Fighting the Gray Tide (Miniature Painting)

[MGibster]

I find them a bit runny and gave heard about reactivation. Not a fan of their normal paints.

The original batch of Speed Paints was prone to reactivation but it's not so much of a problem with the new formula. Which is kind of sad, because sometimes I want the original layer to reactivate to get certain effects, but that's okay. As far as their normal paints go, the current Fanatic line is superior to their previous line. I've been leaning more towards Vallejo these days but I also like Pro Acryl.

 

[Zardnaar]

The original batch of Speed Paints was prone to reactivation but it's not so much of a problem with the new formula. Which is kind of sad, because sometimes I want the original layer to reactivate to get certain effects, but that's okay. As far as their normal paints go, the current Fanatic line is superior to their previous line. I've been leaning more towards Vallejo these days but I also like Pro Acryl.

I like Vallejo alot. And their metallics.

Been testing GW contrasts vs Vallejo ones. Vallejo is a lot cheaper, dropper bottle. GW seems a bit nicer out of the pot.

 

[Staffan]

Cheers. Still figuring out glazes.

I find them a bit runny and gave heard about reactivation. Not a fan of their normal paints.

Reactivation was an issue with the first run of Speed Paints, which is why there's a Speed Paint 2.0. The only technical issue I've heard about with 2.0 is that some people experienced it cracking as it dried. I think that was related to them using it over a zenithal done with white ink as opposed to primer or regular acrylics – something about the ink's surface not having the right structure for the paint to bond properly. So instead it dries into a sheath on top of the ink and as it contracts doing its speedpainty thing it cracks.

As for Army Painter's normal paints, their old Warpaints were so-so but I like their Air range and I'm told their newer Fanatic range is great, albeit initially having a range that's skewed more toward brighter colors (which they're working on with their John Blanche series as well as their Historic series).

 

[Zardnaar]

Reactivation was an issue with the first run of Speed Paints, which is why there's a Speed Paint 2.0. The only technical issue I've heard about with 2.0 is that some people experienced it cracking as it dried. I think that was related to them using it over a zenithal done with white ink as opposed to primer or regular acrylics – something about the ink's surface not having the right structure for the paint to bond properly. So instead it dries into a sheath on top of the ink and as it contracts doing its speedpainty thing it cracks.

As for Army Painter's normal paints, their old Warpaints were so-so but I like their Air range and I'm told their newer Fanatic range is great, albeit initially having a range that's skewed more toward brighter colors (which they're working on with their John Blanche series as well as their Historic series).

Ah I might have sone older ones.

Using a black to paint bases and a white poured into a Grey to use as a primer.

 

[Aellic Mornbringer]

How are you finding army painter speed paints? I own around 4 but use vallejo and GW

I like them quite a bit but I have nothing to compare them to either as they are what I started with last fall. I use Vallejo brush-on primer and have expanded my fantasy starter set with a number of additional colors when Army Painter had a Valentine's special.

I like them over a black prime/grey drybrush prep. My current technique is horrible over a white prime, I still get a very splotchy (I think "coffee stain" is the term) job when it is over a large swath.

Now with that said, I watched a great video where the guy used Speed Paint for his base coat and then used some Army Painter air brush paints to spruce up the skin with some highlighting. I am literally waiting for a set of those airbrush skin tone bottles to show up anytime today.

My next expansion is to get some regular acrylic (probably the AP Fanatic line) for some very specific highlights and features like eyes and such.

 

[Aellic Mornbringer]

The AP John Blanche sets have looked nice.

 

[Zardnaar]

I like them quite a bit but I have nothing to compare them to either as they are what I started with last fall. I use Vallejo brush-on primer and have expanded my fantasy starter set with a number of additional colors when Army Painter had a Valentine's special.

I like them over a black prime/grey drybrush prep. My current technique is horrible over a white prime, I still get a very splotchy (I think "coffee stain" is the term) job when it is over a large swath.

Now with that said, I watched a great video where the guy used Speed Paint for his base coat and then used some Army Painter air brush paints to spruce up the skin with some highlighting. I am literally waiting for a set of those airbrush skin tone bottles to show up anytime today.

My next expansion is to get some regular acrylic (probably the AP Fanatic line) for some very specific highlights and features like eyes and such.

The coffee stain look seems to be large flat panels and some slopchop.

Im foing over white sometimes with a wash then drybrush white.

Twiligh rose, starship steel and black lotus with medium are my go to atm. Ive used agrax earthshade as well.

I wouldn't paint a tank doing that.

Im not good at layering but kind of figuring it out with reds and whites.

 

[Staffan]

I like them over a black prime/grey drybrush prep. My current technique is horrible over a white prime, I still get a very splotchy (I think "coffee stain" is the term) job when it is over a large swath.

As a general rule, speed/contrast paints work best over highly textured areas like fur and such (because that lets it do its contrast thing and concentrate in the recesses), and less well on large smooth areas. On a typical RPG character miniature, it's pretty rare for there to be smooth areas big enough for it to be an issue, but it's not great for things like vehicles.

I think this mini illustrates the difference pretty well: the fur looks nice, but the torso is a little splotchy.

 

[Zardnaar]

As a general rule, speed/contrast paints work best over highly textured areas like fur and such (because that lets it do its contrast thing and concentrate in the recesses), and less well on large smooth areas. On a typical RPG character miniature, it's pretty rare for there to be smooth areas big enough for it to be an issue, but it's not great for things like vehicles.

I think this mini illustrates the difference pretty well: the fur looks nice, but the torso is a little splotchy.
View attachment 447481

Figured that out very fast. I haven't painted many large minis (D&D large 40mm base).

One was a treant type used willowbark, velvet red (contrast/express) on the cloak for highlights and a medium grey+wash+drybrush for the stone.

Second one was a snake/demon thing. Mostly textured so used contrasts and kabalite green on the hood.

Experimenting with under shading, layering and multiple coats now. The coils were mantis warrior green and vallejo snake skin.

 

[Aellic Mornbringer]

Yep, that's a great example. The detailed areas look pretty decent because of how the contrast action but large cloaks behave like that torso. I'm getting "better" at it. The drow set I just finished almost all have cloaks and I make sure to paint them in full strokes with lots of paint.

With that said, I just got back from walking to the mailbox and I have my "Rose Skin Tones" warpaints air to experiment with.