Painting

Caestus — blue and ivory

Deep blue hull panels meet warm ivory markings on this Caestus. Dark openings, steel engines and small brass fasteners give the broad armour surfaces a crisp mechanical frame.

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Colours on the model

Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 6

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Detailed instructions · 1

Prepare the hull
Inspect the Caestus hull, clear support marks around its thin fins and grille openings, and remove dust. If the parts were resin printed, wash and cure them as the resin maker directs; then let every part dry completely. Apply thin even Black Surface Primer passes above and below, leaving the slots open.
Expected result
The dry primer covers every face evenly; fins and grille slots remain sharp.
Points to watch
Do not use a thick coat to hide a seam or bridge an open slot.

Read the complete guide · 6

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the hull
Where to paint: Whole model
Blackvallejo · 70.602
Inspect the Caestus hull, clear support marks around its thin fins and grille openings, and remove dust. If the parts were resin printed, wash and cure them as the resin maker directs; then let every part dry completely. Apply thin even Black Surface Primer passes above and below, leaving the slots open.
Expected result
The dry primer covers every face evenly; fins and grille slots remain sharp.
Points to watch
Do not use a thick coat to hide a seam or bridge an open slot.

2. Apply the base colours

Establish the blue hull colour
Where to paint: Blue hull and ram housings
Macragge Bluecitadel · 21-08
Cover these large panels with thin Macragge Blue coats, allowing each pass to dry before filling a missed patch.
Expected result
The blue is even and the panel joins remain sharp.
Points to watch
Keep the grille faces and pale front plates clear of blue paint.
Block in the warm ivory markings
Where to paint: Ivory stripes and forward ram plates
Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32
Build Ushabti Bone over the primer in several thin passes; guide the brush around the open slots rather than bridging them.
Expected result
The ivory fields are opaque without closing the nose slots.
Points to watch
Do not widen the stripes across neighbouring blue panels.
Give the deep openings a dark foundation
Where to paint: Blue hull and ram housings
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Run Abaddon Black into the recesses with a pointed brush, leaving the raised grille bars and engine rims for their later metal coat.
Expected result
The openings read as deep black behind the raised details.
Points to watch
Do not black out the entire ivory grille face.
Lay down the engine steel
Where to paint: Engines, grilles and small brass fittings
Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28
Brush Leadbelcher onto the raised metal, rotating the model to reach the lower fittings while keeping the dark openings intact.
Expected result
The steel surfaces are continuous and the vent interiors stay black.
Points to watch
Do not smear metallic paint across the blue wing panels.
Pick out the small brass fasteners
Where to paint: Engines, grilles and small brass fittings
Retributor Armourcitadel · 21-35
Touch Retributor Armour to each existing fastener head with the side of a small brush; stop at the rim of the fitting.
Expected result
Each brass point is distinct from the ivory plate behind it.
Points to watch
Do not scatter gold spots over plain hull areas.

3. Build the shadows

Deepen the underside of the blue armour
Where to paint: Blue hull and ram housings
Kantor Bluecitadel · 21-07
Glaze diluted Kantor Blue along these downward planes, feathering its upper edge into the dry Macragge Blue.
Expected result
The lower blue planes recede without a hard dark stripe.
Points to watch
Keep the upper wing fields clear of this deep shade.
Warm the joins around the pale plates
Where to paint: Ivory stripes and forward ram plates
Seraphim Sepiacitadel · 24-23
Glaze Mediumak-interactive · AK11233
Mix one part Seraphim Sepia with two parts AK Glaze Medium and place the translucent shade only in these seams.
Expected result
The joints are warm and dark while the broad ivory faces stay clean.
Points to watch
Lift any pooling wash before it dries into a ring.
Define the steel recesses
Where to paint: Engines, grilles and small brass fittings
Nuln Oilcitadel · 24-14
Place Nuln Oil against the steel joins with a fine brush, drawing excess wash away from the flat cylinder faces.
Expected result
The engine rims remain metallic but their seams are dark.
Points to watch
Do not flood the narrow grille openings.
Give the brass heads a dark edge
Where to paint: Engines, grilles and small brass fittings
Agrax Earthshadecitadel · 24-15
Touch Agrax Earthshade around each fastener base without spreading it across the adjacent ivory.
Expected result
The brass fittings have shaded roots and readable raised faces.
Points to watch
Do not turn the entire nose plate brown.

4. Build the highlights

Restore the middle of the blue panels
Where to paint: Blue hull and ram housings
Macragge Bluecitadel · 21-08
Glaze Macragge Blue back over the panel centres, leaving a narrow band of the darker blue visible below.
Expected result
The midtone joins the lower shade without an abrupt boundary.
Points to watch
Do not cover every trace of the Kantor Blue recess shade.
Clean the ivory after the sepia shade
Where to paint: Ivory stripes and forward ram plates
Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32
Return Ushabti Bone to the broad faces with controlled strokes, stopping short of the warm seam shadows.
Expected result
The ivory reads as clean panels framed by restrained warm recesses.
Points to watch
Do not fill the shaded joins with the base colour.
Lift the upper blue planes
Where to paint: Blue hull and ram housings
Calgar Bluecitadel · 22-16
Feather thin Calgar Blue towards the light-facing centres of these planes, keeping Macragge Blue visible at their edges.
Expected result
The upper planes brighten smoothly while the lower blue remains deeper.
Points to watch
Do not cover a whole panel with the highlight colour.
Brighten the forward ivory bevels
Where to paint: Ivory stripes and forward ram plates
Screaming Skullcitadel · 22-33
Blend a little Screaming Skull over the upper ivory faces, narrowing the stroke as it reaches the forward bevels.
Expected result
The pale plates have a narrow bright front edge and a softer upper plane.
Points to watch
Keep the front slots dark instead of outlining their interiors white.
Return light to the steel rims
Where to paint: Engines, grilles and small brass fittings
Ironbreakercitadel · 22-59
Draw Ironbreaker along the upper metal ridges, leaving the Nuln Oil in their joints untouched.
Expected result
The metal catches light on raised surfaces while its seams retain depth.
Points to watch
Do not repaint the entire cylinder bright silver.
Catch light on the brass fasteners
Where to paint: Engines, grilles and small brass fittings
Liberator Goldcitadel · 22-71
Place a tiny Liberator Gold stroke on each raised upper edge, preserving the Agrax Earthshade at its base.
Expected result
Each fastener shows one clear lit edge above a shaded root.
Points to watch
Do not enlarge the fittings with broad gold dots.
Sharpen only the blue focal edges
Where to paint: Blue hull and ram housings
Fenrisian Greycitadel · 22-68
Add a few short Fenrisian Grey lines where those edges face the studio light; break each line before the next panel join.
Expected result
The nose draws the eye without a pale outline around every panel.
Points to watch
Leave the rearward and underside edges subdued.
Add sparse bright steel reflections
Where to paint: Engines, grilles and small brass fittings
Silvervallejo · 70.997
Touch Vallejo Silver to two or three contact corners, making each mark smaller than the Ironbreaker ridge beneath it.
Expected result
The brightest metal points are few and aligned with the upper light.
Points to watch
Do not draw a continuous silver ring around either engine.

5. Add effects and weathering

Mark a few impact chips
Where to paint: Forward armour edges
Rhinox Hidecitadel · 21-22
Use the brush tip to place small irregular Rhinox Hide chips only where these corners would meet an obstacle.
Expected result
The wear is concentrated at plausible contact points.
Points to watch
Leave the large flat blue panels mostly clean.
Give the blue chips a lit lower lip
Where to paint: Forward armour edges
Calgar Bluecitadel · 22-16
Place a shorter Calgar Blue stroke under each selected dark chip, following the actual edge rather than inventing a new crack.
Expected result
A few blue chips show depth through a dark mark and a small lower reflection.
Points to watch
Do not place a light lip under every speck.
Light the few chips on ivory
Where to paint: Forward armour edges
Screaming Skullcitadel · 22-33
Add one tiny Screaming Skull dash beneath each chosen mark; let most of the pale plate remain unweathered.
Expected result
The ivory wear reads at the impact corners without becoming a spotted pattern.
Points to watch
Do not extend these pale dashes into the open grille slots.

6. Finish the model

Control any distracting gloss
Where to paint: Forward armour edges
Mecha Matt Varnishvallejo · 69.702
After every colour is fully dry, brush a thin coat of Vallejo Mecha Matt Varnish over those glossy patches, keeping the bright metal points untouched.
Expected result
The broad hull has a consistent matte finish and the selected metal still catches light.
Points to watch
Do not bury the grille slots beneath varnish.

All paints and materials (19)

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Macragge Bluecitadel · 21-08

Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32

Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25

Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28

Retributor Armourcitadel · 21-35

Kantor Bluecitadel · 21-07

Calgar Bluecitadel · 22-16

Fenrisian Greycitadel · 22-68

Seraphim Sepiacitadel · 24-23

Glaze Mediumak-interactive · AK11233

Screaming Skullcitadel · 22-33

Nuln Oilcitadel · 24-14

Ironbreakercitadel · 22-59

Silvervallejo · 70.997

Agrax Earthshadecitadel · 24-15

Liberator Goldcitadel · 22-71

Rhinox Hidecitadel · 21-22

Mecha Matt Varnishvallejo · 69.702

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Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 6

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Detailed instructions · 1

Prepare the hull
Inspect the Caestus hull, clear support marks around its thin fins and grille openings, and remove dust. If the parts were resin printed, wash and cure them as the resin maker directs; then let every part dry completely. Apply thin even Black Surface Primer passes above and below, leaving the slots open.
Expected result
The dry primer covers every face evenly; fins and grille slots remain sharp.
Points to watch
Do not use a thick coat to hide a seam or bridge an open slot.

Caestus — blue and ivory

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prepare the hull

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the hull

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Establish the blue hull colour

Expected result

Points to watch

Block in the warm ivory markings

Expected result

Points to watch

Give the deep openings a dark foundation

Expected result

Points to watch

Lay down the engine steel

Expected result

Points to watch

Pick out the small brass fasteners

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Deepen the underside of the blue armour

Expected result

Points to watch

Warm the joins around the pale plates

Expected result

Points to watch

Define the steel recesses

Expected result

Points to watch

Give the brass heads a dark edge

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Restore the middle of the blue panels

Expected result

Points to watch

Clean the ivory after the sepia shade

Expected result

Points to watch

Lift the upper blue planes

Expected result

Points to watch

Brighten the forward ivory bevels

Expected result

Points to watch

Return light to the steel rims

Expected result

Points to watch

Catch light on the brass fasteners

Expected result

Points to watch

Sharpen only the blue focal edges

Expected result

Points to watch

Add sparse bright steel reflections

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Add effects and weathering

Mark a few impact chips

Expected result

Points to watch

Give the blue chips a lit lower lip

Expected result

Points to watch

Light the few chips on ivory

Expected result

Points to watch

6. Finish the model

Control any distracting gloss

Expected result

Points to watch