[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-/guides/best-contrast-paints":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"category":130,"date":131,"description":132,"extension":133,"heroImage":134,"intro":135,"lastUpdated":131,"meta":136,"navigation":137,"path":138,"related":139,"seo":142,"shopSearch":143,"stem":144,"tags":145,"__hash__":146},"guides/guides/best-contrast-paints.md","Best Contrast Paints & Speedpaints (2026)",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":122},"minimark",[9,13,18,26,30,62,70,74,89,93,113],[10,11,12],"p",{},"Contrast paints (also called speedpaints) are the biggest shortcut in modern miniature painting. They act as a basecoat, shade and highlight in a single application, letting you get a whole unit tabletop-ready in a fraction of the time. If you have a horde army, they are transformational.",[14,15,17],"h2",{"id":16},"how-they-work","How they work",[10,19,20,21,25],{},"Contrast paints are translucent and self-shading: applied over a light undercoat, they pool dark in the recesses and stay light on the raised areas, doing the shading for you in one coat. They work best over a ",[22,23,24],"strong",{},"white or zenithal primer"," - the lighter the undercoat, the brighter the result.",[14,27,29],{"id":28},"the-three-main-ranges","The three main ranges",[31,32,33,46,56],"ul",{},[34,35,36,39,40,45],"li",{},[22,37,38],{},"Citadel Contrast"," - the original, with the widest colour range and excellent consistency. The most expensive. See the ",[41,42,44],"a",{"href":43},"/paints/citadel","Citadel paint chart",".",[34,47,48,51,52,45],{},[22,49,50],{},"The Army Painter Speedpaint 2.0"," - great value in dropper bottles, strong colours, and reformulated to fix the early \"reactivation\" issues. See the ",[41,53,55],{"href":54},"/paints/army-painter","Army Painter chart",[34,57,58,61],{},[22,59,60],{},"Vallejo Xpress Color"," - smooth, slightly more matt finish, good value in droppers.",[10,63,64,65,69],{},"All three are largely interchangeable - if a recipe names one, the ",[41,66,68],{"href":67},"/tools/paint-converter","paint converter"," finds the nearest match in another range.",[14,71,73],{"id":72},"getting-the-best-results","Getting the best results",[75,76,77,80,83,86],"ol",{},[34,78,79],{},"Prime white, or zenithal (black up to white) for instant depth.",[34,81,82],{},"Apply in one confident coat - don't overwork it or you'll get tide marks.",[34,84,85],{},"Layer a second coat only where you want it darker.",[34,87,88],{},"Add a normal highlight on the sharpest edges to lift the model above \"speed-painted\".",[14,90,92],{"id":91},"tips","Tips",[31,94,95,101,107],{},[34,96,97,100],{},[22,98,99],{},"Light undercoat is everything"," - contrast over dark primer looks dull.",[34,102,103,106],{},[22,104,105],{},"One coat, don't fiddle"," - going back over a drying coat causes streaks.",[34,108,109,112],{},[22,110,111],{},"Brilliant for skin, cloth, wood and leather"," - organic textures shade beautifully.",[114,115,119],"affiliate-shop",{"label":116,"search":117,"tid":118},"Shop contrast paints","contrast speedpaint set miniatures","best-contrast-paints",[10,120,121],{},"A contrast/speedpaint set is the fastest way to paint a whole army.",{"title":123,"searchDepth":124,"depth":124,"links":125},"",2,[126,127,128,129],{"id":16,"depth":124,"text":17},{"id":28,"depth":124,"text":29},{"id":72,"depth":124,"text":73},{"id":91,"depth":124,"text":92},"Buying Guides","2026-06-28","A guide to contrast paints and speedpaints - how Citadel Contrast, Army Painter Speedpaint and Vallejo Xpress Color compare, and how to use them for fast results.","md","/images/guides/best-contrast-paints.webp","Citadel Contrast vs Army Painter Speedpaint vs Vallejo Xpress",{},true,"/guides/best-contrast-paints",[140,141],"best-paint-for-miniatures","washes-and-shades",{"title":5,"description":132},"contrast paint set miniatures","guides/best-contrast-paints",null,"OwaDYhl3pM6_j3u1Yw5Pz6GicozvWERvyYc9bEsdLRw"]