Announcing P3 Paints Wave 2, launching on Gamefound
In 2024, we took on the mantle of resurrecting P3 Paint — that cult-favourite liquid gold created in collaboration with hobby legend, Mike McVey himself.
It was a daunting challenge — how does one improve on perfection? — but one we were more than willing to take on. Mostly because half of our team are painters who missed P3 Paints to death, including one of our founders, Mat Hart.
Mat spent an ungodly amount of time testing and tweaking formulas before landing on P3’s next evolution, which we launched through crowdfunding last year.
(Fun fact: Did you know P3 Paints Wave 1 is the most funded paint crowdfunding campaign ever?)
Now pledges are landing with backers, displays are popping up in stores, the Starter Set just released, convention goers are clamouring… all signs point to one thing: P3 is back, baby!
And we’re just getting started. Because, hobbyists, it’s time to unveil P3 PAINTS WAVE TWO, launching July 1 on Gamefound! Follow here
Including:
- A full spectrum of 64 new colours
- P3 Shadows sprays to bring new depth and dimension to your projects
- P3 Pure Metal metallics, which use groundbreaking tech to achieve unparalleled shine
- P3 Thinning Medium, designed especially to work with P3 Paints
Plus more to be revealed (including some exciting collaborations), this campaign is set to be a hobbyist’s dream. Follow now on Gamefound to get all the updates.
Paint the rainbow (and then some)
Across eight curated sets — one for every colour of the rainbow — including 64 all-new paints, we’ll take you on a prismatic tour through hobby history.
In our quest to create the ideal paint range, we’ve made a study of the most coveted hues, tones, and shades across the decades to build out an explosive colour library that would make even Matisse go, “Whoa, you might want to tone that down.”
You’ll also find nods to your favourite neutrals and flesh tones, all realised in the creamy P3 formula that gives consistent performance, excellent coverage, and of course, superior blending.
Here’s a behind-the-scenes peek, direct from Mat’s testing desk:
P3 Pure Metal metallics
What about metallics? As we speak, we’re about to complete development on a premium collection of metallics so impossibly shiny, even we can’t quite believe they’re real.
Here’s another behind-the-scenes look:
Dragons covet these with jealous eyes. Leprechauns have launched sting operations to claim them.
To explain what makes the Pure Metal metallics so special, we’ll need to dial up the jargon:
These metallics use a brand new pigment flake that, to the best of our knowledge, has never before been used in hobby paint.
In a specialised process, the aluminium flakes are dyed, crushed, and sealed inside of a polymer so they don’t gas. And because the dye is sealed inside of the polymer, the pigment doesn’t lose its shine as the paint dries, locking in that superior lustre.
Here’s a side-by-side comparison of a Pure Metal and non-Pure Metal metallic from the desk:
Sunglasses strongly advised.
P3 Shadows sprays
Paint isn’t all we’re bringing to the table. This time, P3 Paints are coming to a spray can near you. But there are plenty of sprays out there, so what’s different about these?
Mat puts it best:
“I often paint over undercoats based on colour theory. Deep green, purple, magenta, navy, etcetera.
These ‘shadow colours’, if you will, act as deep chromatic primers, adding serious depth and interest to your final results without sacrificing saturation. We’ve developed these sprays to create that effect for you.
"There will be mono sprays, of course — we don’t want to leave gaps in your collection — but it’s the shadow colours we’re really excited about, and can’t wait for you guys to try out. The same blue paint is going to look very different over a deep maroon shadow versus a deep green shadow, or a warm versus a cool shadow. It’s literally a spectrum of possibilities.”
Thinning and mixing
When it comes to painting minis, how you modify your paints can have just as much impact as your brushwork. If you’ve ever struggled with paint that’s too thick, shiny, unpredictable, or hard to control, thinning and mixing mediums can make all the difference.
That’s why there are now two purpose-built tools to give you even more control over your paint’s opacity, flow, body, and drying behaviour: the new P3 Thinning Medium alongside the OG P3 Mixing Medium.
What is the new P3 Thinning Medium?
Bear with us, because we’re about to get scientific again:
P3 Thinning Medium is the pigmentless base we use to make P3 Paints. It contains the same acrylic resin system, flow characteristics, and surface finish behaviour as the coloured paints in the range — just without any pigment.
Why is this important? Because this fluid has exactly the same drying behaviour and properties as the P3 range, which makes it the ideal medium for diluting your P3 Paints.
Think of it as paint without colour, designed to let you dilute and control P3 Paints without destabilising them — super important for techniques that need high precision and stable layering.
Plus unlike water, which has different mineral and chemical content depending on where you’re located, this fluid is not only consistent, but entirely compatible with P3. Science, $%£^*!
Wondering when to thin and when to mix? We’ll go into more detail in a future update. Follow the Gamefound page to get notified.
Stick a brush in me, I’m done
If you’re thinking, “Where do I sign up?”, the answer is here on Gamefound. Follow the campaign now to stay updated and get notified when the campaign launches. We’ll see you there!
