While everyone may have wanted dropper bottles for their paints, we’re getting new Citadel Color contrast, spray, and shades instead…
There were rumors for a while now that the new edition of Horus Heresy would bring about something big for GW paints. Based on what we had heard, and what the community wanted, we thought that meant dropper bottles. Obviously, we were wrong.
Warhammer Community unveiled the new paints with 25 contrast paints, 7 shades, and a new white spray. Either way, it’s always fun to get new paints, so let’s check out what’s on the way.
New Citadel Color Contrast, Shades & Spray Paints From GW
There are a lot of new Citadel colors, however, we think a lot of folks were looking for something a bit different. Still, if you love GW’s paints and contrast more specifically, this could be really good.
New GW Contrast Paints
Now it’s time to take it to the next level. 25 new Contrast paints are expanding the range into a whole new realm of vibrant colours. These new paints unlock wilder colour palettes for your armies, meaning they’ll stand out even more on the battlefield – painting mind-blowing models will be easier than ever!
25 new paints is a lot of colour to cover, so we’ve split the range into four simple categories to help you get an idea of what they look like. These new colours run the gamut from bright and bold to grimy and eerie – whether you’re painting a tank turret or a raging Endless Spell, there’s a pot here for you.
There really are some cool colors being added which should make painting a wide range of minis fairly easy. Plus, we won’t complain about new paints, let’s just hope the new line doesn’t raise the prices of the paints once again.
The Mortal Realms and 41st Millennium boast countless creatures with a touch of the dark, as well as warriors clad in weathered armour and solemn robes. Plus, every miniature needs to stand on something – like a solid, dependable hero rock.
New GW Shades
These Shade paints are designed to provide instant depth and easily create stronger shadows, speeding up the process of creating great-looking models. While Contrast paints are designed to tint surfaces and give an intense finish, this new formulation ensures that Shade paints will settle more effectively into the recesses of your miniatures – while leaving the raised parts of your models relatively untouched.
They have seven new colors but it also looks like all the shades will be redone, so again, let’s hope this doesn’t raise prices for the new formula.
New Spray Paint
White Scar is designed specifically for use with Contrast paints, to sit alongside the cool Grey Seer and the warmer Wraithbone sprays. There’s nothing stopping you from using it with our regular Citadel range, however. It’s great for creating punchier colours from a brighter undercoat – you can even try using our reformulated Shades on it for bold new results.
The new spray is cool but honestly not the craziest thing out there. Still, if you use contrast paints, this could be a good addition to the line.
If you were looking forward to having your GW paints like contrast etc in dropper bottles, we got you covered below!
Stop Spilling GW Citadel Color & Contrast Paints: 3 Steps to Move to Dropper Bottles
Transfer your GW Citadel Color and Contrast 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 color and contrast 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!
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)
Which hobby supplies and paints do you prefer for your miniatures? Do you like the new additions to the GW Citadel Color and Contrast line?
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About the Author: Travis Pasch
Travis Pasch
Job Title: Head Writer & Editor
Socials: @paschbass
About Travis Pasch: Travis has been a Warhammer 40k hobbyist since the 1990s, playing the game since Third Edition. Through extensive traveling, he’s seen a lot of the miniatures hobby from across the world, giving him a unique perspective on the latest gaming topics and trends.
Travis’s brother even owns a commission painting studio, where he’s picked up a lot of good advice and techniques for painting Warhammer and tabletop miniatures over the years, as well. Travis joined the Spikey Bits team in 2019 and has been the lead writer since 2020.
Currently, he’s working on converting all his 40k Adeptus Mechanicus models and becoming a true tech enjoyer, complete with both sad and happy robot noises!
