3 Contrast Paint + Wash Mistakes that RUIN Your Miniatures

[@LylaMev]

Do you prefer washes or contrast paints?

[@mikegrant8031]

Use the right tool for the job. Contrast is for the fast and dirty really.

[@mikegrant8031]

ooh, scratch that different weekend.

[@jessicgombart6405]

I have washes, but they're so glossy. Guess I should get some matte varnish so I can use them more. I don't have contrast paints, but I have paint, ink, and mediums to make my own in the color I need at the time.

[@thomasjones3221]

both.

[@vindik8or]

I prefer contrast paint, but I rarely use them as intended. You can turn them into washes and they are spectacular through an airbrush. Also, instead of wetting your model and waiting for it to dry for pinwashing, add a tiny dot of liquid dish soap on the tip of your brush to the paint on your palette. If you're using contrast paint for this it helps to thin it with contrast medium first. The detergent breaks the surface tension and it will run along gaps from capillary action just like with your wet method.

[@BlackCoyote66]

I've found keeping a few Q-tips at my desk useful for sopping up water and pooling shade paints, too. (I've also been known to use a shirtsleeve, but I don't recommend it, particularly if you're about to go to dinner, and decide to kill time while waiting for your wife to get ready by adding a wash, and then your wife makes you change your shirt because the cuff of your shirt has Agrax Earthshade on it - that was too much information, wasn't it.)

[@LylaMev]

Not at all! Its an adorable story

[@dagdamar2000]

This isa PSA!!! take note...🤣

[@danwizzle91]

That's a brilliant idea I will definitely try that out myself!

[@keyanklupacs6333]

Ooh good idea.

[@emic2590]

a clean brush is more ecologic than a qtip ~~ but nice story

[@LatenightLyle]

Lyla, you just blew my mind. I’ve been painting for a long time…but that water trick was completely new to me. The number of times this would have been a far better and faster solution than an oil wash…it seems so obvious now. Keep up the great work!

[@LylaMev]

I'm so glad!

[@Ronindennis]

I second this! I hate oil washes, tried it once on my Starcadia mini's. Sometimes it worked, most times it failed. But this, THIS is going to go in my top techniques!

[@funchick202]

Game changer. where has this been the whole time!?

[@brettmorris3091]

The wet brush was new too me too. Definitely going to try it. I usually throw down a speedpaint first and touch a wash to panel borders while it's still wet and it works well but it slows the process down switching back and forth between paints and washes.

[@jimmyodinson9841]

Painting cloaks etc with contrasts and not getting the pooling at the bottom is easy to avoid by laying the mini horizontally as the contrasts dry, that way you get an even line in the recess' not just a glob at the bottom.

[@HTJB60]

Exactly what I recently discovered.....

[@FangofFate]

Contrast paints saved my painting motivation, but it’s important to recognize it isn’t a miracle cure and there’s a lot of ways for it to go wrong. So thank you for this refresh and tutorial!

[@LylaMev]

Thanks for the comment!

[@HTJB60]

Fully agree. Being 75 with somewhat unsteady hand's, I find it's a great help.

[@Halliden88]

I don't usually comment on anything but this video was bloody brilliant, I appreciate the knowledge you have given me, fantastic thankyou!

[@Snaillearningacademy]

That pinwash tip is so useful. I've been doing it dry this whole time.

[@jessicgombart6405]

Excellent tip near the end. Wet the model, let it partially dry, and dab recesses with color (either paint, ink, or like you showed, washes).

[@odinswolf1969]

Great tip with the water for panel lines

[@LylaMev]

Thank you!

[@squintsyadams8463]

Thank You! I literally have my very first washes arriving in the mail today.

[@LylaMev]

What luck!

[@Ignitius13]

I know it's part of the ad, but I'm hype to see you at Reapercon! Great content!!

[@LylaMev]

I look forward to it as well!!

[@Walboro]

Not gonna lie, when I started painting I leaned HEAVILY on washes, but as I painted more over years, I learned that I had more control over the shadows and highlights I wanted by painting them in traditionally. I think they are a fantastic tool but less and less useful as I got more confident and didn’t have to over-compensate for the wash either desaturating the colours or over-saturating them (depending on what wash/contrast you use) #NotificationSquad

[@LylaMev]

Personally I think layering is the way to go!

[@WildWilly292]

Same here. I bought all the GW washes over time when I was first starting, but now they're collecting dust.. When I do want a wash, I often go for an oil wash nowadays.

[@LylaMev]

I still can't get oils to work!

[@Walboro]

@@LylaMev I haven’t got as much experience with oil washes as I’d like but when I have used them, they’ve been 👨🏻‍🍳🤌🏻

[@WildWilly292]

@@LylaMev they can be tricky, and I'm still getting used to them. For me, they take a bit of fussing to work right. But it's great because if it goes completely sideways, I just remove the wash completely and try again. The crux in my opinion is getting the right dilution, and the right amount of drying before removal of excess. It's really easy to move all of it and completely lose the effect.

[@brendanmartin3359]

That water trick for shading is so cool. So simple, I’ve never even thought about it haha

[@Deris87]

That wetting the recesses tip is pure gold, thanks Lyla!

[@somsnosa5576]

Wow, thanks! These are some great tips, especially the last one! Another thing I've learned about the washes is that you can apply it all over a part to tint it and create shadows, then, after it has dried, take a bit of the original color and glaze it over the parts that need highlighting or the ugly parts like coffee stains. It's kind of a cheat technique that lets you mask the sloppy parts instead of doing it neatly in the first place, but for an amateur like me that was a revelation that immediately helped me up my game.

[@cavalaxis]

This is fantastic. My one note would be to define your terms. I have no idea what 'coffee staining' is. Maybe a video on all the different bits of lingo people might be using when they talk about painting?

[@thomasjones3221]

Coffee staining is the outline that washes leave behind.

[@LylaMev]

This!

[@HTJB60]

AGREE.

[@HTJB60]

I paint 1/32 Slot Car {Scalextric} Figure's. ie. Human's.... Driver's, Mechanic's & Spectator's and recently bought some Army Painter Speed Paint's to compare to the Citadal Contrast Paint's. Decided to paint 30 figure's at one go has enabled me to learn a lot, mostly what's been explained here, "much better" & I've 'linked' this video to my facebook group to explain the tecniques better than I can in word's ! One thing I realised not mentioned here, is to let the figure's dry FLAT rather than stood upright. This stop's any paint running & pooling. GREAT VIDEO. It's EXACTLY what I needed . Plus your voice doesn't irritate like some do or go on & on as they like the sound of their own voice.

[@Spark_Chaser]

Thank you so much for explaining some of these techniques in steps. I've often heard them used, but can't recall them being explained.

[@LylaMev]

happily!

[@jaggedtoothgrin]

This video was fantastic! Covered a lot of ground I knew already, but in a really clear and concise way. I suspect I will be coming back to this one whenever I need a refresher

[@antongunther3977]

Try using contrast paints/speed paints/dipping inks/xpress/ect as glazes or at least applying the same techniques to their application. Its been a life changer. Its why I'm not making/buying more washes. I just turn my contrast paints into washes and glazes.

[@LylaMev]

Darn! Maybe I should have covered that!

[@funchick202]

that is so smart!

[@cheyannemathis5706]

Aaaahhhh! I’m so excited that you’re going to ReaperCon! I live in Denton and went last year for my birthday and it’s so fun! I can’t wait for this year too! You’ve got to participate in some hobby hijinks at least once and try to get some extra ribbons for your badge if you have time!

[@LylaMev]

I'm very excited!

[@frowan]

this was really helpful! looking forward to mess about with some contrast paint again after watching this!

[@LylaMev]

Good luck!

[@krzysztofmathews738]

That's a really neat trick for the recess shading. Thanks!!

[@LylaMev]

Thank you!

[@jamthoyoung]

That thing with the water was a neat trick. Thanks for sharing. It's similar effect to the Tamiya panel liner used by scale modellers, but I haven't seen an acrylic approach before. Cool!

[@LylaMev]

Exactly! I hate oil washes so I wanted to share something with acrylics!

[@Tannhauser42]

It's been years since i last went to Reapercon. I just looked it up and now they're actually holding it in a convention center/hotel. Last time i went they were hosting it in their factory. I should try to stop by this year.

[@LylaMev]

I'm very excited!

[@sw33n3yto00]

Thank you for the wet model rip at the end. Hope you enjoy Denton in the summer. 😅😅

[@shilor6348]

I super hope I see you at Reapercon! I would love to meet you in person and admire your good work! 😁 I'll be entering in a piece myself and taking some classes

[@lofiworkshop]

These are great tips! Thanks for sharing!

[@LylaMev]

Thank you!

[@nrais76]

Very good tips. I actually learned a couple of things here that I haven't yet had the misfortune to discover on my own. Luckily, my daughter likes the way her Contrast Orks are turning out, and I'm going to tie it all together anyway with an all-over wash of Agrax Earthshade, INTENTIONALLY. Orks are dirty, rusty, etc., so it works, and the wash can hide mistakes. I just started working a lot with Contrast, though, so I'm just starting to make these observations, so it's good to have them confirmed across the range (and other ranges).

[@nathanelacey]

Great tips on contrast paints. Thanks! I love reapercon! This year I’m bringing my wife and 2 sons too! (8 and 6). Very excited for that weekend! See ya there!

[@kevincaruthers5412]

I like the water technique for the recesses. Looking forward to trying that out. And I like washes better. :)

[@LylaMev]

Thank you!

[@captnwinkle]

Wondering. Wpuld that help speed up crevices on monsters made of lava. Like the scorpion but lava under rock. Need to do a bunch of mythic battles dudes

[@minipaintingforyou]

That last tip was an eye opener! Thank you for sharing!

[@jimmyodinson9841]

I’ve also noticed while painting yesterday I tend to dab/jab and stipple the contrast paints on and not drag them about and get less pooling for some reason.

[@kryz9648]

Excellent review. Thank you for making it.

[@dagdamar2000]

Thank you for the info. I am going to be trying it tonight.. fingers crossed..the side brush arrgg how did I not know that!!! ty again!!! learnt a lot from this video that water trick is great also something I did not know.!

[@TheKarp]

These are super helpful! Advice on painting contrast onto big flat surfaces like tanks? I always get coffee staining 😅

[@IndraSunrise]

Lyla, thank you. But, see that bleeding issue? Have two paint brushes. One with paint, to apply paint. One without paint, to lift. When your paint or ink overflows, use the second brush to lift up the excess, like a sponge. Its fast, easy, and you can no longer ever worry about adding too much. Thanks again!

[@joeokabayashi8669]

Very helpful! Thank you.

[@kalosprismatic]

Thank you so much for this video! I've been having these exact problems with my Blood Bowl Team and Kill Team. I appreciate you greatly 😊

[@LylaMev]

I'm so glad I could help!

[@davelogeman]

Great video! I would be interested in hearing your tips on oil washes.

[@ElGote]

Great tips on how to do washes and panel lining!!! Thanks

[@dreadfullwanderlust1376]

Awesome video thanks!

[@LylaMev]

Thanks for the comments!

[@b100draven]

so helpfull will try this on a bust I'm working on that's being a pain to get all the wrinkles

[@nerd3dprinting]

I have not yet started with water in recesses to help it pull the wash in. I have just been dabbing it in. But that makes sense that the water would help pull it down. I will defiantly try this next time.

[@LylaMev]

Exactly!

[@adrianbk698]

Excellent, practical content as always. I really like that you focus on providing tips that really anyone can do. One question - what is the miniature you're painting that has the large cloak and the khopeshes? It's shown at 3:36. Just looks like an awesome model to paint.

[@LylaMev]

It's from the blood born boardgame!

[@adrianbk698]

@@LylaMev Thanks! Trying saying that three times fast. :)

[@nightcitycrafts]

I have started using contrasts in glazing. I'm sure it's not the best use case, but I really like the way it looks.

[@LylaMev]

I debated talking about that in this video!

[@nightcitycrafts]

​@@LylaMev I guess it's not that strange then 😆I used Pylar Glacier that I thinned down and mixed with just a bit of Moot Green to blend a purple into a color that matched the greens and blues on the Void Dragon i just finished painting a few days ago.

[@johnwalliss]

This is interesting. Ive always wanted to do pin washes but never had any success doing them with a gloss base. So, the water can work in the same way as the gloss?

[@mateuszagodowski185]

Thanks Lyla. You always help me.

[@markgnepper5636]

Great stuff friend 👏 👍

[@nichan008]

Never seen the recommendation to use water before, good video!

[@justinleroy4775]

That pin washing tip is great! can't wait to try.

[@0whitestone]

wow, awesome tip. I love the wash techniques, I will definitely use that!

[@gingerwhale871]

where is the mini at 0:10 from?

[@thetattoodmini]

i only really use washes or contrasts to go over what i've already painted, mostly for grimdark or blanchitsu style painting. i've never subscribed to the slapchop method, as i've been painting for over 25 years and just set in my ways really. i ove the style i've developed without them being the main way for me to paint

[@roryhatfield6696]

Thanks for the tips

[@D00M3R-SK8]

the thing with the capes is ok though, as you would go back in and layer up the highlights. I usually use this soft black wash from secret weapon for red capes, it's great stuff. I hear great things about the army painter "tone" washes though, and have been meaning to pick some up to try out.

[@eugeneinfernal561]

Wanna try something mixed - like high-quality speed painting, using contrasts but with additional highlighting. Regular painting consumes a huge lot of time, contrast paints sometimes look very disappointing, so will look for something in between

[@buckfiftyhotdogs3577]

I've started painting the larger minis in my army so this will actually help a lot

[@kingoftherollers2918]

What wash are you using on the space marine?

[@funchick202]

So close to 100k!!!!

[@LylaMev]

I am!!!

[@ntmetroid]

Painted my first mini yesterday and definitely over the skin it some because i accidentally used my non thinned Agrax Earthshafe. The final mini still looks pretty good, but it definitely looks dirtier than originally intended. Works for an Ogre though

[@AMVpointGrayskull]

Good. Very usefull video. Thanks.

[@jorgemontero6384]

Thank you for the detailed, technical content: Too often painting channels are performing 'magic' and not showing repeatable techniques. And since your camera work is so good, we can actually follow the results. I am surprised by how unfortunate that green xpress color cape went though: I did something similar with their purple for a cape, pre-shaded with a flat dark magenta instead of white, and it all worked perfectly fine. I also tried their red equivalent on a shield, and it was so even it almost looked like straight paint. I wonder if it's also the kind of shade, as whenever I tried to do something similar with the citadel equivalent of the one you have been using (which I suspect is Lizard green, equivalent to Dark Angels green), the results were always hideous.

[@LylaMev]

I'm doing a video on all of the one coat paints, so we will see!

[@kylecoffey3132]

What you're describing is just pin washing which is one way to use washed. But it's not the only correct way. I use them plenty but almost always just on the base coat before any layering. Otherwise most the time I use them as glazes which works wonders.

[@thomasjones3221]

exactly. I don't know why she acts like its revolutionary.

[@adammoore251]

Good tip for the recess washes.

[@Riiccia]

1. Pull your brush on 90 degree angle to the recesses on the model, not along them. 2. Before washing, gloss varnish your mini and dilute GW washes 50/50 with glaze medium. It won't tint the models so badly and the varnish will form a surface, so that the wash will stay on the higher parts of the model even less. Also saves a ton of time when you don't necessarily have to highlight again.

[@TheAndrian463]

Was going to mention your 2nd point. Satin and gloss varnishes make pin washing/washes a game changer. Interesting enough the paint surface makes a huge difference when applying washes e.g. if the primer/base coat paint is satin like GW or ultra matte like S75. I'm surprised that the techniques like pin washing used by military modellers aren't used widely in miniature painting.

[@Riiccia]

@@TheAndrian463 This is Dmitry Bodganow's aka Lazypainter's idea.

[@mikegrant8031]

Dang, reaper con is the same weekend as a trade show I have to go to. :(

[@LylaMev]

Noooo

[@Squaydles]

Pin lining without having to deal with oil based paints is a game changer, thanks for the tip.

[@MaskedRiderChris]

Most of the time time these days I most often use washes to tint my colors and add subtle shading as well as diluting them to help tie layers together. But I'm still not above using them to the usual end, especially with smaller miniatures. I've also made the wonderful discovery of Tamiya panel liners--those are gold! This was a good video that had some solid advice, and unfortunately I likely will not be able to attend Reapercon due to getting ready to move later this year! *groan*

[@danielangevine1346]

hey lyla, thanks for sharing these tips! what mini is that at the 2min mark? looks like a cool one to add to our d&d games

[@rotator0987]

Is it better to use s wet or dry palette for contrast paints. I guess the answer will be: it depends.. 😅

[@MonstaRr.]

Such a coincidence, I was discussing the damp wash technique with my friends yesterday. But we discussed the use of medium as the carrier for the washes/inks instead of water. Medium really wants to bunch up in crevices and not spread out so much if you don't break the surface tension. I will try it with water soon, it is less expensive and maybe more forgiving. I would love to hear your opinion on the use of medium instead of water.

[@lorettastan9101]

name of the monster at 8:00 ?

[@MikePanov]

Super useful tips thanks! Where did you get those amazing Bloodborne minis?

[@Ronindennis]

Seeing that CDMD model of Cthulhu reminds me of the Haste Hobbies tutorial about wet blending contrasts. That was a gamechanger for me, and I produced tabletop+ quality monsters within a matter of two hours. That said, sometimes it just sucks how it ends up.

[@elwood802]

Great tips, thanks for the video!

[@laurenceroberts5239]

Useful as always , thanks .

[@aaronsmith6171]

Thanks much recessed shading tips are fantastic

[@LylaMev]

I'm so glad!

[@lucasrebelo2]

Thanks for the tips! I have definitely been ruining my capes

[@isaacbenrubi9613]

Ima be getting my first army in 40k soon and I'm gonna use all your videos to make sure I don't suck at life!

[@leaningtoweravenger]

As for the red wash over the yellow base making orange, that's why in the rest of the modelling community washes are actually called filters :)

[@bestdungeonever]

Are you teaching at Reapercon?

[@LylaMev]

I am not!

[@Xxgxxaxx]

Dang were did you get those bloodborne minis?

[@powersave2]

thanks for the guidance!

[@jefferyvermeulen7012]

Thanks for the tips😁

[@pietroforghieri9177]

Great video! Thank you

[@ger5956]

Remember to like and comment to appease the almighty algorithm 😁❤️👍🏼

[@LylaMev]

Thank you!

[@DaronSchmit]

Consider it.... Appeased 😂

[@Ali_forward]

All hail the algorithm!

[@funchick202]

blood sacrifices for the algorithm.

[@DarkMatters96]

I hate The Algorithm so much. It makes me genuinely sad. It spoils and unifies content and enslaves talented creators 😔

[@bunionsandcabbage6764]

Lyla's going to Reapercon!?! I have to go now

[@fatesrequiem]

Lyla in the last second did you mean to advise people to apply wash prior to the contrast paint in order to avoid the washes tinting the paint? Don’t think you actually stated why you were showing the pin washes on the white models.

[@michaelmravetz6276]

Are you teaching a class at reapercon??

[@xenoterracide]

I wonder about adding retarder to them would help

[@DrLeroy76]

Dry lint-free wipes will work like paper towels but without the fuzz

[@thatdarnsatan]

I caught a brief cat hair on a Space Marine. How do you paint with a cat in your space? I don't actually have any pets, my wife's lungs said no, but I do find what I can only assume is paper towel lint on my painted surfaces. It's very annoying and the air purifier only catches so much. Any ideas, or a link to when you probably addressed this before?

[@LylaMev]

The cats are only around some times! They can't be trusted. I very rarely have problems with the cat hair.

[@r.moorman9529]

I noticed my contrasts are crackling but my acrylics aren’t

[@NeroRedfield]

Another tip: Don't use washes/contrast paints on slapchop.The models then looks like be deep frozen. :-D

[@jessicaschoen6647]

I feel like I never knew that the cookies on websites messed up my airfare rates. Holy cats, Lyla with the life lessons.

[@LylaMev]

Its so frustrating!!

[@jweb7289]

A good pro tip in general is to regularly delete cookies for any travel pages you’re visiting while planning a trip. The effect can range from negligible to enormous.

[@SugarCandyMiniatures]

Hehehe I know these models 😊

[@LylaMev]

A very cool Person let them to me!

[@whoissyx]

Ah a fellow hunter...let us hoont

[@SugarCandyMiniatures]

@@whoissyx a hunter is a hunter, if only in a dream

[@timmcpharlin773]

I like watching pretty girls paint models. Period. Love your channel!!!

[@periprocto4026]

Thanks for this video.

[@LylaMev]

Thanks for the comment!

[@emmahayes111]

If you use a small dry brush it can suck up paint from areas you don’t want it.

[@LylaMev]

Right!