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. To start, I primed the doorway with Wraithbone spray and then touched it up with some more Wraithbone out of the pot. Most people use both terms and mean the same thing. But the difference between primer and spray paints is that “real” primers contain a solvent that creates a stronger bond with the surface of the miniature and thus provides better adhesion and higher resistance. Spray paints do not contain solvent, or less of it. Hope you enjoyed my Citadel Contrast review! We’d be glad to hear about your experiences in the comments below. Tamiya light gray primer spray (I think it's sold as simply "Tamiya Gray Fine Surface Primer" or something like that)

Would you say the difference between wraithbone and vallejo desert tan is big/clearly noticeable when the colours are applied (in terms of color tone). Vallejo desert tan seems to be a lot more yellow, however if the difference to that one is noticable but not that big I might be tempted to try some of the bone white or off white alternatives. With GW's current situation it might be months until I get my hands on a new can of wraithbone spray... The pigments used for Contrast paints are really strong and vibrant. In comparison to Citadel Shades or other washes, Contrast Paints have a slightly higher viscosity, which means they are not as “runny”. I recommend washing your brushes a lot when using them, as the heavily pigmented paint easily creeps up into the ferrule of your brush, where it might dry and make short work of the bristles.All in all, the results are very nice for the high tabletop standard I usually go for. It also saved me a lot of time by combining base colour and shading in one go, especially on the orange clothes – even over white primer, it takes several layers of achieving an even coat of orange. With Contrast, it’s just a single coat straight from the pot (or two, in my case, to make the colour even richer). Citadel Contrast review: value The Tamiya gray spray primer is so light that it practically qualifies as being white. It's actually whiter than GW's Corax White even though its labeled as a gray primer, lol. 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.

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. 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:

Bone, Metal and More!

Yes indeed, I've successfully used many different primers with the Contrasts. I've been amazed at their versatility. With battles exploding around ruins all over the realms thanks to the headstrong Dawnbringer Crusades, you’re likely going to be painting a lot of stone terrain. Whether it’s for the battlefields of the Mortal Realms or the locales of the impending release of Kill Team, hobbyist extraordinaire Tyler Mengel has some straightforward but effective steps that will make your stone look like it was carved yesterday. 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.