Hobby Paints Better than Craft Paints for Miniatures?

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

Thanks to Adventurers & Adversaries for sponsoring this video! *CHECK OUT THE KICKSTARTER* : bit.ly/AandAw5

[@Hennogon]

Maybe sculpting a thicker part onto the Brush Handle helps to reduce shaking? The added Area to grab and also more weight should in theory help to reduce shaking and/or cramping of muscles. Awesome videos btw :)

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

I have a whole video discussing dealing with tremors while painting you can check out if you'd like. Trust me it's something I've spent a lot of time and consideration on. :)

[@alaskankare]

Thank you so much for your videos! I was surprised you changed to cheap brushes when trying to compare paints. using the quality brushes might have allowed a better comparison. I agree and am glad you came to what I found. Brushes definitely make a huge difference when you move to details.

[@exteriorcobra1575]

There is a cheap method to make a wash and you use paint dish soap and water and it works

[@dakotarocco2433]

i guess I am kinda off topic but does anybody know of a good website to watch newly released series online?

[@jonathantillian6528]

Someone get ahold of Goobertown Hobbies and ask him to paint a miniature using gravy and ketchup.

[@otterblau5253]

He would be the one

[@zosoknight]

Season 10 of Goobertown Roulette prediction: paint a miniature using only the tools and material available to you in a Happy Meal.

[@MS-zo8tp]

didn't miniac do a sketch where he painted with ketchup and mustard?

[@GoobertownHobbies]

@@zosoknight brb getting tendies

[@ArtJeremiah]

I agree.

[@MrDjpaulh1982]

You don’t give yourself enough credit mate. You’re a really good painter.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

I think I paint good *sometimes*. I have painted some minis that I think are really great and that I'm really proud of, but I'm not consistent. I blame it on the shakes. I have good days and bad days.

[@TommyWashow]

@@BlackMagicCraftOfficial Nothing like blaming it on the shakes, I even do it for my nice paint jobs

[@DemePoole]

It's called fishing for compliments

[@sheyrd7778]

@@BlackMagicCraftOfficial Just watched your video, I wanted to see the comparison. For table top quality looks very good. You are above average in my opinion not everyone is going to try to paint a Golden Daemon award. Keep up the good work. And all of us have that Great piece of work and that one that you want to throw out. :D

[@Tunanunaa]

I’m not a mini painter, but I am an illustrator with some painting experience, and I 100% agree about the value of good paints vs good brushes. While high quality, pigmented paints are great and can make the process faster and the results better, I will absolutely invest more money in my brushes. Trying to use cheap or worn out brushes to paint details and smooth lines is a huge pain, and it quickly makes the process not enjoyable and the end product worse looking. My painting has totally improved since I have invested in just a couple quality brushes since I can now get the crisp details I want without fighting against my tools

[@juandavidruizserna]

Thanks for the advice, will save up some money to buy good brushes in the near future

[@ThunderStruck15]

If someone *does* need cheap brushes, look up “color me” brushes, it’s about $5 for a pack of ten, and it punches well above it’s weight category in cheap brushes.

[@Dack24]

Some craft paint like Delta cremcoat used to indicate transparency on the bottle. The transparent colors were pretty aweful for mini painting, but a lot of the opaque ones were pretty great for tabletop painting.

[@johnhunter9646]

I've used craft paints since the early '70's. I used to be a commission painter (before my stroke). Always been happy with the results

[@WillMontgomery85]

Now I want to see what one of the super skilled painters can do with ketchup and gravy...

[@deleterinserepeat2079]

It clogs the airbrush. Not that I’ve tried it.... ...............

[@Solsys2007]

Absolutely ! I remember when he used toilet paper to create hessian, or maybe windmill sails, I can imagine this absorbent material would work well with foodstuff. Also, I suggest Pesto for green, Marmite/Vegemite for dark brown (washes even ?), mustard for yellow/ocre... and spices for granularity / dust effects... Well here you go, you called this upon yourself ! ^^

[@dragonmk123]

Let's make this happen!

[@2H80vids]

I'd watch that.👍👌😁

[@the_dreamwriter]

Here you go: www.deviantart.com/nadienska/art/Pulp-Kitchen-2-564594508 (Not a model, but ketchup and good fun)

[@KnarbMakes]

I've actually been debating buying more miniature paints and this helped me choose to put it off for a bit longer, those sets are not cheap. Thanks Jeremy!

[@Dragonfire-tn2jg]

You should also try artist paints, way cheaper than miniature paints but miles above craft paints.

[@jennakhrysavek8443]

or just get good brushes, and cheaper paints. most of his complaints about the craft one was about the brushes, not the paints.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

@@jennakhrysavek8443 but good brushes are a BIG investment, and if you’re doing that......buy better paints too 😉

[@sumotode]

Look into artist acrylic paints. They generally are better quality and you get far more for the same price as miniature paints. Something like Jo Sonja or something. It is kinda of a good middle ground, but you will have to learn how to mix more with artist paints.

[@toothless3835]

I actually really like and prefer to work with artist acrylics and using flow improver or thinner to thin them out if need be. I'm used to how they work better and find they don't dry as fast and with the way I paint which is mostly if not 90% wet blending it makes it easier for me. I don't think I'm a great painter but I also don't know how to figure out shadow and highlights well. I'm mostly good at doing a great base coat then I get kind of stuck and am uncertain what else to do with the mini. Why when really good painters say they take like 40 hrs or something on one mini I feel like I should probably be doing just as long... And can't figure out what to do with it after a 4-8 hour mark. Also, just got ganache type paints I haven't tried yet. They're rewetable... So I'm hoping that I can use them and then varnish them to prevent smudge

[@nekrataali]

So there's different grades of paint: craft/student grade, professional grade, and artist grade. Craft/student grade has the lowest amounts of pigment with the highest amount of binder. Its primary use is for students and children to learn with, or create cheap touch-ups on things like picture frames. It's meant to cover as wide a surface as possible for as cheap as possible. Professional grade has higher amounts of pigment with an appropriate level of binder/additives. It's meant to cover things in just a few coats, but also not scrape off or chip. Car paint, house paint, etc. falls under this category. And while they aren't labeled as such, the vast majority of hobby paints are professional-grade. You can use them right out of the bottle and can cover a surface in one or two coats (maybe more depending on the color). Artist grade has the most amount of pigment with as little binder/additives as possible, generally just enough to make sure the pigment stays together once dry. This is the expensive paint you find in art stores that comes in a metal tube and costs $80 for oil Cobalt Blue. Of course, many artist grade paints aren't actually that expensive, especially when buying acrylic. The downside to these paints is the cost (which isn't good for students or amateurs) and the high pigment quantity means you have to add to the paint to get the desired effect. Often, these paints are too heavy body for miniature painting and require mixing with stuff like gel medium or mineral spirits before use. The benefit, however, is just how many things you can do. The paint can be "sculpted" to form shapes. It can be thinned down and not chip or flake. So the moral of the story? Use craft paint if you don't care about chipping and just want something presentable, such as terrain or when you mix it with flocking/basing. Hobby paints (and similarly stuff like house paint for you dippers out there) are useful for 99% of your tabletop needs. If you want to reeeeeeeeally push the boundaries of your painting or want the maximum bang for your buck, start switching to artist grade. You can mix heavy body acrylics with gel medium and other cool additives to get the most out of your paints. A pot of 12ml Evil Sunz Scarlett is $4.55. 59ml from Games Workshop. The same color (Cadmium Red Med hue) from Golden Open Acrylics is $19. That's $0.37/milliliter of professional grade vs. $0.32/ml of artist grade. Except with the artist grade, you can add more thinners and additives than you could with Citadel Paints. A 1-to-1 ratio of Acrylic Glazing Liquid to Cad Red will give you the same amount of coverage as Evil Sunz Scarlett. Except the glazing medium costs $21 for a 237ml (8 cents per milliliter!) bottle. So for 2ml of Scarlett, you're paying 74 cents. But for 2ml of artist grade paint with some gel medium, it costs you only 40 cents for the same amount of coverage. And that's for Golden Color's Open Acrylic line, which is one of the more spendy products out there. Liquitex, Utrecht, Winsor & Newton, and Gamblin are all established brands with good quality paints. Your nearest art store probably has more brands made locally or regionally that are of good quality and value. This is especially true if you live near an art school and many different companies will supply art stores with their brands. Of course, you could be an absolute chad and go make your own pigments out in the woods by burning dirt, collecting beetle shells, and mining your own precious metals before mixing them with homemade linseed oil like they used to do back in the Renaissance. That will depend on your local minimum wage.

[@Tormod29]

Except coverage in application does not always match this, like how his craft yellow covered better. In application personally I have found it is the size of the pigment that is your issue with craft paint and miniatures. The pigment is bigger so you end up with parts that look chalky or like there was a little dirt in with the paint. Also the craft paint he is using is less than 1 cent per milliliter, 59 milliliters for 50 cents.

[@nekrataali]

@@Tormod29 The craft paint is cheaper because it has a different quality that makes it more likely to chip, crack, or fade. Like you can use craft paint for your minis, but just beware craft paint isn't meant to be used on surfaces that get handled and moved around or for professional work.

[@jZamora87]

@@nekrataali what if I were to gesso the mini, paint it with craft paint then use varnish, would that make the pigment last decades? I'm super new to painting and want to be super cheap.

[@cbradquillen]

My parents forced me to work in the mines starting at age 3 to get pigments for our own home-made paints. I was able to find time to do this while not working on the linseed farm (hey, you've got to get medium from somewhere). We've been able to find adequate pigments for most colors. Luckily, I did hit a vein of radium for glow-in-the-dark paints. Since I started making those, I've been feeling strange and having severe gastrointestinal symptoms. I've lost weight, AND I have an abundant source of brown pigment. Life is good!!!

[@ThunderStruck15]

@@nekrataali I’ve been testing apple barrel paints: except for the colors that are problems in all paints, like neons, it’s entirely light fast. I have examples that have sat in full florida sun for an entire year. No different.

[@stuartfarrell6729]

love the call out to the first nations people I just changed over to reaper paints now ill get better washes thanks for the video vary helpfull

[@alexandersnider734]

PNW and CA(nadian) homies know what's up

[@Haunted_Gallows]

Reaper, Vallejo, and Citadel (Games Workshop) are my go-to paint brands.

[@streetroyals8628]

Your video on the shakes really helped my and your method of having your arms close to your chest helped me out a lot , the paint handles you have there look like theyd help aswell paint jobs look great and watching your videos inspire me alot

[@NomdePlume337]

I love that BMC is always linking to different kickstarters and patreons. I can never find these things on my own

[@raeishimura]

I'm glad I've seen a few people doing videos on using craft paint for miniatures. Really, a paint brush is the big difference to how a model is going to look. I've been working with craft paints for the last couple of years, and some of my friends have been absolutely stunned with some of the stuff that comes out of it. Making your own washes is very tricky, because you can get a good home-made wash, but it is not easy to get the consistency right, and hobby washes takes the guess work out of it. But you can get good results from craft paints for sure, and I'm glad to see people giving them a fair chance

[@emilydowd-arrow3751]

This makes me feel so much better. I started painting minis with craft paints and felt embarrassed, but really didn’t think they did half bad-except the bottles that were literally ten years old! They still worked. Both your minis look great, so... win win

[@mastergeebo]

Back in the late 80's/early 90's we used Testors enamel paint for our D&D minis.

[@stevenwhite7763]

I hated using those for models. could never quite get things right.

[@looselycollected7505]

I don't even like using that stuff on model kits.

[@Darkbirdy]

That's how I got my start!

[@saintcityriot1]

Yup, my first Orcs were gloss green!

[@jakkaljakobie8774]

I'm still using Testors, but boy, their quality varies. Metallic acrylics are great, but the rest of the line is so hit and miss.

[@willburke]

Expecting a Jazza video trying to paint with gravy and ketchup now.

[@GettinJiggly]

Think he did already

[@stefanhoover9888]

Sounds about right 😂

[@nickrogers3111]

he did just not on minis, he made a painting colab with another channel where he used food to paint a painting

[@AleesaTana]

You know, there is actually a craft paint wash - it's usually labeled as Antiquing medium. When I used to paint ceramics (including the whole winter village thing) it was a pretty common step. It's very easy to over-do it, and it can turn out shiny if left on too thick, but I'm a fan of it's warm brown coloring over using just black.

[@graefx]

When I had just starting getting into tabletop and pnp games, one of the play group painted all their house holds minis with craft paints. They knew someone who worked in a paint factory and when they switched between filling different colors, thered be an amount of mixing since it used all the same machinery. So they'd get bottles of those off run contaminated colors, bring them home and use them. End up being quite the rainbow selection and at table top distance, you'd never notice.

[@fakeplasticsoldier]

It's very encouraging to see good results from another person who struggles with tremors

[@adamjohnson4821]

Would like to see you try a third. Cheap paint, good washes and brushes. Think that could give a interesting result. And might be worth checking out.

[@zakkbrentlinger2165]

This is what I do. It turns out pretty decent tbh

[@RossBobbie]

I've had similar experience, washes are a great investment but I actually have more fun with the craft paints since its cheap as heck to experiment with color mixing. Acrylic flow improver makes them perform better than expected.

[@DJKnarnia]

I'd like to see one taking the best of both sets of supplies. Such as the better opacity of the craft yellow/beige with the good quality brushes and "real" washes. I think this is a case of knowing your materials, and their strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes the most expensive option is the best, other times the dirt cheap option is actually better. To be honest, I've never painted a mini in my life, this is just more of a generalized belief I have from my personal experiences in other areas.

[@kusodm2347]

Really appreciate you making a video like this, it’s very educational for people who are budget conscious or don’t have stores around where they can ask or get the specialty paints in-person.

[@StudsonStudio]

I like the subtle drop of the #ketchupgravychallenge

[@jackdunne6152]

I actually switched from "good" paint to the cheap stuff a few months ago. It was rough at first, but now I actually prefer to use the cheap paints. I absolutely agree about the brushes and washes... although I still use homemade washes.

[@Tormod29]

Get one bottle of nun oil, you cannot beat it. (I have tried)

[@cybermoose8188]

Homemade washes are where it's at once you get the science down. Any colour and consistency you want.

[@keystep8669]

Hey if you could drop your mix ratios for a brown or black wash I'd really appreciate it.

[@jackdunne6152]

@@keystep8669 I don't have an exact ratio (I kind of eyeball it), but in general you start with a very small amount of paint, add water a little bit at a time until it gets to the right consistency, and then add a drop of dish soap to improve the viscosity. If you use more paint, it'll have a higher pigment ratio, but is also more likely to act like an ink than a wash, so I try to use more water to counteract that.

[@barlotardy]

The first minis I painted were old Ral Partha pewter minis, with Testors enamels. We've come a long way, baby!

[@bobhoskins-kl6ue]

yep, I started with the hobby when rogue trader came out in the 80's and my friends and I painted our first 40k figs with testors. I still have hand full of old metal Orks with that testors still on them :)

[@Kahtini]

First mini I painted was also a Ral Partha, only it was lead. And I used gouache/watercolor paints. I had no clue what the heck I was doing, just using what paints I had available.

[@st4lsell123]

Imma need you to stop being hard on your skills. These look excellent bud.

[@RvnKnight]

I'm still new to the hobby in general, but I prefer the craft paints as I can get more of a variety from them. Like you, I also have issues with my hands, though mine are that I have lack of feeling in half of one hand and it comes and goes in the other, so I had to adapt

[@GoobertownHobbies]

oh yeah, this mini is my non-cat spirit animal. looks niceeeee

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

It’s even better with the moose head option.

[@TaberIV]

I came looking for your comment, I remember you mentioned in a video you wanted to try this lol

[@evanhughes7609]

@@BlackMagicCraftOfficial The feared Moosataur!

[@dubbydapanda7189]

This is exactly how I paint! I don't need fancy schmancy highlights and blends for a model that is a good 3 feet or more on the table that you're not going to be looking at up close. I paint them to where they look pretty damn good as long as they look better than pre-painted minis i'm fine. Also seeing the evolution of your tattoo sleeves growing is just amazing. Whomever did them did an absolutely fantastic job!

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

I actually just did a community post about my tattoos the other day you can check out for info about the artist.

[@21BearPapa]

Im suffering from some heavy tremors too. Its awesome to see someone that has struggles like me in crafting. You actually inspired me to make some stuff for my DND Group and my personal D&D games.. This is extremely short but thanks for showing that I can do the same awesome things that you do.

[@chadcaughmann7898]

I’ve been painting minis for about 20+ years, and have long held the opinion that craft paints are sufficient for probably 90-95% of the people in the miniature painting hobby. Most gamers/hobbyists simply don’t have the skill set to take advantage of any perceived bonuses the expensive paints are meant to provide. Get yourself a nice brush and use the cheap paints. Furthermore - “practice” is going to be monumentally more important than any tool you use. I’d much rather practice with inexpensive materials and learn to get good results with them (because it IS possible).

[@bobhoskins-kl6ue]

I'm the same, and is it me or has apple barrel actually gotten better in the last few years? Some colors, I'm looking at you bright reds, are still bad but over-all I feel the quality had gone up, especially with the metallics.

[@DMNKLR_official]

@@bobhoskins-kl6ue Plaid and most of their competitors have been really working hard at quality improvements, for sure. AB, FolkArt, Ceramcoat, FolkArt Chalk, and a few others have been my go-tos for a few years now, but yes their qualities have most definitely improved.

[@maverickman6486]

This is really it. A good brush and craft paint will get great results for beginners.

[@isabellapopejoy9847]

I just started painting minis and it’s such a relief to see that I can get good at it despite my shaky hands! It’s really frustrating sometimes but you’re really great at it

[@OldManDM]

First time i clicked so fast on a video! Really loved it. In my country it's really hard and expensive to buy hobby paint, so it made my day to know that i should invest more on washes and brushes. Thank you!

[@Darkbirdy]

Thanks for this. I feel vindicated in the recommendations I've given over the years that both tools and craft paints are a limiting factor, but not a killer early on.

[@micahrogers4928]

I agree with you, the biggest positive affect on my painting has been my top quality Army Painter Master Class brushes. any paint can be applied well with good quality brushes.

[@RicksPoker]

At the end, which model was done with the better equipment? The one on the right, right? Warm regards, Rick.

[@DemonWarp65]

Thank you for posting. I just got into Gunpla about a year or two ago, and one of the things I appreciate the fact that apart from a pair of nippers, an exacto knife and occasionally a little superglue, I don't need a whole lot of tools or paint. But there have been times when I want to highlight panels. I also just recently started a Bandai 1/12 Darth Vader model which comes with a sticker and decal sheets which include the colors for the EV system panel, and I really, really SUCK when it comes to applying decals or small, fine-detail stickers, so I would like to simply paint the few tiny details for it. The problem is I can't really use spray or airbrush paints due to budget concerns and living in a rented space.

[@jeffandrews6887]

Love this. I use both paints since being a father of 6 kinda limits my ability to buy the hobby paint. I did buy better brushes and I think it's a great idea and practical. To get good results. And practice, practice practice.

[@GerialdsForge]

Wondrously done with painting the second guy, even with all the struggle about washes; could hardly tell them apart in the end. Recently I'd painted a ranger miniature, who has a cloak similar to the cowls (no pun intended) these guys have, and I covered it with craft paint of green color which I missed among the model paints. Did some highlights as well before also giving it a soft drybrushing of darker tints and brown -- for dirtiness. Have no regrets in the end. Thank you for another great episode, Jeremy.

[@alphonsecoco3]

You should look into oil washes. They're amazing, easy to make, satisfying

[@TwospotzArtAndCraft]

Is there a short clip about the handles? I need to know more.

[@MonkeyJedi99]

I tend to paint with a mix of Apple Barrel and Tamiya, all acrylics. I find that the mix of dried finishes gives me more versatility in final product. I also swap between GW washes and BMC recipe washes, depending on which color I want. With the BMC washes, I apply a little heavy, wait about 15-30 seconds and then dab lightly with a clean paper towel. - Using bad brushes is something every mini painter has gone through, and tries to avoid when they can. - The only paint/primer choice I ever regretted was using automotive primer on minis. That stuff filled all the fine details and I ended up stripping it all off. - Regarding your twins, I'd be happy with either! But brushes are where everyone should spend a little extra.

[@hamster8828]

Fun to see someone make a video confirming something that I've been doing for a while now. I've been using apple barrel instead of citadel paints for about two years now since I'm poor and lemme tell you. It isn't all that different. When he's talking about slowly building up translucent layers using the craft paint he's absolutely right. You can get great results.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

In the end what you save in $ you pay for in time to get more similar results.

[@darlenestange5569]

Thank you for the comparison. I am a beginner in painting miniatures. Really enjoyed the video. Not everyone can afford the paints needed to start painting like a pro. Yes like I can really do this at first. But keep me in tune with what's new.

[@stevenwhite7763]

2 or 3 parts craft paint + 1 part magic wash (instead of water) = smooth paint. I always use magic wash in place of water in thinning down acrylics.

[@DMNKLR_official]

What is magic wash?

[@stevenwhite7763]

@@DMNKLR_official It is a additive you can make to ad to paint. It will not only strengthen paint when brushed on; but, it is also great to thin paint for airbrushing. www.brookhursthobbies.com/paintingclinic/clinic/guestarticles/magicwash.htm

[@lpbayliss]

I too use a wide mouth mason jar for my water! Perfect use!

[@grinchu7630]

this videos is the perfect answer I was looking on my first time painting minis, it really help me a lot

[@starsweeperskies]

Those are some pretty damn good paint jobs, to be honest. I'm glad this had come out recently. I do mini painting as a hobby and most of my friends in my dnd group commission me to paint their minis for them. Especially my best friend, who's spent several hundred dollars on hand painted minis from me over the past year. And then my best friend's dad, who's in our group and has been subjected to multiple of the enemy minis I have painted- from the BBEG dragon, to the kraken, to a surprise black and neon blue tarrasque- has asked me what paints I used and what primer I use. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I use rattlecan primer (if even needed as most of the minis are preprimed) and primarily applebarrel and folkart paints when he himself struggled with hobby paints that he bought a couple dozen containers of when we started playing. So really, it is more or less just the brushes and the washes and practice. I'll definitely have to keep in mind to get some better quality washes. So thank you for doing this comparison. :)

[@roarkegriffon5657]

Thank you! With glaucoma and shaky hands myself - and tight budget - I've been hard pressed to manage painting my minis for gaming. Your tips and tricks are most helpful!

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

I actually have a whole video about how I deal with my shaky hands for mini painting that you can check out for more!

[@LJade1017]

This was great! Thank you! finally starting to paint some minis and cannot afford mini paint so it's good to know I can get similar results using craft paint and instead invest in better brushes and washes!

[@Monkeyshaman]

Stir the big container up really good then decant it into a smaller one. Let's you shake it less in the future. Then just experiment with additives. (mediums, wetting agents, et Al.)

[@MRaadesign]

Nice work and another great vid. I know you have spoken in the past about your tremors. I suggest seeking out a good masseuse. Not a "salon" setting. But a true masseuse that will stretch you and just beat the crap out of you. I had carpel tunnel in my right wrist. Took 6 months, but my masseuse fixed it. Wishing you the best.

[@kentlangham5811]

I have to agree with your assessment that good brushes and washes make the most impact. I still use mostly cheap craft paint but I thin it with matte media. My switch to Army Painter & Vellejo washes from homemade did make my models look better instantly and made painting easier. A similar progression happened with brushes. Thanks for the always helpful videos.

[@christophercomeau6239]

Money is always tight so I started painting miniatures using craft paints. For washes I have been using craft paint blending gel mixed with a little water and a darker shade of what ever color I was using and have gotten what I consider acceptable results. I love your videos. Keep up the good work.

[@kbrautig22]

nice that was cool to watch and see they both look good - gonna try saving money on paint and invest more in brushes and washes and see what i can do with basic craft paint thanks!

[@lande456]

Oh hey I use those exact Apple Barrel paints + GW washes and metallics. I'm just starting out in this hobby and the model paints seem super expensive, so it's good to know I'm not missing out on much. Thanks for the video!

[@TeamQuiggan]

My mom was a tole painter, so my old Space marines are lacquered in thick Decoart paint. Thank you for this video!

[@Lorienhal]

I have minor tremors from being a type 1 diabetic. I have been looking to find some decent handles to help stabilize my hands. I may need to try these ones!

[@SvenEnterlein]

Thanks for the comparison. I used to paint GW in the mid 90s and am thinking about getting back into it. I have no games shop nearby and started stocking up on craft paint and ordered some nice brushes. I tried some quick washes myself but agree that it's suboptimal. However, I never expected to not having to buy special "paints" such as inks and washes separately. If I learned one thing over the years, better tools usually make a hobby ever so much nicer. Keep it up!

[@julieaubutgaudet4403]

Thank you so much! I have been avoiding painting my minis because I don't have hobby paint except second hand enamel paints that drive me nuts because they aren't water soluble. Knowing that the washes are probably going to make the biggest difference gives me my next step and I can just start now!

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

I'd recommend stopping using enamel paints as soon as possible. They are pretty awful for this purpose, you're better off with even cheap acrylics.

[@OmegaLittleBob]

Been experimenting with metallic craft paints myself. Working better than I thought.

[@JohnSmith-qe6fb]

I wouldn't go as cheap as apple barrel, but I use inexpensive acrylics with decent brushes and my own washes. I won't win any painting contests, but I almost always get admiration from my players when I slap down a new miniature on the table.

[@jamesvillasenor9192]

Cool, thank you for comparing the two how they work on the figures. Was wondering and you answered it👍

[@minimishapsgames894]

I haven't been painting very long, and I mix mini paint with craft paint because I have one set of each and there are different colors to choose from. I can't generally afford much for art supplies (both sets were gifts), so this also allows me to draw out how long the paints last before running out. Thanks for an awesome video, and for helping those of us that use cheaper paints recognize that we can still get a lot of enjoyment from the hobby.

[@IdRatherBeMaking]

Outstanding video! I'm new, and I struggle with spending a lot on paints before I know how much I enjoy the hobby. It is great to know I can invest in good brushes and a set of commercial washes and get acceptable results.

[@kba3039]

I am impressed with your painting skills!

[@richlewis4594]

Thank you for answering a question that has really been on my mind a lot recently!

[@Airooadrith]

I actually used a mix of craft paint and acrylic inks to saturate the pigment more watered down. My first model was a all white fox and I'm actually very pleased with the result. The paint flowed well and had decent coverage. Was also able to do the same with metallic and color shift craft paints with great results. Will need to try it with better brushes

[@mattwild4928]

Dude this blew my mind. Thank you for doing something I've always wanted to see done. I possess zero skill in painting minis and use regular craft paint too. I have the will to get better just not always the time.

[@twincitiesfighter60]

Loved the choice to go with the medicine wheel colours

[@bamthemighty9712]

Great video! I have neuropathy and ataxia and have problems with feeling my hands and keeping steady. You should get a keyboard gel wrist rest to put at the edge of your table and use that to help support you. It has helped me tremendously in better painting and longer painting sessions. Thanks for your videos and keep up the good work!

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

That position is not useful for me. I actually have a full video discussing my tremors and how I deal with them you can check out if you'd like.

[@GridironMasters]

I bought a few of the apple barrel paints for 50 cents each. I tested them. Im not a master painter so i couldn't tell much difference. I just made sure i couldn't scratch it off easily. I happily bought every color they had for like $16. I wont be running out of paint any time soon.

[@DungeonMiser]

I switched to Master's Touch acrylic tubes from Hobby Lobby. It's always on sale, it's beautiful, it's as good as any mini paint, and you can mix it to your favorite thickness.

[@NonSleeper_Occasional_Thinker]

Awesome comparison, apparently you have a terrain challenge from Toronto, yes we watch both your channels, have fun, stay safe, be well

[@jebstuart1323]

I tried it once using my pigment grinder that I use for making homemade stains for my violins. It turned the craft paint into a actual usable product. Buy decent paint because its not worth the time/effort needed to get the pigment to a good grind..lol

[@Derpy-qg9hn]

I wonder what that process looks like. Do you have to separate pigment from the paint, orr..?

[@jebstuart1323]

@@Derpy-qg9hn No, you hand grind the pigment, think of a mortal and pestle type of setup. Its ground to its finished state with glass muller (all glass object with a handle and smooth bottom) you rub it against a glass plate. It honestly worked but use craft paint for its intended purpose. Plus it dries out way to quickly for a practical use.

[@xmrpaintx1]

@@jebstuart1323 what if you used a flow improver or drying retardant after the grinding process 🤔

[@jebstuart1323]

@@xmrpaintx1 Drying is due to only working like 1 tablespoon of paint at a time. Craft paint uses poor quality pigments and the particals are still large. All I did was try to make the pigment a finer grind. Its fine for terrain and such.

[@xmrpaintx1]

@@jebstuart1323 right I get that.. but obviously if it's still drying too fast the medium that the pigment is suspended isn't adequate for miniature painting needs... So couldn't a flow improver help slow that a little? That was my train of thought anyway... yes I get it will further dilute the pigment, but if you crushed it finer it shoiild negate that somewhat?

[@frankling.robertsiii6811]

Awesome video! I’ve always said that the brushes matter when painting minis... I don’t normally use a mini holder for painting though. Could you possibly post the link for where I can get the mini holder for painting; when I looked on your website, I didn’t see it listed as one of your tools. Again, fantastic video!

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

It's from Dog Might Games, see if they have it on their site. They gifted it to me and this was my first time using them.

[@barlotardy]

Yellow paint: Or as I call it, the absolute worst.

[@OmegaLittleBob]

Yellow Paint: The 5th God of Chaos

[@m_d1905]

It looks pretty good. (When I set it down to dry for the night.) Aw crap, needs more yellow coats. ( The next morning.)🤪

[@PMandrekar]

One of the tricks I've been using is doing a prime layer where I'm going to do yellow as a light pink. Light pepto-bismol color is what you're shooting for. Then after that dries, do a single coat of yellow. It will look quite rich!

[@AnthonyEmmel]

I have really good results with Citadel's Averland Sunset (base).

[@Bluecho4]

@@PMandrekar I've been hearing this a lot. Must remember to experiment with it on my own, when I finally get around to painting minis using yellow.

[@demonthault]

I once watched a video by a scale modeller who swore by airbrushing craft paints thinned only with Pledge. I gave it a whirl and the results were spectacular!

[@adriant1654]

Yup I use that "shaky" highlight method a lot too!

[@Lizard008]

Very interesting experiment, and I love your conclusion / takeaway!

[@eiloccorb2797]

Your "blah" and "meh" work is just about as close to a masterpiece I could manage.

[@jamesshearer3936]

One of the best uses of craft paint is for small "detail" items like pouches, packs, scabbards and all of the other accouterments on minis. Because they are so inexpensive, it is easy to build a collection of many different colors. 20 shades of brown ranging from just a bit darker than ivory up to deep chocolate would still only cost about $10 at a big box store here in the U.S. But there are also some very good paints hiding behind some of those craft-brand labels. Folk Art makes a "Pure Titanium White" that was recently recommended to me that has better coverage than any white model paint that I have tried. As for thinning craft paint, including that one, a little matte medium along with water helps a lot.

[@seraphoncobus]

I've been using craft paints since I started in 2017 but I use gw washes. Some base layers would end up being like 4 or 5 layers so it did take longer to paint. Some times the lack of full opacity helped create a cool effect though. Thanks for validating my choices. Lol. Great video, cheers!

[@ticac7]

Here in Brazil it's really hard and expensive to get hobby paint, so most of us use the craft paint. Thank god that we have great national washes (and brushes, etc), so it isn't so bad. Thanks for the video and tips!

[@bengamingames5002]

Thanks man, your videos and insight are always appreciated!

[@Sygless]

I appreciate this video, I am kicking off the hobby again but my paints mostly if not all went bad. So I need new ones and wanted to see if I could save money on paints or not. It's just good to have a comparison

[@mthall621]

I started out using Citadel paints, but later switched to artists acrylics such as Windsor & Newton and Golden, in my opinion they are better quality for half the price. Because artists acrylics are much thicker than required for mini painting I mix together small batches of colours and pour into 10ml dropper bottles. Using this method If I see a colour from an image or artwork I like then I would just mix paints together to get to that colour and store in a dropper bottle for future use, I would be more reticent to do this with a set of miniature paints. The main problem being mixing paint like this can be messy but for me it's kinda fun in it's own right.

[@lordnobady]

I did my first few mini's with craft paint and toys from the thrift shop. This way I could start and test out the waters for less than €10,00. After this I got the learn to paint sets from reaper.

[@Bluecho4]

It helps to buy really cheap minis to practice with. By cheap, I mean _micro-cheap._ Like "fractions of a dollar for single minis" cheap. I bought I bunch of identical skeleton minis from Twilight Creations (who have recently made their entire miniature back catalogue available for purchase individually), and have a set of ~50 each dwarf and orc figures from em4 Miniatures waiting next. All ridiculously cheap. Makes using cheap craft paints and brushes less of a waste. The paint ends up more expensive than the minis, so it doesn't matter what I use. Crap paint for crap minis.

[@lordnobady]

@@Bluecho4 I have a set of Halloween spiders for that (€2 for 24 of them)

[@Gauldame]

The order I like telling people if they have to budget or have access issues are: Brushes + wet palette (I used synthetic ones that are decent but not too expensive and can be picked up from hobby or big box stores) A good brush soap to maintain them. A cheap set of makeup brushes. (I got 20 for like 14 dollars, off brand co). Then I recommended if you have access to a paint or art store, medium level acrylics (normally used for fancy painting) with a good set of mediums. The art paint is generally easier to get a hold of, decent quality and in larger amounts than our hobby stuff.

[@cosmicspud7502]

Nice video I just got some 40k guardsmen and I'm looking forward to painting them

[@jeffketter9677]

What's with the twisted copper around the handles? I've never seen that before.

[@BlackMagicCraftOfficial]

It’s to help stabilize your hands in whatever position you need.

[@haxan6663]

I am a tabletop quality painter and use a mixture of hobby paints and good quality acrylics. My wife paints so I can always borrow some of her supplies if I need to. I do have a couple of good brushes, alongside my cheap ones that I use for metallics, dry brushing etc. As a painter, my wife is always amazed by the amount of paints that some artists use to paint a mini. She will sit with 4 colours and manage to mix together 20 out of it!

[@PeacefulAmbience]

Awesome video! This is my first time being a patron and enjoying the early access. Your videos are always useful and entertaining, congratulations for the amazing work!

[@scottpaananen]

Great experiment. My 6 year old just started getting into painting, and i've been letting him use the craft paint. He's really enjoying it. Great video again :)

[@pandaman9489]

I have been painting minis for about a year now and have been using the same craft paint due to cost but using a good wet-pallet and brushes and using gw washes has gotten me alot farther and i have been very happy with the results granted they are minis for d&d but i think they have been very passable most of my friends and family are always excited to see what i have been painting and working on for the next game of d&d.

[@YusakuGod]

The homemade wet palette tip was really useful.

[@DarkFire0421]

What kind of rattle can primer should I use for miniatures? What kind of rattle can can u use on foam ?

[@dannyvanstraelen3273]

Hi, I'm not into gaming figures at all, but I've been modeling for more than 40 years, going from plastic model aircraft, historic figures, scratch build slot cars to my main intrest model trains. And the saying "you never old enough to learn" is my motto, and seeing you enjoy the hobby and making these awesome technical tutorial video, I enjoy very much (and learn from them). When I started there wasn't much choice, most paints were oil based to be used with oil based thinners. These were, in most cases slow dryers, they where very unhealthy as wel, and not a lot of people know the danger of them, and I think that today we are blessed with orderless water based paints, that doesn't mean they are completely safe, but for 90% better than the stuff I started with. Unfortunately, I still see people work with this old stuff, saying modern paints can't beat them, witch is complete nonsense. The choice is so big now, you have to find your way through the jungle, to see what works for you. But I combine general art paints and inks, they have evolved as well, together with special hobby modeling paints. So It doesn't matter what you use, it's just what gets the job done in the most convenient way, without putting your health in danger, in a most cost effective way I would say.

[@thecraftingbrothers9448]

Great video. You literally covered everything I struggle with. Thank you!

[@MaskedRiderChris]

I was the same when I began, for sure. I have never forgotten the day I went over my painting sensei's house and busted out the craft paints I was using at the time, only for him to react in horror. "Oh, Gods, no! Put that s**t away," was his exact reply as he busted out his Citadel and P3 paints and proceeded to educate me as to why they were better than the craft paints I was using (basically all the reasons you lay out here). I've never looked back since that day at least 10 years (!) ago. These days I am a stone P3/Vallejo kinda of guy, with Citadel paints in the wings in case they're needed, and those washes are an essential part of my palette as well. It was a fun video nonetheless, of course.