Army Painter Quickshade Dips: Soft Tone

Deep Shadows, Fast Results

Shading is the step that transforms a flat base coat into a miniature with depth, definition, and life. Army Painter Quickshade Soft Tone is a oil-based dipping varnish that does two jobs at once — it flows into the recesses of a model to create natural-looking shadows, and it seals the paint job with a protective coat in a single application. Soft Tone is the lightest of the Quickshade range, producing warm, golden-brown shadows that work beautifully on skin tones, light armour, wood, leather, and any scheme where you want depth without darkening the overall palette too aggressively.

How It Works

Unlike water-based washes, Quickshade is an oil-based product with a much thicker consistency. The traditional method is to literally dip the model — hold it by the base, submerge it briefly, shake off the excess, and let it settle and cure. The formula self-levels into recesses and pooling is minimal when applied correctly. It can also be brushed on for more controlled application over specific areas. Once cured (typically 24 hours at room temperature), the finish is hard and durable. The default finish is gloss, so most painters follow up with a matte varnish spray to knock back the shine before the model hits the table. Army Painter's own Anti-Shine Matte Varnish is a natural pairing — sold separately.

Who Should Use This

Quickshade is one of the most popular speed-painting tools in the tabletop hobby for good reason. New painters get professional-looking depth without mastering wet blending or layered highlights — base coat, dip, done. Experienced hobbyists use it for batch-painting large units where time matters more than competition-level finish. If you're building an army and want every model table-ready without spending a week per squad, Soft Tone earns its place in the workflow. It is equally at home on Warhammer infantry, Warmachine warjacks, historical models, or any other 28–32mm scale miniature.

Specifications