Contrast / Speed Painting
Use self-shading Contrast paints over a light primer for a basecoat, shade, and highlight in one step.
Contrast paints (Citadel Contrast, Army Painter Speedpaints) are specially formulated to act as a basecoat, shade, and highlight in a single application. Applied over a white or light-colored primer, these translucent paints pool in the recesses (creating shadows) while leaving a lighter tint on raised areas (creating highlights). It's the fastest way to get a painted army on the table.
Best For
Recommended Paint Types
Step-by-Step
Prime your model white or a light bone color (like Wraithbone or Grey Seer).
Load a medium brush with Contrast paint — don't thin it.
Apply the paint to one area at a time (one arm, one leg, etc.).
Use enough paint to coat the area but not so much that it pools excessively.
Guide the paint into recesses with your brush tip.
If it pools too much on flat areas, wick it away with a clean damp brush.
Let each color dry before applying the next color to an adjacent area.
Pro Tips
Contrast paints work best over Wraithbone (warm tones) or Grey Seer (cool tones).
Don't go back over an area that's starting to dry — you'll get ugly tide marks.
You can mix Contrast paints with Contrast Medium to make them more subtle.
After the Contrast paint dries, you can edge highlight or drybrush for extra pop.
These paints are phenomenal on textured surfaces and terrible on flat panels.
Common Mistakes
Priming dark — Contrast paints need a light undercoat to work.
Going back over areas that are drying — this reactivates the paint and creates blotches.
Using on large flat surfaces (like vehicle panels) — they pool unevenly.
Applying too thick — use just enough to coat, not flood.