy shop kiddies' pre-mixed acrylic tubs (alas the ones I used to get - unbranded, dirt cheap and the BEST reds and yellows I've ever run across - which have passed the "30 years use" test, don't seem to be available any more). Some DIY tester acrylics (particularly browns).

3) Humbrol enamels for gloss and metallics. However, the new Humbrols seem more erratic than my old cans and I may have to ditch using these as my old stocks run out.

4) Home-made washes or various wood stains or white-spirit thinned enamels for shading (when I can be bothered/where appropriate).

5) Windsor & Newton artists' matt varnish lightly (almost dry-brushed) applied.

Figures now survive being stamped on. hoovered up and chewed by the cat with minimum damage..

[Xantippos]

The only way to paint with them, is avoid them . I have tried; is basically madness try to get any good result. If everything is primed with white, and you buy good quality artists acrylics, perhaps. I remember using my mother's acrylics to paint black, yellow and blue for my Britons, sometimes the black was not that bad, and the blue with two coats gave a different look.

Some years later I tried yellow out of desperation, it was bad, but mind, not that different to other yellows properly sold as modellers paints!

For me, coverage is basic. I hate having to prime, or paint two coats.

Denyer, very interesting recipes .

Personally, I use a mix of nearly all manufacturers, Humbrol, Vallejo, Game Colour, Citadel, P3, Coat d'arms, etc. For what I have seen, Formula P3 yields the best results, but some colours are just very bad in coverage. I would say that the old Citadel/Games Workshop were the best paints, in excellent coverage and super vibrant colours, but alas, not made for the last 15 years more or less.

For varnish, MIG super matte is excellent to achieve a good solid matte finish.

[Kekso]

IMHO, Marabu aren't bad at all... at least for basecoating and larger surfaces... maybe not for details and layering, glazing etc. (but I've never gave them much chance)