Games Workshop Citadel Bombe sous-couche - Aérosol Contrast Wraithbone

Product Information

Some manufacturers even advertise a “real primer formula”, so make sure to read the product description. The “coloured” Citadel spray paints, however, are not real primers, so Games Workshop itself recommends applying a layer of “real” primer before applying spray paints like Mephiston Red spray. Having said that, like washes, Contrast paints work best on models with a lot of texture, organic details like fur, hair, scales, muscles, clothes with a lot of creases, segmented armour and the like. Not all Contrast paints are created equal. The lighter colours are thinner and feel more like washes, while the darker colours can be a little flat with less visible highlights. Some colours dry smoother, some tend to be more patchy.

Wraithbone or Grey Seer primer helps but isn’t necessary, so feel free to experiment with other base colours and light primers. Vallejo Desert Tan is interesting because I thought it would darken the Contrast colors more, but it actually didn't. Same goes for another Vallejo primer I didn't mention, Skeleton Bone. Wow, well the best answer I can give is that with some Contrast colors there's almost no difference, with others there is "some" difference. I've started speed painting a new army using mostly contrast paints. Apparently, GW still can't manage to get their s... together and has horrendous delivery problems with their products, especially paints. Personally, I feel Guilliman Flesh produces rather stark results (as do the Fyreslayer Flesh and Darkoath Flesh from my experience). Fine for very muscular and animated faces, but I guess I’d prefer Reikland Fleshshade for the softer shading. Two coats of Reikland Fleshshade are pretty close to a single layer of Guilliman Flesh.

Opening Times

First and most importantly, a good spray primer should be easy to apply, cover well, and dry out thin and smooth so that no detail is lost. There should be some leeway if conditions such as humidity or temperature are not ideal, or if you accidentally spray on too much paint. Good self-levelling properties are important. Contrast paints are transparent by nature, even when applying several layers, though the colour will build up with multiple layers. The base colour will always shine through, so you’ll ideally want to apply them over a light basecoat. Don’t apply them too thinly, as the medium won’t be able to do its magic. It’s better to apply more and soak up any excess with a clean brush. Because of the transparent nature, the colour of the basecoat will affect the outcome of the paint – see the guides by Warhammer Chelmsford above. Let’s move on with our Citadel Contrast review. Along with the 34 shades of Contrast Games Workshop also sells two types of spray primers with a matching base paint: Grey Seer, which is a light grey (similar to Ulthuan Grey), and Wraithbone, a light bone colour (similar to Terminatus Stone). Advertised to have a special formula best suitable for Citadel Contrast paints, these primers have a slightly smoother, more satin finish. The smoother finish helps to reduce the surface tension of the paint, so the pigments will better run into the recesses and reduce the amount of pooling (slightly). This effect will also benefit washes like Citadel Shade paints by the way.

On this handy comparison sheet, I demonstrate several different approaches of applying Citadel Contrast paint, straight from the pot or thinned down with Contrast or Lahmian Medium, as well as comparisons with similar washes and inks:What about touching up mistakes? Because of their transparent nature, you can’t just paint another layer of Contrast paint over any paint spills. You’d need to apply your base colour first, then add another layer of Contrast. However, I found this often creates a “patchy” look. I prefer painting a matching regular acrylic paint over paint spills. Citadel Contrast – taken a step further But rather than go into any rambling about different results with different colors, here's a list of the primers I've used quite successfully with all the Contrasts:

Contrast paints really benefit from a smooth primer (as do washes, as you can see). I also applied Guilliman Flesh over Wraithbone base paint. As a lot of layers were needed for perfect coverage, the finish wasn’t as smooth as with Wraithbone spray primer. You can see the Guilliman Flesh dried more uneven because of that. Sealing the surface with a coat of satin varnish might help to reduce this effect. But any white, off-white, tan, light or medium gray primers will work. In the end all it really does is slightly to moderately affect the final shade of the Contrast color. Like for example, putting Guilliman Flesh over a tan primer might give you slightly darker flesh than using say Wraithbone. On the other hand using Guilliman Flesh over a pure white primer will create lighter flesh. The idea of painting over white primer or a white zenithal highlight with glazes and washes isn’t new but an approach often used by competition level painters. But the real “genius” of Games Workshop was to turn this technique into an easy and satisfying product for the masses. Yes indeed, I've successfully used many different primers with the Contrasts. I've been amazed at their versatility.

Bone, Metal and More!

Since the release of Contrast, other manufacturers have tried their hand at their own “one coat paints”. Read our review of Scale75’s Instant Colors here, and Warcolours’ Antithesis paints here. Contrast paints have very vibrant pigments and create a lot of “tonal variety”: recesses are suitable dark, pronounced areas lighter. Therefore, with a single layer of Contrast, you can combine basecoating and shading in a single step and will often end up with some basic highlights as well. Also do you have a tip for an easy to achieve (i.e. contrast level of lazyness) piggy/salmon pink? I've tried the lighter contrast pink, but even heavily thinned with contrast medium the tone is way to purple overall and in the recesses. With a wash of fuegan orange over that I've had moderate success. Maybe something over a fleshtone would be better. Contrast paints mixed 1:1 with Contrast or Lahmian Medium will turn your paint into a wash or glaze – great for creating unique washes that you can’t find anywhere else. My other thought is that with doing a double Zenithal, you might actually get better results using Citadel shades or Army Painter shades over it, for the simple fact that those shades are much weaker than Contrasts and the Zenithal will show up much, much better under them.

My army will have quite a lot of colours, so I'd like to have the most uniform look which is possible under the circumstances by setting the same colour tone. You could even experiment with painting the darker Contrast over “medium” base colours, for example, Wyldwood (dark brown) over Baneblade Brown (medium khaki/light brown) for a really deep dark brown. Or mix your Contrast paints with a lot of Contrast Medium or Lahmian Medium to use them as a wash or glaze.For the best results, read the instructions on the can thoroughly. As a rule of thumb, shake your spray cans at least for a minute, spray from a distance of about 20 cm, and apply multiple thin coats, leaving each coat dry for at least 15 to 30 minutes. Use spray paints only in well ventilated areas und avoid over hot or cold temperatures and high levels of humidity. Once your done spraying, empty the nozzle by holding the can upside-down until only clear propellant comes out, and perhaps most importantly, invest in a rebreather mask that is suitable for filtering paint fumes.