How do you organize your paints?

[Harrek]

All of my paints sit in the Reaper white plastic boxes or Plano ones that are very similar.  I just reference a PDF (posted in the forums here) listing them all and then can find what I need easily as they are in order.  I keep each manufacturer separate as well.  Once I use a paint on a current project it stays out and I have one of the Reaper black plastic cases that they go in when I am done for the session.  After that figure is done, they go back to storage.  When I put them back I also make note of what paint I used on what figure along with a picture for future reference.

 

I don't have a spot where I can setup for painting permanently or have all my paints out and visible.  When that day comes I'll get some racks to keep them in so they are more visible.  I also only have dropper bottles and have transferred the few paint pots I have to bottles as well.

[RouterMike]

I have two nail polish racks on my desk that hold all the small reaper and vallejo bottles. They're grouped by major color groups in ROYGBIV shades, followed by black, gray, white and the army of browns. All the misc metallics, addatives and whatnot fill out the last rows. Each of the major color groups are arranged by triads where possible.  I'm at the critical stage where I won't have enough room once the Bones 2 and CAV paint sets arrive. I do have a handful of hobby store paints and additives in a normal toolbox. I'll see if I can remember to post up a picture of my work space at some point.

[Kangaroorex]

I also use nail polish racks for my reaper paint. My methods are ROPYBGBWGO and new. Right now new takes up 2 rows...

[LittleBluberry]

<sigh>  My paint is also all in a Plano box.  But it's full.  Plus I've got a case for HD paint (that they came in) and some in the Bones LTPK box.  My main collection is grouped by color not SKU, because when I'm looking for a brown I want to look in the brown section.  (Happens to be the largest section for some reason, and that's not including flesh tones or hair colors because they have their own sections.) 

 

I'm conflicted about setting up a dedicated area.  I find I enjoy working on stuff at my kitchen table, despite the effort setting up & tidying away. 

[CashWiley]

I'm conflicted about setting up a dedicated area.  I find I enjoy working on stuff at my kitchen table, despite the effort setting up & tidying away.

I actually got a desk from a library sale, an old 50s metal desk with really old smooth bullnose edges that are so nice to lean on to paint. The original finish is worn right off from people leaning on it at work for decades.

 

But I love painting in the living room, all hunched into a horrid posture on the sofa. Especially in winter with the wood stove crackling away with a good football game on (might be part of why I paint slow...that Lynch run was cray)

[Darsc Zacal]

♪When you sort your paint jars

Do you sort the red ones last?♫

♫Do you sort them very slowly?

Or sort them very fast?♪

♫Sort that coloured Reaper goodness

But tell me when I ask ♫

♪When you sort your paint jars

Do you sort the red ones last!♪

♫

 

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Sorry. It's been a looong day.

[TGP]

Sorting?

This is s thing? ...

 

... Been a long night and I am too sick to sleep.

[Wren]

]I wanted to store some paints in a separate yet accessible way, and found this option at Joanns that I thought might work for people who need to keep paints stored or mobile. The trays inside have kickstands so you can prop them up when you're using them. It fits Reaper, Vallejo, and Secret Weapon dropper bottles. I snuck a few old GW washes in by poster tacking Reaper bottle lids to their lids.

 

[fanguad]

I saw that on Mocha's blog the other day.  You can also get the trays separately on Amazon.

[TGP]

]I wanted to store some paints in a separate yet accessible way, and found this option at Joanns that I thought might work for people who need to keep paints stored or mobile. The trays inside have kickstands so you can prop them up when you're using them. It fits Reaper, Vallejo, and Secret Weapon dropper bottles. I snuck a few old GW washes in by poster tacking Reaper bottle lids to their lids.

 

paint-caddy.jpg

The whole box is eight files X nine ranks...?

How many spots in one tray?

[Heisler]

I would guess that there are two trays in that picture with 4x8 spots so 32 paints per side, 64 total. That's an intriguing solution. Do they stay in place if you turn the box sideways for transport?

[fanguad]

Yes, it's 64 bottles per box.  I believe that the box can fit inside a cubby (based on branding), but I'm not sure about that, nor about how many boxes per cubby.

[Last Knight]

Pretty sure I've shared this before, but...

 

Box O' Paint by wandererchronicles, on Flickr

 

...most of my paint goes in this box. My MSP HD paints are all in a Reaper paint pistol case, and then the Kickstarter MSP paints are in another Reaper paint pistol case.

 

If I could organize all of my paints into one location that I could still move quickly and easily back and forth between home and ship, or to friends' houses for paint nights, then I would - but as it stands, I can load the two pistol cases into a backpack and carry the ArtBin, and it works fairly well for moving them all in one go.

[Wren]

Heisler is correct, 64 bottles per container. I didn't toss it all around the room, but holding it sideways by the handle was fine for paint not falling out of the holes, even my poster tacked GW bottles, though those did move around a bit more.

[Bonwirn]

I printed out the 11x17 version of the paint guide. I spent the afternoon sorting the paints onto the printed plans. I do have a few questions:

 

1). I guess I was thinking that the colors would be sorted along the triad system, but that does not appear to be the case. Why not?

 

2). Would it be possible to pick a maximum number of vertical rows? Some have as few as three and some have seven or eight. If I was going to put the paints in a "container" based on this arrangement, there would be a lot of wasted space.

 

3). Is this really based upon color? The print out (on a color laser copier from work) has what appears to be lighter colors below or to the right of darker colors...

 

4). What would be an easy way to have a small space built in that would allow you to put a drop of paint beside the color swatch?