Using Coat d'arm paints

My beautiful colors!

My Coat d'arm paints has arrived and I am quite pleased with the quality of the paints.  The consistency, hues and tint are what I am looking for.  Much better than relearning or trying to mix your own paints using the current GW range of colors.

I'm most particularly pleased with Dark Elf Green (Perfect for Dark Angels armor, any woodland green I am trying to paint.  Ranger cloaks etc...)
While Hairy Brown & Barbaric Brown form the basis of my neutral colors for anything leather or things in brownish nature.

What happened here "Gun Metal"?  :(

With exception of Gun Metal, which turn out to be thicker and much more grainier than I would have liked.

Buying Coat d'arms Paints

Sometime ago, I mentioned that GW revamped their entire line of painting products.  The color palettes that I am so used to are no longer the same even if it shared the same name as a paintpot from the previous generation.

After some research, I came across Coat d'arm paints.  The original company that supplied paints for GW.  Using the paint conversion chart.  I was able to source out all the original colors I'm so used to from GW. 

Unfortunately for me, non of the hobby stores or FLGS in Singapore carry Coat d'arm paints.  The only way for me to get my hands on this is to order them online.  Either through Coat d'arm directly or through one of their online suppliers. 

I decided to order from both as a means to test the services of both companies.


Ordering from the parent company.  Black Hat Miniatures.
Coat d'arm paints are manufactured by HMG Paints Ltd and sold online via Black Hat Miniatures

Processing time: ASAP to 1 week
Shipping time: 1 - 2 weeks
Estimated Average Cost: $6.66 SGD per bottle (Inclusive of shipping charges)

Comments:
The thing to note is that each package can only hold 4 bottles of paint.  If you buy more than 4 bottles, Black Hat will invoice you for additional amount.  I placed an order for 8 pots of paint that came in two separate packages.  In total cost me $48.02 SGD which makes it $6 SGD per bottle of paint.

In one instance, I placed the order on the 23rd of Sept.  The order was processed and dispatched on the 24th of Sept.  The shipment arrived in 1 week from the date of dispatched.  All in all excellent service. 


Ordering from a supplier in the USA.  Scale-Creep Miniatures

Processing time: 1 - 2 weeks or more
Shipping time: 1 - 2 weeks
Estimated Average Cost: $6.93 SGD per bottle (inclusive of shipping charges)

Comments:
I received confirmation of the order on the very same day I ordered them online.  However order stayed in pending status well over a week.  After an email correspondence, I was informed that the Scale Creep hasn't actually looked at the order.  I sent a 2nd email and no reply from Scale Creep since then.  It was only 2 weeks later, the items were dispatched.   However out of 9 items I ordered only 7 was available.

Considering Scale Creep is merely a supplier and paints are generally subject to stock availability at the time of order placement and any existing backlogs.  This means the paints that are listed as available on the site, might not necessarily be available when we placed the order especially if quantity is listed as 1 to 3. 

The Verdict.

Adding a cost factor into it.  It may seem like a better idea to order directly from Black Hat Miniatures if you live in Singapore.  It is more economic, items more readily available & gets processed/ships faster.