Yes - it’s the saddest of all sad topics!
What is it with the fascination of just using a brown shade tone and somehow assuming that it makes a miniature better?
When did it start? What are the trends??
Let’s track them to see if this is really a thing or if it’s just plain laziness or even a scam!
So what’s the earliest iteration?
Probably Antiquing. The deliberate attempt to make something look older by darkening it down and adding stain and weathering.
Where did that start? Not sure exactly but well before the 20th Century as fake antique furniture exists.
20th Century onwards: Gaming specifically.
1960s:
A form of Antiquing for resin chess sets, using a bone colour resin. One side was rubbed in black shoe polish, the other brown.
The excess rubbed off and left to cure it gave the impression the sets were older and brought out the detail in them.
1970s:
Wood stain. The same stuff used for furniture was used to dip toy soldiers into to add depth to the often flat glossy or satin colours on them. Models still mostly painted in enamels at this point.
Oil paints were used to wash models at this time, military and railway usually.
Problem with both enamels and oils is that you need ventilation: Remember - get those windows open, or better still go outside.
But it was the 70s so Heath and Safety like not inhaling toxic fumes wasn’t thought about… until…
1980s:
Continuation of use of wood varnish but also the introduction of inks to tint and glaze acrylic paint, which become popular in this decade. (Yay!)
Of course everyone’s favourite was Chestnut Ink! Probably followed by Brown and Black. I liked blue for my metals at that time - just had to be different!
Warcolors would later go on to make reproductions of these acrylics and inks in the 2020s under its Nostalgia 88 line.
1990s:
The proliferation of Games Workshops popularity meant that much of the 90s was super brightly coloured. Base Rims were now Green! Previously they were whatever you wanted - often black, snakebite brown or grey.
However it turns out you can’t keep a good idea down and Games Workshop released a series of pre-made washes so you didn’t have to faff with diluting ink if you didn’t want to.
Flesh Wash became super popular. Armour Wash too if I remember right…
Warcolors would later go on to make reproductions of these paints and washes in the 2020s under its Nostalgia 94 line.
2000s:
Devlan Mud was introduced by GW around late 90s early 2000s.
Devlan Mud coupled with a shift into the “Grimdark” painting style launched slopping brown liquid on your models into the mainstream. It wasn’t that people weren’t doing it before (they were) it’s just at this point in time it became fashionable to do it.
It coincided with a “brown everywhere” trend. Brown base rims in! Green - out!
Even films seemed to develop a sepia tone over everything at this time.
Exact date unknown: People love home brew so developed their own “Magic Wash” using Polyshades Minwax or Pledge/Future Acrylic Floor Polish + Windsor & Newton Inks.
2008:
Army Painter launches its Quickshade brand - essentially wood stain varnish rebranded, possibly with some tweaks.
2009:
Coat D’Arms releases 60ml tubs of “Super Shader” which is a highly pigmented acrylic dip product intended as an alternative to Army Painter Quickshade.
They also do “Super Washes” to compete with GWs Washes.
2012:
Devlan Mud (and rest of Citadel paint line) replaced. Agrax Earthshade takes over.
AP launches its Quickshade Acrylics line to capitalise on that.
Exact date unknown: around this time Forgeworld started mixing up a universal wash to use on their miniatures nicknamed “Marine Juice”.
It was a combination of Agrax Earthshade, Flesh wash and a thinning medium to allow it to flow and stain less. It combined the properties of both a dark and warm tone so that deep recesses were darker and thinner ones warmer.
2013:
Imagine a brown wash you could slop on BUT have the ability to clean up afterwards on the areas you didn’t want it on? Or even target it properly into grooves using capillary action?!?
You need an Oil Wash. and YouTube is here to tell you how!
T’was an old technique but Fantasy and Sci-Fi gaming got there in the end. (Get those windows open! It’s not the 70s anymore!)
2014:
Vallejo gets in on the game with black and sepia 200ml tubs of acrylic based “Dipping Immersion Formula”.
2016:
AK Streaking Grime released.
It’s another enamel wash, though these have existed in the model railway circles for decades (mostly Humbrol brand)… soon… soon it will take the lead…
2017:
AK Interactive Enamel Streaking Grime takes off big time. For some reason this one really grabbed attention due to its grimyness (obviously) and that you could… err… streak it. With thinners.
Luke from Luke’s APS (later Geek Gaming Scenics) releases a hit video on how to make 15ltrs of black or brown wash yourself.
2019:
Citadel launches its Contrast Paint line - the most popular colours being the browns and black.
2020:
AK changes its formula for Streaking Grime and annoys legions of fans.
Luke updates his make your own wash video.
Goobertown Hobbies tells us all how to mix a Contrast equivalent - though it mostly goes ignored for a bit.
2021:
AK Change the formula (and colour) of Streaking Grime again and annoy the fans again.
2022:
Citadel Contrast 2.0 - Ratling Grime takes the lead!
Agrax Earthshade gets a formula update which changes its property from general stain to, less staining to avoid competing with Contrast.
Army Painter Speedpaint Released. Was initially favourable reviews until people noticed it reactivated. They didn’t like that and moaned about it.
People love homebrew #2: thanks to Goobertown Hobbies and GWs Contrast pricing () and disappointment on the Speedpaints reactivation issue, a new wash formula appeared popular online; matte medium, flow aid (diluted with water) and acrylic ink. Some say 1:1:1, others 2:2:1.
2023:
Army Painter Speedpaint 2.0 Released - fixing the 1.0 reactivation issue.
Monument Hobbies release “Newsh”, an acrylic weathering medium to replicate oil and enamel washes but without the toxicity.
You have to add your own acrylic colour to it (I’m betting most use brown and black) and it acts like an acrylic retarder, slowing down drying times so you can slap it on then wipe it off…
…leaving hopefully a decent effect afterwards.
But why did they name it that? Sounds like a feminine hygiene product… touch of thrush? Give Newsh a go!
I’m half expecting Manfred Mann to release a song with misheard lyrics about it…
2024:
A spiritual successor to Streaking Grime arrives?? Villainy Ink: Goons Grime from The Grimdark Compendium.
It’s an Enamel wash so needs spirits to clean up brushes and models afterwards. The whole line seems designed to cater entirely to the grimy painting style and the colours reflect that.
So if you like grimy and odious it’s for you!
2025:
Brown washes… dips… shades… panel lines… oil! Not the Nuln variety either… why not combine them all - and in a home brew version too!!
YouTube provides again: Threhane Miniatures will guide you to making your own dip-wash-liner (in black but don’t worry you can use brown - or any colour).
Any more dates and information and I’ll update the list!
What is it with the fascination of just using a brown shade tone and somehow assuming that it makes a miniature better?
When did it start? What are the trends??
Let’s track them to see if this is really a thing or if it’s just plain laziness or even a scam!
So what’s the earliest iteration?
Probably Antiquing. The deliberate attempt to make something look older by darkening it down and adding stain and weathering.
Where did that start? Not sure exactly but well before the 20th Century as fake antique furniture exists.
20th Century onwards: Gaming specifically.
1960s:
A form of Antiquing for resin chess sets, using a bone colour resin. One side was rubbed in black shoe polish, the other brown.
The excess rubbed off and left to cure it gave the impression the sets were older and brought out the detail in them.
1970s:
Wood stain. The same stuff used for furniture was used to dip toy soldiers into to add depth to the often flat glossy or satin colours on them. Models still mostly painted in enamels at this point.
Oil paints were used to wash models at this time, military and railway usually.
Problem with both enamels and oils is that you need ventilation: Remember - get those windows open, or better still go outside.
But it was the 70s so Heath and Safety like not inhaling toxic fumes wasn’t thought about… until…
1980s:
Continuation of use of wood varnish but also the introduction of inks to tint and glaze acrylic paint, which become popular in this decade. (Yay!)
Of course everyone’s favourite was Chestnut Ink! Probably followed by Brown and Black. I liked blue for my metals at that time - just had to be different!
Warcolors would later go on to make reproductions of these acrylics and inks in the 2020s under its Nostalgia 88 line.
1990s:
The proliferation of Games Workshops popularity meant that much of the 90s was super brightly coloured. Base Rims were now Green! Previously they were whatever you wanted - often black, snakebite brown or grey.
However it turns out you can’t keep a good idea down and Games Workshop released a series of pre-made washes so you didn’t have to faff with diluting ink if you didn’t want to.
Flesh Wash became super popular. Armour Wash too if I remember right…
Warcolors would later go on to make reproductions of these paints and washes in the 2020s under its Nostalgia 94 line.
2000s:
Devlan Mud was introduced by GW around late 90s early 2000s.
Devlan Mud coupled with a shift into the “Grimdark” painting style launched slopping brown liquid on your models into the mainstream. It wasn’t that people weren’t doing it before (they were) it’s just at this point in time it became fashionable to do it.
It coincided with a “brown everywhere” trend. Brown base rims in! Green - out!
Even films seemed to develop a sepia tone over everything at this time.
Exact date unknown: People love home brew so developed their own “Magic Wash” using Polyshades Minwax or Pledge/Future Acrylic Floor Polish + Windsor & Newton Inks.
2008:
Army Painter launches its Quickshade brand - essentially wood stain varnish rebranded, possibly with some tweaks.
2009:
Coat D’Arms releases 60ml tubs of “Super Shader” which is a highly pigmented acrylic dip product intended as an alternative to Army Painter Quickshade.
They also do “Super Washes” to compete with GWs Washes.
2012:
Devlan Mud (and rest of Citadel paint line) replaced. Agrax Earthshade takes over.
AP launches its Quickshade Acrylics line to capitalise on that.
Exact date unknown: around this time Forgeworld started mixing up a universal wash to use on their miniatures nicknamed “Marine Juice”.
It was a combination of Agrax Earthshade, Flesh wash and a thinning medium to allow it to flow and stain less. It combined the properties of both a dark and warm tone so that deep recesses were darker and thinner ones warmer.
2013:
Imagine a brown wash you could slop on BUT have the ability to clean up afterwards on the areas you didn’t want it on? Or even target it properly into grooves using capillary action?!?
You need an Oil Wash. and YouTube is here to tell you how!
T’was an old technique but Fantasy and Sci-Fi gaming got there in the end. (Get those windows open! It’s not the 70s anymore!)
2014:
Vallejo gets in on the game with black and sepia 200ml tubs of acrylic based “Dipping Immersion Formula”.
2016:
AK Streaking Grime released.
It’s another enamel wash, though these have existed in the model railway circles for decades (mostly Humbrol brand)… soon… soon it will take the lead…
2017:
AK Interactive Enamel Streaking Grime takes off big time. For some reason this one really grabbed attention due to its grimyness (obviously) and that you could… err… streak it. With thinners.
Luke from Luke’s APS (later Geek Gaming Scenics) releases a hit video on how to make 15ltrs of black or brown wash yourself.
2019:
Citadel launches its Contrast Paint line - the most popular colours being the browns and black.
2020:
AK changes its formula for Streaking Grime and annoys legions of fans.
Luke updates his make your own wash video.
Goobertown Hobbies tells us all how to mix a Contrast equivalent - though it mostly goes ignored for a bit.
2021:
AK Change the formula (and colour) of Streaking Grime again and annoy the fans again.
2022:
Citadel Contrast 2.0 - Ratling Grime takes the lead!
Agrax Earthshade gets a formula update which changes its property from general stain to, less staining to avoid competing with Contrast.
Army Painter Speedpaint Released. Was initially favourable reviews until people noticed it reactivated. They didn’t like that and moaned about it.
People love homebrew #2: thanks to Goobertown Hobbies and GWs Contrast pricing (
) and disappointment on the Speedpaints reactivation issue, a new wash formula appeared popular online; matte medium, flow aid (diluted with water) and acrylic ink. Some say 1:1:1, others 2:2:1.2023:
Army Painter Speedpaint 2.0 Released - fixing the 1.0 reactivation issue.
Monument Hobbies release “Newsh”, an acrylic weathering medium to replicate oil and enamel washes but without the toxicity.
You have to add your own acrylic colour to it (I’m betting most use brown and black) and it acts like an acrylic retarder, slowing down drying times so you can slap it on then wipe it off…
…leaving hopefully a decent effect afterwards.But why did they name it that? Sounds like a feminine hygiene product… touch of thrush? Give Newsh a go!
I’m half expecting Manfred Mann to release a song with misheard lyrics about it…
2024:
A spiritual successor to Streaking Grime arrives?? Villainy Ink: Goons Grime from The Grimdark Compendium.
It’s an Enamel wash so needs spirits to clean up brushes and models afterwards. The whole line seems designed to cater entirely to the grimy painting style and the colours reflect that.
So if you like grimy and odious it’s for you!
2025:
Brown washes… dips… shades… panel lines… oil! Not the Nuln variety either… why not combine them all - and in a home brew version too!!
YouTube provides again: Threhane Miniatures will guide you to making your own dip-wash-liner (in black but don’t worry you can use brown - or any colour).
Any more dates and information and I’ll update the list!
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