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Speed Painting: Get Your Army Tournament-Ready in 30 Days

March 26, 2026 • Tutorials

The 30-Day Army Challenge

Tournament in a month and 100 unpainted models staring at you? Don't panic. I've been there, and I've developed a system that works.

The Math

  • 100 models ÷ 30 days = 3.3 models per day
  • At 45 minutes per model = 2.5 hours daily
  • Batch painting in groups of 10 = 7.5 hours per batch

Essential Speed Painting Colors

You only need 12 paints for 90% of your army:

1. Primer: Vallejo Surface Primer Black (70.951) 2. Base armor: Your main army color 3. Metal: Vallejo Metal Color Gunmetal (77.720) 4. Brown: Vallejo Model Color Flat Brown (70.984) 5. Flesh: Vallejo Game Color Dwarf Skin (72.041) 6. Red: Army Painter Pure Red 7. Blue: Citadel Macragge Blue 8. Green: Army Painter Greenskin 9. Bone: Vallejo Model Color Ivory (70.918) 10. Black: Any matte black 11. Wash: Army Painter Strong Tone 12. Highlight: Your base color + white mix

The 7-Step Speed Method

Step 1: Assembly Line Prep (Day 1-2)

  • Build all models
  • Remove mold lines (don't be perfect)
  • Base with texture paste
  • Prime everything black

Step 2: Zenithal Prime (Day 3)

  • Spray gray from 45° angle
  • Light white spray from above
  • This creates instant shadows

Step 3: Base Colors (Days 4-10)

  • Work in batches of 10
  • One color at a time across all models
  • Don't worry about being neat
  • 7 days × 14 models = 98 models done

Step 4: The Magic Wash (Days 11-13)

  • Army Painter Strong Tone on everything
  • Let it pool in recesses
  • Creates instant definition
  • 30 models per day

Step 5: Drybrush Highlights (Days 14-18)

  • Light drybrush of base colors
  • Focus on raised areas only
  • 20 models per day

Step 6: Details That Matter (Days 19-25)

  • Eyes (just a dot)
  • Weapon edges
  • Belt buckles
  • Gems/lenses
  • 15 models per day

Step 7: Basing Blitz (Days 26-28)

  • Drybrush base texture
  • Add tufts/grass
  • Paint base rims black
  • 35 models per day

Days 29-30: Touch-ups and Transport

Pro Speed Tips

1. Contrast is King: Dark shadows + bright highlights = visual impact 2. 3-Foot Rule: If it looks good from 3 feet away, it's table-ready 3. Assembly line: Never paint one model completely before moving to the next 4. Wet palette: Saves paint and time 5. Good lighting: Can't paint fast if you can't see

Common Speed Painting Mistakes

  • Over-detailing: Nobody sees individual rivets during a game
  • Perfect basecoats: Washes hide sins
  • Too many colors: Unified color scheme = faster painting
  • Highlighting everything: Focus on faces and weapons

Color Shortcuts

Leather/Pouches

1. Base: Dark brown 2. Wash: Black 3. Edge: Light brown 4. Done in 2 minutes

Metallics

1. Base: Gunmetal 2. Wash: Black 3. Edge: Silver 4. Skip NMM entirely

Skin

1. Base: Flesh tone 2. Wash: Flesh wash 3. Highlight: Original color 4. Eyes: Skip them or just dot

The Secret Weapon

Here's my speed painting secret: **limited color palette**. Your army should use:

  • 1 main color (40% of model)
  • 1 secondary color (30%)
  • Metallics (20%)
  • Details (10%)

This creates visual cohesion AND speeds up painting.

Results

Following this system, you'll have:

  • 100 models painted to tabletop standard
  • Consistent quality across the army
  • Time left for final preparations
  • Your sanity intact

Remember: Done is better than perfect. You can always go back and improve models after the tournament. The goal is getting painted models on the table.

Need to match your army colors but missing a paint? Check Minimatch to find alternatives at your local store.