Coat d'Arms (old Citadel Colour) Paints Thread

Here is a better shot of my progress thus far.

I still must gather up the metallics and the Inks.

I'm also not yet satisfied that I've matched Snakebite Leather to my satisfaction. I think there is a truer match hidden in the Coat d'Arms WWII paints range. There seem to be a few like that; color equivalencies written up that might match 1990's or 2000's pots, but not true to 1980's colors. Goblin Green was one. The equivalency charts indicate it is the bright green one in the CdA Fantasy range, when the one that truly matches the original 1980's color is tucked away in the WWII line instead.

One of my problems is that nobody has yet to upload a complete paint swatch list from their original paints collection, and I've been left to piece it together in little bits from all over the web.

Here is a better shot of my progress thus far.

I still must gather up the metallics and the Inks.

I'm also not yet satisfied that I've matched Snakebite Leather to my satisfaction. I think there is a truer match hidden in the Coat d'Arms WWII paints range. There seem to be a few like that; color equivalencies written up that might match 1990's or 2000's pots, but not true to 1980's colors. Goblin Green was one. The equivalency charts indicate it is the bright green one in the CdA Fantasy range, when the one that truly matches the original 1980's color is tucked away in the WWII line instead.

One of my problems is that nobody has yet to upload a complete paint swatch list from their original paints collection, and I've been left to piece it together in little bits from all over the web.

Those look terrific. Do you have a link to the label stock you used for them? I might do the same!

As for Snakebite Leather, I am really happy with CdA 217 Leather Brown. I can't recall exactly how the old Snakebite Leather looked as my pots dried up long ago, but it is very close to how I remember Snakebite Leather—a bright, bold, yellowy-orange tan.

I love CDA and use them almost exclusively, particular when it comes to 1990's Citadel lead. I also use the red 'Eavy Metal painting guide and find it effortless to go from McVey's paint suggestions (in the Citadel paint line) to CDA.

Regarding the paint pots, I really miss the old hex pots to be honest (I also miss GW's hex bases... Maybe there's a theme?), but your labels look great!

I can't say too much about the entire line of CDA inks (I've only used Green and Red washes so far, although I have been very happy with them), other than to point out that CDA has a few different categories. Inks (now called washes, I believe) are meant to mimic early GW washes. They are on the darker side (more pigment) and should perhaps properly be understood as inks. Note, Mike McVey used GW inks back in '93 to mix directly with regular paints (see pg 15 of The 'Eavy Metal Painting Guide). The effect was probably something like what we call a glaze today.

CDA also makes Super Washes and Super Shades. The former is meant to be used straight out of the pot without adjusting it or diluting it according to your needs. Just slap it on the model. The latter are meant to mimic Army Painter dip products (like Quickshade)—you apply it and can then manipulate it by removing excess shade from the raised parts of the model. They also make a fourth kind of "technical paint" (to match GW) called Brushscape, which is textured with silica sand.

But if you want oldschool, 'Eavy Metal style bold and bright colours, you can't go wrong with CDA's fantasy paints and regular washes. The ink/washes are darker than washes today, but I view that as a good thing as you can adjust them to your needs at the time. The "straight out of the pot" stuff is very limited in how much you can do with it.

As for "must-have" colours, I think the green wash is very useful (particularly for Orc and Goblin flesh) and chestnut ink as well (which is on the way in the post) for humans. The metal wash looks like it will provide that classic bright, blue-ish sheen for armour painted in Mithril Silver. I use the red wash mainly to make my Blood Angels have a red glazed look to their armour (my base is CDA's classic orangey Angel Red).

The theory that I picked up on, back when CC Inks were first introduced in the Expert Set, is that you should always want AS MUCH pigment as possible, and then dilute to your needs. The products that came out in the mid 90's, pre-diluted bulls#!+ for the little kiddies, really offended me. And I never looked at them again. Along with these other CDA colors, I also bought their "Flesh Wash" as a sample to see how it handled. And it very much reminded me of that nasty nonsense that GW's French paint manufacturer put into those bolt shell pots in the 90's. That Flesh Wash was the only CdA pot that I dumped down the drain. Now I'm almost tempted to just buy some Winsor Newton Drawing Inks (for all I know that was what was really in those Expert Set bottles), but if I do, I simply MUST transfer the ink colors into custom labelled CdA pots.

Check out the Liquitex acrylic inks. I think they are much closer to what you're expecting. The Winsor & Newton inks have some different properties and work a little bit differently. JRN did an excellent run down on them in his pink space marine blog post.

One of my problems is that nobody has yet to upload a complete paint swatch list from their original paints collection, and I've been left to piece it together in little bits from all over the web.

What are you after exactly? Something to match the actual colours with - in which case you will be best off trawling ebay for 80s paints - photographs just won't show the true colour. If it's just the name list I'm sure there was a complete list in a late 80s or early 90s White Dwarf with printed colour swatches - but as they were cmyk print they won't be true to the actual paint - but I could try to dig that out if it's what you're after.

Anyone looking for spare pots, there are quite a few stockists:

http://www.ampulla.co.uk/Plastic-Screw- ... -131-1511/

Shcweb also do the same pots but are out of stock, and also have these familiar looking dropper bottles:
http://www.shcweb.co.uk/eshop/product.p ... 29&xSec=33

Nice work on the labels etc. Looks great and a really fun project.

HMG also make inks - it's possible GW were just selling those alongside HMGs acrylics - but I can't find someone who are relabeling them for retail.

Which of the WWII colors is a match for the original Goblin Green?

For those in the know, was the Goblin Green in the HMG-made hex pots the same as in the round pots? I have an HMG hex pot that I love dearly (and use sparingly) and notice that it's much more "toned down" than my later French bolter shell pot of Goblin Green.

Which of the WWII colors is a match for the original Goblin Green?

For those in the know, was the Goblin Green in the HMG-made hex pots the same as in the round pots? I have an HMG hex pot that I love dearly (and use sparingly) and notice that it's much more "toned down" than my later French bolter shell pot of Goblin Green.

If memory serves, the later (bolter shell bottle) edition of Goblin Green had less yellow than the hex bottle edition did, and was a little heavier on the pigment side. The bolter shell bottle version was closer to what would be called 'layer' paints (and now 'base' colors).

I think it would be nice if you could add what year each paint started to be produced. That would make things easier for anyone who wants to start "Archeopainting"

Hi Drew,

Do you happen to have a full set of the labels you created in a printable format?
Also, what printable labels did you use to print on?

I would love to emulate what you've done.

Thanks!

A little late to this thread, but I thought this might be useful for people such as myself who's pots are running dry and need to replenish:

https://www.hiveworldterra.co.uk/Article/view_CoatDArmsConversionChart.html

I'm fairly excited, as I'm awaiting a Coat D'arms shipment of roughly 20 paint pots, myself.
I'm returning to the paint board after a few years break, Gonna start a slaves to darkness slaanesh force

After some digging into my gw paints, I found so many of them had dried out. My 1994 or thereabouts shining gold hexagon still holds up however..... they don't make them like they used to...

After some digging into my gw paints, I found so many of them had dried out. My 1994 or thereabouts shining gold hexagon still holds up however..... they don't make them like they used to...

Yeah, the same thing happened to me. I read that it's because of the pots with screw tops that they used from around 1998 to 20??. All my paints from that area had dried out while my old skool paints could still be used. I don't think that their new paints tend to dry out, however.