I was perusing an old White Dwarf (WD), well not just any old WD – it was issue 222 from June 98. Rings a bell? Well you may know it as the issue containing the ‘Last Stand at Glazer’s Creek’. Here are few shots for the fans...
After rereading the glorious
Praetorian’s final fight I flicked over the page and saw the headline NEW CITIDEL
PAINT! I know, ironic right.
Anyway, that got me thinking about paints and paint progression.
I stared out in the hobby using Humbrol enamel paints. They were/are horrible! Thick and gluggy, impossible to paint fine detail with and the need to use 'tuerps' (turpentine) to clean the brushes destroyed them in no time.
So Citidel acrylic (water based) paints were a godsent. The ability to easily dilute them and mix them opened up loads of possibilities. Also, as you can see in the picture above, the idea of shade and highlight paints came about improving things immensely. And then there were inks! Back then that was just plain cheating.
Years latter the foundation paints turned up and inks were replaced with the much improved washes -and that brings us to now.
So the big relevant question is
"Are these new paints going to change everything?",
"Do I need to replace every pot to keep up with how amazing the newly painted miniatures are going to be?"
It is too early to say for sure, but I'm more then confident that the answer will be a BIG FAT NO. Looking at how paints have evolved over time, yes clearly each paint re-release and the introduction of other new mediums have been an improvement. However, better paint will never be a substitute for skill, it will just slightly raise the ceiling on what is possible.
Truthfully I'm willing to accept that I could be a better painter if I worked at it, but I'm happy keeping it a 'no pressure' past time hobby. So for me while I'm glad there are better paints out now, I'm more then happy using my old ones until I need a new pot.
As for my modelling mate (who is much newer to the hobby), he disagrees completely and as a result has given me all his old paints (some of which are brand new pots!). I am totally stoked about this, but it begs the question, "Has my mate just sold into the hype, OR am I overlooking how good these new paints are, just being stuck in the past with an 'I've seen it before' attitude?" What are your thoughts?
Firstly, you beat me to the punch. I was going to post some pictures from that white dwarf myself. I am trying to redesign the scenario for the latest edition.
ReplyDeleteAs for the paints; they are an improvement but nothing more. I plan on keeping my current line like you. There are mixed reviews right now online. I think a lot of it depends on painting style.
Stick to what you got if it works for you.
Cheers mk6marine. Oh and you should totally still post up a blog of that WD article. As if we could get enough praetorian blogging? AND I'd love to see a rework of that scenario!
ReplyDeleteI would also like to see a reworking of that scenario
ReplyDeleteWow, I have a lot of retro WDs but seem to have missed that one. I think that comment about 'raising the ceiling' hits it on the head - I'll be replacing any used pots with the new line as the old ones become unavailable, but I'll certainly not be rushing out to get the £5000 ultra multi paint set.
ReplyDeleteI like how you describe the new paint system. I have yet to try them, and I admit that I am pretty excited to do so, but not on my current projects. I tend to paint dark colors that go on easily enough without bases layers or anything (like my Guard), but trying to do more colorful armies - like a Bretonnian one right now, for example - is quite tiresome! Reds and yellows and whites especially...
ReplyDeleteCheers for your thoughts guys.
ReplyDeleteExcellent post! I remember this one! I still long for WD to go back to being more like this (and I don't mean "new paints" lol)
ReplyDeleteI think the best WD ever....if in english ore in german, the importend was the coming of the "Guard", oure Praetorians!!
ReplyDelete