"GW Contrast Paints" Topic

So I've seen the great work others have done with Contrast Paints on their historicals and I'd like to give it a go myself.

Some colours I can work out by looking at them, but can anyone suggestion good colours in the range for:

1. European flesh
2. A bright yellow.
3. Best way to do white.

Thanks very much all.

1. Guilliman Flesh. I find best applied thinly over white undercoat (Vallejo)
2. Iyanden Yellow – again over white undercoat.
3. Apothecary White over white undercoat and highlighted with white. Can't guarantee that this is the best way but it's what I do. If I'm feeling lazy (most of the time) I skip the white highlight.

1. Guilliman Flesh over white or wraithbone primer
2. Iyanden Yellow over white or wraithbone primer
3. Primer white, then use Apothecary White over the top

1. Grey Seer, Guiliman flesh, Kislev Flesh and Flayed One Flesh Highlights
2. Wraithbone, Iyanden Yellow, Flash gits yellow highlight
3. Wraithbone, Apothecary White, White Scar highlight

I have had mixed results with contrast paints, as have some other people I talked to

My experience so far

1. Flesh – don't use contrast paints. I have tried Guiliman flesh over a couple of different base colours, and haven't liked any of the results
2. I haven't experimented with yellow, but it's a difficult colour to get right. I would expect that a pale yellow base (not contrast) and a dark yellow contrast paint would do well, but I haven't tried it, nor am I likely to with the big buck costs of contrast paints
3. Apothecary white is a waste of time. It puts a very pale grey into the shadows, leading to almost no contrast on the mini

I have seen several reviews of contrast paints where they completely misunderstand the use of them, but still recommend them. They should not be used on large smooth surfaces and I can't see the point of airbrushing with them. I've also seen articles where they use contrast paints and then 5-6 layers of highlights

In case you think I am just plain negative, I have had excellent results from

• Snakebite leather
• Blood angels red
• Orc flesh
• 
  

John

I've been using contrast paints extensively over the past year and like them a lot, but they do have limitations. For the most part, my experience is much like John's above.

1. Flesh: base coast a pale flesh then Guillman flesh then go back and highlight with flesh again (and add another highlight if you want it to look really good.)
2.Bright yellow: A really bright yellow is tough, and here I would just paint bright yellow, wash and highlight. You could use Iyandin yellow, but honestly a good yellow wash will do the job.
3. White: Not a fan of contrast white -- you'll get much better results from layering/blending.

As with many paints, there is a learning curve w/contrasts, which is made steeper by the fact that different colors have very different properties. If you haven't invested in some of the contrast medium, though, you should do so: some of the paints work much better thinned down.

Make your own. Goobertown Hobbies on Youtube has a video on how to do so. Take 1 part Matte Medium fluid, 1 part ink and a few drops of flow-aid. Bingo, contrast paints. I bought 100 Vallejo style bottles from amazon and have made up 30 bottles of contrast paints so far. I use mainly Dowler Raney and Amsterdam acrylic inks. Amsterdam are also at Hobby Lobby. They run 6 to 8 bucks for one ounce. Matte Medium 8 ounce bottle is 9 bucks from Amazon. I tend to buy from Dick Blick who have good prices and sales. I own about 33 different inks. There are more available.

Thanks

John