Blackstone Fortress Ambul (Citadel Contrast)

Ambull

So, in case you were somehow unaware, today Games Workshop launched to much fanfare their Citadel Contrast line of paints. Basically, a very heavily pigmented transparent paint with slightly odd flow properties. The idea is you can paint your model in just 'one thick coat' of contrast and get a passable tabletop standard.

I had pre-ordered a bunch of contrast painted in the colours I tend to favour (black, red, bone) but due to funky distribution issues, I have not yet received my pre-order. However, Helen decided to go down to Games Workshop and pick up some other contrast paints so we would have some to play with. I looked through my shelves to find something that would look good painted in mostly blues and greens.

This is the Ambull from the Blackstone Fortress expansion set which I picked up essentially because I wanted to play the game. I never had much interest in the model, and therefore it was in the 'unlikely to ever get painted' section of my staggering collection of models.

Enter contrast. This is maybe 30 minutes work bashing paint on straight from the pot like I used to paint when I was eleven. It just dries with magical highlights. Could I do better if I invested far more time? Yes! But the Ambull undoubtedly looks better with some paint over no paint.

There is a bit of mottling on the top of the carapace. It looks okay on the ambull because he is a creature. I think the contrast is going to look suboptimal on space marines, however. Best to stick to natural textured things like Lizardmen, Tyranids, Skeletons, Nurgle Daemons or Skaven.