Monument Hobbies’ Pro Acryl 1-Step paints hit shelves on May 18, 2026, offering one-coat coverage, built-in depth, and a Special Sauce medium for custom mixes.
Monument Hobbies’ Pro Acryl 1-Step paints officially go on sale May 18, 2026, and this one looks aimed right at painters who want solid results without turning every squad into a month-long project. If you’ve been living on Contrast paints, Speedpaint, or any other one-coat shortcut, this is Monument Hobbies’ answer, just built to fit the Pro Acryl ecosystem instead of feeling like a separate lane.
Their big idea is simple. Pro Acryl 1-Step is made to give you full color in a single coat over a bright primer, while naturally settling darker in the recesses and brighter on raised areas. So you get built-in depth, some instant contrast, and a much faster path to a finished model.
What Makes Pro Acryl 1-Step Different From Contrast?
Updated on May 11, 2026, by Rob Baer with the latest on the product release.
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At a glance, this is still a contrast-style paint range, though. You put it over white primer or a bright zenithal undercoat, and the paint does a lot of the shading work for you.
But Monument is also pushing Pro Acryl 1-Step as a smoother, more consistent option that blends easily and works with the rest of the Pro Acryl paint line. Which makes sense because a lot of hobbyists do not want another isolated paint range cluttering up their desk. They want something that works with what they already own.
So, this is where this starts to feel less like “Monument made contrast paints too” and more like a smart expansion of their paint line overall.
The first wave includes 12 colors, and after the AdeptiCon 2026 prerelease, Monument has now confirmed the full retail launch will land on May 18, 2026!
1-Step Special Sauce Turns Regular Pro Acryl Into Contrast Paints
Let’s be honest, the wildest part of this launch might be the medium.
Pro Acryl 1-Step Special Sauce is designed to do two very useful things. First, it can dilute existing 1-Step colors for techniques like glazing and filtering. Second, and this is the big one, it can turn regular Pro Acryl paints into one-step paints.
Monument says a rough two-to-one mix of medium to paint gives standard colors that same 1-Step behavior. If that works as advertised, it is a great move. Instead of locking painters into whatever twelve launch colors are on the rack, it gives them a way to experiment with the rest of their collection.
That kind of flexibility is a real selling point because painters love options, especially when it means they do not have to buy an entirely separate range to achieve a certain effect.
How to Use 1-Step
Like most contrast paint alternatives, Pro Acryl 1-Step requires a bright surface underneath. White primer is the easy answer, but zenithal priming should also work really well since the paint can take advantage of those light and dark values underneath.
The basic game plan for using 1-step should look pretty familiar if you have used a product like this before.
Prime bright
White, off-white, or a strong zenithal undercoat will get the best effect.
Apply one smooth coat
Let the paint settle and create the depth for you.
Thin with water or Special Sauce
Special Sauce gives you more control for glazes, filters, or softer effects, and makes the range useful for both newer painters and experienced hobbyists.
Why This Could Be a Big Deal
The hobby already has plenty of speed paints and contrast paints, so Monument needed more than a copycat release here. On paper, the big wins look like smoother application, a more consistent finish, easier mixing, and a medium that expands what the whole line can do.
That last part is the real kicker. 1-Step Special Sauce makes the range feel more like a system than just another paint set.
When Do Pro Acryl 1-Step Paints Release?
Monument Hobbies’ Pro Acryl 1-Step paints go on sale May 18, 2026, with a launch lineup of 12 colors plus the 1-Step Special Sauce medium, available through Monument’s webstore and partner retailers.
Final Thoughts on Pro Acryl 1-Step
Pro Acryl 1-Step looks like Monument Hobbies saw what people like about Contrast and Speedpaints and decided to do it in a way that plays nice with the rest of their range. The one-coat color and instant shading are great features, but 1-Step Special Sauce is what gives this launch real hobby legs, we think.
