I’ve been a user of Citadel Paints and brushes for the entirety of my hobby life. Over the years I have found myself drifting away from GW’s line of hobby products. My standards have evolved and as such I’ve come to expect more out of the supplies I purchase. Other then GW’s new Citadel Washes/Foundations and the occasional bottle of superglue there is very little from them I use at all. Mini’s aside of course.
A few years back, a fellow hobbyist inquired if I had tried Vallejo acrylic line. Having not even heard of it he pointed me towards Granddad’s Hobby Shop (RIP) and told me to check them out. I picked up a bottle of Cobra Leather and Bonewhite and I was floored by their performance. In fact I still own and use those 2 bottles of paint I bought back in ’06!
Longevity
One of the biggest gripes I have with GW paint pots is the tendency they have of drying out. There was nothing that pissed me off more than opening a bottle of paint I used one time a few months back to find it filled with colored plastic. The new bottle caps have done wonders for slowing down this process exponentially but it still occurs. The Vallejo bottles have a nigh air-tight seal that has kept my paints in perfect condition for years.
Performance
The texture of these paints is their most impressive quality. They go on smoothly, coat well, and dry with a nice finish. The Game Color line tends to have a slightly glossy sheen to it that I’ve grown less fond of but if you use GW paints you won’t notice really. I’ve taken a fancy to their model color line as they dry with a flat matte finish.
Ease of Use
The bottles are designed for you to squeeze out as much as you need onto the palette. This has also contributed to the longevity of my paints as I only use what I need. You do need to be careful to check the top to ensure that no paint has dried in the top as you can squeeze the whole top off the bottle and paint will get everywhere. This should not happen though as the application tips are pretty secure and you would have to be squeezing pretty hard.
Color Choices
Vallejo’s Game Color mimics GW’s paint line almost color for color and shade for shade. They also still have the colors that GW has discontinued. Colors like Bilious Green, Midnight Blue, Imperial Purple, and my personal favorites Terracotta and Tanned Flesh all have equivalent colors. Why GW discontinued Terracotta and Tanned Flesh is completely beyond me. Those 2 colors are SOOO versatile and should be on every painter’s desk.
In conclusion, I give this paint line 4/5 glavens. I can’t really give the line 5 glavens as I don’t think any paint of that caliber even exists. Give this excellent line a try though you may begin to catch yourself staring at those old GW pots with contempt.