Are Vallejo Xpress Color paints any good?
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- Опубліковано 25 лют 2023
- Are the Vallejo Xpress Color paints as good as their hype? Jon puts them to the test over a white primer as well as using a slap chop technique to paint some Warhammer 40,000 Eldar Fire Dragons.
**This video is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something we'll receive a small commission. **
Check out the Flying Raven Studios Website for all the kit and models I test and review, techniques and the Flying Raven Blog flyingravenstudios.com/
Reference Videos:
Is the Army Painter Speedpaint starter set any good? • Is the Army Painter Sp...
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MODELS FEATURED:
Warhammer 40k Aeldari (Eldar) Fire Dragons
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EQUIPMENT AND PAINT BRUSHES:
Jucoci Wooden model painting handle:
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PAINT:
Vallejo Xpress Color Plasma Red
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Vallejo Xpress Color Imperial Yellow
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Vallejo Xpress Color Mystic Blue
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Vallejo Xpress Color Plague Green
Amazon: amzn.to/3xTWe1s
Element Games: elementgames.co.uk/paints-hob...
Vallejo 200 ml"AV Mecha Color" Acrylic Airbrush Colour - Black Primer
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CHAPTERS: - Навчання та стиль
Which effect is your favourite?
If i were forced to pick one over the other based on your video, I would definitely stick with SpeedPaints. But I wonder how xpress behaves when thinned? If they can be thinned to behave more similarly to SP, that would make for a great feature. I like choices. :)
@@ItsDrMcQuack that is an excellent question. I want to test these some more,so I will add that to the list 👍
@@FlyingRavenStudios Thanks! looking forward to it. :)
Going from just this video, I'd probably stick with SP.
(But, having seen what Juan can do with the Xpress paints, I think Xpress is a better fit for me.)
Owning Contrast, Speed Paint and Dipping inks I'd stick with Contrast. I do like the result that SP gives, but I do feel that Contrast better fits how I want to paint/the result I'm looking for. With the new 2.0 SP's and a lot of more colours, that might change, but we'll see.
That said, I use them all, just for different things, but mostly Contrast^^
I have Contrasts Speeds and Vallejo... and Vallejo are the best to use and best look
Cool test. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks!
Thank you for the in depth video, giving us a near-realtime view of how the paint behaves in use.
I'm certainly surprised how much like regular acrylics they seem in this video. Have you tried experimenting with thinning them down with water or medium? I can't remember how juan hidalgo used his, but I think his came out more like contrasts or speedpaints.
To me, these paints still seem like a great product! They won't be replacing my SpeedPaints, but I think they will be a brilliant addition to them. I think the two ranges will compliment each other wonderfully. Very exciting product still.
You're bang on with the white prime making it look old school. Very cool!
You are welcome, and thanks for the feedback!
Yes, they surprised me as well. I planned to do this bout of tests to see how they behave, "as advertised." But you are right. There is more to explore with these yet. I shall have a play 👍
@@FlyingRavenStudios I think testing them as advertised is definitely the correct way to go! Let the paint show its performance under the circumstances it set itself.
Loving the Express range and have 12 colours (I plan to buy more) only painted over a white primer so far but with great results.
Awesome! What are you working on?
@@FlyingRavenStudios Ork Painboy was on offer for £16.38 so plan to paint that soon. I'm really new to the hobby, only started a few weeks ago but loving it so far :)
@@VoodooTabletopCrafts the Painboy is a really fun model to paint. Enjoy!
Well im waiting for my set to arrive later this month! Im stacking up figures ready for a painting spree! I dont mind mixing up best from each companys range to get what i want out of my efforts, ill definately be using slapchop method though as i like the darker look it gives in the deep recesses.
Have fun! Let me know how you get on 👍
@@FlyingRavenStudios ill do that!
I agree. Building your paint collection is best on a paint-by-paint basis. Company loyalty is futile if you want the best of all worlds.
Great stuff friend 👏 👍
Thanks!
Interesting to see the results that you've got using these compared to the results I've had using them. Honestly your "slapchop" demo was not particularly good as your "slapchopping" seemed to leave a lot to be desired. There seemed to be a lot of the black left on the model rather than going up through the gradients nicely/smoothly which is why I feel you got poor results. I've been using the range for a couple of weeks now and have found that the best results, for me, are had by using the "slapchop" method. I'm not the biggest fan of them directly over pure white as I don't like too many very vibrant colours on my minis. I can't speak to speed or contrast paints as I've not tried either of them. I went with the Xpress Colours purely due to cost as they were the cheapest option available to me though I did have to wait as I pre-ordered them.
Yes, that's fair feedback and particularly in respect to the helmet. When I do the rest of the squad, I would likely be more careful on areas like that to get a smoother transition. The irony is taking longer means you are almost into a "traditional" painting technique.
For my personal taste, I am certainly on the same page when it comes to bright colour schemes. But it was still fun to play with!
I was so massivly disapointed with AP speedpaints so I will try these out but won't replace my Contrast paints with the shity speedpaints that does not even suit the name speed xD
Let me know how you get on!
I buy 2weeks ago 6 AP Speedpaints... and then get ugly mess when using varnish... and contrasts make to many bloobs of pooling. SO Vallejo wins for me.
Depends on the look you like. They do the same thing it just doesn’t pop because it’s matte. I like the matte finish tbh. The metalics could use a little work as only the bronze looks good
Interesting that you commented on the plastic Vallejo use for their bottles, as I recently managed to break the lid of one ('Model Colour') while putting it back on. This may, of course, be because of my Eddie Hall level of grip strength.
Can they be varnished with a brush, and have you tried mixing them?
I dont know if Vallejo has changed their bottle design for their whole range or just the xpress paints. This is the first bottles like it I have seen! Of course, Eddie Hall like strength may be a factor 😁.
I want to test these some more, so I will add mixing and brush varnish to the list 👍
@@FlyingRavenStudios at the very least, vallejo has promoted the new bottles to be made from a more clear plastic that makes it easier to see the actual color without having to open the lid. I believe they did the same for the new regular game colors.
@Snoot McDoop thats interesting, I haven't seen that! Makes sense, just a shame they seem so much less robust. As long as we dont see bottles starting to split, then it's all good I guess.
@@FlyingRavenStudios yes, it's a brilliant idea and marketing move - and a bit of a wonder how no one's done it sooner. That being said, it's a real pity if the bottle doesn't inspire confidence in terms of durability. Even if unfounded, thw thought that the bottle might be fragile would make me less likely to grab it off the self when painting, I imagine. Time will tell :)
@@FlyingRavenStudios just picked up two bottles today, and the plastic does indeed seem thin and soft! It'll be interesting to get them opened up tomorrow and see if I have the same experience as you.
Excellent vid, thanks for addressing the elephant in the room about the AP speed paint! One of my favorite effects is Citadel contrast over metallics, would you consider trying that out? I don't think it would work the same based on what you've shown. Definitely interesting though, another tool for the toolbox.
Thanks! I haven't tested the citadel contrast paints yet. I will have to see if i can get hold of some
@@FlyingRavenStudios They're slightly thinner, a bit more like the speed paints, but they don't reactivate or bleeding through.
@@beaker126 Just FYI, the 2.0 version of SpeedPaints are releasing within the next two months or so, and reactivation has been fixed with the new formulation. :)
@@ItsDrMcQuack Nice, looking forward to having a go with those!
@@beaker126 me too, it's a little painful having to wait. They're also expanding the range to 90 colors, including 6 (or so) metallics! They hired a few of my favorite youtubers to help advise them on colors and other decisions. It has been really interesting to follow along with the process.
In my case they get very glossy and sticky if you thin them with their respective medium and\or water (like advertised). Even unthinned they are not matte as advertised. Also i dont like the muted pigmentation. I want my contrasts to punch in my eyes, so i use Speedpaints 2.0 now.
For guys or girls who paint much muted colors, like bolt action or imperial guard or smth, vallejo is fine, especially the extension sets. They have the best brownish greens, greys and muted browns. And the lesser pigmentation is a advantage for some people. But they are no "One coat" solution. You have to use at least 2 coats (which is normally the best way. thin your contrast 1:1 with medium and use 2 thin coats....yes i said it. Thinner coats are always better than thicker. Also with contrasts or similar paints)
Yellow gradient probably wouldn't have been as pronounced with a different base to zenithal.
It would be interesting to see it done with a non-blue tinted zenithal base, like a brown instead of black, with cream/beige in place of the grey before the final white highlight.
That's an interesting thought. Thanks!
I did not start your video yet, but I can already answer the question:
Mostly yes. Just like AP or GW, a lot of them work just fine and when you learned about the pros and cons of each colour, they save you LOTS of time.
Still waiting to be able to pick up a set here in Sweden, so no hands on experience here. 😢
First off, I do love the look off the new bottles Vallejo is using for the Xpress and the Game Colour range, as you can clearly see how the paint looks. Them being softer might be an issue though. Maybe it's because they're made in sustainable r-PET? Or maybe it's just so it's easier to squeeze out the paint? *shrugs*
Having watched "all" reviews on these, it's strange that no one else has picked up/commented on this. Buuuut, as long as they don't fall apart, i've got no issues with a softer bottle^^
As for the yellow/red. They do seem a lot like the reds/yellows in GW's latest batch of contrast paints. Gorgeous and strong single pigment, but with very little contrast effect.
And yes, the Elder did very much look like a 90s metal mini from McVey :D
Great review and keep up the great work! :)
Thanks I appreciate it.
Yes, someone else mentioned that they have changed the bottles so that you can see the colour of the paint easier which makes sense. Like you say, it also may mean less plastic which is a good thing.
Being fair to it, even though I did nearly tear one in half trying to open it, it did stand up to the punishment without splitting.
1:35 - It's worth noting that this isn't really a fair comparison, as vallejo has revamped their entire range to coincide with the Xpress Colors, giving all of them much more translucent bottles and (I would assume) the same thinner plastic as the xpress color paints.
Yes I agree. Someone else mentioned that Vallejo had changed their bottles. I hadn't just heard about the change and it struck me as odd (I really did nearly tear one in half trying to undo it 😁). But to be fair, it did hold up to it and didn't split
Thank you for doing this video, makes me very happy I didn't wait for plasma red to become available again. Not a fan of the lack of contrast effect!
Tried these on historical figures (28MM Vietnam) & not had any joy with them they don't settle well & with a lack of choice with the colour range i think these are more geared to the fantasy style of figure
That is a very valid point (especially about the colour range) and I would have to agree
Not leach at all ? I can clearly see the colors beneath the white.
I see what you mean. In this test, it was one coat of white over a darker colour. So while you may not get perfect coverage in one coat (which wasn't the test). However, the paint beneath hadn't reactivated and bled through to stain the dry paint above if that makes sense?
It's not the colours you use, it's your technique. You are painting contrasts or inks or whatever you call it, like you would paint a display mini rather than a tabletop mini. This means carefully and with a lot of patience. Try again with a thicker brush, say number 2. Load it with any Xpress or Contrast colour and literally "wash" the miniature. Sorry for spoiling an honest effort, but I am only trying to help. Just as everyone else in these comments, I can tell you that Vallejo is in general equal to Citadel contrasts and far better than AP.
Thanks, that is an interesting thought. I guess I am aware of how these sorts of paints sometimes bleed together when applied while the neighbouring colour is still wet. I found this, especially when I experimented with the load and wash technique, hence trying to apply it more carefully. As you say, it also depends what sort of finish you are after.
As everyone's needs and styles are different, what I am trying to do in this video is simply look at how this particular paint behaves. But the brush load is an interesting variable, so I do appreciate your feedback and ideas so thank you!
Doesn't appear to do a great job contrastwise.
It certainly did not behave the way I was expecting which was interesting. Needs more experimentation I think.
Xpress colors have so many pigments that you HAVE TO use it with the xpress medium, its not an option.
Interesting. How do you mean?
Not impressed. Fine video. Not impressed with the paint.
I'm 62, and a bit set in my painting methods. I'm an Old Skool military wargamer so a bit of an odd man out when it comes to these UA-cam tutorials and reviews - 99% of them address painting fantasy figures which, in my opinion, is not comparable to painting historical figures.
Like comparing impressionism to expressionism.
Anyway, I bought the mega-set of Army Painter Speedpaints and tried them on some Persian Immortals and SYW Prussians - DREADFUL. Puddly looking with contrasts from dark to translucent over the recommended white primer. I tried various primer colors before painting the Persians and the results can be best described as looking like something a 7 year-old would have painted with cheap discount store water colors.
I sold the AP set on EBAY for half of what I paid for it.
Vallejo - I just ordered its version of the mega set despite not being impressed at all with the results in Flying Ravens review (which I appreciate because he's giving a forthright opinion and not trying to work around the paints faults and be an advertisement). As a military gamer into Ancients and musket periods I need large armies, and large armies are time consuming to paint. It's not so much of not having the skill to paint decent figures or being lazy that attracts me to contrast paints, as it is the hype of being able to more quickly put well-painted large numbers of military units on the tabletop battlefield.
And so far, that is not happening.
So I'll give Vallejo a try - and I'm sure I'll give AP SP 2nd Edition a try, too. Even if they'd just work on tunics and trousers with implementing traditional practices on the rest of the figures, it would be a tremendous help.
With all that being said it would be nice to see some videos showcasing military miniatures painted with contrast paints. Perhaps I'm just too set in may ways.
Thanks for this. I get what you mean with paints like this being firmly marketed towards the fantasy market. But that is a very interesting thought! Is there a particular game / scale you have in mind?
@@FlyingRavenStudios 28mm black powder era (ACW, AWI, SYW, Napoleonic's) and Ancients.
I'm done experimenting with the XPRESS paints and will be dumping them off on EBAY, too. I found them to be worse than the AP Speedpaints - opaque, splotchy, and actually less pigmented.
"Contrast" paints are a pain in the ass. The idea is to expedite the painting process. Way too much screwing around with prep work to try and make them presentable. I've experimented using various base coats, and Zenithal methods for over a year now and it all looks like crap. You can get a far better result with traditional acrylics using drybrush techniques, washes, and inks.
I really, really, wanted these things to live up to the hype, but they don't.
There is no lazy way to get a good paint job.
@@danielkey929 I will have to have a look at those models.
As for "contrast" paints in general.... yup, it appears there are no silver bullets in this hobby