Author Topic: People who used GW blue contrast paints for your Mechs - I need your help  (Read 3199 times)

RazorclawXLS

  • Warrant Officer
  • *
  • Posts: 552
I have decided to paint my IS mechs as  Lyran Guards, in preparation for the Clan invasion. I want to use Games Workshop's Contrast paints for this, but I can't decide between Ultramarine Blue and Talassar Blue. There is also Akhelian Green that is actually blue.

I am not able to see some miniatures painted with these colors so I have been watching Youtube videos where minis are painted with these paints. Ultramarine Blue comes off as too dark in most videos, Talassar seems to be too bright, while I can't pinpoint why Akhelian green is not catching my eye.

So I am asking others who used these paint first-hand which one would be most appropriate the Lyran Guards color scheme of white and blue?

PsylockeSmythe

  • Corporal
  • *
  • Posts: 98
I've not used Akhelian Green, so I can't comment on how that color actually looks.

From what I've used; to me Ultramarine Blue comes out as a more purplish blue (I used Army Painter Uniform Grey for the primer).  The Talassar Blue does seem to be bright when using a white primer (I've only just started to painted one mech with it so far and haven't tested it with other primer colors). 

My vote, based on my limited experience is the Talassar Blue, but it might end up being too bright of a blue then you are looking for; but I feel it would be the closest as a base color.

Psy





RazorclawXLS

  • Warrant Officer
  • *
  • Posts: 552
Thank you for the reply PsylockeSmythe.

I was thinking of using Talassar on grey undercoat, but I don't know how Apothecary White would behave on grey undercoat. All the videos and tutorials I've seen use white undercoat for Apothecary White.

I can't mask off the blue part of the mech that precise, so I can do a white gloss base coat on top of the grey undercoat for Apothecary White, which is why I was reticent to use Talassar.

Do you know how Apothecary White looks on grey undercoat? Is too grey to pass as white?

pixelgeek

  • Master Sergeant
  • *
  • Posts: 397
    • My blog
I was thinking of using Talassar on grey undercoat, but I don't know how Apothecary White would behave on grey undercoat. All the videos and tutorials I've seen use white undercoat for Apothecary White.

I think it would look really odd and even backward.

The Contrast paints pull back from the surface and the primer underneath informs what colour your highlight is going to be as it leaves a thin coat of the paint over the primer. If you use a darker primer then you are going to have a dark 'highlight' and it is going to strongly inform the perceived colour of the model.

GW sells a white and a bone coloured primers to allow you to chose bright or warm highlights for your models. The primers are also a satin finish to allow the Contrast paint to contract as much as possible as standard primer has a slight texture to it that will restrict the ability for the Contrast paint to work properly. You can get inexpensive satin or gloss primer at your local hardware store.

Using the Apothecary White over grey primer would look really bizarre as the primer would be almost the same colour as the paint in the recesses and the "highlight" would be a similar colour. Apothecary White works because the paint contracts the most of the colours in the range leaving only a thin coat of the paint at the highest ridges of the model. It really requires a white primer.

DarkSpade

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 3650
Scroll down for pics of what the paint will look like.  You can click on the pictures to get bigger images. Note that which of the two primers you use will make a noticeable impact on your final color.

https://taleofpainters.blogspot.com/2019/06/review-citadel-contrast-paints.html
Space Marines are guys who look at a chainsaw and think, “That should be balanced for parrying.”

pixelgeek

  • Master Sergeant
  • *
  • Posts: 397
    • My blog
Scroll down for pics of what the paint will look like.  You can click on the pictures to get bigger images. Note that which of the two primers you use will make a noticeable impact on your final color.

https://taleofpainters.blogspot.com/2019/06/review-citadel-contrast-paints.html

My Talasar Blue and Gryph Charger Grey both came out darker than the samples there show so YMMV

PsylockeSmythe

  • Corporal
  • *
  • Posts: 98
Thank you for the reply PsylockeSmythe.

I was thinking of using Talassar on grey undercoat, but I don't know how Apothecary White would behave on grey undercoat. All the videos and tutorials I've seen use white undercoat for Apothecary White.

I can't mask off the blue part of the mech that precise, so I can do a white gloss base coat on top of the grey undercoat for Apothecary White, which is why I was reticent to use Talassar.

Do you know how Apothecary White looks on grey undercoat? Is too grey to pass as white?
Ok here is my current work in progress and my 7th attempt at painting so don't judge too harshly; but it should give you an idea of what Talassar Blue Contrast looks like.  The mini was primed using Army Painter Matt White Primer and then I used the Talassar Blue on it.  It does look darker in person then it does in the photo. I've just started with the white and haven't done any detail work on it yet.  Hopefully I have it to where the picture shows


Psy

DarkSpade

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 3650
Remember, these paints weren't designed to be used with normal primer.  Supposedly, the GW contrast primers are best, but some are finding luck with high gloss sprays.  With these paints you don't want them to stick to the mini immediately. You want them to flow a little.  You'll definitely need to seal coat them after too since not adhering as much to the mini means they'll chip easier.
« Last Edit: 10 September 2019, 17:30:24 by DarkSpade »
Space Marines are guys who look at a chainsaw and think, “That should be balanced for parrying.”

RazorclawXLS

  • Warrant Officer
  • *
  • Posts: 552
As mentioned satin and gloss primers are best for contrast paints. I experimented a bit with a Dark Angels Green I have on a gloss white spray and grey spray that gets a satin finish when it's more thickly applied. It's best to use gloss primers with these paints. Satin works ok too, but with matt undercoat I couldn't get highlighted edges to be prominent as with satin or gloss.

mmmpi

  • Corporal
  • *
  • Posts: 72
Remember, these paints weren't designed to be used with normal primer.  Supposedly, the GW contrast primers are best, but some are finding luck with high gloss sprays.  With these paints you don't want them to stick to the mini immediately. You want them to flow a little.  You'll definitely need to seal coat them after too since not adhering as much to the mini means they'll chip easier.

I've been one of those high gloss lucky guys.  I've been priming grey, then basing white (spray) then contrasting and it's been working out for me.

NutritiousSlop

  • Private
  • *
  • Posts: 47
Remember, these paints weren't designed to be used with normal primer.  Supposedly, the GW contrast primers are best, but some are finding luck with high gloss sprays.  With these paints you don't want them to stick to the mini immediately. You want them to flow a little.  You'll definitely need to seal coat them after too since not adhering as much to the mini means they'll chip easier.

I have some Army Painter flat white primer that I'm planning on using for a 10th Marik Militia company, built out of the 25th Anniversary and AGOAC boxes (for a 2800 feel) and some other 3058ish machines to round it out.  Think that would work? 

DarkSpade

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 3650
I have some Army Painter flat white primer that I'm planning on using for a 10th Marik Militia company, built out of the 25th Anniversary and AGOAC boxes (for a 2800 feel) and some other 3058ish machines to round it out.  Think that would work?

Couldn't tell you.  I don't get to paint often thanks to the weather around here so when I do get time I tend to stick with what I know will work.  From everything I've read though, stick with either GW's contrast primers or, if you hate paying $20 for a can of aerosol and paint, a high gloss of another brand
Space Marines are guys who look at a chainsaw and think, “That should be balanced for parrying.”