[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-/guides/best-paint-for-miniatures":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"category":129,"date":130,"description":131,"extension":132,"heroImage":133,"intro":134,"lastUpdated":130,"meta":135,"navigation":136,"path":137,"related":138,"seo":141,"shopSearch":142,"stem":143,"tags":144,"__hash__":145},"guides/guides/best-paint-for-miniatures.md","The Best Paint for Miniatures (2026)",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":121},"minimark",[9,13,18,61,65,72,76,84,88,112],[10,11,12],"p",{},"There is no single \"best\" miniature paint - the right range depends on your budget, what you paint, and how you like to work. But a few ranges dominate the hobby for good reason. Here is how the main options compare, and what to buy first.",[14,15,17],"h2",{"id":16},"the-main-paint-ranges","The main paint ranges",[19,20,21,35,45,55],"ul",{},[22,23,24,28,29,34],"li",{},[25,26,27],"strong",{},"Citadel (Games Workshop)"," - the default for Warhammer painters. Excellent coverage and a huge, well-organised range (Base, Layer, Shade, Contrast), but the most expensive per pot and only sold in small pots. Browse the full ",[30,31,33],"a",{"href":32},"/paints/citadel","Citadel paint chart",".",[22,36,37,40,41,34],{},[25,38,39],{},"Vallejo"," - superb value in dropper bottles (no drying out), with two big lines: Game Color (fantasy/bright) and Model Color (realistic/military). The painter's workhorse. See the ",[30,42,44],{"href":43},"/paints/vallejo","Vallejo paint chart",[22,46,47,50,51,34],{},[25,48,49],{},"The Army Painter"," - great starter sets and the Warpaints Fanatic range; dropper bottles, good value, strong metallics and washes. See the ",[30,52,54],{"href":53},"/paints/army-painter","Army Painter chart",[22,56,57,60],{},[25,58,59],{},"Scale75 and Kimera"," - artist-grade, high-pigment paints for experienced painters chasing smooth blends.",[14,62,64],{"id":63},"what-to-buy-first","What to buy first",[10,66,67,68,71],{},"For a beginner, a ",[25,69,70],{},"starter set"," beats buying individual pots - you get a curated spread of colours, often with a brush, for far less than buying separately. The Army Painter and Citadel starter sets are both solid first buys. Add a wash (shade), a metallic and a couple of bright highlight colours and you can paint almost anything.",[14,73,75],{"id":74},"mixing-brands","Mixing brands",[10,77,78,79,83],{},"You do not have to commit to one brand. Most painters mix - a Vallejo base, a Citadel shade, an Army Painter metallic. If a guide calls for a paint you don't own, the ",[30,80,82],{"href":81},"/tools/paint-converter","cross-brand converter"," finds the closest match in a range you do.",[14,85,87],{"id":86},"tips","Tips",[19,89,90,96,106],{},[22,91,92,95],{},[25,93,94],{},"Dropper bottles save money and paint"," - Vallejo and Army Painter don't dry out like pots.",[22,97,98,101,102,34],{},[25,99,100],{},"Contrast/Speedpaint"," ranges are a fast track for beginners - see our ",[30,103,105],{"href":104},"/guides/best-contrast-paints","best contrast paints guide",[22,107,108,111],{},[25,109,110],{},"Buy a wash early"," - a single shade improves every model you own.",[113,114,118],"affiliate-shop",{"label":115,"search":116,"tid":117},"Shop miniature paint sets","miniature paint starter set","best-paint-for-miniatures",[10,119,120],{},"A starter set is the cheapest way to get a usable spread of colours.",{"title":122,"searchDepth":123,"depth":123,"links":124},"",2,[125,126,127,128],{"id":16,"depth":123,"text":17},{"id":63,"depth":123,"text":64},{"id":74,"depth":123,"text":75},{"id":86,"depth":123,"text":87},"Buying Guides","2026-06-28","Which paint should you use for miniatures? A practical guide to the best paint ranges - Citadel, Vallejo, Army Painter, Scale75 and Contrast/Speedpaint - and what to buy first.","md","/images/guides/best-paint-for-miniatures.webp","Which paint range to buy first, and which to grow into",{},true,"/guides/best-paint-for-miniatures",[139,140],"best-contrast-paints","how-to-start-painting-miniatures",{"title":5,"description":131},"miniature paint set","guides/best-paint-for-miniatures",null,"9VrS_BAZp2647-SrDLAPdk4GQWOZH0v3o1irRQZfiLs"]