Army Painter Speedpaint: Tidal Wave

One Coat, Instant Depth

Tidal Wave is a rich oceanic blue from The Army Painter's Speedpaint range — a one-step paint that lays down colour, shading, and depth in a single application. Flow it over a primed or white-basecoated surface and watch it settle into the recesses, leaving highlighted areas lighter and shadows naturally deeper. No washing, no layering required to get a tabletop-ready result. The effect is immediate and consistent, making it one of the fastest ways to paint models without sacrificing the sense that someone actually put thought into the colour work.

Speedpaints are not the same as traditional base or layer paints — they use a contrast-style formula that reacts with the surface beneath. Tidal Wave is particularly well-suited to aquatic armour schemes, cloaks, robes, water effects, and any surface where a cool blue shadow reads as deliberate. It works on any unpainted miniature regardless of game system — fantasy warbands, sci-fi infantry, undead fleets, or naval-themed terrain pieces all respond well to a properly applied Speedpaint. At 18ml, the pot offers solid coverage across a unit or small warband in a single session.

Who Should Pick This Up

New painters find Speedpaints genuinely approachable — there is less technique required than with traditional paints, and the results are forgiving at arm's length on the tabletop. Experienced painters keep them in the workflow for batch-painting rank-and-file models quickly, reserving hand-blending time for character pieces and centrepieces. Tidal Wave specifically rewards anyone running a colour scheme built around blue armour, ocean-themed forces, or cold-climate aesthetics. It also layers well under traditional Army Painter or Citadel highlights once dry if you want to push the finish further.