How many models can I paint from one pot?

A 12ml Citadel pot or 17ml Vallejo bottle can paint roughly 50-100 infantry models at 28mm with one colour, depending on coverage area. Basecoats use more paint than detail colours. Washes and contrast paints go further.

Should I buy all my paints before starting?

Buy your main basecoat colours, a primer, and a wash to start. Add detail colours as you need them. This avoids wasting money on colours you may not use. Most armies can be painted with 6-10 colours.

How many coats should I apply?

Two thin coats is the golden rule for solid coverage. Some colours (yellows, reds, white) may need 3-4 coats over a dark primer. Using a coloured primer matched to your basecoat reduces the number of coats needed.

Is Citadel or Vallejo better value?

Vallejo dropper bottles (17ml at ~£2.85) offer better value per ml than Citadel pots (12ml at ~£3.50). Vallejo dropper bottles also waste less paint and are easier to use with wet palettes. Both are high quality — choose based on preference.

ModelCalcs

Paint Pot Calculator — Army Painting Supplies

Estimate how many paint pots you need based on army size and colour scheme.

Number of Models

Total number of miniatures in the army or unit you plan to paint

Model SizeLarger models have more surface area, so they use more paint per figure

Number of Colours

Different paint colours in your scheme — most armies use 6-10 (basecoats, metals, detail)

Coats per Colour

Two thin coats is the standard; yellows, reds and white often need 3-4 over dark primer

Cost per Pot (£, optional)

Price per pot in GBP — Citadel 12ml ≈ £3.50, Vallejo 17ml ≈ £2.85. Leave blank to skip cost

How We Calculate This

Estimates total paint volume from model count, surface area and coats, then works out pots needed per colour. No paint maker publishes per-model coverage figures, so the surface-area presets (≈8 cm² for 15mm up to ≈120 cm² for vehicles) and the 0.01 ml/cm²/coat rate are approximate hobby estimates — tune the coverage and pot size under Advanced if your paints go further or thinner.

Formula (approximate)

Total paint ≈ Models × Surface area × Coverage (0.01 ml/cm²) × Coats
Per colour = Total paint ÷ Number of colours (assumes colours are used roughly evenly across the model)
Pots per colour = round up(Per colour ÷ Pot size), minimum 1 pot per colour

Sense check: one colour, one coat over a 28mm figure ≈ 0.2 ml, so a 12 ml Citadel pot covers roughly 60 single-colour 28mm models — in line with the 50-100 range hobbyists report.

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates. Always verify quantities before purchasing materials.