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Wednesday, 15 November 2023

Contrast Paints - Am I still not "Getting It"? (Probably Not)

As is my want, when in town I pop into any shop that could vaguely have wargaming "related" (as in useful) material in it. My local "Boyes" shop (apologies for those overseas or out of the relative area - so Boyes makes no sense) has Vallejo paints. Straight in like Flynn! As I was perusing the Vallejo aisle doing my usual -"Which colours do I have?" and only having a vague sense of this one and that one" - I  saw a new rack of Vallejo paints called, Xpress Color. Well certainly I had "none" of them and what is more there, was only a pitiful few of them left on the shelves. That talked volumes to me, so I picked up two of the stragglers (see below, Plague Green and Black Lotus - Contrast Paints by any other name): 


I rushed back home eager to give it a bash with Vallejo's babies - having had a hit and miss affair with GW's Contrast Paints. The targets were a set of 10mm Pendraken Modern Warsaw Pact and NATO British ("Cold War Gone Hot" era) toys. The result was really a heavy all over green wash with blue-black boots and metal gun parts. They are relatively small kit so probably not the 25/28mm ideal target range, but to me it was still a "primer and very good wash" [all my crevesses are certainly covered] but still really wanting paint. Though probably "less" than normal. It certainly was a factory style productionline, which is good.

Afterwards I set off around the Internet to see what others thought. The accomplished painter "The Beard Bunker" was of interest.


My verdict: I think I am still missing the point and probably playing around with too small a scale for real benefit! Washes are probably good enough for 10mm. 

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4 comments:

  1. pancerni15 November 2023 at 10:10

    The various paint brands are jockeying to gain share. In 28mm locally a friend who hated painting horses has had a very productive year using the Contrast paints, especially the brown family.

    Another gamer using GW contrast put up 9 battalions of French line for 1815 in record time. Personally I have found the Army Painter Fast range useful in 28mm line troops, 1/200 aircraft, scatter terrain and some 4th and 5th rate Black Seas ships.

    The bigger the surface area, the more likely the variable coating effect shows up as the attraction.

    In 10mm I have to agree that a good wash would be nearly the same look.

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  2.  Ashley15 November 2023 at 15:29

    I too bought some Vallejo Xpress Colors, and what struck me is that they are perfect for glazes and filters (I leave everyone else to debate the difference between a glaze and a filter).

    The soon to come Army Painter Fanatic range do look to be offering something that IMO acrylics lack and that is solid coverage.

    But like anything, paint is just a tool to get the finish you want.

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  3. Chris16 November 2023 at 16:57

    I don't understand them either. I've wasted too much money on them as it is. Really nice blog, BTW!

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  4. Geordie an Exiled FoG17 November 2023 at 00:43

    Thanks for all the comments .. I certainly plan to use them (the Contrast Paints) at least to the bottom of the current tin, I am going to try them out on some 20mm Cold War armour next .. a T-54, let's see if upsizing works ;)

    Totally agree, Ashley!
    28mm Fantasy might be a good target for me Pancerni - I do use Vallejo Wash for my BRS 1/200 aircraft
    Thanks Chris, much appreciated

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