Vallejo Game Color vs Citadel Base Paints for Beginners

Both are excellent beginner ranges. Vallejo Game Color wins on format (dropper bottles prevent waste and allow precise thinning) and cost per milliliter. Citadel Base wins on one-coat coverage and community documentation depth, which matters if you follow Games Workshop tutorial content.

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At a glance

Spec	Vallejo Game Color 16-Bottle Starter Set Check price on Amazon	Citadel Base Paint Set (11 Pots) Check price on Amazon
Price	$28-$38	$32-$42
Our rating	4.7 / 5	4.5 / 5
Best for	Beginners building their first palette and painters switching from pots to dropper bottles.	Painters in the Games Workshop ecosystem who want the officially documented paint range.
Format	Dropper bottle, precise delivery	Flip-top pot, faster skinning
Coverage	Two coats standard	One coat over primer
Value	Lower cost per ml	Higher cost per ml
Documentation	Large community, less GW-specific	Most tutorials use Citadel

The two options in depth

4.7 Amazon

Vallejo Game Color 16-Bottle Starter Set

The most practical beginner palette in the hobby: 16 dropper-bottle acrylics covering every major colour group, formulated for plastic and metal miniatures.

Best for Beginners building their first palette and painters switching from pots to dropper bottles.

Dropper bottles prevent drying on the palette and allow precise thinningCovers all core colour groups in one purchaseExcellent pigment load with good one-coat coverage over primer Does not include dedicated wash or shade paints

$28-$38 Check price on Amazon

4.5 Amazon

Citadel Base Paint Set (11 Pots)

Games Workshop's high-pigment base range bundled in an 11-pot starter set, designed to cover plastic in one or two coats straight over primer.

Best for Painters in the Games Workshop ecosystem who want the officially documented paint range.

High pigment load covers primed plastic in one coatPaints the entire Games Workshop range is documented againstWidely available in hobby stores and online Flip-top pots dry out faster than dropper bottles

$32-$42 Check price on Amazon

Which should you buy?

Choose Vallejo Game Color if you want the better-value, better-format everyday workhorse. Choose Citadel Base if you follow Games Workshop tutorials and want the official documented range. Both are genuinely good beginner paints -- the format and documentation arguments are what separate them.

Common questions

Can Vallejo Game Color and Citadel paints be mixed on the palette?

Yes. Both are water-based acrylics and mix together without problems. You may need to adjust water ratio slightly since they have different pigment loads and flow agents, but blending them on the palette is standard practice for painters who use multiple brands.

Which range has a better shade and wash range?

Citadel shades like Agrax Earthshade and Nuln Oil are the hobby standard and most tutorials reference them. Vallejo Washes are a solid alternative with similar flow characteristics and work in dropper format. If you are following community guides, Citadel shades are more consistently referenced by name.

Do Citadel pots dry out faster than Vallejo dropper bottles?

Yes. Flip-top pots allow more air contact and the paint skins over faster between sessions. Dropper bottles keep paint fresher longer because the bottle opening is small. Sealing Citadel pots with a thin layer of water between sessions slows skinning but does not fully match the convenience of a sealed dropper bottle.