Are Vallejo Xpress Color paints any good?

Are the Vallejo Xpress Color paints as good as their hype? Jon puts them to the test over a white primer as well as using a slap chop technique to paint some Warhammer 40,000 Eldar Fire Dragons.
***This video is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something we'll receive a small commission. ***

Reference Videos:

THE KIT I USE:
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MODELS FEATURED:
Warhammer 40k Aeldari (Eldar) Fire Dragons

EQUIPMENT AND PAINT BRUSHES:
Jucoci Wooden model painting handle:
- Series 33 Kolinsky Sable round brush

PAINT:
Vallejo Xpress Color Plasma Red

Vallejo Xpress Color Imperial Yellow

Vallejo Xpress Color Mystic Blue

Vallejo Xpress Color Plague Green

Vallejo 200 ml"AV Mecha Color" Acrylic Airbrush Colour - Black Primer

THE KIT I USE TO MAKE MY VIDEOS:
- Camera: Panasonic LUMIX DC-GH5
- Microphone: SYNCO Mic-M2S
- Mic arm: WANBY 11 Inch Articulating Friction Magic Arm
- Camera stand: Flexible Arm, ULANZI LS08 Overhead Camera Mount,
- Lighting GODOX SL100Bi

- Editing software: Hitfilm Express #FXhome
CHAPTERS:

[Bish]

Ive been struggling with black templar for 3 weeks and decided to give black lotus a try and its so much nicer once dry.

I think it just needs a very matt undercoat so it doesn't slide off everything.

[SpaceMarineForTheEmpirorOfMan]

I have Contrasts Speeds and Vallejo... and Vallejo are the best to use and best look

[ItsDrMcQuack]

Thank you for the in depth video, giving us a near-realtime view of how the paint behaves in use.

I'm certainly surprised how much like regular acrylics they seem in this video. Have you tried experimenting with thinning them down with water or medium? I can't remember how juan hidalgo used his, but I think his came out more like contrasts or speedpaints.

To me, these paints still seem like a great product! They won't be replacing my SpeedPaints, but I think they will be a brilliant addition to them. I think the two ranges will compliment each other wonderfully. Very exciting product still.

You're bang on with the white prime making it look old school. Very cool!

[VoodooTabletopCrafts]

Loving the Express range and have 12 colours (I plan to buy more) only painted over a white primer so far but with great results.

[mrphucyoo]

Well im waiting for my set to arrive later this month! Im stacking up figures ready for a painting spree! I dont mind mixing up best from each companys range to get what i want out of my efforts, ill definately be using slapchop method though as i like the darker look it gives in the deep recesses.

[beaker]

Excellent vid, thanks for addressing the elephant in the room about the AP speed paint! One of my favorite effects is Citadel contrast over metallics, would you consider trying that out? I don't think it would work the same based on what you've shown. Definitely interesting though, another tool for the toolbox.

[parazatico]

Interesting that you commented on the plastic Vallejo use for their bottles, as I recently managed to break the lid of one ('Model Colour') while putting it back on. This may, of course, be because of my Eddie Hall level of grip strength.
Can they be varnished with a brush, and have you tried mixing them?

[Gloomshimmer]

In my case they get very glossy and sticky if you thin them with their respective medium and\or water (like advertised). Even unthinned they are not matte as advertised. Also i dont like the muted pigmentation. I want my contrasts to punch in my eyes, so i use Speedpaints 2.0 now.

For guys or girls who paint much muted colors, like bolt action or imperial guard or smth, vallejo is fine, especially the extension sets. They have the best brownish greens, greys and muted browns. And the lesser pigmentation is a advantage for some people. But they are no "One coat" solution. You have to use at least 2 coats (which is normally the best way. thin your contrast 1:1 with medium and use 2 thin coats....yes i said it. Thinner coats are always better than thicker. Also with contrasts or similar paints)

[brendanarmstrong]

1:35 - It's worth noting that this isn't really a fair comparison, as vallejo has revamped their entire range to coincide with the Xpress Colors, giving all of them much more translucent bottles and (I would assume) the same thinner plastic as the xpress color paints.

[wing]

Yellow gradient probably wouldn't have been as pronounced with a different base to zenithal.
It would be interesting to see it done with a non-blue tinted zenithal base, like a brown instead of black, with cream/beige in place of the grey before the final white highlight.

[PhilippinesWaterfalls-nl]

I have been very happy with Xpress 1. I have no complaints about Contrast except they cost more and I really prefer dropper bottles. I am reluctant to spend money on Army Painter 1.0 or .2.0 due to my frustration with the thickness of their regular paints. I always apply more than one layer, whether using Xpress or contrast and I still highlight. Overall, I prefer the application of Xpress because they are thinner than Contrast and before the one layer paints became a thing I mostly painted with washes.

[Himle_]

Still waiting to be able to pick up a set here in Sweden, so no hands on experience here. 😢

First off, I do love the look off the new bottles Vallejo is using for the Xpress and the Game Colour range, as you can clearly see how the paint looks. Them being softer might be an issue though. Maybe it's because they're made in sustainable r-PET? Or maybe it's just so it's easier to squeeze out the paint? *shrugs*
Having watched "all" reviews on these, it's strange that no one else has picked up/commented on this. Buuuut, as long as they don't fall apart, i've got no issues with a softer bottle^^

As for the yellow/red. They do seem a lot like the reds/yellows in GW's latest batch of contrast paints. Gorgeous and strong single pigment, but with very little contrast effect.
And yes, the Elder did very much look like a 90s metal mini from McVey :D

Great review and keep up the great work! :)

[SirBuffton]

Thank you for doing this video, makes me very happy I didn't wait for plasma red to become available again. Not a fan of the lack of contrast effect!

[FreshCoatKustoms]

I did not start your video yet, but I can already answer the question:
Mostly yes. Just like AP or GW, a lot of them work just fine and when you learned about the pros and cons of each colour, they save you LOTS of time.

[stoneglobe]

Interesting to see the results that you've got using these compared to the results I've had using them. Honestly your "slapchop" demo was not particularly good as your "slapchopping" seemed to leave a lot to be desired. There seemed to be a lot of the black left on the model rather than going up through the gradients nicely/smoothly which is why I feel you got poor results. I've been using the range for a couple of weeks now and have found that the best results, for me, are had by using the "slapchop" method. I'm not the biggest fan of them directly over pure white as I don't like too many very vibrant colours on my minis. I can't speak to speed or contrast paints as I've not tried either of them. I went with the Xpress Colours purely due to cost as they were the cheapest option available to me though I did have to wait as I pre-ordered them.

[johngrayson]

Tried these on historical figures (28MM Vietnam) & not had any joy with them they don't settle well & with a lack of choice with the colour range i think these are more geared to the fantasy style of figure

[oakpope]

Not leach at all ? I can clearly see the colors beneath the white.

[MyosGR]

It's not the colours you use, it's your technique. You are painting contrasts or inks or whatever you call it, like you would paint a display mini rather than a tabletop mini. This means carefully and with a lot of patience. Try again with a thicker brush, say number 2. Load it with any Xpress or Contrast colour and literally "wash" the miniature. Sorry for spoiling an honest effort, but I am only trying to help. Just as everyone else in these comments, I can tell you that Vallejo is in general equal to Citadel contrasts and far better than AP.

[alanreyj]

Doesn't appear to do a great job contrastwise.

[tom]

Xpress colors have so many pigments that you HAVE TO use it with the xpress medium, its not an option.