Transfer your GW Citadel Paints to dropper bottles in 3 quick steps to stop spilling, keep them from drying out, or taking up too much space!
People had been petitioning GW (literally there was a petition going around) to transfer their paints to dropper bottles. But it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen after ther recent announcement, so it’s time to take matters into your own hands!
That’s why today we are going to show you one of the easiest ways to get the most out of your hobby paints.
Transferring your Citadel paints into dropper bottles, which you can grab here, will make painting a breeze. Grabbing a set of 50 won’t set you back much hobby dollars-wise, and it can save you big on paint! Sure, maybe they should come like this in the first place (as thousands of people have been saying for ages), but they don’t.
You can watch Rob’s video to see how to do it or read our highlights below. Let’s learn how to make our own Citadel GW Paint dropper bottles!
Stop Spilling GW Citadel Paints: 3 Steps To Move Dropper Bottles
You’re a strong independent gamer who doesn’t need to buy GW-produced dropper bottles! But before we get into the process of switching your Citadel paints over to easy-to-use dropper bottles, here’s what you need:
- 15ml Dropper Bottles
- 30ml Dropper Bottles (for contrast and large pots)
- Vallejo Flow Improver
- The Army Painter Mixing Balls (optional)
A bag of 50 dropper bottles from Amazon is perfect to get you started. 15mL is a great start but can be a little small when transferring Citadel Contrast paints, so if that’s the majority of your collection you’ll want the 30ml droppers. The 15ml is the standard Vallejo and Army Painter dropper bottle size, so if you don’t feel like doing this, just go grab some of their paints!
The dropper bottle kit from Amazon comes with the bottles, nozzles, and tops, so you are ready to start transferring right out of the box.
Step One:
The first step to start transferring your paints is to snip off the plastic lid on the Citadel Paints. Carefully use your hobby clippers to snip the plastic, no need to waste paint on the first step.
Next, grab a dash of Flow Improver to help ease your transfer and add a few ball bearings to get things moving inside the pot. Give your paint a good shake to mix the paint and Flow Improver.
Step Two:
Now, gently pour your paint from your Citadel pot into your dropper bottle. Don’t rush here and take your time, with the flow improver and metal balls it should go smoothly.
If you rush here and spill all the paint, it was all for nothing! If you have a hard time with your pour, try using a funnel used for pouring booze into those tiny metal flasks. A little excess paint might remain in the pot after transferring, so keep that in mind. You can let it rest and then repeat the process to get that last little bit of paint out.
Step Three:
To seal the deal, peel off the label from the Citadel paint and add it to your dropper bottle. Might as well know what each paint is if you’re going through the trouble… Or you can just guess and make painting all the more fun!
Final Thoughts:
It can take 3-4 hours to fill 50 or so dropper bottles with paint if you’re being careful not to make a mess and such. Still, not that long when you consider how much paint and hassle it will save you in the future!
Transferring your paints into dropper bottles will help step up your hobby paint game. No more spilling or wasting of paint with these bottles! Stay tuned for more hobby hacks and tutorials, and make sure to watch the full video above for all of Rob’s insights!
Click Below To Get the Supplies to Transfer Your Paints:
30ml Dropper Bottles (for contrast and large pots)
How do you stop from spilling your GW Citadel paints, do you put them in dropper bottles, or use some other trick?
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About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
