Collection: Games Workshop Contrast Paints
Contrast paints changed what “getting an army painted” actually means. Each one bases, shades and highlights in a single coat — brush it over a light Wraithbone or Grey Seer undercoat and the paint does the heavy lifting, flowing into the recesses while staying lighter on raised areas. For rank-and-file troops and horde armies, nothing else gets you to tabletop-ready faster.
The range is huge and faction-focused, so there’s a shortcut to almost any scheme. Black Templar handles deep cloth and armour, while Ultramarines Blue and Blood Angels Red nail the classic Space Marine colours in one hit. Dark Angels Green is made for robes and cloaks, and skin comes to life fast with Guilliman Flesh or Darkoath Flesh. For leather, bone and stone, Snakebite Leather, Skeleton Horde and Basilicanum Grey do the lot with almost no effort.
Each pot holds 18ml. Contrast shines on textured surfaces — fur, cloth, chainmail, skin — where the pooling reads as natural shadow; on large smooth panels it can streak, so thin it with Contrast Medium for a gentler glaze. Plenty of painters use Contrast to blast through the infantry and Base paints for the hero of the unit — you don’t have to pick a side.
A single Contrast pot often replaces three or four steps of the traditional method, which is exactly why it’s become the go-to for painters who’d rather spend the weekend playing than basecoating. Work in good light, keep your coats even, and let each one dry before adding a second for deeper tone. Undercoat first with the spray range for best results, and explore the full Games Workshop paint range at R&R Hobbies.
