Squadpainter, in his kind comment yesterday, asked which GW Contrast paints I used when painting my 15mm ECW collection. That sounds like a good excuse for a post, so here’s a list of what I used…

Undercoat: I favour the Grey Seer over the Wraithbone only because I don’t think you get as much show-through on the weaker colours, but I use either dependent on supplies! It’s expensive compared to the car primers from Halfords that I used to use, but does take the Contrast Paints superbly. Pay the extra: it’s worth it.

Note that Contrast Paints are not actually paints, but more glazes. This means that they are comparatively fragile and painted figures really do need a coat of varnish before hitting the table.

Skintones: There are three fleshtones in the range, I use Darkoath Flesh for caucasian skin.

Uniforms & Hats

I used colours from across the entire range. Some of my units are in bright, fancy uniforms; some use more muted colours.

The buttons at the back are not separately painted: it’s how the Contrast Paint works.

I found the best red to use was Fleshtearers Red; I found the worst green was Militarum Green. Creed Camo is a nice green; and all the greys and blues are lovely. Nazdreg Yellow is a surprising choice, but works very well.

I never really got on with Apothecary White: I generally ended up having to drybrush a standard acrylic white over an Apothecary White to get the effect I wanted. I do know that Apothecary White works really well for larger figures, so maybe it’s just the way I paint 15s that is the problem.

Hodder Grey: the uniform coats of my Scots Covenantors are nearly all Space Wolves Grey, with Ultramarine Blue bonnets. Trousers etc differ.

Jerkins: Aggaros Dunes makes a great colour for the ubiquitous, sleeveless leather jerkin.

Smocks & Leggings: Skeleton Horde makes a good off-white colour for faded linens.

Boots & Shoes: all are Wyldwood.

Equipment

All wood: I use Goregrunta Fur for anything wooden. Pike handles, muskets, limbers etc.

All leather: Snakebite Leather.

Horses

I have two types of standard brown horse. Both use Cygor Brown diluted 50/50 with Technical Contrast Medium. One type of standard brown horse then gets the legs up to the knee, mane and tail painted black; the other just has the mane and tail painted black, with an odd number of standard acrylic white socks and a standard acrylic white star or blaze on the forehead.

Black horses use Black Templar, with a standard acrylic black mane and tail, and then an uneven number of standard acrylic white socks and a standard acrylic white star or blaze on the forehead. Be warned, Black Templar is fairly fragile, and will easily be scraped off, so a little care when handling painted-but-not-yet-varnished horses is required.

Dun horses can be achieved with Aggaras Dunes, with legs up to the knee, mane and tail painted black.

Just make sure they aren’t wearing jerkins!

Hopefully that will give you a head start on which colours to use.

More Deliveries

The story so far: a load of lockdown loot ordered from eight different manufacturers/suppliers last Sunday. On Wednesday, Boontown won the race to be the first to deliver, and on Thursday the ever-reliable Warbases came in second.

Today we can add three more to the list. Yesterday Magister Militum delivered me some more ECW figures from their Hallmark range; and today we have a tie for 4th place with a re-stock in paints from Games Workshop, and the raw lead for my new Classical Indian army from Museum Miniatures.