The Army Painter SPEEDPAINT 1.0 Review: One BIG issue compared to Citadel Contrast (Comparison)

[@stahly_taleofpainters]

Here is a mini FAQ: 1. Maybe the reactivation is not an issue when you let the paints dry for longer? My test model was painted over three weeks ago and still reactivates, so drying time is not the problem. 2. Which varnishes are safe to use to seal Speedpaint to prevent reactivation? Thinned coats of matt varnish spray or matt varnish applied with an airbrush are safest. Applying with a brush can reactivate the paint if you scrub too much with your brush. Here is a list of my favourite matt varnishes: taleofpainters.com/2022/02/top-tip-stahlys-best-matt-varnishes-for-painting-miniatures-spray-brush-on/ 3. Where is the plasticard sheet from? It's from Green Stuff World: affiliates.waylandgames.co.uk/idevaffiliate.php?id=210&url=2931 4. How about enamel washes over speedpaint? I didn't have problems with enamel washes reactivating Speedpaint, just don't rub too much with your brush.

[@dlh567]

The enamel wash comment makes me wonder how speed paint as a base for oil paints would work out. Someone needs to get Marco on that!

[@advancetotabletop5328]

Yeah, every newbie painter goes out and buys an airbrush and enamel washes. Thanks for the review!

[@fredrikmansson1819]

@@dlh567 most likely would be fine, it seems to be the solvent that is the big issue, acrylics use water, oil and enamel use White Spirits.

[@andyduke6119]

I can only comment that I didn't experience the reactivation issue. I was applying off white on surfaces where I messed up.

[@radicalpaddyo]

Just going to continue dunking my minis into streaking grime then

[@GoobertownHobbies]

Excellent review! I 100% agree that this is NOT the product for folks who want to do multiple layers of glazing. The speedpaint medium is quite 'good' at re-activating itself. I hadn't noticed the white paint blending with dry speedpaint colors, but I'm testing it now and you're right! It definitely depends on which color of speedpaint you're painting over, but white paint drying on-top of speedpaint becomes tinted with a bit of the underneath color, (and it's not just the inherent transparency of white paint). My gut feeling is that whatever off-white you get will still be a fine base color adding the 'correct' color of speedpaint on top of, but this is still good to know about! For anything much darker than pale yellow paint, I suspect this phenomenon will not be noticeable... As for varnish, In my own tests I've had no problem with varnish at all. I've tried brush-on varnish and varnish through my airbrush (both AP varnish and vallejo) and I didn't notice any reactivation with those.

[@TheArmyPainter]

We use Skeleton Bone if we plan on cleaning things up for more layers of Speedpaint.

[@ninja_cazzle2641]

You are the first person to mention the reactivating that I’ve watched. Great review! Thanks for spending so much time on this and going to the effort of talking to Army Painter.

[@XavierArnau399]

I've just been told about the reactivation issue a few days ago. After that many months of reviews by other guys yours is the first honest one looks like.

[@TheArmyPainter]

Thanks for this review Stahy! We are fans and love working with you. Our #1 goal with Speedpaint was to deliver a true one-coat painting solution. In our efforts to do that, we believe Speedpaint is a HUGE success. The reactive nature mentioned is actually what makes Speedpaint cover so well. Without it, it wouldn't have the added benefits that you and other reviewers around the world have highlighted with the product and for 95% of the people who purchase Speedpaint for it's intended use - this is a non-issue. However, we always recommend sealing your models. And,, if you plan to add highlights to your model after applying a Speedpaint basecoat, we suggest an application of a Matt Varnish through the Airbrush or spray can. It's one small added step, but nothing inc comparison to the time you'll save using Speedpaing for those base tones.

[@Ster1154]

Having to varnish between coats doesn't seem very "speedy" to me. I don't plan to cancel my preorder for the Mega Set, but I feel like this was marketed as a direct rival to the GW Contrast Paints and now this one fatal flaw is being spun as a "feature" when, in my opinion, it's anything but.

[@TheArmyPainter]

@@Ster1154 Our #1 goal was to make a true one-coat painting solution. In our efforts to do that, I think we have 100% done just that.

[@Ster1154]

@@TheArmyPainter Hey, fair enough. Like I said I don't plan to cancel my preorder and look forward to trying them out. Though the reactivation of the paints will alter what models I plan to use them on.

[@TheArmyPainter]

@@Ster1154 Absolutely, and we look forward to hearing what you think. Much like the "other" paint didn't replace the paints or techniques we previously employed, we consider Speedpaint a tool to add to the arsenal and one that makes painting easier and faster for many hobbyists.

[@Ster1154]

@@TheArmyPainter Agreed. End of March can't come soon enough!

[@CanonTheDog_]

im not entirely sure how i ended up here, i thought this was going to be about digital art, I know nothing about model painting but I will say, this was rather informative! I think I'll end up sticking around here. ^.^

[@viktorkopelent]

The reactivation of the paints is not often mentioned in other review videos and makes this video one of the best in my opinion. For me this is a big issue as they are harder to control than contrast paints and its difficult to fix due to the reactivation. I will rather pay more for contrast paints from the experience I had so far with speedpaints.

[@JimmyCarmine]

That's a very thorough breakdown. The paints reactivating, even after 24 hours is a bit off-putting, so I think I may stick to Contrast for now

[@tubthumperloc3662]

I think I’ll try using speed paint for the largest area (power armour), then varnish. Once dry, go back in and do the other details … hopefully it won’t reactivate

[@tomscharf8812]

Never heard of varnish??

[@JimmyCarmine]

From what I’ve read some varnishes are reactivating speedpaints too 🤷I’ll stick with what I’ve got and know works without additional faffing around

[@minishaw280]

@@JimmyCarmine agreed! Why add more effort into your life!

[@josephk8859]

Stahly, I had no idea you were on KZbin. Brilliant video - great seeing you in a new medium!

[@stahly_taleofpainters]

Cheers. Yeah, I just started doing videos a few months ago!

[@MySteamStory]

Very informative and detailed review. Good editing and smooth audio! 10/10

[@MrFormenis]

re-activating paint is a showstopper for me thanks for this, will stick with my contrast paints, I was mainly tempted because of the lower price tag and dropper bottle (which make it even cheaper since you control exact amount you use)

[@ericclement1598]

So I have also noticed this but I think in reality it’s because they are not designed to be “glazed with” I get you’d want to bump up highlights for a more dynamic paint job, so I tested by just airbrushing a Matte primer and it solved all rehydration issues

[@RandomMakingEncounters]

Like any material, I think the best answer is your final answer… it all depends. Personally, I’ve really loved my experience with Speedpaint. I tend to be more of a wash and glaze painter and haven’t noticed significant reactivation or seen it as an issue with my painting style. I use Vallejo primers and love the look over zenithal primed figures. I also tend to overpaint quite a bit. My biggest observation is Speedpaints dry really flat and need a bit of varnish to really pump up the saturation in the end. The overall opacity is also something to be aware of. Some of the colors need to be thinned or they end up being simply too dark. I can see these as a great tool in the tool belt and working well for quick tabletop ready pieces. Thanks for deep dive! It’s especially nice to see all of the color comparisons!

[@ZombieApocalypse09]

Appreciate this kind of video! Believe the reactivation won't be a problem for me but good to see more details on it after the Juan Hidalgo video. Especially excited to use them for batch painting line infantry as I think that is where they will most shine as you can get them all speed painted, get them all varnished, then go back and do whatever touch ups and highlights you wanna do before a final varnish. Subbed!

[@Emloch]

Reactivation is an absolute deal breaker for me. I'm already invested in GW contrast, but was considering trying a few Speedpaints; now I know I will pass. Thanks for this insightful video. Good work.

[@mycatistypingthis5450]

On the other hand, the coffeestaining of Contrast is a lot less jarring in Speedpaint, and a lot harder to fix. Drybrushing also hardly reactivates Speedpaint, and mixing in the Speedpaint colour in the highlight colour is a crude form of blending.

[@tom7050]

try oils , better results , and more possibilities

[@mycatistypingthis5450]

@@tom7050 I tried oils, I don't like working with white spirits if I can help it. They do work, I just don't like working with them.

[@SunChaserXVII]

Very in-depth review, thanks! Reactivation is a dealbreaker for me, but hopefully other people who want these can work around it as long as they're aware of the issue.

[@sharang2]

Unironically this is hard hitting investigative journalism

[@jamesgaultier2949]

Thanks, this was really well planned and thorough. On the two Blood Angels I think I like the Speed Paints better.

[@KamekazeKuban]

I like that you didn’t hold any punches in your review, I have heard conflicting reports on the reactivation on the speedpaints now. That being said, it’s something to keep in mind. Still you got a new sub from me!!

[@transgouine]

Thank you for talking about this! I've been having this issue and it was really messing with me cos I'm just starting out in the hobby and hadn't seen anyone talking about speed paint reactivation. I'm using varnish now, and mostly using speed paints to create gradients

[@ep1kone]

Thanks Stalhly! After following the page and your awesome Iybraesil work, finally found your channel today. This is a great write up though, and massive about the reactivating. That kills it for me, as contrast I use as a base coat more than anything, and touch up and glaze/tint afterward.

[@mmbierhof]

Best honest review about these paints I've seen, excellent. Liked and subscribed!

[@davidpepin3017]

I'm the kind of person who paint every minis to the best of my abilites, no matter how insignificant the mini. I've been painting for over 20 years and I have to say that the results are quite good, with dozens of little details, layers of thin paints, etc. But, since I've been doing this for a while, I'm stuck in my old habits, using the same paints and not trying any of the speciality paint. As I was watching youtube videos one after an other while I was painting, a speed paint video came along and the great painter talking about it was singing its praises, how he was able to achieve very good results in a matter of minutes or an hour. I was intrigued, wanting to save some time on my painting jobs, so I research them a bit and stumble on the official army painter video for the speed paints. I dont know if the guy doing the painting was just some guy or their home painter, but the results were so bad that I forgot about them and never gave it a second thought. I also very rarely use contrast paints, I dont like how "random" can be the results (hope my english was understandable, still learning!).

[@internetman1213]

Love this vid! The breakdown is amazing! To me those extra few dollars I saved with the army painter isn't worth the time correcting some of the spill over. I'll be sticking mostly to contrast to avoid that bleeding effect. I will definitely pick up some of the army painter speed paint blues and maybe absolution green

[@skynetpuma]

Excellent video! Love your content, you are the only one i know that actually makes comparisons and experiments. Keep the excellent work

[@theharrower]

Thanks for this review. Just cancelled my Mega Paint Set order.

[@NapGod]

I am very impressed with the thoroughness of your testing process. I've seen too many videos that act as various levels of hype videos for speedpaint without an honest review. this is fantastic information and very refreshing. I'm already a big fane of the taleofpainters website, and excited for more content on your channel!

[@wokehammer40k]

Really helpful and informative video! I think ill still pick up the speed paints but this is definitely good to know and I hadn't heard about the reactivation elsewhere. Thanks for the vid!

[@theminipaintingnoob]

Thanks for putting the effort into the comparison. This has prompted me to start painting with Speedpaint and also start this channel to share my experience as a beginner painter. 😃

[@fieteschaper5220]

"Finish off your paint job with a protective layer of Anti-Shine Matt Varnish Spray or Airbrush Varnish. If you wish to add more layers or highlights with acrylic paints, we recommend applying a layer of varnish first." From "The Army painter" Website Great Video thx alot

[@elbitxo5945]

I've seen other reviews reporting that issue. Yeah, it's kinda big. Some people are using a varnish coat to avoid that, but I think it goes against the concept of speedpainting. It doesn't seem to be an issue for regular highlighting, but from what I've seen on tests, washes reactivate these paints too, blending with the colors and desaturating them a lot so, no agrax shade with speedpaints. There is other positive point not exposed in this video, speedpaints mix much better among then than contrast. For what people is reporting during test, is easy to get new nice colors that still work as supposed, even chromatic blacks, mixing two or more speedpaints. With contrast mixing is inconsistent and sometimes the resultant color doesn't work very well. I will get some bottles even with that issue in mind, to complete my favourite contrast colours and finally defeat the grey hordes. I will use them to paint high-tabletop standard so, I don't even think about glazing haha.

[@wargameshobby]

Excellent review. I found the same issue with the reactivation. I did not explain it as well as you though. Thanks for the time you spent putting this review together. 👍

[@PlatonistAstronaut]

Thank you for all the effort that went into the swatches.

[@Cremefreeeesh]

What a surprise that Spikey Bits didn't (and probably won't) mention something like this...

[@grilli144]

You saved me from doing a big mistake! Thank you.

[@davehall6053]

Thanks for that very thorough and honest review. Some of the colours look really good but unfortunately the re-activation issue is a show-stopper for me.

[@lolaldanee2743]

Finally a comparison to Anithesis and Instant colors, thanks man

[@buchsg]

For me, at this moment, the big draw side of speed paint it’s the impossibility to buy them separately, the same point is also valid for their air paints range...

[@stahly_taleofpainters]

They'll be available separately end of March, along with the release of the Mega Set!

[@markhickson9087]

Great review, I appreciate how balanced and thorough it is. The reactivation is a deal breaker for me, though it could allow "wet" blending between dry layers? I wonder if Armypainter didn't realise that few buy contrast paint for single coat painting.

[@stahly_taleofpainters]

Feel free to experiment but I think it would be quite hard to not turn it into a mess. I think you would be better off with oil paint and enamel washes then.

[@lucinawalker3261]

Your photography is truly amazing for showcasing the paint, and also I have heard that heat curing and varnishing after you are done with the speed paints seems to help the reactivating issue.

[@azazelxxxx]

For me at least, that's a lot of extra faffing about for a "speed" paint.

[@lucinawalker3261]

@@azazelxxxx fair, but also the heat thing is really more to help them dry faster, and you should varnish your models anyways, don't want that hard work going to waste after all. And If you work a lot with inks you might already be used to putting down a varnish half way through to protect the pretty fragile ink It's up to you to decide if they are worth it or not, but knowing how to use your tools is a great way of finding out if it is worth it

[@afoaa]

I you brush a varnish over a model the speedpaint reactivates and flows into your brush and spreads out following you brush strokes, same if you use a shader over them. You need an airbrush to varnish them or your paintjob will be ruined.

[@Walsfeo]

It's good to know about the reactivation, but I don't really see it being a critical flaw based on how I paint. I might have painted entire armies before I noticed. Or even found a way to use it to my advantage. But it is still great to know ahead of time.

[@ckangaroo15k]

Your video is the first I've seen which covered the reactivation issue. I unfortunately already ordered about a dozen speedpaints with the intent of using them as a base for more detailed work and it's a big downside for me. Hopefully varnishing between steps will make up for it, otherwise I'll need to find another use for them. Great work!

[@fan-i-am]

Yes. Plenty of videos and article reviews have said that varnishing absolutely prevents it. One said that letting it dry for 24hrs was fine and didn't reactivate. One video even showed that reactivation is a cool FEATURE! because he uses a wet damaged dry brush to pull some of the paint OFF for a stippling/damaged effect! Or after going over some metallic armor, pulling the color off some raised edges.

[@stahly_taleofpainters]

I can debunk the 24 hrs theory, I had Speedpaints reactivating after weeks. But it's true you can get creative effects with the reactivation though.

[@fan-i-am]

@@stahly_taleofpainters here's a couple of the vids I'm referring to. See what you think: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qn7cZpJsabZ3mtU

[@fan-i-am]

@@stahly_taleofpainters here's the 2nd one i saw: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a32yco2hm5eVZ9U Start at 9:00 i don't really know who to believe now!😁

[@1KamaronConClase]

Only for the comparation table this video is amazing! Great job!

[@IPrint3dMinis]

My only issue with AP speed paints is the re-activation, but that only ever happens to me when I work too quickly as it does take a bit longer for AP SP to dry completely. For me I used Valejo flat varnish and it did not change or hurt the paint at all.

[@HerbaceousM8]

reactivate is like oil paint washes. you get a chance to use them as a filter. use a base colour in a medium/light colour, then use the speed paint for shadows and reactivate to pull off the paint and get a highlight

[@furbs178]

I like painting with inks which can also reactivate so maybe I will pick this up but not the mega set like I had planned.

[@Drakio95]

Really great informative video. I'm amazed by the lengths you've gone to analyse and actually compare those paints properly. Glad to be in contrast club since day1 :D To be frank I'm sticking to them even more after you've shown other options. They are simply leagues below in quality.

[@andrewkennedy9134]

Great video thanks. Ive cancelled my preorder of the mega set as a result of the reactivation problem. Im not being down or negative about the AP paints....I will likely still try out several of the colours....the blood angels red equivalent does look stunning, but having to varnish in between layers is a deal breaker for me. I paint using multiple layers and glazes, so this style of painting will be totally unsuitable for these. But its a new tool, and I know several painters/collectors who dont highlight or layer at all, just slap it on and go, so these will likely be much more appropriate for them than contrast. Like you, i only use contrast as a glaze or shade so dont see the AP ones taking over that role anytime soon. Thanks,,,,Ive saved a few pennies there, so the missus will be happy!😁

[@siriactuallysara]

Thank you so much for this video. I have been using the scale 74 instant colors since I got the KS over a year ago. I found some colors especially browns and wood colors look great and some look terrible and pool like washes. Black basically becomes a grey wash and grey is Terrible. I pre-ordered the speed paints and can’t wait to try them out when they come.

[@maxxon99]

Thanks. This was the best review on the subject I've seen so far. Need to get me some of those plasticard sheets as well...

[@EthanWykes]

An actual review! Thankyou for this it was so helpful.

[@stevecrysanthopoulos8389]

Amazing video! At last someone exploring the applicability of these paints. I was eager to try the new colours, but now i am sure this is a defective product (if by accident i make a mistake applying them, I won't be able to take it back.) Cancelled my order too...

[@IBIS-3D]

I'm definitely glad to watched this before buying it. I still don't know well this hobby and i would went crazy if I couldn't paint on this paint

[@Agamemnon2]

The bleedthrough makes Speedpaints totally unusable for me, alas. No matter what I'm painting, I need to be able to apply something on top of a basecoat, whether highlights, fixes, freehand, etc. I'm glad this video has prevented me from making a costly mistake.

[@Ratstail91]

The reactivation problem has totally killed my enthusiasm for speed paints. I was all gung-ho for getting them, but now I'll give them a pass (for now).

[@dot4327]

Me too. I just got into the hobby and feel the hatred for gw pots fuels ap speed paints. Where I live the speedpaints are about the same price as gw paints. I almost purchased it and read a review talking about how terrible it was to go back and re do tiny areas (know as re activation) i decided not to.

[@advancetomayfair]

Mix paint with the medium instead of water and it doesn't reactivate.

[@EdAllen]

It's good to know about the reactivation. Thanks.

[@histkontext]

So from my understanding, speed paint is better choice than contrast paint for someone who does not care much for the painting part of the hobby, but does not want to have "grey armies" (or does not want to pay 100s of eur someone to paint for them)

[@TheArmyPainter]

Our #1 goal was to make the best one-coat painting solution. Whether that’s for beginners to find the fun in painting (the big takeaway we get from people’s first time using the paints is how fun it is), or veterans who are just trying to Get More Time For Gaming - I think we did just that.

[@PatrickSamphire]

I can see myself using a few of these for certain purposes, but not really a fan of varnishing between coats, so it might limit how much I actually make use of them.

[@DaronSchmit]

This is a great breakdown. With what you demonstrated I think speed paints are great for (you guessed it) speed paintin, but specifically with a zenithal prime and a varnish to wrap up. I can see batch painter having a really good time with this product I think models should be varnished anyways to keep the paint on long-term, so that's kind of a moot point.

[@clamus68]

Except you have to varnish them between layer applications. That makes them FAR more expensive than Contrast and that's the hidden cost.

[@johnbruce4004]

Very solid and comprehensive review, thank you.

[@TheSilentW]

Danke für das tolle Review! Ich habe in der Praxis ähnliche Erfahrungen gemacht: Die neuen Speedpaints von TAP sind als preisgünstigere Alternative zu Games Workshop Contrast Farben angetreten und machen ihren Job auf den ersten Blick auch sehr gut: Kräftige Farben, die Vertiefungen dunkler und Erhebungen heller im jeweils gewählten Farbton hervorheben und matt trocknen. Das Ganze im Tropffläschchen und Aktivatorkugeln sind auch schon drin. Leider haben auch diese Farben einen gewaltigen Pferdefuß, was bei meinen üblichen Testfiguren (Zombicide Zombies und GW Pox Walkers) bald sehr deutlich wurde: Die Hose eines Pox Walkers war dank Fire Giant Orange zu einem tollen Orangeton getrocknet. Und ein Runner von Zombicide hatte dank Blood Red schicke Sneakers. Dummerweise aktivieren sich die Speedpaints aber auch nach Tagen wieder, wenn erneut Farben aufgetragen werden. Das heisst, die graue Base, auf die etwas Blood Red gelaufen war, lässt sich nicht einfach grau übermalen. Selbst bei zwei Anläufen im Tagesabstand kam das Rot immer wieder an die Oberfläche und erst ein stark deckender dunkler Grauton aus der alten GW Foundations Reihe schaffte hier Abhilfe. Schnürsenkel, Sohlen und Zierstreifen, bemalt mit dem sonst sehr gut deckenden Vallejo Silver Grey, wurden zartrosa. Ebenso die beige übermalten Gürteltaschen und Maden des Pox Walkers, die einen orangen Stich zeigten. Nun gibt es mittlerweile eine Empfehlung von TAP, einfach zwischendurch die Flächen zu versiegeln, nur widerspricht das komplett dem Konzept von Speed(!)paints und ist außerdem nicht ohne Risiko, da auch Varnishes, zumnal mit dem Pinsel aufgetragen, auch die Farben reaktivieren können. So ein Verhalten ist mir in zwanzig Jahren Hobby noch nie untergekommen und reiht sich ein bei solchen Komplettausfällen, wie das auf bestimmte Sprays reagierende Reaper Bones Material und nicht rostfreien Aktivatorkugeln.

[@huwtindall7096]

Great review mate! Very thorough and told us something about Speedpaint nobody else has yet. Excellent stuff.

[@davemorris7845]

I have to be honnest here, i think the re-activation issue is a huge problem 9and an oversight from ap). They are selling this as a quick product to help get things done fast, the need to carefully varnish inbetween just adds time.

[@stahly_taleofpainters]

They say it's a feature not a bug... when you use enamel and oil washes it's also a good idea to varnish before you add additional layers of paint, but yeah.

[@ninja_cazzle2641]

I guess for those people using these “as designed” (aka one coat and done) it’s less of an issue. I wonder if drybrushing also causes the reactivation?

[@davemorris7845]

@@ninja_cazzle2641 Not sure mate, he does mention in this video that to much brush pressure lift the paint also.... so I'm guessing dry brushing will produce the same issue?

[@ninja_cazzle2641]

@@davemorris7845 I guess it depends on how hard you dry brush. Time will tell. AP seems to have commented with more info. I think it’s always important to remember that paint is just a tool and we have our favourites to suit our style. I’m sure it will work really well for some and less well for others. I’ll probably wait until I can just try a couple of colours rather than buying a set.

[@davemorris7845]

@@ninja_cazzle2641 Me 2 my dude, i can see myself picking up one or two.

[@N17C1]

I thoroughly recommend a painting handle so you don't accidentally rub off partly cured speed paint, and a hair dryer (on low) to speed up the drying of the paint.

[@breakinmedia]

Awesome breakdown, can you do another on the reactivation issue and varnishing tests.

[@stahly_taleofpainters]

I think I covered most of it, what would you be interested in particular?

[@breakinmedia]

@@stahly_taleofpainters I was hoping the Armypainter Mega set could be a speed painting staple without any issues. So was wondering, What is the best solution to prevent the reactivation with varnishes? you say in the video it can reactivate with them aswell. Does it matter with any particular brand, if its Satin,Matt or Gloss. Applied with Air-rush, Spray cans , painted on

[@brachnix]

this was a really well done Review, with all the pros and cons, that I only saw in your video, thumps up :)

[@azazelxxxx]

The only fully truthful review of these on KZbin. I've reblogged it with links to your written First Look as well as this video.

[@stahly_taleofpainters]

Thank you so much!

[@ROOKTABULA]

Thanx for this! I was just about to order the big Speedpaint set but the _bleeds when applying touch ups over "Dry" paint_ situation is a total deal killer for me! There are no shortcuts.

[@Eisenbison]

I absolutely love your painting style. Keep up the amazing work!

[@stormycatmink]

Every side by said I've seen, I like the Contrast better. Maybe it's just me, but I like the little more randomness and patchiness to be a bit more believable. When I'm not using contrast, I manually go back and add variations to my paints to make them look more realistic and weathered. Speed paint also seem very sterile and too bright. Just seems like you'd need to do more work to knock them down a bit and add variations.

[@TheRelentlessAssault]

I can’t imagine Army Painter finds this as a issue. This product is made more for people that want to put down wash, base, and slight highlights quick and easy, and speed paint does that.

[@tom7050]

oils too ^^ and better

[@ericboyle8296]

Great review. I paint historical minis and your review was recommended by some very good painters who use laying techniques. Speedpaint looks to be a problem for any type of laying and while I suppose they are not designed for that I have been using contrast paints for the shade and base, but still doing various highlights by drybrushing. I also use Agrax to mute some of the colours and to cover any missed spots. We'll see what happens with Speed paints, just got the basic set.

[@derekstiles5801]

They are for sure a good alternative to the contrast stuff. Everyone I know that uses contrast paints now basically use them to spray wash or shade. I don’t have one friend that paints their minis with them by hand.

[@Khrist75]

They're wrong because CP make miracles when you know how to use them properly...

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thanks for doing all the testing so we don't have to! :)

[@SvenEnterlein]

You mentioned even varnish reactivating the SpeedPaints; how bad is this? I have them on preorder and if they can't even be sealed with varnish, I will cancel the order for sure. Thanks so much! Second review after Juan Hidalgo pointing out this issue. But as AP state - it's a feature, not a bug

[@stahly_taleofpainters]

Mine was a little bit earlier but nevermind :D I've used Speedpaints on a few projects by now, and smaller areas can be varnished by brush if you don't scrub too much with your brush. Spray varnish will seal the paints completely.

[@SvenEnterlein]

@@stahly_taleofpainters Thanks! Didn't mean to say that your review came in second; rather the second one I watched. I'll only apply varnish via airbrush so that should be good. Biggest question is of course whether to keep the order or cancel. I'm a big fan of sets so the Megaset checks a lot of boxes, except the reactivation, of course. Dankeschön!

[@LegionaireSiggi]

Army Painter just added a new "how to" video about SpeedPaints and included the need to varnish. Considering how often I hear better painters talk about using varnish as a "save point" I don't see this as a problem.

[@minishaw280]

I thin my dark angels green down ! I also dry brush over the dark angels green with caliban green focusing on the flat panels to give it more consistency

[@Tinywars]

I found this out almost instantly when I got my Speed Paints. Don't get me wrong, I adore them. I really enjoy working with them but you've got to be extra careful because mistakes really show.

[@rethonn]

Id be intrested in seeing if you can mix speed paints with Contrast medium to see if it still reactivates after it dries

[@hillno]

Wow on reactivation! Thanks for this video!

[@WARdROBEPlaysWWII]

Good to know. I will keep my order to give these a shot in my painting. And I’ll use a spray Matt varnish.

[@sethpeterson8261]

Interesting overview. Especially since many other tests and reviews have shown multiple coats without issue, used it as a basecoat just fine, brush vanishing over it with no problems, using it to glaze no problem etc... Still looking forward to mine as I hate my contrast paints and staying hopeful I can ditch them completely once I get one of these mega sets.

[@stahly_taleofpainters]

I can't believe that... which reviews?

[@keydelllorenzana8143]

That is a pretty big problem... like painting with water colours. It would make layering, doing second coats of different colours, or just adding warm / cool undertones impossible. Example, using a yellowish orange contrast then after drying use a greenish contrast for a nice warm orc skin. I was so excited to try these till I learned this.

[@needgamesnow3466]

Where did you get that blank "test sheet"? Great video for sure. Extremely helpful.

[@stahly_taleofpainters]

It's from Green Stuff World: affiliates.waylandgames.co.uk/idevaffiliate.php?id=210&url=2931

[@EdAllen]

It would be interesting to see Pro Acryl's and Reaper's transparent paints added to the analysis.

[@stahly_taleofpainters]

I put them on my "To review" list, keep an eye out on taleofpainters.com!

[@kaz9357]

Thank you for this helpful review. The reactivation thing is very off-putting. I thank you for saving me 100 bucks!

[@awijntje14]

Very good review so thank you for making this video and doing all the research. Personally the reactivation is interesting in terms of being potentially useful or not, as with any tool you need to figure out how it works and what bits work for you and which not. I do hope the army painter will add more colours over time (and sell the medium separately) but for now I'm really looking forward to getting my mega set..

[@iambryansimpson]

Thanks for being honest, too many youtubers clearly kissing ass just because they got a free product. thanks for the impartiality!

[@q2re45g7v4]

Absolutely terrible flaw; if we can't paint (for example) a yellow Imperial Fist marine, and then go over the trim with red, then it's pretty useless, IMO. I live in the UK and varnishing stuff is a pain at the best of times with our weather. Thanks for pointing this out while I still have time to cancel my order!

[@ogreman2229]

They make brush on varnish...

[@q2re45g7v4]

@@ogreman2229 I use it (the Citadel one, I'm not sure the name), it just takes forever to dry here - I usually leave it over night. Its good, but I dont really associate it with speed-painting

[@KrullMaestaren]

If it easily reactivates, could that be used for blending? Maybe even, gently brush on some medium and let it sit for a moment on the part of the surface that you want to blend? Or does it slways turn into an uneven mess?

[@stahly_taleofpainters]

You can experiment but I think it would be quite hard to not turn it into a mess. I think you would be better off with oil paint and enamel washes then.

[@johnbrown15]

The price difference is even more pronounced in the US, where Games Workshop products are consistently more expensive than UK/EU. Contrast paints are close to double the MSRP of speedpaints here.

[@tomkadin]

Very nice review, seemed really objective and honest not trying to sell anything.

[@TheRedBard]

Will you do a four way comparison and chart for contrast line paints? Thanks you! Amazing work

[@stahly_taleofpainters]

Can you explain what you mean with four way comparison? Thanks!

[@TheRedBard]

@@stahly_taleofpainters sorry thought this was implied. Contrast vs Instant Color vs Antithesis vs Speed Paint. The swatch comparison charts you've made are amazing

[@charleslatora5750]

I'm just starting to paint and I'm going to buy the speed paint cuz I have to price and that's that

[@johnnytizz]

Fantastically thorough review! Subscribed :)

[@mrgunn2726]

Very technical discussion, I greatly enjoyed your video.

[@silentark6023]

I managed to get my hands on an early release set of the starter paints and I've definitely noticed the reactivating issue, though did lead to one trick; you can use a light inkwash to darken and exaggerate the variation of the speed paint, they tend to blend and leads to a bigger variation of colour (Using the pallid bone with a light agrax earthshade lead to a very convincing paintjob despite being pretty quick to apply). Overall my use of them was pretty similar to what i've been hearing; it seems to be really good for small things and very detailed surfaces, like pouches, aquila symbols, etc. but really falls down on flat surfaces, used the highland blue and blood red on armour plates and cloaks, the result was very little contrast.

[@elbitxo5945]

Zenithal priming seems like it's a must with these paints to achieve contrast on flat surfaces. It's a bit of a contradiction, these paints are supposed to be newbbie friendly, but you need to apply an advanced priming technique to achieve a nice result.

[@silentark6023]

@@elbitxo5945 yeah I've tried that too, mixed bag Some like the green cone out really nice with a zenithal priming, but others like pallid bone and crusader flesh really seem to rely on a fairly bright undercoat to work

[@elbitxo5945]

@@silentark6023 yeah, fleshtones using that technique look ugly in all the examples I've seen, you would totally need to apply light brush primer in those areas (not a big fan of that), or do zenithal priming with airbrush and make those areas really light, then again, even less newbie friendly.

[@HeadCannonPrime]

@@elbitxo5945 Nots sure I would call zenithal highlighting an "Advanced technique". Despite the fancy name you are just spraying white from the top. Most painters figured this out for themselves before contrast paints were ever invented.

[@kriss667]

Have you considered rubbing the model with a soaked q-tip to maybe create highlights in a similar fashion to oil-washing? Maybe that would be an interesting case of reforging a drawback into a feature?

[@stahly_taleofpainters]

Not yet, but will try! I'd still probably rather use oil paints in that case...

[@kriss667]

@@stahly_taleofpainters just tried that yesterday. Speed paint reactivated the underlying layers of zenithal preshading. Will need to varnish first.

[@kriss667]

@@stahly_taleofpainters quick update. After gloss varnishing it went on exceptionally better. But rubbing off turned out not to work well, at least for me. It's more of a case of all or nothing, so back to oils .

[@d.t.m8393]

Oh that's very concerning about the re-activating! So I couldn't for example paint a Chaos Space Marine one colour all over using Speedpaint and then go and do all the trim in a regular acrylic or metallic paint as the Speedpaint underneath would start to bleed? If this is true then it certainly takes the shine off the range for me. 😔

[@stahly_taleofpainters]

It would very likely bleed through, a few thin edge highlights are fine from my experiments, but painting over larger areas like trims would trigger the reactivation :/ A coat of varnish might help.

[@gabrielwalton4097]

Perhaps spraying with Matte or Gloss varnish would help protect the underlying speedpaint? I normally do that with contrasts anyway just to be safe

[@ikael]

Stahly, please. Make a video trying to create volumen highlithing like they were watercolour paints. Use some water with your skill trying to reactivate the colour creating the highlights. We would love to know what can achieve a skillfull painter like you. I think the first youtuber who try it will have many views! Keep the great work! Subscribed from Spain!

[@stahly_taleofpainters]

I'll try to, but Speedpaint don't reactivate in the same way as oil paint or enamel washes, I don't think you would get a very smooth result.