Pigments: Mig vs. Ammo vs. AK

Sorry, just to clarify what I meant by "mixing with water" and "painting": the Vallejo pigments are fine for when you're applying a decent amount of pigment with a fixer of some sort, but it isn't fine enough to allow for the sort of dry pigment/brush application I see quite often when people use Mig pigments.

I have both MIG & AK pigments. The particles are super fine. Just use a TINY BIT.

Like Chris, I have used those 2. I only started using pigments last year and have become hooked on those. I mainly have the MiG's, I got the AK as they had 2 colours that MiG did not do. But I find both similar to use.

Ok, I'll probably get one of those. By the way, is AK Interactive affiliated with Mig Jimenez or Fernando Vallejo in any way? I understand that Mig Productions was a joint venture between Jimenez and Vallejo, but then there was some sort of falling-out, so Mig Jimenez founded Ammo, correct? I don't know how AK Interactive fits in there though.

No wait, I think I have that wrong: Mig was always Mig Jimenez's, Vallejo was Ferdinand Vallejo's, then AK was the joint project and Ammo is what Mig Jimenez founded after the falling-out.

I bought 15 bottles of MIG & AK pigments 2 years ago, thinking that I would use them up quickly based on my experience with pastels.  Body was I wrong.  Because the pigments spread and adhere so well when mixed with water, the amount I've used for eight 1/35 AFVs I've built over the past 2 years is not even noticeable at all.  

It seems as though the differences are probably only in color, but I'm still curious as to what Ammo products are like. MIG is the tried and true product, but the choices and the prices are driving me crazy. Ammo and AK both have a really weird selection (at least on ScaleHobbyist)...maybe two real dirt tones each, then a lot of dust, rust, and miscellaneous colors.

Not to hijack this thread but this seems like a nice place to ask. I have never before used the 'brand name' pigments such as AK, Mig, etc. I have always used pastels that I scrape with a razor blade. It has always worked well for me and is super cheap. I have wanted to buy some of those pigments in the past but have found them to be really expensive. What kind of a difference would I notice if I were to get some pigments and use them instead of my trusty pastels?

Chris

Chris, I used pastels for years and still use them from time to time. But you can really do a lot with pigments that I never could with pastels. I found they can be built up nicely to produce piles of dust/sand in corners that AFDV's often have. They are less subtle than pigments so the effect of a dusty and even muddy look is much easier to achieve. Pastels still have there place for me, the pigments are just something extra to use when needed.

Compressorman

Not to hijack this thread but this seems like a nice place to ask. I have never before used the 'brand name' pigments such as AK, Mig, etc. I have always used pastels that I scrape with a razor blade. It has always worked well for me and is super cheap. I have wanted to buy some of those pigments in the past but have found them to be really expensive. What kind of a difference would I notice if I were to get some pigments and use them instead of my trusty pastels?

Chris

The difference is like night and day.

AK & MIG super fine pigments spread extremely well and adhere to the surface extremely well.  Once you use brand name pigments, you'll never go back to pastels.

Compared to pastel prices at art stores, brand name pigments are not expensive at all.  One bottle will last forever.

@Compressorman

Don't worry about "hijacking" the thread! Anyway, your question fits right in. I wouldn't recommend Vallejo pigments though.

If anyone's still subscribed to this thread, I'd just like to say that I think I've given Vallejo pigments an overly bad rap. As long as there's enough tooth in the underlying coat it works fine.

MIG

I'm not saying MiG isn't better, I'm just saying that Vallejo pigments work fine as long as you're a little more careful with the usage. They especially work well with Bill Plunk's dish soap and water wash technique.

Plus they're way cheaper :)

I have a bottle of Vallejo pigments that I don't use after one trial.  In my experience MIG/AK pigments are better.

The price tag possibly makes up for it depending on your point of view...I'll use both :)