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Friday 7 July 2023

Contrasts

You know how it is when you get new toys, I couldn't resist doing a trial.
Apart from a couple of horses previously, my first foray into contrast paints too.
Many thanks to Matt Bickley for the advice and tips and the kind donation of extra figures to the Emperor's cause.
Base colours on
Undercoat GW Wraith bone, warn your wallet of the hit.
Shako and other black bits - Black Templar
Musket - Wildwood
Pack - Gore Grunta Fur
Great Coat - Basilicanum Grey
Coat - Leviadon Blue
Piping and collar - Blood Angels Red
Non contrast
Flesh Vallejo - Cork Brown
Vallejo - Oily Steel for the musket.
Vallejo - Brass for, well the brass bits.
Vallejo - Medium Blue for the pompom 
Below hit with Army Painter Strong or Soft Tone to ones liking, in this case Soft Tone.
Here he is below highlighted up where deemed appropriate in his case the colours below were used
White bits - Vallejo Silver grey, Ivory or Off White to taste 
Coat - Vallejo Prussian Blue
Musket stock - Vallejo Mahogany Brown
Greatcoat - Vallejo Basalt Grey
Flesh - Vallejo Game Color Dwarf Skin and Model Color Dark Flesh.
Below the finished figure
I have decide on a 40x50x3mm base this keeps the frontage narrow and the depth allows firing figures not to have the musket sticking out too far
Written down it all seems rather long winded but over the weekend I completed twelve foot and three mounted figures using Contrast paints.
How do they compare to my normal layer method?
Spot the difference above a mix of Contrast and Layer. The "painted and on the table three foot away" maxim applies I think.
No game next week I am away in sunny, one can wish, the outlook is not good, Cornwall. I am hoping to detour to Devizes on the way home to visit the Attack show.
TTFN & KBO



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22 comments:

  1. David7 July 2023 at 01:08

    Well, the figure looks fine to me. At 3' on the table in the heat of battle noone will notice any difference I'm confident. Myself, I think I'll stick to my tried and tested system; Old Dog, New Tricks and such...👴🏻

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    1. Jonathan Freitag7 July 2023 at 04:07

      David, I’m with you on all counts but Phil’s result is superb.

      Delete
    2. Phil Robinson7 July 2023 at 05:16

      Thank you chaps, I am sure they will do.

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    3. Phil Robinson7 July 2023 at 05:17

      Thank you chaps, looks like a thumbs up

      Delete
  2. pancerni7 July 2023 at 01:29

    Good results, you did notice the sticker shock of the new paints but got good results.

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    1. Phil Robinson7 July 2023 at 05:18

      Thank you Joe, my bank balance certainly groaned.

      Delete
  3. Norm7 July 2023 at 02:38

    Phil, I think that is a marvellous results, especially as it is an initial outing with the paint, looks like you have taken to contrast like a duck to water. When I first bought mine, the guy in the shop said, shake and shake them before use and when you think they are done, shake them some more! I have popped a steel ballbearing in each of mine to break up the sediment that seems to quickly form, plus before use, I put them on one of those electric nail varnish shakers … just to be sure!

    The guy in the shop also said that because the paint is very mobile, it penetrates deep into the brush and that a proper regime of thorough brush cleaning will help with the effective life of the brush.

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    1. Phil Robinson7 July 2023 at 05:22

      Thank you Norm, indeed I have bearings in mine I also check the bottom for build and give it a stir too if needed. My diluted windscreen wash seems to do the trick cleaning wise.

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  4. Neil Patterson7 July 2023 at 09:54

    Interesting results which echo some of my experiments. Just used "as is" the results are disappointing if you are used to layers from say black undercoat; there simply isn't enough delineation for me. So far my experiments have been with 20mm (Arab-Israeli) and 15mm ECW. In both cases they have required "touch-ups" by way of highlights and in some cases washes. The ECW had a trial of black, grey and white primer. The black were drybrushed with white or grey, with one each of the white and grey getting a black "magic wash". All needed dabs of normal paint for highlights.
    I started wondering if it was any faster! However, as a way to get main colours on the figure, they are much faster due to the flow than if you were blocking in or washing. I want to try on some 25/28mm and see what units look like.
    Neil

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    1. Phil Robinson7 July 2023 at 11:06

      Despite the hype I have never seen Contrast paint has a one coat finish for all areas on a figure, not for historical figures anyway. The flow you mentioned is the main thing that as speeded the process up for me I think? and the fact that the aim is to get two Napoleonic forces in the table this millennium🙂

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  5. Steve J.7 July 2023 at 13:50

    Interesting post Aly and they seem to be a marmite product, based upon other reviews I've read. The outcome certainly looks fine to me. How does it compare time wise to your normal approach out of interest?

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    1. Phil Robinson7 July 2023 at 15:42

      I don't have a time as I don't really keep track of the time I am working but I have certainly turned more figures out than I usually do over a weekend. Whether this is down to the paints or me feeling more liberated not striving for a perfect finish I don't know.

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  6. George Anderson7 July 2023 at 23:41

    Again superb work Phil, I just do not have the patience you have and generally go for the ‘on table’ look.

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    1. Phil Robinson8 July 2023 at 01:14

      Thank you George, hopefully the above method will get boots on the table sooner.

      Delete
  7. Matt Crump9 July 2023 at 07:22

    Really interesting Phil, from your first photo I’m struggling to see the ‘contrast’ paint benefit as it looks pretty much like I block my figures in using normal GW paints. The stain then gives the same effect. Your highlighting is neater than mine and the figure looks great in the end, but I can’t see the advantage or that it will give significant speed increases ?

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    1. Phil Robinson9 July 2023 at 08:28

      I was dubious about the benefits, but getting the base colours on is certainly quicker due to the flow Neil has mentioned above. Certain colours have not needed an highlight, the pack, all the black bits and the hair in particular, I could have got away without highlighting the blue coat and red cuffs really.

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  8. Aly Morrison10 July 2023 at 00:06

    Lovely work Phil…
    I’ve found Contrasts to be very useful…especially for horses…
    Although I tend to use it more as a wash over a base colour.
    However I may try it in its raw state when I get into painting more of my 15mm projects.

    All the best. Aly

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  9. Phil Robinson10 July 2023 at 01:07

    Thank you Aly. I used contrast paint on the Bretons horses I recently painted for Dave and was quite pleased with the results

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  10. Paul Watson11 July 2023 at 04:00

    An excellent result there Phil, a splended looking figure indeed! I've been using my contrasts over a pre-shade wash, and have been very pleased with the results. I agree with your comments on the flow of the contrast quickening up the process. It's as though you apply the paint, then almost stretch it into place, stays exactly where you put it, shades like a wash but without flooding. makes filling in the blue coats, leaving srtaps and wastecoats exposed very easy. I've used the Ultramarine blue which comes out a little lighter...works well over the pre-shade. Happy to send you some pictures via WhatsApp if you wish...

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    1. Phil Robinson11 July 2023 at 06:13

      Thank you Paul, I hope to improve on the results has I go along, really pleased with how it speeds the initial painting up and apart from the white it needs very little highlighting. I would certainly be interested in seeing your results

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  11. Paul Watson11 July 2023 at 23:54

    I'm due over at Dave's on Thursday for another slaughtering...so if you've no objection I'll ask him to pass on your contact number. I can send you pictures then. (I'm taking different dice this time) 😉

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  12. Phil Robinson12 July 2023 at 01:58

    Good luck with the different dice. Look forward to seeing your pics.

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