I review all 24 XPRESS COLORS from Vallejo (better at SLAPCHOP than Contrast & Speedpaint?) 

Ive been painting a ton of MCP recently using contrast paints and every time I need to pick a colour I check Stahly's charts

Mixing & matching... this is the way!

Not planned atm, sorry, as I need to work on reviewing the new Game Color next :/

Danke :)

satin varnish. Vallejo Mecha Satin Varnish, second best stuff on the market. Easy application with both brush and through airbrush.

Sure, you can just thin them with Xpress Medium or Scale75 Dispel Magic (which is cheaper per ml) to wash-like consistency no problem.

@@stahly_taleofpainters magic thank you, will have a wee look at the Scale75 too, ordered up some of the Xpress and just waiting on their arrival now... Blooming royal mail strikes are hitting me hard 😢😁

Yeah, I'm working on a complete Game Color review right now, should be out in a week or so! The Game Color washes are very matt, and thicker/richer than the new formula Citadel washes.

@@stahly_taleofpainters thank you! looking forward to that video. I'm moving from Army Painter Washes (I like the consistency but they dry really satin/gloss) and probably going the GW route, the new formula appeals to me. I was curious about the new VGC ones tho, I tried a sepia wash from their previous GC gen and I found it way more stainy and strong than the AP ones, which I didn't really like.

I'll try to contact them :)

Pretty much the same thoughts. I'm just waiting for the next round in this paint war between these companies as it looks like we as the hobbyists are the winners.

It's textured plasticard, I explained in this post: taleofpainters.com/2023/04/top-tip-visual-comparison-of-all-61-contrast-23-speedpaints-24-gsw-dipping-inks/

Xpress Medium is Vallejo'S Contrast Medium, so you can use it for thinning washes or making glazes, I always prefer to use medium rather than water. Does that answer your question?

@@stahly_taleofpainters I was curious if you explored combining Xpress medium with regular acrylics like Game Color. And if so, did you find value in doing so? I'm curious if the medium should only be used to thin Xpress or if you can do interesting things with colors outside their limited range by trying to leverage the medium. Almost like making psuedo Xpress colors

@@JM-qz4ik Yeah you can definitely use Contrast or Xpress Medium to make your own washes / pseudo Contrast paints. Just keep in mind that regular acrylic paints are opaque and not transparent like ink-based Xpress/Contrast paints, so they'll behave differently.

@@stahly_taleofpainters I see. Also, I wanted to let you know the tutorials on your site are phenomenal. The pictures of the progressive steps with the paint adjacent to the miniature are succinct. Each image nearly fully conveys all the info for the step without words. Your tutorials are super helpful. So, yeah. All your content is beyond top tier. Thanks for taking the time to share with the rest of us.

Hard to say. Dipping Inks are super cheap, but the selection of colours is a bit weird, and some of them are even more weakly pigmented than Xpress Colors. And the question is... do you really need 60 ml of paint? I think pick your favourite colours from both ranges makes for a solid Contrast alternative.

No, sorry, I'm from Craftworld Germany so it'd be quite a flight to get there!

@@stahly_taleofpainters I understand! I was just hoping that such a prominent hobbyiest may make the trip. Hopefully one day you can make it. It's quite something for miniature hobbyiests!

I'm not that prominent lol. I've been to the Horus Heresy Open Day this year, was also pretty nice :)

I didn't use 1.0 very much because of the reactivation, but so far I'm quite happy with 2.0. But yeah, the range has a few more colours that contain white pigment to make them more opaque. Xpress Colors are a bit different than Speedpaints. They need a lot of shaking and most colours are not as strong as comparable Speedpaints or Contrast paints. But why not get 2 or 3 colours and give them a try.

Sure, it's just textured plasticard. I wrote a post about them here: taleofpainters.com/2021/07/top-tip-make-your-own-paint-swatch-to-organise-your-paint-collection/

@@stahly_taleofpainters found some. thanks for the info.

Here's the recipe: Primer: Corax White spray Wash: Nihilakh Oxide / Lahmian Medium 1:1 Selective Shade: pure Nihilakh Oxide (where needed) Selective Shade: P3 Turquoise Ink / Lahmian Medium 1:2 Remove any pooling by layering a mix of Corax White and Nihilakh Oxide Drybrush: Corax White Drybrush: Vallejo Game Color White Edge Highlight: Vallejo Game Color White

Shouldn't be any issues, but the more Speedpaint you mix in, the more the paint will reactivate.

I will, and I have them here, they are a completely new formula with a very consistent consistency and high opacity. The acrylics are amazing, the other paints in the range are more average.

@@stahly_taleofpainters Thank you very much! That is excellent to hear, I look forward to getting some.

I'd imagine that anywhere that stocks Game Color will end up with these... best bet is to ask local stores.

@@ArynCrinn we havre on store, and they cannot get vallejo products but once per year. It seems like vallejo has a distribution problem

New releases from Vallee often take our lgs a year or so to get. I know when Juan was talking about the range, I mentioned this was my biggest problem with Vallejo products and he said they're aware and working on improving their US distribution. No idea if this launch will be better or not, but that's what they seem to be telling people

@@Crushanator1 Michigan Toy Soldier has them in stock! Does that help sir?

I've been thinking the same thing. There might be a few colors I pick up but it looks like I'm mostly sticking with SpeedPaints.

I agree! I always paint in the afternoon and if I have to open the window for fresh air there’s to many mosquitoes! I can’t believe they are trying to remove that property… probably next time I’ll be buying Vellijo if they remove reactivation

@@CaptinCrofty I just don't get it?? I hate the reactivation. And what does that have to do with opening the window? And why swap to Vallejo if they remove it? Vallejo has no reactivation even after a very short time. Speedpaint is likely (sadly in my opinion to take time to dry completely so you will have 30mins - 2hrs where it will reactivate, and that has to be better than what Vallejo does (if the reviews are to believed). One doesn't need to use white spirits to remove contrast, speedpaints or these new Vallejo ones, if it is caught before it drys! A damp brush removes it. I don't want to do wet blending with a supposedly totally dry layer. If I wanted to do wet blending I'd do it by putting the two paints next to one another wet. It just doesn't make sense to me. Everything that can be done with speedpaints can be done through choice with contrast paints, everything one can do with contrast paints can't be done with speedpaint. I really don't see what you speedpaints devotees get. I'd love to see a painting article where someone shows off the advantages of speedpaint honestly and then shows why this can't be done with contrast paint. I'd want to see people honestly talking about how to cope with contrast paints doing the same things. Try painting a blood angels captain to a moderately high standard without using varnish taking the same amount of time (ie as quickly as it can be done well) with both methods. Showing any mistakes made along the way and the best way of dealing with the issues. I'm happy to be shown a new better way of painting. I want the same base colours to be used on my table top ranks as my special characters and I want an efficient workflow. No waiting for an hour now or add a layer of varnish here etc. I'd love to see it honestly no sarcasm.

@@markhickson9087 because I don’t want to gas myself with white spirits or buy the expensive artist stuff that still gives of fumes. I’d buy Vallejo because in the past they always good quality and it’s cheaper. If your batch painting having to stop to clean mistakes with water is slow i like to do all the colours then come back to clean anything up. If your painting over a zenithal and you miss a mistake until the next day it’s really hard to fix if the paint won’t reactivate. there’s so many paints on the market that don’t reactivate for people who don’t want that feature making speed paint unique and I’d rather have more options than just another contrast clone.

@CaptinCrofty honestly, I still don't get it. You want reactivation but will buy Vallejo that won't have any reactivation? A quick touch-up gets rid of any overspill or mistakes and removes the need for a matt varnish coat later to stop any reactivation when you don't want it. You must have more space and money than me. I can't sensibly have multiple versions of a contrast like paint. I have Acrylic paints, contrast paints, inks and washes. Another set of reactivating paints is just no use to me. If I want to blend I just add a bit of retarder. A cheaper and better contrast like paint is what most are looking for. Vallejo is my current hope but I'm keeping my eye on the reformulated speedpaints.

@@markhickson9087 these reply’s are a bit frustrating if you don’t understand. If they reformulate speed paint not to reactivate I’ll buy Vallejo what don’t you honestly get as in this situation nether paint reactivates. I may have more space and money hence why I like batch painting and speed paint because I don’t have enough time. A quick touch up on a 3-4 layer airbrushed zenithal isn’t going to look good and if I’m painting fast sometimes I miss a mistake till the next day. I already was doing a gloss coat and two Matt coats of vanish so I don’t take any extra time I just move the sequence around. For speed painting it’s perfect. It does require to almost totally change the way you paint however so I understand it’s not for most people and for those people there’s a wealth of paints that don’t reactivate

Ah damn, you're right! Let me know about your feeling about Contrast, we have a Discord over on taleofpainters.com if you would like to post your results :)

Probably, they're seeming to have issues meeting the demand.

I tried the Wasteland Brown several times, and mine is indeed very close to Copper Brown. Maybe they differ from batch to batch?

Vallejo sent them to me for review, I think they should be available in the US now, but Vallejo seems to have problems providing enough stock. Be patient!

@@stahly_taleofpainters What is this thing you call 'patience'?

@@stahly_taleofpainters I'm not sure these are marketed to people with patience.

Did you give them a good shake? I feel the Xpress Colors need an extra long shaking so all pigments are blended evenly. Also, paint can have some minor variances from batch to batch.

My website had some issues, but it's back up and running!

Black Legion Contrast paint is pretty amazing I'd say. Hopefully Vallejo will do a deeper & more neutral black in their next wave of Xpress Colors.

Yeah, that‘s true, Contrast pulls a bit more away from the edges while Xpress Colors dry a bit more evenly.

Yes, I‘ll be working on these next!

It's a bit different than with oils, but with a little bit of rubbing, you can remove also Contrast paints and washes.

Yes you're correct, though you could argue that other one coat paints pull more paint away from the edges, which creates stronger highlights. I'm having the V2 Speedpaint here, the video will drop in two or three weeks :)

I think you meant reactivation (a "problem" of the Army Painter Speedpaints, which means that the paint is getting wet again and can be removed by brushing over it again. It's bad for applying highlights but can be useful for glazing, mixing or correcting parts of your miniature

@@dennisl5656 Thanks for the explanation.

I don't know 😭 I started RU-vid only a while ago, and taleofpainters.com and Instagram are actually my main "channels".

that's literally the first thing he says in his Xpress overview video.

I think it's really hard to pull off because the way metallics work... try to thin Leadbelcher with Contrast Medium or mix with Basilicanum Grey, then you'll know what I mean.

@@stahly_taleofpainters I actually am aware, the metallic flakes are just too opaque and cover up everything they go over. But I have had some limited success on highly thinning down Greenstuffworld metallics with their master medium, and getting a metallic that shows some of the zenithal undercoat through it. I get that it's unlikely, but what could he be hinting at?

Maybe some paints for specific historical periods?

@@edevans5991 it ended up being metallic contrast. I was right!

Army Painter is releasing 3 translucent metallics on their SP range (and they don't look so impressive IMO). Where did you see Vallejo is developing something like that?

Contrast like paints are based on inks and go on very thin. If you gently rub over them with a brush or q-tip soaked in white spirit, you can dissolve ink-based paints and remove them, which can create a blending-like effect.

​@@stahly_taleofpainters White spirits don't interact with acrylic based paints including inks. Otherwise someone like Marco Frisoni would have a bad time using these products together (and he does in almost all of his video's). I can think of 2 explanations: 1. we are not talking about the same product (white spirits) or 2. it's not the white spirits that are reactivating the contrast paints, but it is the rubbing itself.

Maybe he's thinking IPA?

I clean stains of ink with alcohol (isopropanol). Terpentin/white spirit hardly affects the ink once it‘s dry.

@@Wijkert Yeah it's probably more because of the rubbing, but I found that Contrast / ink-based paints rub off very easily when using alcohol-based products like white spirit or odorless thinner.

No, you can find them here: taleofpainters.com/2022/12/top-tip-visual-comparison-of-all-61-contrast-23-speedpaints-24-gsw-dipping-inks/ Patreon support is much appreciated, though ;)

Rob needs to learn about web design...

True :D

Considering which Contrasts he was comparing to each time he said it (Imperial Fist, Magmadroth Flame, Flesh Tearers red to a lesser extent, etc.), being less pigmented might be a plus for a lot of people. Those specific Contrasts are so pigmented that they create barely any contrast between the raised areas and recesses, i.e. the thing Contrasts were designed to do in the first place.

Obviously the most advanced painters like Juan, Angel Giraldez (he helped develop Xpress also), Marco Frisoni, Squidmar... will prefer Xpress or Contrast, because they use glazes. When using just zenithal or slapchop and some fast layering and highlight, it Speedpaints are a little bit nicer than contrast, but reactivation makes then useless for glazing. Super high level painters will always find Speedpaints limited for that reason, let's see how the new formula and colors behave.

For the way I use Contrast-like paints it is, but I‘ve seen a lot of people who use Speedpaint for really nice blends. I think with painting there is often no right or wrong, just different approaches.

@@stahly_taleofpainters I agree. Anyway, thanks for the in depth review and great video!

It 100% is a problem. As I'm sure you know, if you try and paint over the speedpaint, the speedpaint gets wet again. I mean... how could that not be a problem? If you really are going for the "one coat" technique, and just base coating each area with it, and that's done, then yes, it's not a problem. But if you do any washes, highlights, etc., it's a problem.

It's not a problem as I suggested two ways to address it, see my comment somewhere in here & the two naysayers.

​@@douglasmurdoch7247 I don't paint with just "one coat" and it's not a problem for me either, the issue does exist but I wouldn't call it a problem. I just use medium to dilute acrylics when highlighting instead water, and have no reativation issues whatsoever (and do not use wet palette with SP for god's shake, I've seen too many people making that mistake). Making a big mistake and having to use varnish is really annoying, but I'm just careful, same when using the Contrast colors I own, because I use zenithal airbrush priming and want to keep the base shadows. The only real big problem SP have is glazing, they are just not well suited for it. Trying to glaze makes a mess, and it's the reason high level painters don't usually like them, but most people don't use this technique at all. Since I don't use glazes that much and use traditional acrylics for the skin (those are the areas where I use light single stroke SP glazes) I'm OK with it. That's the only moment when I find reactivation annoying, but isn't a big deal for me. About washes, I can't see how you would even need to use them, when properly using the SP or any other translucent paints they already do the job washes do with regular acrylics. Just use color theory, proper mixing and blends instead, and it will actually look much better and clean than with any washes over it. Anyways, many people made a huge deal out of reactivation, otherwise AP wouldn't change the formula like they are doing. Let's see how the new SP behave, at the moment Xpress seems the best deal, but we need some time to see how people experiment and find new properties and issues with these new paints.

Personally, I would prefer Xpress Color over Speedpaint, because, for the way I use them, their reactivation is just too much of a hassle for me. I'll explain in the video. However, the Xpress Color ranges misses a few key colours that Speedpaint and Contrast have. Care to elaborate what Juan "marketed" wrong in your opinion? Xpress Color are certainly not the first Contrast alternative, that's true, but from my experience, testing everything from Contrast to Instant Colors to Dipping Inks to Speedpaint, Xpress and Dipping Inks are the products that come closest to Contrast's feel.

Actually, it is your ridiculous distillation of Juan’s actions that are distasteful lmfao. Pathetic attempt at smearing.

@@stahly_taleofpainters Just the fact he branded them as the first alternative. I read up you can just use clear coats or way dozens of hours for the paint to dry so you can paint over it without much issue. And since the price is the same and that I got speedpaints on a discount during black friday, what would be your say? Your imput is very appreciated! If there are workarounds that are reliable for the reactivation I am fine with it, I also heard people can use it to advantage. Maybe all article comparing all the one coats pros and cons would be neat?

@@ARandomPerson66 Actually what he said is "XPRESS COLOR Review: The best Contrast alternative with one drawback. Vallejo hits hard!"

@@Himle_ Check out the first video he made about it pal. I never said it was the lastest one! But thanks for the speedpaints advice.

So wrong...

How do you know that? I guess he might be more experienced then you and me and has a deeper insight

Not really. That was just a storm in a glass of water by a certain website/channel.

What a strange question? Spiky bits website tried to make out Juan was biased against Armypainter in his review. It was an honest review pointing out limitations that caused me problems. In my opinion, and many others, Spiky bits was just causing trouble and, as a result, earned the ire of many painting aficionados. Many painters help with the development of new paints and still review and even recommend other paints. Juan did nothing wrong to my mind, AND it seems the majority agree with me.

Everything he said remains accurate. Army painter released a substandard product that reactivated and then people tried to defend them saying "oh it's just ment to be a one coat solution youre not supposed to paint over it hehe". Absolute bollocks

He could have made it more obvious but he was probably under an NDA from Vallejo so wasn't allowed to talk about his involvement. Go watch my Speedpaint review, everything Juan criticised was a valid argument, as I had the same feelings about Speedpaint as him.

While you are sort of right, you are also wrong. If one wants to use glazes of Speed Paint then one would have to add a varnish layer each time. Not a problem if you use one coat paints as just that, single coat paints; however, many of us don't use contrast paint like that. That is the real attraction of contrast paint. Army Painter didn't understand that. Hence, their continued development work.

You wanna glaze with em, add mix medium & a little water.

@@calvanoni5443 That will make it reactivate. Both medium and water make the previous layer reactivate.

@Cal Vanoni that doesn't help. Try it with red! Armypainter are reformulating, guess why? Could it be there is no problem and they want to waste money on more development OR the majority don't like reactivation and it is hurting their sales and therefore profits? I liked the paint to use hated reactivation, particularly of red. Now I don't use!

@@markhickson9087 No surprise there, you act like I'm wrong. No I adapted some things to use these paints through experimenting. They are useful, but it takes some experience. I'm just a hobbyist. Pro do better with them. But the market is mostly full of hobbyists.

How? Way cheaper than Contrast, no reactivation like Army Painter? And the results are really nice, this is perfect for people who don't have unlimited time and money and have a battle ready army in no time. What else do you want? Lol

I think he lost a lot of credibility.

@@petoquius11 I want him not to claim it as the first alternative to Contrast when it's more like the 5th. They're late to the game, so they should focus on the product quality, not a fraudulent claim of being first.

@@kumarsalib722 Dude it's just paints lol Most likely he said it like the first to be the closest to Contrast. Chillax

@@kumarsalib722 He didn't say first, he said "XPRESS COLOR Review: The best Contrast alternative with one drawback. Vallejo hits hard!". Took me like 30s to find...

Me? I don't work with Vallejo, I'm just a reviewer. Juan? Yeah, as a consultant for adding his feedback, but he isn't an employee.

Think Juan only work with Vallejo on the Xpress line, and that's never been a secret. Well, as soon as the NDA was lifted I guess. :) Also, considering how much he love his GW contrast paints, I trust his word on these. :)