Miniature Washes & Shades - Picking the Right Tool for the Job

In a break from the usual, I thought it'd be useful to grab almost every one of the washes I own which is currently available and on the market - sure, I've got some ancient Drakenhof Nightshade, but concentrating more on what you can grab in your local hobby store or online supplier seemed a better idea. Comparing fifty shades of beige was more interesting than I'd imagined it would be!
If you are equally unwell and would like the 'Not the Comfy Chair!' bottle topper, well... have at it! Tell Victoria I sent you. 😂 www.myminifact...
Thanks to Producer Patrons Alan, Kyrie, Andrew, Jimmy, Rod, Phil, Robison, Woodcock, David Kinney, and Matt Dischner - as well as all the other Patrons that made this video possible, and Exit23 Games for recording equipment that helps keep the channel ticking over! Find out more at the following links:
/ sonicsledgehammer
/ sonicsledge
/ sonicsledgehammer
ko-fi.com/soni...
exit23.games

[@michaelcooney6167]

Nobody was expecting the Sonic Sledgehammer Wash Comparison!

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

My chief weapon *is* surprise, after all. Well, surprise and paint. Surprise, paint, paintbrushes, and a mustard jar for clean water to rinse my brushes-...

[@Vortagh]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio AMONGST your weaponry are such diverse elements as....

[@user-mc4sq3fk5d]

I don’t know why you thought this might be an odd video. This content is fantastic!! For us beginners. Tutorials are very hard to come by and even harder are product comparisons. Now that the hobby is getting more expensive, seeing different products helps us decide where to spend hard earned money. Pleaseee do more if you can.

[@user-mc4sq3fk5d]

Two examples Sonic: after watching, and focusing almost exclusively on 18-19th century historicals, Nuln Oil will work better on white pants for example but AP strong tone over Agra’s from now on.

[@glease3144]

Your ability to answer via the medium of video, the random questions in my head remains unequalled. Much obliged.

[@bushmins]

I have recently rediscovered your channel, I never stopped watching but I thought that because I had been painting for many years I should be doing a lot more detailed work. Mixing paint, using a wet pallet and spending hours and hours on minis to get a 'better' finish. So I started watching all the 'golden demon' painters. This eventually took all the fun out of painting and I ended up not wanting to paint anymore. I've recently scrapped my wet pallet in favour of my plastic figit popper thing and using washes and the like. I've gone back to enjoying my hobby. I got to a point I was happy with my painting by watching your videos, now I'm back and feel at home again. Keep up the great work.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Really glad to hear you're enjoying yourself. It puts me in mind of something that Mrs Sledge asks me all the time when I'm having trouble with something, "What are you optimizing for?" I'm quite comfortable with my sights set far off of Golden Demon, let's say... 😂 But as long as the process is relatively painless and I can put painted armies on the table, pushing it a little when I like, I'm a happy camper!

[@Hermitmaster]

This is such a handy resource, I'm going to use this constantly as a reminder reference between the different tones. Awesome as always

[@foomansam]

great video. timeline annotations for where each shade is compared would make it even better! will definitely save this one to refer back to when im painting

[@MidgardSurvival]

Sonic Tonic has become a go to wash for me. From armor to clothes, it just works well. Targor Rageshade has also found a permanent home on my hobby table, I don’t know why it took me so long to pick up a pot, the stuff is magic on armor.

[@revylokesh1783]

Ever since I mixed up a large batch of Sonic Tonic using 3 pots of the respective products like you described, I hardly use anything else. Just paint up the whole mini like normal, apply the Sonic Tonic, and the touch up the occasional highlight. It really does pull everything together.

[@phill8178]

Those new army painter washes look sooo good

[@rex290]

You keep making useful content. Thank you! Really handy video!

[@CrippleX]

This is such a helpful video. Thank you!

[@timothyyoung2962]

The Sonic Tonic has become my go-to shade. I mixed up a bottle a few months back, and I really like the overall result it creates.

[@naughtiusmaximus1231]

Very informative, and answers a lot of questions I've had about Army Painter washes in general. Thanks, Sonic!

[@sotbs2641]

I've been steadily replacing my citadel paints as they dry/run out, but usually with vallejo models and metals. Even with the new Fanatic and reformulated AP stuff I had mostly sort of skipped over them, but I will absolutely be referencing this when it comes to replacing all these (old and still going!) citadel washes I have. Cheers Sledge!

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Hope it helps when you need it!

[@Glasmn45]

I love it! I want those bottle toppers!

[@h347h]

Dark Tone and Strong Tone are so good. Been using them for a very long time.

[@mindyourownbusiness-k4c]

Another really useful video Troy, thanks. I wish that you had included "Aly's Brown Liquid" (which I mixed after watching an earlier one of your videos) in your comparison and given your current thoughts for it's use in the light of so many new washes.

[@johnkelley9877]

This was a big help and will no doubt save me money on what washes to buy. Thanks for this tutorial.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

This was surprisingly useful to me, too! 😂 Though now I've got to sit at a desk with all these little maniacs looking at me...

[@johnkelley9877]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio I do think this is one of your best tutorials.

[@aestar4661]

This was really interesting seeing all those washes side by side for comparison. I have started using the army painter speedpaints thinned down as washes and glazes. It works great and shows that you can shade with all sorts of colors. Cheers!

[@irishtom30]

Can you make a video on how to not spill washes all over my desk, clothes, and floor when I knock them over with my elbow? One week ago if possible

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Ohhh, dude. Would that I could!

[@Eric-jt8yx]

Very helpful. Thanks

[@Rasmus.Elnegaard]

This was really informational 👍

[@ShaunTame-re5us]

That was very helpful and fun....how about a painted Terry Gilliam head.....?😂

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Honestly, it's kinda tempting... 😅

[@andreaspersson5639]

I am now considering grabbing some left-over heads (victrix is good for that...) and gluing them onto my wash bottles... and possibly the Speedpaints as well. Hmm... '

[@cheetor_sho3box]

Love this, really useful, great video. I'm dipping into painting WWWII Germans soon, so that fieldgrey plan with Military Shader sounds excellent. It's probably unreasonable to expect now, but having comparisons between old and new Nuln Oil, Agrax etc would be useful for people replicating older paint schemes with newer washes, but that's a minor thing. Really useful video, thanks!

[@Thunderplunk]

Very nice! I've been recently converted to the One True Tonic, but I might well have to pick up some of that Military Shade for historicals too...

[@nikhinson3703]

Very interesting! I’ve been doing a lot of experimenting with washes lately. Really like the new formula Vallejo game washes, especially umber over English Uniform. To save myself having to go back over with the base coat I use a clean damp brush to take the wash off the high points thus reducing the ‘staining’ effect.

[@richardrussell7082]

All hail Terry Gilliam 💖

[@Imperialguardftw]

I am always in two minds about my AP Fanatic washes, I find that sometimes they just dry glossy (is it a shaking thing) which irritates the heck out of me, and other times they're fantastic (pun intended). I am finding the dark blue wash with a bit of speed paint thinner is amazing for darkening down some armour to make gromril effect however! That is becoming my favourite.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

I found these dried more-or-less matt once they were done over the white, but I do shake the absolute ass out of mine before applying to make sure that they're not settling more goop or anything in the bottom of the pots over time. If you're annoyed by the gloss drying, though, just bop a matt varnish over it.

[@sgtbenton8518]

Interesting video. Definitely adding soft tone to my collection

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

It's certainly not as yellow as you'd think from most online swatches, but next to black and brown it looks pretty sepia... until you put it next to sepia! 😅 One of those that definitely works best with colours that mellow it out a bit.

[@HerrMarajin]

My current go to for an all over wash is Targor Rageshade, actually inspired a lot by your discussion on marine juice/tonic with it having a similar purply/redish tone but being a single pot ready to buy solution. I find that unlike new Agrax it doesn't stain the surfaces much at all. I have used it to paint a pretty sizable horde of mutant scummers for Necromunda.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Yeah, I think that slightly purple/red hint is what I'm often looking for - I'll have to give it a try all over something soon, see what I think of it.

[@trainboy1739]

Well this was something completely unexpected!

[@kevinokane3702]

Only use I make of Sepia tone is over a bronze corslet/ scale armour because it creates really useful contrast in that particular setting

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Now that's interesting. I wouldn't have thought of going sepia over something that's already yellowish, I'll have to give that a shot.

[@kevinokane3702]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio slight correction, should have mentioned that it was sepia INK (and smokey ink) I was using... checked my shades drawer after making the comment...

[@Bunyip_Studios]

I do like the Army Painter Tones quite a lot, not yet got the newer versions, still need to do this with my Vallejo washes, so guess what I'm printing off this evening (or maybe tomorrow)

[@torros1839]

Soft tone works well with 15mm and below figures if there's a lot of white or pale colours on the figures

[@howardcoates6985]

nice video, thanks!

[@asdfate1]

I needed this.

[@goforitpainting]

Really cool. 🖌

[@ZamuelNow]

Seen a bunch of heads on this channel before, which makes me wonder if we might get new skintones video. I think a bunch of products came out right after your second video got posted.

[@petersaczko6192]

Please Sir, many years ago you defied anyone to declare that Agrax Earthshade was anything but Pixie Wings due to its magic properties. I took up your challenge and over the past 10 years spent about $3000 Australian on various artist paints and pigments. What I can say is that most washes and shades are created by mixing complementary transparent pigments together to create a neturalised, semi transparent pigment mix rather than using an opaque pigment of the same colour. For example, a brown could possibly be produced by mixing transparent purples, such as Dioxazine Purple PV23RS with a transparent yellow. This is why some of your browns appear more yellow, as there is an abundance of that pigment over the purple. You said one of the washes was more purple, same thing. Maybe more PV23. Winsor and Newton produce Ultramarine Violet PV15. Liquitex has a fascinating Quinacridone Blue Violet. Nuln Oil, from what I can tell is a mix of PB29 Ultramarine (this is artist Ultramarine not GW because who knows that that concoction might be), with a transparent orange such as Transparent Orange DiketoPyrrolePyrole DPP (Liquitex calls it DPP) in such a way that the complementary nature blocks light when the two pigment particles overlap but this interference is different from when you have a nontransparent pigment that actually is black, such as carbon black. Thus you will have two different types of black pigment. 1. An complementary interference pigment and 2. A light blocking pigment that actually is the colour that you desire. Thus, the colour that you said was Burnt Umber probably was PBr7 which is the code for almost all natural Earth derived pigments which is typically non-transparent and as such retains its coverage better in darker conditions eg. covering over black. BTW Liquitex soft body acrylic Cadmium Free Range of Reds, Oranges and Yellows offer fantastic coverage without the worry of Cadmium (if anyone is interested). Anyway… I lost my train of thought. I still want to take you up on your Agrax Earthshade challenge. If I got my old recipies out and revised my formula, would you be interested in possibly brewing a batch and testing it against the competition yourself? It might require a trip to an art store and the purchase of Atelier brand media for preparation. Back in the day there was a guy named Lester Bursley who made a wash mix but I think mine is far superior. Most used flowaid but I think they were barking up the wrong tree and it’s actually viscosity and collapsability of the medium that is most important. Anyway, let me know.

[@viesturssilins858]

Amazing interesting and insightful comment! I would be thrilled to learn more about your observations and discoveries! So much about the hobby paints is vodoo tier 'knowladge', based more on superstition and vague marketing, than actual colour science and technical properties of pigments and mediums.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

I'd be fascinated to get some more insights! The trouble is in finding somewhere I can just pop into around here and get artist supplies - I'm not in the most metropolitan area at the moment, and finding specific brands can be a challenge in Germany.

[@viesturssilins858]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio I know your pain! Just this week I ordered a box of various Golden paints from UK (from other side of Europe!), as there are no shops in my country that cary any of their products:(

[@BurnInFerNos1]

What do you think is the closest match to the old Seraphim Sepia? My old pot is running out and I use it for my gold recipe. Also, Mortarion Grime looks great on Zandri Dust for the Guardsmen fatigues.

[@qelgrun]

Not the comfy chair! 😂

[@rozzer666]

Was a good video

[@anotherzingbo]

It's weird that while most of Citadel's new shades stain less than their previous generation, the new Agrax Earthshade stains even more than it used to.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Yeah, Agrax really stands out as the *one* that went in totally the opposite direction... and not the right one, in my opinion. 😭

[@Vortagh]

Oh no! Not Cardinal FANG!!

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

*[JARRING ORGAN CHORD!]*

[@jesse-got-dolphins-into-heaven]

so im building a druhkari army, and i have lots of bits left over that i could use to make more minis. do you know of anyone that does stl of legs and torsos only? im lousy with heads and arms great video i have tons of shades and this helps

[@hellcat64]

i want that mix lable. its called something different here

[@mammodelclub269]

Where do I find the mixture for the sonic tonic?

[@ZAKKANWAKKAR]

It's washed in the Blood of the Lamb ye should be Sharpe.

[@horatio_]

What brand is SPACE MARINE JUICE and where can i get it!

[@samsowden]

it's a custom blend of black wash flesh wash and medium, check previous video on this channel

[@horatio_]

@@samsowden thanks! It was a semi facetious comment for the channel since he’s doing all branded washes I have seen the recipe in the desc of the vids thanks for the assist

[@samsowden]

@@horatio_ damnit, I'm usually good at spotting facetiousness