Painting

Adeptus Custodes auramite gold and red

Warm auramite gold and red cloth give the Custodes their ceremonial contrast. Dark weapon frames, cool steel blades and selective bright gold reflections keep the armour, fittings and working parts distinct.

◉BrushDojoOfficial guide

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Colours on the model

Letters identify paints. The same letter can appear in several places.

Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 6

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Detailed instructions · 1

Prime Sagittarum pose one
Inspect the caliver seam and the step around the forward boot, remove any residue, then wash and dry the model. Spray Black Surface Primer in thin passes along the weapon, rotating once to cover the rear armour and underside.
Expected result
A fine black coat follows the advancing silhouette and leaves the long weapon perfectly readable.
Points to watch
Do not bend the visual line of the caliver with grainy primer or miss the rear boot.

Read the complete guide · 6

1. Prepare the model

Prime Sagittarum pose one
Where to paint: Whole model
Blackvallejo · 70.602
Inspect the caliver seam and the step around the forward boot, remove any residue, then wash and dry the model. Spray Black Surface Primer in thin passes along the weapon, rotating once to cover the rear armour and underside.
Expected result
A fine black coat follows the advancing silhouette and leaves the long weapon perfectly readable.
Points to watch
Do not bend the visual line of the caliver with grainy primer or miss the rear boot.

2. Apply the base colours

Auramite coverage
Where to paint: Gold armour and weapon panels
Retributor Armourcitadel · 21-35
Apply Retributor Armour to the broad chest and shoulder curves in thin coats, then rotate the miniature to reach the narrow strips beside the neck. On the gun, paint each stepped gold block separately so its black borders remain visible.
Expected result
Gold is opaque on the front and around both shoulders, and the weapon still reads as assembled from separate panels.
Points to watch
Do not join neighbouring gold gun blocks across their black seams.

3. Build the shadows

Structured shadow
Where to paint: Gold armour and weapon panels
Reikland Fleshshadecitadel · 24-24
Touch Reikland Fleshshade into the visor and undercuts, then pull a fine line under each gold weapon block. Clean the top faces before the shade dries so their geometry stays crisp.
Expected result
The visor and undercuts are deep, but every top-facing gold surface remains bright.
Points to watch
Do not tint the black shoulder vents brown.

4. Build the highlights

Cool upper light
Where to paint: Gold armour and weapon panels
Liberator Goldcitadel · 22-71
Stormhost Silvercitadel · 22-75
Glaze Liberator Gold onto the upper halves of these forms, following their facets rather than drawing one continuous line. Place Stormhost Silver on the crest tip and the nearest gun corner only.
Expected result
The cooler light separates the helmet and gun from the warm lower armour without making them silver.
Points to watch
Do not place silver along the full shoulder circumference.

5. Paint the details

Hidden cloth
Where to paint: Red cloth beneath the weapon
Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03
Agrax Earthshadecitadel · 24-15
Evil Sunz Scarletcitadel · 22-05
Fill the inset with Mephiston Red, place Agrax Earthshade along its lower seam, and pull a short Evil Sunz Scarlet stroke down the centre of the raised fold.
Expected result
The small cloth accent remains visible beneath the weapon without becoming a red weapon panel.
Points to watch
Do not paint the magazine lip, thigh armour or gun frame red.
Dark weapon body
Where to paint: Black weapon body and steel muzzle
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Corvus Blackcitadel · 21-44
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Block the deepest structure with Abaddon Black. Use Corvus Black on the broad magazine face, then sketch Eshin Grey along its outer curve and the two upper chassis corners.
Expected result
The magazine looks curved and the gold blocks remain visibly mounted on a dark chassis.
Points to watch
Do not grey the flexible elbow ribs or fill the gold-panel seams.
Muzzle focus
Where to paint: Black weapon body and steel muzzle
Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28
Nuln Oilcitadel · 24-14
Ironbreakercitadel · 22-59
Sweep Leadbelcher around the cylinder, then drop Nuln Oil into the bore and the back seam. Arc Ironbreaker around the upper-left quarter of the muzzle lip to match the cooler light.
Expected result
The muzzle projects forward as cold steel with a deep black bore and one controlled reflection.
Points to watch
Do not brighten the entire cylinder to white metal.

6. Finish the model

Quiet groundwork
Where to paint: Ground texture and rim of the base
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Dawnstonecitadel · 22-49
Set the ground to Abaddon Black, then drag a nearly dry Dawnstone brush across the centre texture. Finish by painting the rim black in one continuous pass.
Expected result
The centre texture is readable under the feet and the rim forms a clean dark circle.
Points to watch
Do not catch the gold toe caps with the dry brush.

All paints and materials (15)

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Retributor Armourcitadel · 21-35

Reikland Fleshshadecitadel · 24-24

Liberator Goldcitadel · 22-71

Stormhost Silvercitadel · 22-75

Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03

Agrax Earthshadecitadel · 24-15

Evil Sunz Scarletcitadel · 22-05

Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25

Corvus Blackcitadel · 21-44

Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51

Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28

Nuln Oilcitadel · 24-14

Ironbreakercitadel · 22-59

Dawnstonecitadel · 22-49

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Adeptus Custodes auramite gold and red

◉BrushDojoOfficial guide

Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 6

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Detailed instructions · 1

Prime Sagittarum pose one
Inspect the caliver seam and the step around the forward boot, remove any residue, then wash and dry the model. Spray Black Surface Primer in thin passes along the weapon, rotating once to cover the rear armour and underside.
Expected result
A fine black coat follows the advancing silhouette and leaves the long weapon perfectly readable.
Points to watch
Do not bend the visual line of the caliver with grainy primer or miss the rear boot.

Adeptus Custodes auramite gold and red

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prime Sagittarum pose one

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prime Sagittarum pose one

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Auramite coverage

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Structured shadow

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Cool upper light

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Paint the details

Hidden cloth

Expected result

Points to watch

Dark weapon body

Expected result

Points to watch

Muzzle focus

Expected result

Points to watch

6. Finish the model

Quiet groundwork

Expected result

Points to watch

Comments …

Adeptus Custodes auramite gold and red

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prime Sagittarum pose one

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prime Sagittarum pose one

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Auramite coverage

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Structured shadow

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Cool upper light

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Paint the details

Hidden cloth

Expected result

Points to watch

Dark weapon body

Expected result

Points to watch

Muzzle focus

Expected result

Points to watch

6. Finish the model

Quiet groundwork

Expected result

Points to watch

Comments …