Painting

Simian scorpion — ochre hide and crimson chitin

Ochre skin meets deep crimson tail plates, with a pale muzzle and dark claws and sting. Amber eyes and smaller highlights near the face keep the simian scorpion's organic skin separate from its hard chitin.

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Colours on the model

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

Simian scorpion — ochre hide and crimson chitin

Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 6

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Greyvallejo · 70.601

Detailed instructions · 1

Clean and prime the creature
Remove print residue and support marks, taking care between the claws and beneath the tail. Wash the miniature in warm water with a little dish soap, rinse and let it dry completely. Brush on a thin Grey Surface Primer coat, turning the model to reach beneath the chin and arms.
Expected result
Primer covers the underside as well as the face without softening the claws.
Points to watch
Do not fill the narrow space between the tail and head.

Read the complete guide · 6

1. Prepare the model

Clean and prime the creature
Where to paint: Whole model
Greyvallejo · 70.601
Remove print residue and support marks, taking care between the claws and beneath the tail. Wash the miniature in warm water with a little dish soap, rinse and let it dry completely. Brush on a thin Grey Surface Primer coat, turning the model to reach beneath the chin and arms.
Expected result
Primer covers the underside as well as the face without softening the claws.
Points to watch
Do not fill the narrow space between the tail and head.

2. Apply the base colours

Paint the ochre skin
Where to paint: Ochre skin on the limbs and around the eyes
Balor Browncitadel · 22-43
Paint the limbs and skin around the eyes with thin Balor Brown coats until the grey no longer shows through. Include the underside, stopping at the pale muzzle, eyeballs and red tail.
Expected result
The skin has an even ochre base with clear borders around the muzzle.
Points to watch
Keep ochre out of the eyeballs and between the lips.
Give the tail a deep red base
Where to paint: Red chitin segments of the curled tail
Khorne Redcitadel · 21-04
Coat the chitin segments with Khorne Red, including their undersides. Stop at the dark sting and flexible joints.
Expected result
The tail plates are deep red with their boundaries intact.
Points to watch
Do not turn the pointed sting red.
Paint the black details and deepest recesses
Where to paint: Claws, sting and dark tail joints
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Paint the claws, sting and exposed tail joints with Abaddon Black. Add a thin black line inside each eyelid rim, then paint the deep mouth behind the tongue. Keep the ochre fingers, red plates, lip and tongue clear of black.
Expected result
The claws and sting are dark and clearly separate from skin and red shell.
Points to watch
Keep black off the ochre fingers.
Paint the pale muzzle
Where to paint: Pale muzzle and lower lip exterior
Zandri Dustcitadel · 21-16
Apply Zandri Dust to the broad muzzle and the outer lower lip, carefully tracing the corners of the mouth.
Expected result
The pale muzzle is neatly separated from the ochre brows.
Points to watch
Leave the inner lip and tongue unpainted by this colour.
Paint the soft mouth tissue
Where to paint: Inner lip and tongue
Khorne Redcitadel · 21-04
Cadian Fleshtonecitadel · 22-36
Mix Khorne Red with Cadian Fleshtone for a muted pink. Paint the inner lip and tongue, keeping the throat in shadow.
Expected result
A narrow pink lip surrounds a dark mouth interior.
Points to watch
Do not spread pink onto the ochre cheeks.
Paint the amber eyes
Where to paint: Large amber eyes
Balor Browncitadel · 22-43
Skrag Browncitadel · 22-40
Mix Balor Brown with a little Skrag Brown and paint both eyeballs. Leave a thin dark boundary at the lids.
Expected result
Both eyes have the same warm amber colour.
Points to watch
Do not cover the surrounding skin with amber.

3. Build the shadows

Shade the wrinkles
Where to paint: Ochre skin on the limbs and around the eyes
Agrax Earthshadecitadel · 24-15
Use Agrax Earthshade in the wrinkles around the eyes, at the elbows and between the digits. Lift any shade that pools on the smooth upper arms.
Expected result
The wrinkles stand out without brown stains on the smooth skin.
Points to watch
Do not darken the whole face with a heavy shade coat.
Darken the segment overlaps
Where to paint: Red chitin segments of the curled tail
Rhinox Hidecitadel · 21-22
Thin Rhinox Hide and apply it beneath each overlapping tail plate. Keep these shadows narrow rather than covering the whole segment.
Expected result
Each segment is separated by a deep brown shadow.
Points to watch
Do not leave thick paint in the joint lines.
Shade the muzzle creases
Where to paint: Pale muzzle and lower lip exterior
Seraphim Sepiacitadel · 24-23
Run a small amount of Seraphim Sepia through the sculpted creases above the mouth and beneath the lower lip.
Expected result
Warm shadows define the mouth without staining the centre of the muzzle.
Points to watch
Do not fill the horizontal creases with a thick brown line.
Shade the lower half of the amber eyes
Where to paint: Large amber eyes
Rhinox Hidecitadel · 21-22
Thin Rhinox Hide to a transparent brown. Brush it over the lower half of each iris, keeping the amber brightest above. Repeat only near the lower lid to make the transition gradual.
Expected result
Both irises darken gradually towards the lower lids.
Points to watch
Do not cover the entire iris or paint the pupils yet.

4. Build the highlights

Restore the ochre between the wrinkles
Where to paint: Ochre skin on the limbs and around the eyes
Balor Browncitadel · 22-43
Reapply Balor Brown where the shade stained the upper arms or brows. Leave Agrax Earthshade inside the wrinkles, keeping a clean ochre area for the lighter layers.
Expected result
Ochre surfaces are clean and the wrinkles remain dark.
Points to watch
Do not cover the pale muzzle.
Soften the skin highlights
Where to paint: Ochre skin on the limbs and around the eyes
Balor Browncitadel · 22-43
Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32
Mix a little Ushabti Bone into Balor Brown. Build translucent layers on the brows and tops of the forearms, narrowing each pass towards the highest curves. Keep the ochre midtone visible around them.
Expected result
The limbs look rounded, with soft transitions into the shaded folds.
Points to watch
Do not draw a pale contour around every wrinkle.
Warm the upper tail plates
Where to paint: Red chitin segments of the curled tail
Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03
Build thin Mephiston Red layers over the exposed upper curves of the tail plates. Keep Khorne Red visible below and Rhinox Hide at the overlaps.
Expected result
The tail has a warm red sheen without looking like polished metal.
Points to watch
Avoid bright orange stripes around every segment.
Define the sharp edges
Where to paint: Claws, sting and dark tail joints
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Paint Eshin Grey along the upper edges of the claws and sting. Keep the broad lower faces and flexible tail joints black.
Expected result
Small grey highlights show the points without making them silver.
Points to watch
Do not paint every claw face light grey.
Brighten the muzzle
Where to paint: Pale muzzle and lower lip exterior
Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32
Layer Ushabti Bone over the raised centre of the muzzle and the rounded outer lip. Thin the paint so the sandy base still shows at the edges.
Expected result
The muzzle is lighter than the limbs, with no chalky border.
Points to watch
Do not highlight the inside of the mouth with bone colour.
Light the lower lip
Where to paint: Inner lip and tongue
Cadian Fleshtonecitadel · 22-36
Place a thin Cadian Fleshtone highlight on the forward curve of the lower lip and a small stroke on the tongue.
Expected result
The lip has a soft fleshy highlight, not a white stripe.
Points to watch
Keep the highlight out of the deep corners of the mouth.
Add the brightest skin accents
Where to paint: Ochre skin on the limbs and around the eyes
Balor Browncitadel · 22-43
Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32
Add more Ushabti Bone to the earlier Balor Brown mix. Place small highlights at the tops of the brows and on the foremost forearm curves. Keep these pale accents inside the broader ochre highlights.
Expected result
The eyes and front limbs attract attention without pale outlines everywhere.
Points to watch
Do not add new wrinkles or speckled texture.
Add warm highlights to the tail ridges
Where to paint: Red chitin segments of the curled tail
Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03
Skrag Browncitadel · 22-40
Mix a little Skrag Brown into Mephiston Red. Add short, narrow highlights to the highest ridges of the forward-facing tail plates. Keep the larger red layers visible around them.
Expected result
Small warm accents sit within the red without turning the tail orange.
Points to watch
Do not outline every segment.
Sharpen the small grey tip highlights
Where to paint: Claws, sting and dark tail joints
Dawnstonecitadel · 22-49
Add a very short Dawnstone highlight near each claw tip and the point of the sting. Keep it inside the earlier Eshin Grey line.
Expected result
The tips are crisp, with black still covering most of each claw.
Points to watch
Do not use silver paint on these surfaces.

5. Paint the details

Paint matching round pupils
Where to paint: Large amber eyes
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Paint a round Abaddon Black pupil in each eye. Check the face from the front so both pupils look in the same direction, leaving amber visible around them.
Expected result
The pupils have a consistent size and direction.
Points to watch
Do not cover the whole amber iris with black.
Add matching eye reflections
Where to paint: Large amber eyes
White Scarcitadel · 22-57
Place one tiny White Scar dot at the upper left of each dry pupil, using the same position and size in both eyes.
Expected result
Both eyes share one light direction and retain distinct black pupils.
Points to watch
Keep the white dots much smaller than the pupils.

6. Finish the model

Inspect every material and clean the skin borders
Where to paint: Ochre skin on the limbs and around the eyes
Balor Browncitadel · 22-43
Inspect the creature from all sides and underneath. Check every claw, the hidden tail segments, the chin and the mouth for missed paint; revisit the relevant colour step if necessary. Use Balor Brown to remove stray black, red or pale marks from the skin borders without covering the finished highlights.
Expected result
All visible surfaces are finished, with distinct materials and matching eyes.
Points to watch
Do not add a base, new scales or metallic claw colours.

All paints and materials (15)

Greyvallejo · 70.601

Balor Browncitadel · 22-43

Agrax Earthshadecitadel · 24-15

Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32

Khorne Redcitadel · 21-04

Rhinox Hidecitadel · 21-22

Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03

Skrag Browncitadel · 22-40

Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25

Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51

Dawnstonecitadel · 22-49

Zandri Dustcitadel · 21-16

Seraphim Sepiacitadel · 24-23

Cadian Fleshtonecitadel · 22-36

White Scarcitadel · 22-57

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Simian scorpion — ochre hide and crimson chitin

◉BrushDojoOfficial guide

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

Greyvallejo · 70.601

Detailed instructions · 1

Clean and prime the creature
Remove print residue and support marks, taking care between the claws and beneath the tail. Wash the miniature in warm water with a little dish soap, rinse and let it dry completely. Brush on a thin Grey Surface Primer coat, turning the model to reach beneath the chin and arms.
Expected result
Primer covers the underside as well as the face without softening the claws.
Points to watch
Do not fill the narrow space between the tail and head.

Simian scorpion — ochre hide and crimson chitin

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Clean and prime the creature

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Clean and prime the creature

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Paint the ochre skin

Expected result

Points to watch

Give the tail a deep red base

Expected result

Points to watch

Paint the black details and deepest recesses

Expected result

Points to watch

Paint the pale muzzle

Expected result

Points to watch

Paint the soft mouth tissue

Expected result

Points to watch

Paint the amber eyes

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Shade the wrinkles

Expected result

Points to watch

Darken the segment overlaps

Expected result

Points to watch

Shade the muzzle creases

Expected result

Points to watch

Shade the lower half of the amber eyes

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Restore the ochre between the wrinkles

Expected result

Points to watch

Soften the skin highlights

Expected result

Points to watch

Warm the upper tail plates

Expected result

Points to watch

Define the sharp edges

Expected result

Points to watch

Brighten the muzzle

Expected result

Points to watch

Light the lower lip

Expected result

Points to watch

Add the brightest skin accents

Expected result

Points to watch

Add warm highlights to the tail ridges

Expected result

Points to watch

Sharpen the small grey tip highlights

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Paint the details

Paint matching round pupils

Expected result

Points to watch

Add matching eye reflections

Expected result

Points to watch

6. Finish the model