Army Painter Speedpaint 2.0: Burnished Red

One Coat, Three Effects — Red Done Right

Burnished Red is a rich, warm crimson that does the work of three separate painting steps in a single application. Brush it over a primed miniature and watch it flow into recesses for deep shadow, settle across mid-tones for a vibrant base colour, and leave natural highlights on raised edges — all before it dries. This is The Army Painter's Speedpaint 2.0 formula at its best: a paint that rewards impatience without punishing quality.

How Speedpaint 2.0 Works

Speedpaint 2.0 is a contrast-style paint — a highly pigmented, flow-enhancing formula that self-shades as it dries. Apply it over a white or light grey primer and the colour does the heavy lifting automatically. What makes the 2.0 formula a genuine upgrade is its improved layerability: once dry, you can paint directly over it with standard acrylics in minutes rather than waiting hours for full cure. That means highlighting and detail work can follow almost immediately, making it an excellent foundation for a fast but polished finish. Burnished Red in particular works beautifully as a quick basecoat for red armour, cloaks, shields, or any large area where you want impact without the effort of traditional layering.

Who Should Pick This Up

New painters will find Speedpaint 2.0 one of the most forgiving products on the market — a single pot replaces base coat, wash, and first highlight in one step, which dramatically flattens the learning curve. Experienced painters batch-painting large forces will appreciate how quickly Burnished Red gets squads table-ready, freeing time for the models that deserve more attention. It works across any miniature hobby — fantasy, sci-fi, historical — wherever red belongs on the palette. Pair it with a white or off-white primer for the most vibrant result; darker primers will mute the tone.

Specifications