The blood curdling screams of failed acolytes howl on the frozen winds of Ghur. Far beyond the snow tipped peaks of her primordial landscapes, down into the dilapidated villages of surviving mortals, cloaked figures lash out in frustration at their inability to master a simple task.
To flip a chosen paint, and let it be, while they continue onwards to summon their deepest desires, creating their greatest works yet.
Rumours of fabled artefacts, first born and erupted from the haunted gardens of Shyish in an age preceding even that of the first agitators, swirl and mix in the minds of prospective hobbyists. Their vision - to effortlessly decant their Citadel paints.
To see un-spilled colours atop their tables, repurposed to the dropper bottle, ready to drip.
‘What is this Tzeentch sorcery’? Un-enlightened minds may wonder, bug-eyed and desperate, staring in anguish at the wasted acrylic pools all around them. Well come, gather, let us venture together beyond the Allpoints, and see for ourselves just how easy it can be, and what benefits come with transferring your Citadel paints to dropper bottles!
How Can I Transfer My Citadel Miniature Paints to Dropper Bottles?
Traditional means of transferring Citadel miniature paints to dropper bottles have seen all sorts of interesting, bizarre, and out right messy methods crop up across the millenia. Fellow nerds have been whirring with frustration since 1984, when the first range of Citadel paints were released: ‘Citadel Colour paint set 1’ and ‘Citadel Colour paint set 2’.
Way back during the days of the old world, few even knew what a dropper bottle was, nor how to make one drip. Not a mini one for miniature paint, anyways. As the decades rolled on, many companies moved to releasing their ranges already stored in 15ml dropper bottles, however, for reasons unknown to science, our friendly neighbourhood Games Workshop chose not to modernise their range, and seemingly have zero interest in doing so!
For those who are interested in transferring their Citadel miniature paints to dropper bottles, let us first take a look at a few antiquated methods before we talk about the only solution you will ever need again.
The pipette:
Hooded and huddled, steeped over the edges of tables plastered in colours running the spectrum, many a spitting figure has cursed their way through the pipette process. It was a long favoured device used for transferring liquids from one source to another.
The pipette is a one time use, inefficient tool. Once contaminated it cannot be cleaned well enough to prevent the clogging or mixing of future paint transfers, and due to the way it functions, it is impossible to extract all the paint from your Citadel miniature paint pot, nor get all of the paint out of the pipette itself when you deposit your favourite skin tone.
The funnell-less pour:
The method of the common savage demands its own level of respect. Any who are heroic enough to simply flip the Citadel paint pot over and pray to the false gods it goes into the dropper bottle are well earned for a place amongst the ranks of Sigmar’s chambers.
This method will earn you a lot of wasted paint, tabletops and floors covered in acrylic colours, frustration, and a seriously peeved off partner or parent. That lightning strike from the empyrean might not be so far off after all!
Funnel and a book:
A mixture of defeat and no fudges left to give will see a hobbyist pushed to their limits go with whatever their scrambled brain can logically assemble. “Why is it so difficult to get the paint out of the pot and into the dropper bottle?!” Didn’t shout me.
Many a video is out there of folks who had all the right ideas, but just could not put it together. Trying to decant my Citadel colours by balancing a paint pot, on a funnel, on top of a dropper bottle and leaning it against something so I could leave it to transfer, hoping it wouldn’t all fall to bits was my own method for far too long.
Although all of these fruitless ideas will get SOME of your paint transferred from Citadel paint pot to dropper bottle, none of them will be quick. They will all make a mess and waste paint. Paint that is not cheap.
There is a better way, hobbyists of all games. An effortless method that is guaranteed to save you time. It’s clean and easy, and when you’re finished your entire Citadel paint collection will be in dropper bottles ready for your masterworks!
Citadel Paint Decanter: The Drop Dripper
‘Twas amidst the depths of a stormy night, outside, heavy rains battered against my window, collecting droplets filtered down the panes as arcs of lightning danced all along the horizon. Inside, the third bottle of Agrax Earthshade had just been knocked over, two by my own elbow, the third… a hamster, and my blood was boiling worse than Khan the Betrayer’s - just before he starts betraying.
I admit, I’d had about 9 pints and was likely not on my A game when it comes to concentration, however, as I heard the final bottle of shade hit the table top and saw it spill out everywhere, I leaned back in my chair. I was done. I’d had it with these damned Citadel Paint pots. Something had to change. A Citadel Paint decanter NEEDED to be invented.
I searched and researched, scouring the internet high and low for answers. HOW could I end the misery of dried up paint pots and spilt washes? The methods of old were terrible, I’d lost paint to them first hand. Everyone had their own inefficient methods that just barely worked. Trying to balance and drain and leverage and… whatever. Then something struck me: Orcs have super high testosterone levels, but no tackle. How is that?
As my brain wracked over the problems, other ideas rolled through my imagination, and then, as if passed through the warp by the god-emperor himself. The image of an upside down paint pot, held in position, without ANY chance of spillage by some arcane device specifically - built for the exact purpose of transferring Citadel Paints to dropper bottles - hit me… The Drop Dripper concept arrived, and the rest was history.
Is it Worth Transferring Citadel Paints to Dropper Bottles?
Of course! We’ve had so much great feedback now about the simplicity of The Drop Dripper, and more importantly, how much time it is saving our fellow hobbyists. For a look at just how neat and simple the entire transfer process is, check out our video guide right here on our site and Watch the Drop Dripper in Action.
All that being said, if you are choosing one of the more classical methods of trying to transfer your paints, well, you might want to think twice before venturing forth into the campaign.
What Are The Advantages of Transferring Citadel Paints to Dropper Bottles?
A dropper bottle is a small, airtight container that is used to dispense small amounts of liquid. The bottle has a small opening at the top and a dropper attached to the lid, allowing you to control the amount of liquid that is dispensed.
Dropper bottles are an ideal way to store and use Citadel paints. The small opening at the top of the bottle prevents spillage, and the attached dropper allows you to control the amount of paint that is dispensed. This prevents waste and ensures that you only use the amount of paint that you need.
Once your washes, glazes and contrast paints have been transferred, you’ll never have to fear knocking them over, EVER, again. No spillage. No shouting obscenities. No ruined tabletops. Just pure painting bliss.
What's more, dropper bottles come with an airtight seal that prevents evaporation and leakage. You can rest assured that your paints will stay fresh, even if you don't use them for months (or even years) at a time.
Is it Easy Transferring Citadel Paints to Dropper Bottles?
Trying to transfer Citadel paints to dropper bottles can be a nightmare. You only need to take a brief look on YouTube to see how much time and PAINT can be lost by using terrible methods to achieve your goals.
The Drop Dripper makes things easy and hands free. You can load your paints up. Leave them. Go back to your painting. Come back, transfer your labels, then go again. Before long your entire Citadel paint collection will be ready for use in dropper bottles, plus any future Citadel paints you buy can be easily transferred to dropper bottles as well!
What Size Dropper Bottle Should I Use When Transferring Citadel Paints Using a Decanter?
The Drop Dripper is designed to hold 15ml dropper bottles. This is also the standard size used by companies who release their paints in droppers already.
This means every paint you successfully transfer to a dropper bottle will sit in popular paint holders and stands designed around the commonly used 15ml bottle.
If you were considering any of the other barbaric methods mentioned earlier in this scroll of pure wisdom to transfer your Citadel paints, we still advise you to use 15ml bottles for the reason mentioned above.
Baked Beans tonight?
How Do I Label My Dropper Bottles After I Have Transferred my Citadel Paint?
Easy! Just peel the label off the Citadel paint pot you’ve emptied and POW - Right round the dropper. (Stick it on and around the dropper bottle… Using your fingers and thumbs).
If you press the centre of the Citadel paint sticker to the dropper bottle first then push the left and right parts of the label round the bottle it will sit perfectly, almost as if the stickers were designed to be transferred to dropper bottles!
Should I Use a Thinning Medium When Transferring My Citadel Paints To Dropper Bottles?
We advise you to use a small amount of paint thinning medium for base paints, and any Citadel paints you’ve had laying around for months, years, or even between the time of the Horus Heresy and when the Eldar started getting freaky. Know what I mean?
Washes and glazes should be more than thin enough already to freely drop, some of the layers and metallic Citadel paints are also thin and will pour easily, though it might be worth giving them a good shake and stir before decanting. Many of the metallics have ‘sparkly’ sediment in them that you will want in the paint mix before it is transferred, same goes for contrast paints.
If you are in any doubt, give your paints a little dip test with a brush to see what state they are in. If you feel like they need thinner you can follow our video guide and give them a squirt.
Start Transferring Your Citadel Paints To Dropper Bottles Today!
Whether it’s with the Drop Dripper, or some other, messy, chaotic method, the benefits of moving your Citadel paints over to dropper bottles are well worth the time and effort - long and hard with traditional means - quick and easy with the Drop Dripper!
Don’t let ONE MORE Nuln Oil spill over your tabletop. Grab a Drop Dripper, and start your transfers today!