Wednesday 26 March 2014

A to Z of Wargaming. D is for....

Dulux
A few eyebrows were raised of late when I mentioned that I had used Dulux matt emulsion as the main paint for my 54mm WW1 French infantry.  But it's all true!  The snappily-named shade in question is 'Lunar Landscape 2' which I had mixed for me in a local DIY store.  Given the surprsingly large surface area of 54mm figures, I felt that I needed an alternative to expensive modelling paints in tiny pots.  The 250ml tin pictured above (the 54mm figure is there for size comparison purposes) cost me £3.95!
My modest but growing collection of Dulux paints.
I picked up some shade cards in the said DIY store to help with my paint choices.  I began with the rarthr fetching green which now adorns the bases of my 45mm toys as well as being used on my recent Russians .
It is worth checking out other paint ranges too for colours such as these useful greys.

'D' is also for.....but that's another post.....

19 comments:

Martin Rapier said...

I also use household emulsion, although generally in matchpot size rather than large cans (I do have some of the latter for painting terrain items).

Some of my stuff is done in Farrow and Ball emulsion. Very posh, but coverage is better with more mainstream brands like Dulux and Crown.



Service Ration Distribution (Hobby) said...

We have been using Dulux pains for 1/72 scale stuff for quite a while now. It has a fantastic range of colours. I use it on horses mainly. You still have to prime properly but then you just use it as normal and 'thin' as necessary. Best of luck to you.

Brian Carrick said...

Dulux emulsion and floor polish for a gloss finish, is there no end to your domestic prowess? you'll be baking cakes next!
Best wishes, Brian

Wg Cdr Luddite said...

Even a died in the wool solvent user like me has a few matchpots for painting big stuff like scenery.

JLee118 said...

I've used house paint before. I also use craftstore paint and I'm now using Krylon spray paint as a primer.

Stephen Thomas said...

Oh dear.

Trebian said...

All my bases are painted with Dulux, to match my table.

I use Dulux white to undercoat or Dulux black as well as for "normal" figure painting purposes.

It's just great value.

Chris Kemp said...

Hah! We are all coming out of the woodwork and confessing to using Dulux pots :O) I shall be on the lookout for Farrow and Ball now

Regards, Chris

Herman van Kradenburg said...

After all, it's all water based acrylic paint! I've also recently taken to using the matt black dulux sprays for base coating (have bought a white too, but yet to be put to the test) Works well on metal and plastic, and the solvent has not dissolved anything as my experience was in the 80s and 90s. Painted up some Preiser Brit tank riders last night without any trouble. Take Vajello and GW paints with no problem. Less than a third the price ($9.99) of dedicated modeling sprays (Citadel/Army painter, etc - all v.v. expensive in NZ) $30+ per tin, and Tamiya's stubby little tins at $15-18 each.

Stephen Thomas said...

$30 NZ. Is that more than a pound ? :-)

Tim Gow said...

Martin Rapier
I've not heard of Farrow & Ball (weren't they pioneer aviators?) but I'll keep a look out.

Tim Gow said...

Service Ration Distribution
Cheap and cheerful - why use anything else?

Tim Gow said...

Brian Carrick
I'll leave the cake-baking to Herself - I know my limits!

Tim Gow said...

Wg Cdr Luddite
Shouldn't that read 'solvent abuser'?

Tim Gow said...

JLee118
Isn't Krylon quite pricey?

Tim Gow said...

Trebian
You are an example to us all!

Tim Gow said...

Chris Kemp
'Coming out of the woodwork', yes. Painting the woodwork - no!

Tim Gow said...

Herman van K
Dulux sprays? That's a new one on me.

Tim Gow said...

Stephen Thomas
No - it's about 50,000 Colombian Pesos....