Every New Contrast Paint Tested: Are they worth your money?

[@cinderheart2720]

I think the focus for these new contrast paints is the "one thick coat" vs "does shading and highlighting for you". It saves you having do you 3 to 4 layers to get a good yellow.

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

This seems like a good take on it. I really don't mind that being the focus, and it's great to have these as an additional tool, but I do wish GW would start to give them slightly different labels so people didn't have to go off and look at photos or watch videos to know.

[@cinderheart2720]

@@GrayScalpMiniatures GWs always had issues with paint labels.

[@Othundril]

At the shop I go to they had all the models in display with one coat of paint and I couldnt believe the coverage for the bad moons yellow. As I paint Bad Moonz orks I bought a pot and it blew me away. A yellow paint being that easy to cover a model is just remarkable!

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

Yea absolutely. I’ve been playing with them some more and the ease they go on and with the vibrant coverage is pretty crazy.

[@johnnyutah892]

I love contrast paints, however, when you’re painting armour panels, sometimes contrast gives you a marbling effect that you didn’t want. Games workshop listened, and added some nice, smooth flat paints that can be used on flatter areas for an even finish. This just gives better options across the range if you like the thinned down paints over normal paints, which I do. These are great additions.

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

Yep they definitely have their uses, and that's a really good one I didn't think about. Recently been using some of these newer ones on Stormcasts and they come out really nice.

[@JimCrimmins]

Excellent overview. I agree that the 'contrast' line is now several different styles of paints. Helps to know that going in.. The new single pigment paints seem to act like traditional base coats, with slightly better flow. That's useful, it's just not a contrast paint. Some of the new colors are excellent though. That imperial yellow helps make a quick yellow space marine base in 1 coat. That's lovely

[@FercPolo]

The new paints are either Contrast, Stain, or Shade. It would be nice if they would label stains vs the actual contrast paints.

[@Asger55]

Dreadful Visage is a game changer to me as I have been having issues painting good looking vampire skin/flesh. Great video - cheers!

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

Glad you liked it! Yeah theres some fantastic gems in this set.

[@Thornspyre81]

Oh man that's so good to hear as I bought a pot on a whim today hoping for the best!

[@FullmetalTimo]

Wouldnt dreadful visage also work for hive fleet leviathan? There bodys have that little fleshy tint, in the video it seems like an ideal fit!

[@stephenrenwick8781]

The ones I am interested in are: Luxion Purple, Mantis Warrior, Aeldari Emerald, Ratling Grime, Garahgad sewer and Iron jaws yellow. To be honest I am also going to have a go at GSW dipping inks. Totally agree with your view in the paints and pots too.

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

Those are some good choices from this range. Really loving the vibrancy of some of them!

[@douglasmurdoch7247]

You've slightly overexaggerated the issue with Celestium Blue, Leviathan Purple, and Burgundy. It is true that some of these paints are totally flat, without any lows or highs, just medium everywhere. Especially Bad Moon Yellow, Magmadroth Flame, Baal Red, and Black Legion. But Celestium Blue, Leviathan Purple and Burgundy do have some shading. They are lacking highs, as the paint doesn't seem to be retreating from the edges much, but there are definitely lows. Blue and Purple are basically nuln oiled automatically, and Burgundy seems to be Agraxed automatically. Which doesn't stand out that much because the colors are already dark. But it should be fixed with a little bit of edge highlighting.

[@NargSmart]

Thanks for this! Quite helpful. Nighthaunt gloom and Hexwraith flame are re-releases from when they were technical paints if you were wondering where you saw them before.

[@thepixelgamer8222]

I actually cant believe you seem to have the best review of these paints i have seen

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

Thanks! I thought keeping it simple and just showing how they come out was the best approach.

[@lyubit9841]

This was pretty helpful; I have a couple of these and was curious about the rest of the "second wave" of contrast. Black Legion is now my go-to Black Base Coat for anything that I couldn't spray black. I have no idea why but I favor priming with GW's silver primer, and eliminating that little sheen in the darkest areas is always my first consideration. I've never really liked Abaddon Black, never went out of my way to get any other manufacturer's blacks, and Corvus Black definitely feels like I'm preparing to paint grey rather than black

[@ErnestodelValle]

Great video! Very helpful. Probably the best review of these new contrast paints. It would be interesting to see the performance of some of these paints thinned down with contrast medium.

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

Thanks, glad you found it helpful. I definitely need to play around with them more as I’ve mostly gone back to using other paints after doing this video.

[@Hammbone-vu1yo]

the ones that provide great coverage and less contrast; use some contrast medium and it helps give it that more contrast paint feel and look.

[@wc9109]

Thanks for this, I have now done a new shopping list. Your explanations of the various paints is great

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

Glad it was helpful!

[@evanlindsey1100]

For the bottles that came out more as watered-down paint, mix in some acrylic matte medium (and maybe a drop of flow improver) to see if they work out better for you.

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

That would definitely helps, just wanted to get an out of bottle experience for this video. Some great colours in this set though that add to the vibrancy of my collection (although that collection of paints is growing far too quickly 😂)

[@dicktracy826]

Appreciate your time going over these colors. That Moon Yellow, i got work to put in.🖌

[@christopherlawson9775]

Great video. Thanks for the overview. Will pass on the set, but definitely a few colours that looked good - I liked the Mantis Green. Very nice!

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

Yeah it's got some fantastic colours in there! Can definitely see some great uses for a few of them.

[@Thornspyre81]

I LOVED Shyish Purple but holy moly, Leviathan and Luxion are amazing for what I'm doing.

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

Recently I've been loving Aeldari Emerald. One of my favorites for Stormcast Armour.

[@Buckdodgers]

I experiminted with the Pylar Glacier. If you use the Skink Blue Dry paint (Canter Remeber the exact name) and do a good drybrush it has a nice look.

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

Nice, will have to give it a go!

[@francoantonelli7723]

Brilliant review, comprehensive…👍🏼👍🏼🤣🙏🏻

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

Thanks, glad you liked it!

[@guyschronski1391]

Thank you so so much for this. I'm new to this and really want to develop my skill. this video helped me a lot. I now have a much great idea of how they work and how I will use them.

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

Glad I could help! Feel free to join my discord server and ask questions as you go. Plenty of people always happy to help there.

[@guyschronski1391]

@@GrayScalpMiniatures Thank you I believe I will when I get off work today

[@Khalith]

Thanks for this video, I was trying to decide which ones to buy and this video decided it for me.

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

Great stuff. Glad it helped!

[@thelonepainter4760]

I love the one coat no contrast ones. Really fast base coat and then traditional highlights. Also the yellow is my go to for painting yellow and the orange for flames👍🏽👌

[@s2korpionic]

Should've called it something else than contrast.

[@jamesw2855]

I love contrast paints. I totally agree. There seams to be at least 3-4x types I have seen. Dark colors that need water or contrast medium so it shows highlights. Medium colors that seeps into the cracks for shading and run from peaks to highlight. Light colors that can be used as a shade but still flow and contrast. Sometimes I need a second coat or shade for a more rich color. Last some of these new colors seam to be shades sold as contrast. I love Baal red for shade/highlights but it has no shadows for contrast. Frost looks amazing but don’t doesn’t seam to have a dark enough color to use other then to shade on a metal or light color. I’d love to see what use you could find for it. Thanks for the review. I didn’t see a set review for contrast or verse speed paint but I will check again.

[@AOTI40k]

Hey, I know this is an old video, but just wanted to say how useful it was!

[@_fox_3212]

I did it! I found the most criminally undersubbed channel on KZbin. Fantastic content mate keep up the grind!

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

Thanks! Hopefully soon I'll be the most criminally oversubbed channel 😂

[@Edward-Plantagenet]

Brilliant video and not like some of the fanboy content out there about these new paints. 100% agree with everything you say, some of them are just, well, 'paint', others are glaze / washes while just a few are Contrasts. I have been very selective about which Contrasts I used before, some of them were way better than others (Snakebite is one of the best IMO, Blood Angels Red just not opaque enough), but at least I knew what they all were. These, you definitely need a video like this! The Baal Red is just.....red, Black Legion, just....black; they may cover well, might be a touch easier to apply than regular base / layer coats BUT I don't see reason enough to pay the price for these (not) Contrasts when I can just thin down red or black down with Medium. Some may also be good replacements for existing Contrasts, Garahgads Sewer is better than Wyldwood IMO but, having paid the price for Wyldwood, I'll just continue what I do now, thin it with 25-50% Contrast Medium. As an aside, I've seen a few videos where, as an example, folks apply Black Legion over Grey Seer, then wash it with Nightshade and then highlight up with a grey. Riiiiiiiggght. Am I missing something here? It works, sure, but it's not what Contrasts were created for IMO and if I'm essentially just going to use traditional techniques, I'll just buy traditional paints.

[@fateweaver9844]

I'm loving the contrast paints. Pricy but I believe they are worth every penny. Leviathan Purple is so good. Along with Mantis Warrior Green. And I sat on Contrast paints up until 2 months ago because of price. But they are another tool. I don't just slap Contrast and call it a day.

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

Yeah they’re a great tool to use amongst other things. I’ve been really enjoying some of these more solid colours as layer paints. Getting some great results.

[@maskedmurider]

Awesome guide!

[@lordsnake1988]

I would love if this company launch a pack .. for saving a little bit. Problem is before there was just contrast but now with dipping inks and speed paints ... It looks a good idea to make your product more attractive than the others. There are some very nice green and yellow that i was missing in the OG contrast. Same with purple and that pinky-red. I still miss a nice vibrant pink/rose.

[@paolo8624]

Nice lizardmen… if I have seen your video before had probably bought kroxigor scales and not akhelian green for my lizardment. Anyway thanks (by the way are those lizardmen 3d printed or from Usual seraphon box?)

[@markgnepper5636]

Great stuff friend 👏 👍

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

Thanks!

[@maximem.ste-marie3578]

Contrast Users : is doomfire magenta red or pink ? GW and Juan Hidalgo : YES!!!

[@hhebert]

Really like your videos! This one especially was awesome and well done! Thanks for taking the time to put it together! ✌️You got yourself a new subscriber 🤪

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

Thanks! Glad you're enjoying my stuff 😁

[@thedrawrf]

I think that GW is beginning to realize that the biggest barrier to entry for this hobby is the whole, "two thin coats" part. I expect to see alot of these single-pigment paints coming down the pipe going forward.

[@gurtana]

Are these paints supposed to go straight from the pot to the miniature, ie no thinning down with water?

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

Yep, that’s meant to be how these, and speedpaints are used. Depending on the end result you can mix them with some medium as well.

[@techniciansourwell1412]

Extremely helpful video. Subscribed

[@Eshironde]

I bought my first contrast paints ever yesterday and wanted a nice cool blue for base color. Picked one randomly amongst the similar blue shades. It was... Pylar Glacier. And yes. I'm very disappointed 😆

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

Ah that's frustrating! Especially since most of the other blues have good coverage for a base 😳

[@AdventureFrank4207]

Sound like true business. Cost goes up quality go down. I’ve noticed the new pots dot stay open compared to the ones I have left from like ten years ago bussines scam.

[@oricalco555co9]

Great Review - thanks

[@davidjtemple64]

Would adding contrast medium to the flatter colours help with the highs and lows?

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

Yeah I definitely think it would make a difference and help with the flow.

[@gnipaheler]

quality video

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

Thanks, glad you liked it.

[@AdventureFrank4207]

I don’t actually know how to use these paints. I have blue glacier am I supposed to paint it on top of my russ grey I feel they are a waste of time and money. I’m a noob though

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

I think it all really depends on your style and what you like the look of. I always start with a black and white undercoat then just paint the colours ontop. It can look a little faded in areas, but I'm mostly doing fantasy minis. If you want something more vibrant, you could use a white or light grey undercoat, then put these over the top.

[@jacawandersmok9043]

greate Video for like look for color how it look on minature when decide wha to buy ! thenks!

[@RickJagger13]

do you think the magmadroth, kraxagor scales or aeldari emerald would benefit from zenithal priming?

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

It might help a bit, and also thinning certain ones down with contrast medium would help. I've done a few models with a zenithal prime and the new contrast paints are still very strong over those.

[@lewisd580]

Currently trying to paint Grim Dark Blood Angels and getting the dirty effect with Flesh Tearers red over mephiston, with a thick agrax earthshade over the top. Doing the details and highlights then stippling Abaddon black over the top lightly afterwards. Do you think Ratling grime (perhaps thinned) over Baal red would be a quicker process? Might come out too dark...

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

It could work although I wonder if it would tint it all a little too much. Have you tried an oil wash? It’s normally my default for washes now and you can get some rest grimey dirty looks but also control where it ends up.

[@radicalgoodspeed16]

Do you have this with metalic base coat

[@danielschmidt787]

Any thoughts on what to get for space wolves 40k?

[@S.A.S.H.]

What is it with GW and those paint pots? I've been buying GW paints since around 1992 and every iteration of their paint pot has been crap.

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

I honestly feel like they do it for branding. It's something that differentiates their paint from everyone else. People can look and go, "thats a GW pot!" It's annoying thought because the tried and tested pots that pretty much everyone else work great, but we don't get them for these.

[@Ocelot923]

celestium blue is the actual color "ultramarine"

[@ratonjj]

Why and how does a "nope - quality doesnt match price" or "yeah, its better and is ok for the price" turn into 20 minutes of endless nonsense yammering...?

[@GrayScalpMiniatures]

Purely because I was demonstrating each colour so people can make up their own mind.

[@Nitrotetrazole]

is there a video for the previous contrast paints ? im trying to find good visual reference of each color and this video is great but it's missing the others. if you have such a video then idk what to look for/where