Maybe you know the problem, too: You are looking for the perfect colour for your next project and order a few new paints based on the product images in an online shop or the manufacturer’s graphics. But when the paints arrive, disappointment is high because they turn out completely different than on the screen. But I got the perfect solution.
Buying paints online has always annoyed me. Then last year I started to create the resources I have always wanted for myself. Range by range, I work my way through all major paint brands and paint each colour on primed plasticard, photograph them under professional lighting conditions (neutral 5500K colour temperature) and turn them into digital paint swatches.
As these are photos of the real colours and not just flat RGB values, the colours are much more true to life. Because of the three-dimensional embossed pattern you can also see how light and shadow change the colour impression. And because all the colours are taken under consistent conditions, you can compare colours from different paint ranges. Perfect for converting old colour schemes or finding the closest matches to follow tutorials from White Dwarf or Youtube, for example. I also added little icons to each colour that rate the opacity based on how many layers you need to apply for perfect coverage, so you know what to expect before you buy a new paint.
Below you can see which paint ranges I have already turned into swatches. As this work is really tedious, I would be grateful if you would support this endeavour on Patreon.
Hand-painted swatches for all major paint ranges
This hand-painted swatch is available in my Patreon shop for a small donation (or by becoming an Autarch tier member). I also have swatches for AK 3rd Gen, Vallejo Game Color, Warpaints Fanatic, and Two Thin Coats – all cross-compatible with each other so you can compare colours across different brands. Check out my shop for details.
This hand-painted swatch is available in my Patreon shop for a small donation (or by becoming an Autarch tier member). I also have swatches for Citadel Colour, Vallejo Game Color, AK 3rd Gen, and Two Thin Coats – all cross-compatible with each other so you can compare colours across different brands. Check out my shop for details.
This hand-painted swatch is available in my Patreon shop for a small donation (or by becoming an Autarch tier member). I also have swatches for Citadel Colour, AK 3rd Gen, Warpaints Fanatic, and Two Thin Coats – all cross-compatible with each other so you can compare colours across different brands. Check out my shop for details.
This hand-painted swatch is available in my Patreon shop for a small donation (or by becoming an Autarch tier member). I also have swatches for Citadel Colour, Vallejo Game Color, Warpaints Fanatic, and AK 3rd Gen – all cross-compatible with each other so you can compare colours across different brands. Check out my shop for details.
This hand-painted swatch is available in my Patreon shop for a small donation (or by becoming an Autarch tier member). I also have swatches for Citadel Colour, Vallejo Game Color, Warpaints Fanatic, and Two Thin Coats – all cross-compatible with each other so you can compare colours across different brands. Check out my shop for details.
More of these swatches are coming soon. On my to do list are Pro Acryl and Vallejo’s newly updated Model Color range.
One coat paint & acrylic washes comparison charts
This hand-painted swatch is available in my Patreon shop for a small donation (or by becoming an Autarch tier member). I also have swatches for Citadel Colour, Vallejo Game Color, Warpaints Fanatic, and Two Thin Coats – all cross-compatible with each other so you can compare colours across different brands. Check out my shop for details.
This hand-painted swatch is available in my Patreon shop for a small donation (or by becoming an Autarch tier member). I also have swatches for Citadel Colour, Vallejo Game Color, Warpaints Fanatic, and Two Thin Coats – all cross-compatible with each other so you can compare colours across different brands. Check out my shop for details.
My paint brand recommendations
Thinking of expanding your paint collection but don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, based on my experience of countless of paint reviews I compiled an up-to-date list of my favourite paints and paint ranges:
I hope my charts and swatches will help you with future projects. Feel free to write me in the comments which brands you would like to see swatches for, or leave me suggestions for improvement in the feedback channel on our Discord server. Thanks for all your support, without you this project wouldn’t be possible. Happy hobbying!
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