I know Im asking randomly but does anybody know a tool to log back into an instagram account..? I was dumb lost my account password. I would appreciate any tricks you can offer me.
I use contrast mainly for energy weapons, tallasar blue over grey knights steel for power swords, aethermatic blue over white for plasma weapons, and tesseract green over leadbelcher gives an awesome effect!
I have been doing this and it makes a huge difference... I am just a hobby painter and this technique really helps up my game to produce decent mini's that I can be proud of.
My tips for use of Contrast Paints is: Leather Brown (army painter) + Gore-Grunta fur = Easy leather bags and belts Silver Base spray + Nazdreg Yellow = Gold + Gulliman Flesh = Bronze + Warp lightning = Dark Angel Green + thin coat of 50/50 warp lightning/contrast medium = Salamander Green
Hail yourself buddy, hell yeah. Also, contrast really saved me when it was time to paint the Iyanden Kill Team. Yellow is so much easier with contrast.
I've seen people use them to make an enamelled look. Flesh Tearers Red over Stormhost Silver looks a bit like the effect on the Thousand Sons armour on the Forge World website. I'm still experimenting with Contrast paints, but I've found it gets blobby when you go back over areas you've already painted when the paint is still wet.
Yea, when I got back to painting minis I saw your previous video on contrast paint and it really helped me out getting to a decent level quickly. I think it's a great way do glazing and shading overall as you can use it to sort of bind the various colours and can do a terrific job in making edgehighlighting easier since you can work toward the edge, instead of having to add it at the end
I used contrast paints for my Mantic Armada ships (Basileans and Orcs) over a zenithal highlight with some metallics for the smaller details and metallic parts. I didn't use a thick coat either, just painted them on as you would a normal paint. I'm really happy with the results and it didn't take too long either.
Yep. I do this and then wash with Army Painter shades. Then highlight with a little drybrush and highlight. Fast and looks great on the table. You nailed it.
I like your tip on priming in black and then zenithal prime, then using translucent paint as well as contrast paint (thinned) is a great way to speed paint and army. Get decent results.
I've bought some Citadel Contrast Medium to create some custom mixes and try out the processes you described with my current collection of acrylic paints and inks. Many thanks for the advice as always - and keep up the good work.
Sorry for my bad english but i really want to thanks you for helping me in this new hobby, thanks for all hints and motivation i found in all your vidéo, big thanks you from Québec, canada
I have a few, but I mainly use Guiliman Flesh for making Rakarth Flesh colored chaos loin cloths dirt and sweat stained after two layers of Agrax. Looks cool.
I think the key thing I have loved from the start is that they are another useful tool in our arsenal. They are great for whatever you need them for, and if they allow you to do a thing then that is a win!
I love the creativity you're showing with contrast paints. Thanks! I have been using contrast paints over metallics for a while and it works amazing. Even a power weapon is easily done with some Aethermatic Blue over leadbelcher.
Atom - at 9:48 you show a Necron model that looks awesome. Is there a video where you walk through your process to get this look? I’m new to airbrushing and contrast paints, and what you show is very much what I’d like to do for mine. Do you demo the technique in another episode? Thank you.
I've just finished my Bjorn the Fel-handed and used contrast over metallics for the filigree on the front panels and it looks great. I also used contrast to great effect on his pelts, especially the one where I thinned out with contrast medium.
I'm glad you mentioned organics being the best thing to use them on straight out of the pot... I paint a lot of fantasy board game mini's with them because it's quick, easy, and they look great in the end on those creatures. Not to mention, board games usually have lower quality models and it makes it easy to get a 100% painted board game painted in no time. I use them a lot on "rust" spots on armor and weapons. Like where there is damage, it's easy to make the "rust" run down from rivets and such and looks phenomenal. Straight contrast painted models remind me a lot of cell shading in movies and games... You end up with an army that looks like something out of Borderlands. Which is really cool in some cases... I don't think I have ever painted a mini that was 100% contrast. Even if I just highlight eyes and claws and such. You gave me some good ideas here though! Once I get an airbrush, I will DEFINITELY try that shading. Great video as always!
If you want your Marines to look good with contrast, paint it over silver, and not super light primers. Gives it that metal armour look, instead of being all splotchy. Kitbashed an SoB Inquisitor from some leftover Stormcast, went with the classic red/white cloth and black armour, came out great.
I've probably commented it on one of your other videos about contrast paints before, but contrast through an airbrush over metallics works great for coloured metals. I used it for my kharadron overlords on the airships, and I'd say it also does a good job at still giving a natural highlight, so I didn't need to pick out a million rivets. Also when used in the traditional way I think black templar is the undisputed champion, it covers in a single coat over almost any colour, it's saved me so much time doing large areas of black on large areas of minis that I've basecoated a different colour. I really don't see myself going back to using regular black paints on anything larger than small detail any time soon. Also a lot of the time the splotchy effect comes in because people treat it too much like a regular paint, the key to painting on a smooth finish with contrast is not to agitate it once you've put it down. Whilst it's not the best, you can get a smooth finish with contrast over smooth areas, the warhammer community painting team prove as much in their guide to painting different marine chapters.
In total agreement with you on zenithal undercoating. I actually have started shading areas with a paint brush for cloaks and the like and am happy with the results. However, bearing in mind that the Vlogger does not claim to be a high skill painter, the lady on Hobby Night does a very good job with contrast in the GW fashion. She has done a decent Death Guard army for those who don't want to invest the time in painting. If you have not seen it check it out.
Okay, I'm new to the hobby here and started watching a lot of videos on painting miniatures.. but I came from a light background of classical painting and model painting. I find it a little curious that so many of the normal painting techniques, that are core to those arts, seem to be new and amazing for miniature painters. Things like wet blending or non-metalic-metal are just 'how you paint' and 'how you paint metal' in the classical world. Or transparent paints.. we do that all the time for models. You take a clear varnish paint (sold in the same bottle as all the others), and add a little dye or the paint you like. Some even add raw pigments. Add flow improvers to let it rest in the valleys and pull away from the high points, add medium to make it smoother and not clump or look patchy when you do light coats. Probably a bit of both to make Contrast Medium. You can even get acrylic medium in about 6 different viscosities. Some with metallic powders already, some with special features like crackle or grit. And trust me, those are WAY cheaper than GW. By an order of magnitude. Sure, it'll takes some experimenting and practice to get all those blends just right, and repeatability can be a challenge, but that's part of the fun (for some people). If not, well, Citadel as you covered. I really commend Games Workshop for trying to find the right balance to make it a bit simpler and easier for everyone, because after-all, it's all about how you get the end result you're after the fastest, cheapest, and/or with the least amount of stress, pain, or suffering. But all of these techniques are nothing new to the paint world. Might do everyone well to pick up their brush and learn a few of the tricks of classical painting and model painting too. Who knows what other new tools you'll learn that no one's talking about for miniatures. I'm very new, so I have no idea what I don't know, but I'm sure those with more experience than me might find some great gems out there in the other painting arts.
I use Contrast since their release and they are my new base clours for blocking. I use metals, highlights and drybrush in addition. I agree that they better work on organic surfaces but my Ultramarine Kill Team (Talassar Blue on Wraithbone) looks pretty good. Though it's true, you have to dose Contrast carefully and fininsh an "area" without hesitation or pauses to avoid sploshed. Then it saves time and gives an awesome base. Anything bigger looks sploshy... tried a Tarantula and it's only ok!
I do similar thing to zenithal priming but using brush on primers. I first prime a model entirely in black and then heavy drybrush either very light grey primer or even just light grey lith ulthuan grey. Works wonders with contrast.
I have a similar use for nazdreg yellow contrast that makes up my recipe for gold, but I haven't tried with a zenithal prime yet. I'll have to do that on my next model. Thanks!
I really like the Skeleton Horde contrast. Works great on...well, bones. Skulls, skeletons, any of it, works like a charm. I've also had a lot of success with Blood Angels Red on Bloodletters and other Khorne daemons; like you mention, those sculpts tend to have a lot of bumpy, scaly skin and it makes base coating 50 of the little buggers a whole heck of a lot faster! Like you talk about, I also really like to use them on top of a coat of Leadbelcher. Something about the consistency of the contrasts just works really well on top of the metallics, giving the color a nice metallic sheen while still being very strongly blue/green/red/whatever.
Excellent video as always, especially the tips on airbrushing. I've had some great results using it on vehicles to do 'preshading' which is the 'zenithal highlight' cheat mode for tanks and aircraft. Snakebite Leather panel lines on a big yellow Bad Moons Stompa 👌
Yes, I thought the same thing when I used a contrast paint on the power armour on one of my Space Marines Heroes nearly a couple of years ago after there released. I find they are good to use when I mixed them with the contrast medium and applied them on the robes, skins, plasma coils, hair and fur. They do have some benefits.
I have found this to be the best use of contrast paints. Apart from a few bits and bobbles here and there, it's the only way I use them. When you spoke of space marines, I use Black Templar to fill in the joints of the suits. With zenithal highlight and a thinner coat, turns out great.
I use Contras paints a lot, and more or less like you explain here. I also use it for wetblending, they work really good for that, both with another contrast paint or by adding a normal layer paint. And to add, the priming highlight can be done easy with dry brush white/grey instead of silver, as you say in the vid.
So I found they have tremendous use as a tint. I've been painting skaven, and going for patchwork robes on my plague monks. Using a variety of gw greens to start, and then tinting them with the different green contrasts has allowed me a ton of variation at no additional work. Just a very thin layer over already highlighted are can also be added selectively to smooth transitions. Having a wide variety of colors for these transparent inks has been incredibly useful. I used to use the 4 glaze technicals gw made for similar tinting but always found myself wanting more options and tones
Great video! I am finding that I use contrast paints a lot now. They have so many good applications. Airbrush, brushed over zenithal, or even improved shades if I thin them a bit with contrast medium. They are perfect for a quick, very good, result on many many parts of models.
I actually am currently painting Marines with Contrast! However, I give them a black undercoat and a Grey Seer zenithal and the Contrast I'm using is Space Wolves Grey. It tones down the blueishness and that baby-blue element considerably. Now they look more like that dark greyblue that you see on those "Hounds of Morkai" box from a while ago. I also don't paint the flat pauldrons with it, because that just looks splotchy. But the bodies and backpacks and nubbly arms? Looks pretty damn good!
I have been using Flesh Tearers contrast paint through my airbrush on black primed World Eaters and Khorne Chaos Knights. It goes on so smooth and looks great, though a little dark. I then lighten them up with a heavy dry brush of Mephiston Red and then a light dry brush or edge highlight of Evil Sunz Scarlet - perfect ...... ish :)
I have used contrast paints on practically every model I have painted in the last year. Not a single one with the 'proper' method. I've used them as glazes, shades, straight over a zenithal highlight both metal and black/white, through the airbrush, to do wet blending with and a whole load of other stuff. It's great. Also, Black Templar is just massively superior to Nuln Oil in every single way. It being a more intense colour allows me more control with how I use it and especially over metallic paints it doesnt just make the whole model look flat, the metal still looks like metal, just darker.
So ideally to make the most of Contrast Paints I need: • The Contrast Paints • Light and Dark Spray primers What else do I need to complete the metallic additions and other effects discussed here?
I like putting them down over a grey primer and then doing heavy dry brushing with the equivalent layer color, it gets rid of the splotchiness in light areas and keeps shadows and panel lines dark.
You can get some really amazing colours and blends if you apply contrast paints on top of a wash of the opposite colour wheel colour. Like red contrast on top of green shade.
Black Templar is really good. It’s slightly blue, like a Payne’s grey. It’s great for small details like boots, pouches, straps etc. One coat and done.
Before I watched this video, I literally pulled out the airbrush to do some zenithal on blitz bowl models that will be contrast painted and I also airbrushed some contrast for the first time too!
This is crazy that you posted this because I just did 60 orks this weekend this way. I took it one step farther with black base, zenithal grey, and dry brush white. After that just contrast paint everything.
I want to experiment with them over a strong zenithal prime. See if I can get a technique going for speed painting where the zenithal prime + contrast gives a lot of contrast and some highlights/shadows.
:D so I commented before I had watched the video obviously. I really want to give that technique ago, your goblin/orc warrior with the mace and shield looks nice for how quick the technique is. Now I just wish I could get contrast paint in dropper bottles... hopefully you don't talk about that further into the video
So I have Scale75’s answer to contrast paints, Instant Colors. And the first thing you say about zenithal I actually been doing that with a twist. Do the zenithal undercoat. Then take a darker color I want to tint the shadows and airbrush below. Then a lighter color I want to be the night light and airbrush from above.
Another thing I have seen is changing the way you zenithal to help the contrast work. Instead of black use grey seer, then instead of white use wraithbone for the top down. Then drybrush with actual white. By "setting up" the zenithal for the contrast you will get much better results.
I just use them like diferent shades. Or just like second layer for paints. When i paint my KO i just cober all Runelords Brass with Gulimans Flesh. Sometimes even a few times so i have this nice, messy brass. And all Mephiston Red cloats with Blod Angels Red. It just mixes things up, makes the texture not the same everywhere. So basically like shades but diferent haha. And i am net to the honny so maby I do sth wrong. Anyway love the vid. It is really helpfull for someone new to hobby like me
What about for use in terrain features like the tile roofs of buildings, windows, etc.? I've been experimenting on making it look like the sunlight is hitting the buildings at different angles from different times of day.
I like using contrasts over metallics. I am using the turquoise over silver to give my Alpha Legion enameled armor. And for any korne units with Armor I do a base of gold, a layer of blood letter then a layer of Black templar to give the armor a burnt wine color.
I'm not a fast painter, but I really enjoy using contrast paints as a deep recess shade - it's a lot less punishing than an opaque color and less finicky than messing around with mediums
When using through an airbrush do you thin them as much as other paints? Do they need to be thined at all? Also they seem like they may be similar to badgers ghost tints when used through an airbrush have you ever used those?
In my experience, Contrast Paints make painting metallics much easier. Whenever I have a big block of metal, like an ork engine, or a track, or a big gun, I prime it entirely in silver and then Contrast over it. Need darker metal? Black Templar or Basilicanum Grey; Copper? Gryph Hound Orange; Gold? Nazdreg Yellow, etc. It works surprisingly well, and with other more vivid Contrast Paints like Blood Angels Red or Talassar Blue you get a very nice chromed paint effect.
Great video Uncle Atom! I have two questions: 1) Is there a white contrast paint, and if so does it lighten or dull the colour under it? 2) Why do we shade and highlight minis? I can see that it works, but I don't get why it works. Is it similar to your example with the AK47s in that we're trying to trick the eye by adding a metallic accent, thereby making them look more gunlike? Or is it accentuating what is already there from the natural light? I've seen that gouging a grain into the wood I use for terrain makes the wood look more woody, is it the same thing?
I've noticed on the Warhammer TV channel, the painting guides rarely use Contrast in the intended way unless they're making Contrast Method videos. More often, they'll thin it down with a LOT of contrast medium and use them as glazes. That seems to work really well though. For me personally, the price tag is still a bit too steep, especially since I already have a lot of paint.
True! Just the other day I was looking up how they paint Space Wolf markings and they actually use Black Templar Contrast as almost a way to paint in the initial lines which you'll colour-in with a base paint later anyways. So in that instance it's almost used like an ink to draw a pattern.
I never thought of the air brush thing. Do you think that would work with getting vehicles painted up in the same color as my contrast space marines without having to make the mess of trying to brush on contrast? (Imperial Fists with Iyanden Yellow) worried about finding a way to paint vehicles to match the same colors. Thanks for the tips as always :)
When using Contrast Paints, when finished do you still use a wash like Nuln Oil afterwards or is it basically done for you due to how the Contrast Paint works?
Maybe I’m being an idiot, which is a strong possibility, but it sounds like you’re using them just like an ink because they are so thin. I thought the whole point of contrast paints was it includes the base and ink coats together. Do they not do that? I will be honest I haven’t tried them and still use the old layering system.
I'm trying to get into minis painting (after nearly a decade) so I'm just now leaning about contrast paints. They sound like glaze paints. Or maybe super pigmented glazes. Is that pretty accurate?
Thanks for that - For handing out new ideas and inspiration. As always.
I know Im asking randomly but does anybody know a tool to log back into an instagram account..?
I was dumb lost my account password. I would appreciate any tricks you can offer me.
@Eli Sage Instablaster =)
I really love how you showed examples of what you were talking about. I found it to be something that felt missing in some other videos. Great video!
I use contrast mainly for energy weapons, tallasar blue over grey knights steel for power swords, aethermatic blue over white for plasma weapons, and tesseract green over leadbelcher gives an awesome effect!
I have been doing this and it makes a huge difference... I am just a hobby painter and this technique really helps up my game to produce decent mini's that I can be proud of.
Perfect timing for the video. I just finished one and I still have painting to do
My tips for use of Contrast Paints is:
Leather Brown (army painter) + Gore-Grunta fur = Easy leather bags and belts
Silver Base spray
+ Nazdreg Yellow = Gold
+ Gulliman Flesh = Bronze
+ Warp lightning = Dark Angel Green
+ thin coat of 50/50 warp lightning/contrast medium = Salamander Green
Hail yourself buddy, hell yeah.
Also, contrast really saved me when it was time to paint the Iyanden Kill Team. Yellow is so much easier with contrast.
I've seen people use them to make an enamelled look. Flesh Tearers Red over Stormhost Silver looks a bit like the effect on the Thousand Sons armour on the Forge World website. I'm still experimenting with Contrast paints, but I've found it gets blobby when you go back over areas you've already painted when the paint is still wet.
Yeah once it starts to dry a bit you get really bad tearing problems if you don't let it finish drying
Yea, when I got back to painting minis I saw your previous video on contrast paint and it really helped me out getting to a decent level quickly.
I think it's a great way do glazing and shading overall as you can use it to sort of bind the various colours and can do a terrific job in making edgehighlighting easier since you can work toward the edge, instead of having to add it at the end
excellent video! the red over black and white edit was great and very helpful! have a wonderful week
I used contrast paints for my Mantic Armada ships (Basileans and Orcs) over a zenithal highlight with some metallics for the smaller details and metallic parts. I didn't use a thick coat either, just painted them on as you would a normal paint. I'm really happy with the results and it didn't take too long either.
Yep. I do this and then wash with Army Painter shades. Then highlight with a little drybrush and highlight. Fast and looks great on the table. You nailed it.
I like your tip on priming in black and then zenithal prime, then using translucent paint as well as contrast paint (thinned) is a great way to speed paint and army. Get decent results.
I've bought some Citadel Contrast Medium to create some custom mixes and try out the processes you described with my current collection of acrylic paints and inks. Many thanks for the advice as always - and keep up the good work.
Sorry for my bad english but i really want to thanks you for helping me in this new hobby, thanks for all hints and motivation i found in all your vidéo, big thanks you from Québec, canada
I have a few, but I mainly use Guiliman Flesh for making Rakarth Flesh colored chaos loin cloths dirt and sweat stained after two layers of Agrax. Looks cool.
I think the key thing I have loved from the start is that they are another useful tool in our arsenal. They are great for whatever you need them for, and if they allow you to do a thing then that is a win!
I use them for airbrushing. They give a really nice coat especially with a zenith highlight.
same here, I find they work well as a glaze if fired from the airbursh.
Necrodead well I basecoat with them, but if I am glazing with them I usually thin it down a little more. Like a 3-4:1 ratio of thinner to paint.
I have yet to buy an airbrush so I mainly use them for wet blending. They’re pretty awesome for that. :)
I love the creativity you're showing with contrast paints. Thanks! I have been using contrast paints over metallics for a while and it works amazing. Even a power weapon is easily done with some Aethermatic Blue over leadbelcher.
Atom - at 9:48 you show a Necron model that looks awesome. Is there a video where you walk through your process to get this look? I’m new to airbrushing and contrast paints, and what you show is very much what I’d like to do for mine. Do you demo the technique in another episode? Thank you.
Do a search for ‘Kwik & E-Z Necrons’ on TH-cam. Thanks for watching!
I've just finished my Bjorn the Fel-handed and used contrast over metallics for the filigree on the front panels and it looks great. I also used contrast to great effect on his pelts, especially the one where I thinned out with contrast medium.
Awesome tip. Never knew the true difference between shade and contrast paint from a technical POV. Can't wait to try it out on mine.
I'm glad you mentioned organics being the best thing to use them on straight out of the pot... I paint a lot of fantasy board game mini's with them because it's quick, easy, and they look great in the end on those creatures. Not to mention, board games usually have lower quality models and it makes it easy to get a 100% painted board game painted in no time. I use them a lot on "rust" spots on armor and weapons. Like where there is damage, it's easy to make the "rust" run down from rivets and such and looks phenomenal. Straight contrast painted models remind me a lot of cell shading in movies and games... You end up with an army that looks like something out of Borderlands. Which is really cool in some cases... I don't think I have ever painted a mini that was 100% contrast. Even if I just highlight eyes and claws and such.
You gave me some good ideas here though! Once I get an airbrush, I will DEFINITELY try that shading.
Great video as always!
I like the last podcast on the left shirt.
If you want your Marines to look good with contrast, paint it over silver, and not super light primers. Gives it that metal armour look, instead of being all splotchy. Kitbashed an SoB Inquisitor from some leftover Stormcast, went with the classic red/white cloth and black armour, came out great.
I've probably commented it on one of your other videos about contrast paints before, but contrast through an airbrush over metallics works great for coloured metals. I used it for my kharadron overlords on the airships, and I'd say it also does a good job at still giving a natural highlight, so I didn't need to pick out a million rivets. Also when used in the traditional way I think black templar is the undisputed champion, it covers in a single coat over almost any colour, it's saved me so much time doing large areas of black on large areas of minis that I've basecoated a different colour. I really don't see myself going back to using regular black paints on anything larger than small detail any time soon. Also a lot of the time the splotchy effect comes in because people treat it too much like a regular paint, the key to painting on a smooth finish with contrast is not to agitate it once you've put it down. Whilst it's not the best, you can get a smooth finish with contrast over smooth areas, the warhammer community painting team prove as much in their guide to painting different marine chapters.
I’ve used your tips since I started painting again and it really helps me make things look above my skills.
In total agreement with you on zenithal undercoating. I actually have started shading areas with a paint brush for cloaks and the like and am happy with the results. However, bearing in mind that the Vlogger does not claim to be a high skill painter, the lady on Hobby Night does a very good job with contrast in the GW fashion. She has done a decent Death Guard army for those who don't want to invest the time in painting. If you have not seen it check it out.
Okay, I'm new to the hobby here and started watching a lot of videos on painting miniatures.. but I came from a light background of classical painting and model painting. I find it a little curious that so many of the normal painting techniques, that are core to those arts, seem to be new and amazing for miniature painters. Things like wet blending or non-metalic-metal are just 'how you paint' and 'how you paint metal' in the classical world. Or transparent paints.. we do that all the time for models. You take a clear varnish paint (sold in the same bottle as all the others), and add a little dye or the paint you like. Some even add raw pigments. Add flow improvers to let it rest in the valleys and pull away from the high points, add medium to make it smoother and not clump or look patchy when you do light coats. Probably a bit of both to make Contrast Medium. You can even get acrylic medium in about 6 different viscosities. Some with metallic powders already, some with special features like crackle or grit. And trust me, those are WAY cheaper than GW. By an order of magnitude. Sure, it'll takes some experimenting and practice to get all those blends just right, and repeatability can be a challenge, but that's part of the fun (for some people). If not, well, Citadel as you covered.
I really commend Games Workshop for trying to find the right balance to make it a bit simpler and easier for everyone, because after-all, it's all about how you get the end result you're after the fastest, cheapest, and/or with the least amount of stress, pain, or suffering. But all of these techniques are nothing new to the paint world. Might do everyone well to pick up their brush and learn a few of the tricks of classical painting and model painting too. Who knows what other new tools you'll learn that no one's talking about for miniatures. I'm very new, so I have no idea what I don't know, but I'm sure those with more experience than me might find some great gems out there in the other painting arts.
I use Contrast since their release and they are my new base clours for blocking. I use metals, highlights and drybrush in addition. I agree that they better work on organic surfaces but my Ultramarine Kill Team (Talassar Blue on Wraithbone) looks pretty good. Though it's true, you have to dose Contrast carefully and fininsh an "area" without hesitation or pauses to avoid sploshed. Then it saves time and gives an awesome base. Anything bigger looks sploshy... tried a Tarantula and it's only ok!
I do similar thing to zenithal priming but using brush on primers. I first prime a model entirely in black and then heavy drybrush either very light grey primer or even just light grey lith ulthuan grey. Works wonders with contrast.
I came back upon this video and I picked up my paints and just got back to it. Thank you
One of these days I may pick up a couple of these, but too many paints, not enough time. Grateful for your knowledge, hoewver.
I have a similar use for nazdreg yellow contrast that makes up my recipe for gold, but I haven't tried with a zenithal prime yet. I'll have to do that on my next model. Thanks!
I really like the Skeleton Horde contrast. Works great on...well, bones. Skulls, skeletons, any of it, works like a charm. I've also had a lot of success with Blood Angels Red on Bloodletters and other Khorne daemons; like you mention, those sculpts tend to have a lot of bumpy, scaly skin and it makes base coating 50 of the little buggers a whole heck of a lot faster!
Like you talk about, I also really like to use them on top of a coat of Leadbelcher. Something about the consistency of the contrasts just works really well on top of the metallics, giving the color a nice metallic sheen while still being very strongly blue/green/red/whatever.
Excellent video as always, especially the tips on airbrushing. I've had some great results using it on vehicles to do 'preshading' which is the 'zenithal highlight' cheat mode for tanks and aircraft. Snakebite Leather panel lines on a big yellow Bad Moons Stompa 👌
Yes, I thought the same thing when I used a contrast paint on the power armour on one of my Space Marines Heroes nearly a couple of years ago after there released. I find they are good to use when I mixed them with the contrast medium and applied them on the robes, skins, plasma coils, hair and fur. They do have some benefits.
I have found this to be the best use of contrast paints. Apart from a few bits and bobbles here and there, it's the only way I use them. When you spoke of space marines, I use Black Templar to fill in the joints of the suits. With zenithal highlight and a thinner coat, turns out great.
I use Contras paints a lot, and more or less like you explain here. I also use it for wetblending, they work really good for that, both with another contrast paint or by adding a normal layer paint.
And to add, the priming highlight can be done easy with dry brush white/grey instead of silver, as you say in the vid.
So I found they have tremendous use as a tint. I've been painting skaven, and going for patchwork robes on my plague monks. Using a variety of gw greens to start, and then tinting them with the different green contrasts has allowed me a ton of variation at no additional work. Just a very thin layer over already highlighted are can also be added selectively to smooth transitions.
Having a wide variety of colors for these transparent inks has been incredibly useful. I used to use the 4 glaze technicals gw made for similar tinting but always found myself wanting more options and tones
Great video! I am finding that I use contrast paints a lot now. They have so many good applications. Airbrush, brushed over zenithal, or even improved shades if I thin them a bit with contrast medium. They are perfect for a quick, very good, result on many many parts of models.
I actually am currently painting Marines with Contrast! However, I give them a black undercoat and a Grey Seer zenithal and the Contrast I'm using is Space Wolves Grey. It tones down the blueishness and that baby-blue element considerably. Now they look more like that dark greyblue that you see on those "Hounds of Morkai" box from a while ago.
I also don't paint the flat pauldrons with it, because that just looks splotchy. But the bodies and backpacks and nubbly arms? Looks pretty damn good!
I have been using Flesh Tearers contrast paint through my airbrush on black primed World Eaters and Khorne Chaos Knights. It goes on so smooth and looks great, though a little dark. I then lighten them up with a heavy dry brush of Mephiston Red and then a light dry brush or edge highlight of Evil Sunz Scarlet - perfect ...... ish :)
Since experimenting with the various uses of contrast paints, they've become one of my favorite tools.
I find them useful painting sculpted fire/magic/spell effects and that white one is a godsend for Stormtroopers.
Contrast paints revolutionized my painting world in 2020. Thanks for giving me more ideas of how to make use of them!
I have used contrast paints on practically every model I have painted in the last year. Not a single one with the 'proper' method.
I've used them as glazes, shades, straight over a zenithal highlight both metal and black/white, through the airbrush, to do wet blending with and a whole load of other stuff. It's great.
Also, Black Templar is just massively superior to Nuln Oil in every single way. It being a more intense colour allows me more control with how I use it and especially over metallic paints it doesnt just make the whole model look flat, the metal still looks like metal, just darker.
So ideally to make the most of Contrast Paints I need:
• The Contrast Paints
• Light and Dark Spray primers
What else do I need to complete the metallic additions and other effects discussed here?
I like putting them down over a grey primer and then doing heavy dry brushing with the equivalent layer color, it gets rid of the splotchiness in light areas and keeps shadows and panel lines dark.
You can get some really amazing colours and blends if you apply contrast paints on top of a wash of the opposite colour wheel colour. Like red contrast on top of green shade.
Nice tee-shirt! Bought mine when they were on tour here in Sweden! Megustalations!!
Hail Yourself! I saw them with Sam Lenz in Milwaukee. Thanks for watching!
I’ve mainly used contrast with zenithal since shortly after they were released. Adding an extra highlight also really takes them to the next level!
I also use contrast paints for recess shading/panel lining. The viscosity gives better control and flow than a wash. More precise and less time.
Black Templar is really good. It’s slightly blue, like a Payne’s grey. It’s great for small details like boots, pouches, straps etc. One coat and done.
Before I watched this video, I literally pulled out the airbrush to do some zenithal on blitz bowl models that will be contrast painted and I also airbrushed some contrast for the first time too!
This is crazy that you posted this because I just did 60 orks this weekend this way. I took it one step farther with black base, zenithal grey, and dry brush white. After that just contrast paint everything.
Nice information. I also us them to shade, particularly white.
I want to experiment with them over a strong zenithal prime. See if I can get a technique going for speed painting where the zenithal prime + contrast gives a lot of contrast and some highlights/shadows.
:D so I commented before I had watched the video obviously. I really want to give that technique ago, your goblin/orc warrior with the mace and shield looks nice for how quick the technique is. Now I just wish I could get contrast paint in dropper bottles... hopefully you don't talk about that further into the video
I used contrast paints to get a sort of camo pattern on my cadians.
A lot of great info, thanks Adam!
Black contrast over a very bright silver (Vallejo Model Air Silver) gives a very nice blued steel.
I love adding visual texture to my minis using contrast. Makes a huge difference
Love using contrast on my necrons. I prime leadbelcher and then get metallic colors that i dont have access to...
So I have Scale75’s answer to contrast paints, Instant Colors. And the first thing you say about zenithal I actually been doing that with a twist. Do the zenithal undercoat. Then take a darker color I want to tint the shadows and airbrush below. Then a lighter color I want to be the night light and airbrush from above.
some great ideas there, i wlll be trying these out.
You can use contrast for sure on space marines. However contrast medium needs to used
Love the filter idea for metallics. Used it just now on my Ferratronic something er other...
Another thing I have seen is changing the way you zenithal to help the contrast work. Instead of black use grey seer, then instead of white use wraithbone for the top down. Then drybrush with actual white. By "setting up" the zenithal for the contrast you will get much better results.
I just use them like diferent shades. Or just like second layer for paints.
When i paint my KO i just cober all Runelords Brass with Gulimans Flesh. Sometimes even a few times so i have this nice, messy brass. And all Mephiston Red cloats with Blod Angels Red. It just mixes things up, makes the texture not the same everywhere.
So basically like shades but diferent haha. And i am net to the honny so maby I do sth wrong.
Anyway love the vid. It is really helpfull for someone new to hobby like me
What about for use in terrain features like the tile roofs of buildings, windows, etc.? I've been experimenting on making it look like the sunlight is hitting the buildings at different angles from different times of day.
I like using contrasts over metallics.
I am using the turquoise over silver to give my Alpha Legion enameled armor. And for any korne units with Armor I do a base of gold, a layer of blood letter then a layer of Black templar to give the armor a burnt wine color.
Excellent points. I agree with this 100 percent.
I'm not a fast painter, but I really enjoy using contrast paints as a deep recess shade - it's a lot less punishing than an opaque color and less finicky than messing around with mediums
I love contrast paints, they can work well too also with space marines but you need at least two coat of contrast to get a good cover,
Great information thanks!
I really like to use skeleton horde over a bone colored paint. Puts lots of detail on the bone without additional brush strokes
I've always wonder what contrast colors would do through an airbrush. I'll have to give it a try.
It's really great
"Pokey-uppey bits" that's going in the book, LOL
When using through an airbrush do you thin them as much as other paints? Do they need to be thined at all? Also they seem like they may be similar to badgers ghost tints when used through an airbrush have you ever used those?
No, when I use them in an airbrush, I don’t thin them. They work well without it. Thanks for watching!
@@tabletopminions thanks!
In my experience, Contrast Paints make painting metallics much easier. Whenever I have a big block of metal, like an ork engine, or a track, or a big gun, I prime it entirely in silver and then Contrast over it.
Need darker metal? Black Templar or Basilicanum Grey; Copper? Gryph Hound Orange; Gold? Nazdreg Yellow, etc. It works surprisingly well, and with other more vivid Contrast Paints like Blood Angels Red or Talassar Blue you get a very nice chromed paint effect.
I find 2 coats of Basilicanum Grey contrast gives a nice looking black gun too, moreso than Black Templar
Some great ideas and tips there, thanks mate.
2:40 this is the way
Might look at GW Contrast paints is I ever get back into fielding a large army.
I do this a lot with (real) inks. It produces a very similar effect, and inks are WAY cheaper than contrast paints.
Totally agree on using them over zenithal, works very well
Thanks Uncle Atom!!
Thank you, excellent advice.
Can second black Templar on guns working very well for gun details
Great video Uncle Atom!
I have two questions:
1) Is there a white contrast paint, and if so does it lighten or dull the colour under it?
2) Why do we shade and highlight minis? I can see that it works, but I don't get why it works. Is it similar to your example with the AK47s in that we're trying to trick the eye by adding a metallic accent, thereby making them look more gunlike? Or is it accentuating what is already there from the natural light? I've seen that gouging a grain into the wood I use for terrain makes the wood look more woody, is it the same thing?
I use my contrast black as a undercoat for speeding up standard troop models
Awesome video!!
Where should I start with The last podcast on the left? Beginning? End? Just curious
I think the beginning is pretty good. Thanks for watching!
That moment when you realize your favorite hobby channel is also a fan of your favorite podcast. Nice shirt uncle Adam 👍
I get the same thing using washes through my airbrush to get great shadowing
I've noticed on the Warhammer TV channel, the painting guides rarely use Contrast in the intended way unless they're making Contrast Method videos. More often, they'll thin it down with a LOT of contrast medium and use them as glazes. That seems to work really well though. For me personally, the price tag is still a bit too steep, especially since I already have a lot of paint.
True! Just the other day I was looking up how they paint Space Wolf markings and they actually use Black Templar Contrast as almost a way to paint in the initial lines which you'll colour-in with a base paint later anyways. So in that instance it's almost used like an ink to draw a pattern.
I never thought of the air brush thing. Do you think that would work with getting vehicles painted up in the same color as my contrast space marines without having to make the mess of trying to brush on contrast? (Imperial Fists with Iyanden Yellow) worried about finding a way to paint vehicles to match the same colors. Thanks for the tips as always :)
When using Contrast Paints, when finished do you still use a wash like Nuln Oil afterwards or is it basically done for you due to how the Contrast Paint works?
Interesting havnt given them a try.Might have to now
Maybe I’m being an idiot, which is a strong possibility, but it sounds like you’re using them just like an ink because they are so thin. I thought the whole point of contrast paints was it includes the base and ink coats together. Do they not do that? I will be honest I haven’t tried them and still use the old layering system.
I'm trying to get into minis painting (after nearly a decade) so I'm just now leaning about contrast paints. They sound like glaze paints. Or maybe super pigmented glazes. Is that pretty accurate?