Contrast paint

[Ochoin]

I may have mentioned I'd bought some Citadel contrast paint for my Fantasy Dragon Rampant project. Not cheap, BTW.

The wizard figure I painted was the first to "benefit". I found it to be not particularly fast to use & not obviously better than using the old reliable base/wash & highlight.


However, now that I have a gap in my painting schedule, I've moved back to my DR force - specifically, 4 large trolls.

And here is where contrast paint comes into its own - acres of high relief of scaly flesh. I'm using 'snakebite leather' contrast & it's easy to apply & looks great. And nothing else is needed - no highlighting. The trolls wear lots of armour, which I will painted with Vallejo 'steel' & wash with Nuln oil. Not much else to paint after that.

So, my conclusion - thus far - is contrast works best on bigger figures ( eg > /172) & on highly textured surfaces. Is it of any great use to us smaller scale painters? Probably, not. However, when I've completed the trolls, I'll move on to a unit of 12 half-orc pikemen (1/72) & I'll try contrast paint again. I don't have high hopes but I'll get back to you.

donald

[steve_pickstock]

I haven't used GW contrast paints - the one time I thought about it, I went into a GW shop and asked about them and the assistant went off on one saying how I needed this and that and some of the other, and then I'd need something else and I said 'no thanks'.
I just wanted a couple to play with but he in his enthusiasm wanted me to buy a lot more.
I have picked up some of the Army Painter version - a couple of flesh tones, a black, a red and 'Hardened Leather'.
Now those I like!
I mean the idea behind contrast paints and techniques like 'slap chop' isn't a hundred miles away from the old base/wash/highlight, but the paints make it so much easier.
Painting faces for the Men of the North, I hit the faces with the AK White acrylic pen and just literally dabbed some colour on over the black base coat. Then give them a wash with the Army Painter Peachy Flesh, and you're done.
I'm gearing up to get started on the 12mm English Civil War figures, I tried the same idea - dab with the tip of the pen for the faces - really dab, dab, dab along the row. Not trying to be very careful, just get some white in the same place as the visage.
Next a fine brush and a drop of Peachy Flesh and that's it!

I think the main thing is with any of these things is try them out and see what works for you, and if it does - see what else it can do. I'm going to try Hardened Leather over a steel colour to reproduce russeted armour.
We're so lucky to have so many useful products available at the moment.

[PaulRPetri]

For me Contrast paints are another tool in my painting arsenal to finish figures fast. Which is what I am all about. The GW ones are much too expensive and I wouldn't have any of them if I had not accrued a bunch of store credit at my hobby shop through items I actioned off.

I like the Army Painter speed paints somewhat... they do reactivate, and the Express colors from Vallejo are good..