Scale 75 paint is a type of miniature paint created by Scale75, a Spanish company founded in 2013. Scale 75 paints are designed specifically for painting miniatures and scale models, with a focus on providing vivid colors, a smooth application, and a high level of detail.
About Scale75 Paint
Scale75 paint is an acrylic-based paint that comes in dropper bottles for precise control over how much paint is used. The paint has a smooth, creamy consistency that provides excellent coverage and allows for blending and layering of colors.
Some key features of Scale75 paint include:
- High pigment concentration – Provides rich, intense colors
- Finely ground pigments – Allow for smooth application and fine details
- Matte finish – No shine and realistically flat
- Thin consistency – Flows nicely off the brush
- Mixable – Colors can be blended easily
Scale75 makes a wide range of colors for various effects like shading, highlighting, metals, and effects like rust, blood, slime, and more. They have color sets specifically for painting skintones, WWII Germans, medieval knights, and other themes.
Advantages of Scale75 Paint
Here are some of the key advantages that make Scale75 a top choice among miniature painters:
- Vibrant colors – The high pigment concentration provides very intense, saturated hues.
- Thin consistency – The paint flows smoothly off the brush allowing for fine details.
- Matte finish – Gives a realistic, flat look to miniatures without shine.
- Good coverage – Provides opacity with less coats needed compared to other brands.
- Easy to blend – Colors mix together well for smooth transitions.
- Range of special effects – Lots of unique colors like fluorescent, pearl, metal, and more.
- Designed for miniatures – Made specifically with the model painter in mind.
The unique formula of Scale75 makes it perfect for getting bright, natural tones on miniatures. It’s easy to get smooth blends, fine highlights, and a matte uniform finish.
How to Use Scale75 Paint
Using Scale75 paint is similar to other acrylic model paints, but there are some tips to using it most effectively:
- Thinning – Scale75 paint has a thicker consistency than other brands right out of the bottle. Thinning it slightly with water or acrylic medium can help improve flow.
- Multiple thin layers – Because of the high pigment load, Scale75 covers well with multiple thin coats rather than thick single coats.
- Wet blending – The creamy formula lends itself well to blending colors together with a wet brush on the model.
- Washing – Can be thinned down with medium to create effective panel line washes and filters.
- Airbrushing – Works nicely sprayed when thinned appropriately. Typically a 15% thinning ratio is good.
- Metallic Mixing – For best results, mix Scale75 metallics with regular colors instead of thinning with water.
With a little practice, you can take advantage of the unique properties of Scale75 paint to get stunning results on miniatures and models.
Scale75 Paint Ranges
Scale75 produces several different ranges and sets of paints:
- Scalecolor – This is their standard line of matte finish acrylic paints for the majority of coloring needs.
- Fantasy & Games – Special effect paints like fluorescents, pearls, and transparents.
- Instant Colors – Sets focused on painting common themes like WWII Germans, medieval knights, lizard skin, etc.
- Metal Alchemy – Metallic paints designed to be mixed with regular Scalecolors for best effect.
- Inktensity – Inks and washes for panel lining, shading, and weathering.
Within the Scalecolor line, there are over 200 individual paints covering regular colors, special shades for blending (Mixing Range), additives like varnish, and auxiliaries for effects like blood, slime, and rust.
Comparison of Scale75 Ranges
| Range | Description | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Scalecolor | Standard acrylic paints with high pigment load | Basecoating, layering, blending, highlighting |
| Fantasy & Games | Specialty paints like fluorescent, pearl, transparent | Gems, magic effects, blending |
| Instant Colors | Themed sets for WWII, medieval, lizard skin etc | Targeted to specific painting subjects |
| Metal Alchemy | Metallic paints designed for mixing | Metals, armor, weapons, etc |
| Inktensity | Inks and washes | Shading, panel lining, weathering |
This wide variety of paint selections makes Scale75 a versatile range for any miniature or scale modeling project.
Scale75 vs. Other Paint Brands
How does Scale75 compare to other popular miniature paint brands like Citadel, Vallejo, and Reaper?
- Citadel – Scale75 has a smoother, thinner consistency. Scale75 provides intense matte colors, while Citadel has more color variety with varied finishes.
- Vallejo – Both are high quality acrylic formulas, but Scale75 has richer pigmentation. Vallejo is a bit more translucent on the first coat.
- Reaper – Reaper Master Series is also designed specifically for miniatures. Reaper has more “true to label” consistency across ranges. Scale75 has brighter matte finish.
Scale75 stands out with its extremely vivid matte colors that lend a realistic flat look on miniatures. The coverage reduces the number of layers needed compared to more translucent brands.
Tips for Using Scale75 Paint
Here are some tips to help you get the most out of Scale75 paint:
- Thinning – Thin coats flow better – add 10-20% water or medium.
- Multiple coats – Build up gradual layers for best coverage instead of thick single coats.
- Wet palettes – Keep paints usable longer to prevent waste.
- Metallic mixing – Mix Scale75 metallics with regular paints for ideal results.
- Wet blending – Take advantage of smooth blending right on the miniature.
- Brushing vs airbrush – Great results with either, just adjust thinning as needed.
- Clear coats – If desired, add brush-on gloss or matte varnish for protection.
With the right techniques, Scale75 paint can achieve amazing vibrancy and realism on miniatures. Don’t be afraid to experiment to find what works best for you!
Conclusion
Scale75 paint offers an unmatched intensity of color that is perfect for bringing miniatures and models to life with a realistic matte finish. With a smooth consistency and high pigment density, it excels at providing opacity and coverage without losing detail and precision.
While it does require some adjusting of techniques from other acrylic paints, Scale75 rewards painters with stunning results. With a broad range of colors and special effects, it’s a great fit for fantasy, sci-fi, historical, or any modeling subject. If you’re looking to add punch and realism to your miniatures, explore the vibrancy and versatility of Scale75 paints.
