Painting

Sable and cream ferret

Sable-brown fur meets a cream face and throat around a dark eye mask. Soft colour boundaries, small facial details and a warm grey base keep the ferret's finish natural and understated.

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Colours on the model

Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 7

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Greyvallejo · 70.601

Detailed instructions · 1

Clean the print and apply primer
Remove support scars and visible seams without sanding away the toes or facial features. For a filament print, wash with mild soapy water; for resin, complete the washing and curing process specified by its maker. Let the model dry fully. Apply Grey Surface Primer in thin passes from different directions, reaching under the belly and between the tail and base.
Expected result
The primer is even and thin; the eyes, nose and toes remain clearly defined.
Points to watch
Do not paint damp or incompletely cured resin, or fill the mouth seam with primer.

Read the complete guide · 7

1. Prepare the model

Clean the print and apply primer
Where to paint: Whole model
Greyvallejo · 70.601
Remove support scars and visible seams without sanding away the toes or facial features. For a filament print, wash with mild soapy water; for resin, complete the washing and curing process specified by its maker. Let the model dry fully. Apply Grey Surface Primer in thin passes from different directions, reaching under the belly and between the tail and base.
Expected result
The primer is even and thin; the eyes, nose and toes remain clearly defined.
Points to watch
Do not paint damp or incompletely cured resin, or fill the mouth seam with primer.

2. Apply the base colours

Paint the brown coat
Where to paint: Brown coat, legs and tail
Rhinox Hidecitadel · 21-22
Mournfang Browncitadel · 21-20
Mix Rhinox Hide and Mournfang Brown equally. Apply two thin coats over the body, legs, tail and crown of the head. Use the same brown around the eyes to establish the mask, leaving the actual eyeballs for later. Let each coat dry completely.
Expected result
The brown is opaque and even, with no rough brush ridges.
Points to watch
Do not paint fur strands as raised lines or thicken the tail silhouette.
Paint the pale face and throat
Where to paint: Cream forehead, muzzle and throat
Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32
Apply Ushabti Bone to the forehead, muzzle, chin and throat in thin layers until the colour is even. Keep a dark brown mask around both eyes. At the sides of the throat, use small, soft brush marks to blend the cream edge into the brown rather than drawing a hard straight border.
Expected result
The cream face contrasts with the eye mask, and the throat patch has a soft edge.
Points to watch
Do not cover the eye mask or leave thick chalky paint around the muzzle.
Paint the oval base
Where to paint: Warm grey base with black rim
Mournfang Browncitadel · 21-20
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Mix three parts Eshin Grey with one part Mournfang Brown for a warm grey base top. Apply two thin coats, carefully working between the feet and beneath the tail. Paint the outer rim Abaddon Black. Keep the existing stepped profile crisp.
Expected result
The base is fully painted, including the narrow areas around the paws.
Points to watch
Do not add rocks or grass that hide the original base and feet.

3. Build the shadows

Deepen the legs, tail and belly shadows
Where to paint: Brown coat, legs and tail
Rhinox Hidecitadel · 21-22
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Thin Rhinox Hide and deepen the lower legs, tail and underside of the belly with several translucent coats. Add a little Abaddon Black for the deepest shadows where the legs meet the body and the tail touches the base. Darken the eye mask carefully, without widening it across the cream forehead.
Expected result
The dark paws and tail remain brown rather than flat black.
Points to watch
Do not flood the face with a wash or leave dark rings around every contour.

4. Build the highlights

Lighten the back and flanks
Where to paint: Brown coat, legs and tail
Mournfang Browncitadel · 21-20
Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32
Thin Mournfang Brown and build soft highlights on the upper back, shoulders and haunches. Add a little Ushabti Bone for the next two highlights, covering less area each time. Follow the length of the body with small brush marks; suggest the fur through colour, without painting a dense field of individual hairs.
Expected result
The back is warm and softly lit, while the lower body stays dark.
Points to watch
Do not use heavy drybrushing or make the smooth sculpt look furry in silhouette.
Brighten the pale face
Where to paint: Cream forehead, muzzle and throat
Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32
Corax Whitecitadel · 21-52
Mix Ushabti Bone with a small amount of Corax White. Apply a thin highlight to the forehead, nose bridge and upper muzzle, then soften its edge with diluted Ushabti Bone. Use a weaker highlight on the throat so the face remains the brightest area. Keep the chin shadow warmer and darker.
Expected result
The face is bright cream, with smooth transitions rather than stark white patches.
Points to watch
Keep pale paint out of the eye mask and mouth seam.

5. Paint the details

Paint the eyes, nose and ears
Where to paint: Eyes, nose, ears and claws
Rhinox Hidecitadel · 21-22
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Corax Whitecitadel · 21-52
Bugman Glowcitadel · 21-18
Cadian Fleshtonecitadel · 22-36
Paint the nose and inner ears with Bugman Glow, then add a small Cadian Fleshtone highlight near their upper edges. Paint the sculpted eyes Abaddon Black and place one tiny Corax White dot high on each visible eye. Use Rhinox Hide to define the mouth seam and mix a little of it into Cadian Fleshtone for the small claws. Do not add whiskers.
Expected result
The expression is clear, with small neat eyes and a warm pink-brown nose.
Points to watch
Do not enlarge the eyeballs, paint white rings around them or alter the shape of the muzzle.

6. Add effects and weathering

Soften the remaining colour boundaries
Where to paint: Brown coat, legs and tail
Rhinox Hidecitadel · 21-22
Mournfang Browncitadel · 21-20
Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32
Turn the model and check both flanks and the back of every leg. Where a highlight ends abruptly, apply a transparent mix of Mournfang Brown and a little Rhinox Hide along that boundary. On a pale-to-brown boundary, use a thin intermediate mix with Ushabti Bone instead. Let each pass dry and stop as soon as the hard edge disappears.
Expected result
All sides have smooth, consistent shading; the cream muzzle and throat stay distinct.
Points to watch
Do not glaze the whole body uniformly or erase the contrast between legs and back.

7. Finish the model

Finish the warm grey base
Where to paint: Warm grey base with black rim
Mournfang Browncitadel · 21-20
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Add a little Ushabti Bone to the warm grey base mixture. Apply a few thin, broad, overlapping patches across the top, leaving darker paint beside the feet and under the tail. Keep the variation subtle, like painted stone rather than added rubble. Clean the entire outer rim with Abaddon Black.
Expected result
The plain base supports the figure without competing with its face.
Points to watch
Do not cover the base with dense speckles or paint over the claws.
Protect the finish
Where to paint: Eyes, nose, ears and claws
Mecha Matt Varnishvallejo · 69.702
Mecha Satin Varnishvallejo · 69.703
When every paint layer is fully dry, apply a thin coat of Mecha Matt Varnish to the model and base. Test it on a spare painted sample first. After it dries, add a tiny amount of Mecha Satin Varnish only to the eyes and nose. Check from several angles for pooled varnish or accidental glossy patches on the body.
Expected result
The coat stays matte; the small eyes and nose catch a restrained highlight.
Points to watch
Do not varnish wet paint or make the whole animal glossy.

All paints and materials (11)

Greyvallejo · 70.601

Rhinox Hidecitadel · 21-22

Mournfang Browncitadel · 21-20

Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25

Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32

Corax Whitecitadel · 21-52

Bugman Glowcitadel · 21-18

Cadian Fleshtonecitadel · 22-36

Mecha Matt Varnishvallejo · 69.702

Mecha Satin Varnishvallejo · 69.703

Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51

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Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 7

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Greyvallejo · 70.601

Detailed instructions · 1

Clean the print and apply primer
Remove support scars and visible seams without sanding away the toes or facial features. For a filament print, wash with mild soapy water; for resin, complete the washing and curing process specified by its maker. Let the model dry fully. Apply Grey Surface Primer in thin passes from different directions, reaching under the belly and between the tail and base.
Expected result
The primer is even and thin; the eyes, nose and toes remain clearly defined.
Points to watch
Do not paint damp or incompletely cured resin, or fill the mouth seam with primer.

Sable and cream ferret

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Clean the print and apply primer

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Clean the print and apply primer

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Paint the brown coat

Expected result

Points to watch

Paint the pale face and throat

Expected result

Points to watch

Paint the oval base

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Deepen the legs, tail and belly shadows

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Lighten the back and flanks

Expected result

Points to watch

Brighten the pale face

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Paint the details

Paint the eyes, nose and ears

Expected result

Points to watch

6. Add effects and weathering

Soften the remaining colour boundaries

Expected result

Points to watch

7. Finish the model

Finish the warm grey base

Expected result

Points to watch

Protect the finish

Expected result

Points to watch

Comments …

Sable and cream ferret

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Clean the print and apply primer

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Clean the print and apply primer

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Paint the brown coat

Expected result

Points to watch

Paint the pale face and throat

Expected result

Points to watch

Paint the oval base

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Deepen the legs, tail and belly shadows

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Lighten the back and flanks

Expected result

Points to watch

Brighten the pale face