Hello Jungle,

today it is me.
Speaking about colors. About paint.
I am working as a self employeed miniature artist since fiveteen years now and you can believe me that I used several different color brands, tried this and that, used this new paint sensation and the other. You can bet that my workspace is packed with different sorts of paint. From hobby paints to artist acrylics. Have a look:


Well, that's a lot, eh?
I do mainly paint with Acrylics. Rarely I use Oil paints. Super rare nowadays. Sometimes I am really happy to start just with my primary paints and mix what I want or the amount of colors just drives me nuts. Most of you know that I do not paint in recipes. I mix on the go and mix what I need. Of course I do not want to miss my special paints, like washes, inks or specific effect colors.

Since two years I work mainly with Schmincke Primeacryl tubes.
 I do enjoy the strong pigmentation, their thickness and the way I do paint them. They start to shine after a while because the high pigmentation closes the surface fast and makes it smooth. Unfortanetely these paints to not have a matte medium inside so you can not avoid the shine. I conquer the shine with matte varnish via the airbrush once it gets to annoying while I paint.

Deciding for a painting brand as favourite is something very personal.
You can read Hansrainer's thoughts on good or bad paints in this article.



On the other hand I never stop testing new color brands.
I think this comes with my job. I usually never buy a full range before not testing them proberly if they fit my needs. Once in a while I sort out paints that I got on my table, but never use. There is no need for them to stay there.

Most important in my eyes
for everyone to understand is that there is no perfect color as individual needs differ from painter to painter. There is no perfect color range that makes you a greater painter, there is not this one color that will change your painting forever. Same with brushes. Everything a color can do is coming from you, the person behind the brush, your knowledge and experience.

Of course, if you buy super cheap colors in a dump store you might not be able to work properly with all the many techniques of painting miniatures out there as the quality just lacks behind.

My tip:
Testing. Give new colors that catch your interest a try. Find out what you like about them during painting sessions, use them for different techniques and styles and decide if they will stick in your working stock, or not. Grow from that and you will soon find your own best personal tools.


Nowadays
it is really beautiful to see a wide range of colors available for us miniature painters (on the other hand we can just name us painters, painting on a different surface and canvas. A three-dimensional one.) ... but the amount of colors you can buy can also be confusing. Do not worry, just go step bby step to increase your collection and give you and paints time to understand eachother and see if you like eachother. One painting technique you like so much, might not work with a certain brand, while another works even better with the new paint pot you got. This is the beauty of painting, you never stop learning and growing.

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Allright,
now to the topic:
The new Scalecolor Artist Colors
by Scale75.

I got these on my table now since several weeks and was asked to write my oppinion about them. Of course I had to paint with them before I would be able to say anything. So I did. This article is not about comparision with other brands or telling you to buy this and that. It is just my honest oppinion on these new colors. It is all my very own perspective and thoughts. I do not speak for the full team of Massive Voodoo. I write this up, so you can make your own oppinion on giving these a try or not.



They come in tubes and look beautiful.
I like when my paints comes in tubes. It makes the handling easy and for me tubes avoid color explosions or dried out tips with bottles, also tubes avoid awkward handling with paint pots. On the other hand you might think a tube does not leave you much space to use just the amount that you need. Well, when I paint I do not want to save paint. It is like driving a fast car. Driving it and in the meantime worrying about using gas for it. Colors are for painting.

So far I was painting with two sets:

• Basic Colors 
• Skin Tones

The size of the tubes is medium
if I compare them to the Schmincke medium tubes (35 ml). The Scale paints come in tubes with 20 ml. It is a good size for the average hobby painter and they will last quite the time. For me it, if I would only use them for the next months, they would be gone empty in about 4-6 months I guess. It just depends on how much you paint.

I will not talk about money in this review.
High quality colors do cost more than not so high quality ones. Simple fact and always your very own decision on how much you are willing to invest. Do not be scared to use high quality products, they are able to change your results. Just think about running shoes. If you buy cheap ones you might have problems while running or a hurt ankle. If you buy high quality ones, you might not face these issues so often.


The basic colors are setup from red, blue and yellow. 
Plus black and white and burnt siena. With these you can mix everything you ever need, except special paints like inks or washes or metallic paints. I do miss a strong magenta, for my personal variety I seek while mixing, but I just take it from another brand.




Putting these to the palette already shows their thickness. They do behave like toothpaste, which I am used to from my Schmincke heavy body paints. These colors are not diluted in any way. This is up to you. You can form them for what you need them too.


While I was painting on my palette I was mixing them and can say they are supereasy to combine. Mixing is easy with them.


You can dilute them and thin them down to a glaze for your nedds without problems. You can use them in your airbrush if you thin them with airbrush thinner.


You can easily use them to paint wet in wet and mix them on your figure or base.


I can say they are easily comparable to the quality I do find in my Schmincke Primeacryl when it comes to the power of pigments.


They can be used to bbe painted thicker and with an opaque result.


They can also be used thinned down to a gentle glaze to tint a certain area.


Smoothness?
What really feels good with these colors is the smoothness. It is hard to describe. Everything you do with them feels smooth. Mixing, application, pushing contrast. Just smooth. They blend together smoothly and leave a smooth finish. They dry matte, which is an important point for many painters.

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Summary 

Every new color range does not invent the world of painting anew. Fact.
I can say I really enjoy working with the new Scalecolors and I will summ up my thoughts and experiences I got with them:

PLUS:
- If you are a painter who mixes a lot, you will not be dissapointed by their pigment quality
- they mix absolutely easy and smooth
- comes in tubes, makes regulation and handling easy
- they can be used for mostly every technical aspect of miniature painting techniques without chaning quality
- the color sets are well thought of and make sense when you are used to mix
- the finish of the dried paint is matte
- when you paint a layer on top of another one they connect smoothly

MINUS:
- the only downside I did encounter is that they are drying faster on my wetpalette, compared to the Schmincke I regularly use. I think this is because of a certain magic medium inside that keeps them so matte and smooth. I mean they are not drying in one painting session. I speak about a week.

Conclusion:
From my end I do recommend these paints without hesitation. If you are a painter who works mainly with recipes from hobby paint bottles these might not be the perfect thing for you as these paints are aimed to make you mix colors. If you want to learn mixing colors they are a wonderful start as you will not get annoyed by side effects like a shiny finish or bad pigment quality. If you are a painter who is used to mix your own paints from primaries regularly they are a really good addition for your asset.

I am still amazed by the smoothness!
If I should find one word for the Scalecolor Artist Colors I would say it is:
Smooth!! 

I hope you did find this useful.
Keep on happy painting whatever colors you use!
Roman


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You can find more Miniature- and Material Unpacked articles (Mu) here!
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