Here is the inconvenient truth about Army Painter Speedpaint reactivation that some folks may not be ready to hear.
So, what started all this? Well, there were people trying to use this as a contrast 1:1, and they were complaining about the reactivation of Speedpain That is actually by design, though, and not some flaw; because of the makeup of the paint.
The composition of the Speedpaint actually allows you to get the best one-coat solution you can find right now. The Army Painter seems to never intended just to copy what another company had done and actually made something completely different in terms of the makeup of the paint itself.
The Truth About Army Painter Speedpaint
There has been a bit of drama out there about Speedpaint by folks who seem to want them to do more (and something totally different) than what they are designed for. These paints are designed to be a single-coat solution. However, you can wait for around 6-8 hours to add more coats, but you really don’t need to. It’s meant just to get your minis on the table super-quickly and get playing!
People seem to have been confusing it with Contrast paint from Games Workshop. However, it’s not meant to be a Contrast copycat, it’s meant to actually be a true one-coat solution for getting armies ready as fast as possible.
They actually took a long time to create something totally new and different on the market. People seem to not understand the real use of the paints. However, Speedpaint works perfectly as intended when used as instructed.
Here are some quick answers to your questions.
- The first question always is, do they actually help you paint faster and get decent results? Short answer, yes! They actually can help you paint through your army in no time as it is a true one-coat painting solution.
- Will these give you high-level paint jobs on their own? They give a ton of definition and bring out detail, and yes, you can paint a very good-looking army with just these; however, it will be more tabletop standard than something that will win you Golden Demon
- Can they be useful for high-level paint jobs? Of course! They can help take your paint jobs to a new level when used with other paints and techniques, like pre-highlighting, etc.
- Are they worth it? If you want to get your army on the table fast while still looking good, these are one of the best solutions out there! If you don’t want a one-coat solution, just use acrylics or Contrast Paint (for double the price).
- How Do You Use Speedpaint? We’ll show you below, but it’s not very hard once you get the basics down; however, there is a little bit of a learning curve.
The Army Painter Addresses Speedpaint Reactivation
We reached out to The Army Painter with regard to reactivation with Speedpaint.
This is their reply:
The elephant in the room is “reactivation.” But, what is reactivation? When it comes to paint, this term is used to describe its rehydration properties. Or, how long the paint will take to dry on the miniature.
A good comparison are the smoke points for certain oils when cooking. Butter burns faster than peanut oil – for example.
When it comes to miniature paints, this rehydration point can differ from brand to brand, colour to colour, and type of paint.
All paints can be reactivated, but it is all dependent on time and environmental influences. For example: an acrylic paint (Warpaint Acrylic) will dry and cure faster than a wash (Quickshade Wash) – this is by design. With Warpaint, you want that coat to dry as fast as possible so you can add additional layering to it. With Quickshade, you want it to dry slower to allow the pigments to work over the raised areas and settle proportionately into the shadows and recesses.
You can influence the dry time of both of these products with the use of water, glaze mediums, etc. For example, a very watered down Warpaint will dry quicker on the model than a Warpaint thinned with Warpaint Medium because water evaporates quicker than the resin medium cures.
With that understood, Speedpaint was designed to be the most consistent one-coat paint solution on the market. Our goal was to make a paint that had consistent saturation, flow, and coverage making it easier to use for painters of all skill levels.
We also wanted to reduce the staining and unsightly tidemarks that paints of this style can offer. In doin that, we employed a medium that allowed Speedpaint to cure slower and in turn reactivate if not dried completely or if add enough water to it.
This is the Speedpaint reactivating.
Is Speedpaint broken because it reactivates? We don’t think so. You have to remember, Speedpaint was designed to be the most consistent one-coat painting solution available. To allow gamers to get minis painted fast and ready for the tabletop as quickly as possible.
When used properly, and dried adequately, many painters are able apply highlights, glazes, even drybrush techniques overtop with no issues.
While this was honestly not a design choice, some customers like the flexibility the prolonged curing time Speedpaint offers and utilize it for blending, or helping to fix mistakes.
While the loudest voices are usually the most negative, Speedpaint has been our best selling product release and we continue to hear from painters all over the world that Speedpaint has made painting fun for them again.
Are we looking into reducing Speedpaint curing time and possibly removing its reactive properties all together? Yes, with the help of the Paint Development Team, we are trialing a new resin formulation that has shown to reduce its reactive properties. However, we will have to take into consideration at what cost? If Speedpaint cannot retain it’s consistency, saturation, and flow properties which we believe are superior to any other one-coat paint solution presently available – we really have to consider what’s best. With the help of the PDT, we are confident we will offer the best option for our customers.
So is Army Painter Speedpaint Defective Because of Reactivation?
No, not at all, as long as you let your paints dry and clearcoat your miniatures like any other project! This idea of Speedpaint being defective seems to be a non-issue.
Find out more about the new Army Paint Speedpaint, from how they look, to tutorials and more, by clicking on the links below!
- Army Painter Speedpaint: How They Really Look On Models
- Speedpaint Space Marines Without Expensive Contrast Paints
- Review: Army Painter Speedpaint is Better Than Contrast
What do you think about the look of Army Paint Speedpaint on miniatures and the “issue” of reactivation?
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About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
