"Slapchop" is one of the most popular speed-painting methods in the hobby, and for good reason. It produces bold, high-contrast miniatures in a fraction of the time traditional layering takes. The name comes from how quick and deliberately rough the drybrushing steps are. You slap the paint on, and the transparent colours do the hard work.
How it works
Slapchop builds a black-to-white map of light and shadow on the model before any colour goes on. Then you paint over it with transparent, ink-like paints. Because those paints are see-through, the light and dark underneath show through: recesses stay dark, raised areas glow bright, and you get shading and highlighting in a single coat.
What you need
- Black spray primer
- A neutral light grey and a pure or off-white paint
- A soft drybrush (a large make-up brush works brilliantly)
- Transparent paints: the "contrast" or "speedpaint" style, inks, or heavily thinned regular paints
- Regular paints for metals and final details
Step 1: Prime black
Spray the model black, covering every recess. This is your deepest shadow, so make sure the coverage is complete.
Step 2: Grey drybrush
Load the brush with light grey and wipe almost all of it off on a paper towel until barely any colour comes off. Then brush over the whole model with quick, light strokes. Raised surfaces should turn grey while recesses stay black. Use a neutral grey without a strong colour cast, as a warm or blue grey will tint everything you paint over it.
Step 3: White drybrush
Repeat with white, but this time focus on the top surfaces and sharpest edges, roughly where light would hit from above. Use less paint and less pressure. You now have a high-contrast monochrome model that already looks lit.
Tip: wipe your brush on a fresh section of towel each time. A paint-soaked towel sheds fibres into the bristles, which end up stuck to your model.
Step 4: Transparent colour
Now paint each area in its colour using transparent paints. Apply one smooth, generous coat and let it flow; don't scrub it around. Work from the largest area to the smallest. Small slips are fine at this stage because you'll tidy them up later.
A few things to know:
- Bright colours benefit most. Yellows, light blues and reds glow over the white highlights.
- Dark colours hide the effect. Very dark transparent paints will look almost the same as on a plain primer.
- Regular paints need thinning. If you use standard acrylics, thin them heavily with a glaze medium so they behave like an ink. Test on a spare model first.
Step 5: Metals and details
Metallic paints are opaque, so they don't benefit from the underpainting. Paint them as normal, then shade with a dark wash. Pick out eyes, lenses, gems and any small details with regular paints.
Step 6: Tidy up and refine
Look for overspill and "white flashes" where the drybrush shows through incorrectly, and touch them up with the neighbouring colour. Then, if you want, add a few targeted highlights with opaque paint on the most prominent edges: faces, weapons, the top of the head. A handful of sharp highlights lifts slapchop from "fast" to "fast and polished".
The texture question
Drybrushing leaves a slightly grainy texture, especially on large flat surfaces like vehicle panels or big shoulder pads. Some painters love the gritty look; others don't. To minimise it:
- Use a softer brush and very little paint.
- Build up the drybrush in several lighter passes.
- On large flat areas, consider an airbrushed or sprayed zenithal undercoat instead (grey from about 45 degrees, then white from directly above).
Which models suit slapchop?
Textured, organic models are where it really shines: fur, scales, robes, chainmail, monsters and skin. Greenskin mobs are a perfect example; our guide to painting Orks uses the same idea for skin. Alien swarms work just as well; see painting Tyranids. Smooth, flat armour and vehicles can work too, but expect more texture.
Common mistakes
- Too much paint on the drybrush: chalky, blotchy results. Wipe off more.
- Too much white: the whole model goes pale and loses contrast. Keep white to the top surfaces.
- Scrubbing transparent paint: causes streaks and pooling. One confident coat, then leave it.
- Skipping the tidy-up: a few minutes of clean-up makes the biggest difference to the finished look.
Why it's worth learning
Slapchop teaches you where light falls on a model, which is the foundation of every advanced painting technique. Even if you move on to layering and blending later, you'll understand value and contrast much better for having used it. And it gets armies on the table.
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