My thoughts on Contrast Paints and Speedpaints

In 2021 I got back into painting miniature with the game Marvel Crisis Protocol. Before that I played/painted Warhammer 40K (Orks, Impirial Fists) and built up and painted hundreds of models from those lines. I also have a pretty sizable Warmachine Hordes armies. During that time I practiced traditional miniature painting techniques such as layering, glazing, nmm, blending, etc. But after a long hiatus I decided to give Contrast/Speedpaint a try. I got pretty much half of the Starter box painted in 1 week and plus some other models. It was super quick to get things done but I started going back to more traditional techniques because speedpainting methods looks too rough. It look amazing on the table because of how vibrant and rich the color was but up close they didn't look to great in my opinions. 

A few of my Contrast, Speedpaint and Xpress Paints;

"I am well invested into this type of product"

A lot of creators with very high level of painting started making Contrast Paint, Speedpaint and Xpress paint videos. I don't want to list specific names, but the European ones. The end result was no where near as good as their regular stuff. I mean anyone can prime a model, dry brush and put on a coat of Contrast paint. If someone only wants to spend 15-30min a model slap chop is the way to go. Its been a few years since the product has hit the market and content creators have shown elevated ways of applying Speedpaint and Contrast paints. They all use slightly different methods but the pattern is they put a lot of time in to underpainting with multiple colors with a AB or dry brush or both AB/dry brush. And they put a lot of time into post contrast with edge highlights, micro weathering, etc. I honestly don't know how much time someone can save. But I've also seen it help a lot of people that just did base coats really up their game and love of painting. I think at end of the day contrast paints are just a tool in a tool box full of other great tools, a model you spent 15 min on will look like a model that you spent 15min and a model you spend 10hrs on will look like a model you spend 10hrs on. It is an overhyped product but a good product IMO. It is a "gamechanger" for some people and probably "nothing special" for others. For me personally I feel I fall somewhere in the middle of those two opinions.

Heimdall from Marvel Crisis Protocol:

I used both traditional methods and contrast painting techniques to achieve this final result.

 It's been almost a year since I've last played Marvel Crisis Protocol (MCP). I've been prioritizing running/training. I really wanted to get in a game before end of the year. Hopefully more than 1. I met up with my friend November 21st, Thursday evening to play a pick up game. Over the week before the game I painted up Loki to field him in my Asgard list. Playing does motivate me to paint. The game was X-Men vs Asgard. It was a very fun game. We played Legacy virus and Extremis consoles at 19pts.The game was close in points. But I conceded turn 3 as Thor was ko'd. He managed almost daze 2 characters but Cable was saved with Xavier's Dream (allied characters can pay 1 power to reduce 1 wound). Loki was very good in that game due to his ability. It helped neutralize Professor X's leadership.

Shot from T2

WIP of Loki

This weekend I picked up some Contrast paint from 401 Games as well as some AK Interactive Paints and Speed Paint 2.0 from Sunward Hobbies. I used some of the new Speed Paints, Contrast Paints and Xpress Paints on the bifrost effects. Highlighted with AK Fluorescent paints. I have long layoffs between models. So I used PaintPad.app to record my progress. I spent my free time Saturday and Sunday starting on Hela and Heimdall.

WIP of Hela

WIP of Heimdall

One Week After Running TSC Toronto Half-Marathon 2024

 

I haven't ran a half-marathon (21.1km) race since Oct 2019 when the Toronto Marathon's title sponsor was Scotia Bank. Even though  I was under trained and not as fast as I was I am happy with the result (02:23:13). In 2018 I did manage to run a PB at  01:59:18 but to run like that has always been tough for me. My training leading up was a 16 week program if got of of Training Peaks and for the most part I followed it pretty well. I don't know if it was the little niggle of injuries or just being mentally bored/tired of running but the last 4 weeks leading to the tapper week my training consistency really fell of. Completing the speed work and long runs were a struggle. Come race day I just wanted to run the race to put it behind me. I am super thankful for my friends that raced that day. One particular friend, Daniel actually got me running again, after maybe 2-ish years of not running. We actually ran together throughout the race. I don't think I would've ran the entire distance had he not been running with me/talking to me the whole way. He is a lot fitter than me currently but was dealing with being undertrained for the half marathon and injury much like myself so we ran a slow pace. I am greatful that my friend gave me the nudge to get the whole fitness thing going again. 

I've been taking it easy the week after the race since my wife was away on work travel. On Saturday October 26th the day after she returned home. I ended up going on a bike ride, something I haven't done too much due to training for the half-marathon. It was a real treat for me. I had actually been working on my TT bike for the last few months sourcing Di2 parts off of Ebay. I had spent a lot of time researching, disassembling mechanical parts and replacing them with the electronic parts. It was a pretty sweet project best saved for another post. I've been on 2 short test rides prior to get the gears index and the bike riding properly. The shifting felt great and I even replaced the worn 5 year old bar tape. The bike felt great. I felt a bit adventurous that day and went on a route I didn't always go one. It can some steeper small climbs and winding roads something different from just riding through straight roads. The route was beautiful with a lot of nice fall colors but the technicality of the route did remind me of the limitation of my old TT bike from 2016. The wheels are carbon wheels and the brakes are rim brakes so slowing down on sleep descent made me nervous. I've also been riding my Cervelo Caledonia more than my TT bike and the endurance road bike definitely felt a lot more stable on descents and on climbs. It was windy but on the flats the Garneau TR1 really shined. I have hopes of doing a half Ironman and the closest one is known to be hilly. I couldn't help but to think maybe the TR1 wouldn't be the best bike for that course. 

 

I was getting pretty tired and didn't want to push it too much on my first "real" ride in a while so I decided to head back home. I ended up going across King Rd. I was pretty familiar this road but not on the side I was coming from. I did see some drainage trenches but the first one looked shallow enough to ride over however the 2nd one wasn't and I ended up going over my bike. Me and my bike were flung into the air. I remember landing on the right side of my head and right shoulder and see my bike fly past me bouncing off the road. I got up  to grab my bike my cycling wallet, phone and bike radar. The first thing I noticed was my new bar tape and tt bars were out of position and then the chips on seat stays. I was pretty sad my brand new Di2 shifters and brakes were scraped up as well. I took a few minutes to gather myself and assess the situation further. I noticed my helmet was cracked and bike shoe covers were ripped. At first I thought my cycling jacket was fine but later noticed it was torn up at the neck/back of the shoulder area. I am very thankful as I wasn't seriously hurt, just scrapes, some road rash and bruising. But I was super bummed out the bike I poured a lot of time and love into was busted up, my favorite jacket and helmet were gone. I called my wife to pick me up. While I was waiting I used my multi-tool to set the handlebars properly to walk my bike to the closest safe area to be picked up. My place wasn't too far away but I didn't feel safe riding with a compromised helmet and possibly compromised bike. My wife picked me up pretty quickly and spend the rest of the day resting. In retrospect this was an 1k+ bike crash, the jacket, helmet and potentials repairs will end up being more than $1000. However the helmet did it job its been 3 days, and my head and neck are feeling fine. Stiffness in the neck lasted maybe 1 day. The jacket is pretty messed up but I'll see if I can get it fixed some how. A key take away is also don't try to ride over anything you feel is sketchy especially while riding a TT bike. Time Trail/Tri bikes are pretty much made to be ridden on flat road. I'm sure it would be ok on tight pack gravel but I also don't have the skills to be bombing across questionable terrain. I should've just tried to stop and maybe walked across. Taking it slow and assessing the situation is the right way to go sometimes.

Here is a picture I took of my bike before the crash.