Painting

Camargue horse — ivory and soft grey

Ivory-white coat and a warm pale mane are shaped with soft grey muscle shadows. Dark hooves, a shaded muzzle and restrained eye reflections keep the Camargue horse light without losing its anatomy.

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Colours on the model

Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 5

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Greyvallejo · 70.601

Detailed instructions · 1

Clean and prime the horse
Remove supports and tidy the contact marks, protecting the lifted hoof and loose mane tips. Complete the cleaning and curing required for your printing material, wash off the remaining dust and let the model dry. Apply thin coats of Grey Surface Primer. Check the belly, inner legs and tail underside from several angles.
Expected result
Primer covers every surface without filling the mane grooves.
Points to watch
Do not force a brush between fragile strands or prime a damp model.

Read the complete guide · 5

1. Prepare the model

Clean and prime the horse
Where to paint: Whole model
Greyvallejo · 70.601
Remove supports and tidy the contact marks, protecting the lifted hoof and loose mane tips. Complete the cleaning and curing required for your printing material, wash off the remaining dust and let the model dry. Apply thin coats of Grey Surface Primer. Check the belly, inner legs and tail underside from several angles.
Expected result
Primer covers every surface without filling the mane grooves.
Points to watch
Do not force a brush between fragile strands or prime a damp model.

2. Apply the base colours

A light grey base for the coat
Where to paint: White coat
Celestra Greycitadel · 21-26
Ivoryvallejo · 70.918
Mix equal parts Celestra Grey and Ivory. Cover the coat with two thin layers, letting each dry. Work around the muscles rather than letting paint collect in the hollows. Keep the hooves and muzzle tip separate for their dark base.
Expected result
The coat is evenly covered and the muscle shapes remain clear.
Points to watch
Avoid a thick white coat that hides the anatomy.
Warm pale mane and tail
Where to paint: Mane and tail
Ivoryvallejo · 70.918
Karak Stonecitadel · 22-35
Add two parts Ivory to one part Karak Stone. Paint the mane and tail, turning the model to reach the strands near the neck and hind legs. Keep the mixture thin in the deep grooves and retain their shadows.
Expected result
The mane and tail are warmer than the body, with every strand painted.
Points to watch
Do not leave primer on the hidden sides of the tail.
Dark hooves, muzzle and eyes
Where to paint: Hooves, muzzle and eyes
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Rhinox Hidecitadel · 21-22
Paint the hooves with Abaddon Black mixed with Eshin Grey. Use Eshin Grey on the muzzle tip, feathering it into the pale coat with a nearly empty damp brush. Paint nostrils black and eyes Rhinox Hide with a narrow black edge. Check the raised hoof from underneath.
Expected result
All hooves are painted and the grey muzzle fades into the white face.
Points to watch
Keep black away from the white fetlock hair.

3. Build the shadows

Soft shadows around the muscles
Where to paint: White coat
Celestra Greycitadel · 21-26
Dawnstonecitadel · 22-49
Add a little Dawnstone to Celestra Grey and thin the mix until translucent. Build soft shadows beneath the neck and belly, inside the legs and around the shoulder hollows. Let every pass dry, then soften its edge with the base mix. Keep the upper back mostly untouched.
Expected result
Muscles are readable without dark outlines.
Points to watch
Do not shade every muscle with a hard grey line.

4. Build the highlights

White highlights on the coat
Where to paint: White coat
Celestra Greycitadel · 21-26
Ivoryvallejo · 70.918
White Scarcitadel · 22-57
Layer Ivory over the raised muscles, using broad thin strokes on the flank. Add White Scar gradually and reduce the area of each lighter layer. Keep the strongest light on the upper back, forehead and shoulder. Soften visible edges with a thin Celestra Grey and Ivory mix.
Expected result
The body looks white, with smooth changes from light to shadow.
Points to watch
Do not stipple dense dapples or paint a metallic shine.
Pick out the flowing strands
Where to paint: Mane and tail
Ivoryvallejo · 70.918
White Scarcitadel · 22-57
Run Ivory along the raised strands without filling the gaps. Mix in White Scar for shorter highlights on the upper curls. Leave some warmer base colour near the roots and between the locks. Follow only the sculpted strands, and check the whole horse before adding more white.
Expected result
The mane and tail have bright ridges and soft warm recesses.
Points to watch
Avoid chalky drybrush dust across the neck.

5. Paint the details

Finish hooves and expression
Where to paint: Hooves, muzzle and eyes
Dawnstonecitadel · 22-49
White Scarcitadel · 22-57
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Add Dawnstone to Eshin Grey and paint a short vertical highlight on each hoof, leaving the edges and sole dark. Use the same muted grey on the upper muzzle. Place a small black pupil in each brown eye and a tiny White Scar reflection. Keep the coat matte; gloss, if used, belongs only on the eyes.
Expected result
Hooves stay dark and the eyes look in a consistent direction.
Points to watch
Do not turn the hooves silver or make large white eye spots.

All paints and materials (9)

Greyvallejo · 70.601

Celestra Greycitadel · 21-26

Ivoryvallejo · 70.918

Dawnstonecitadel · 22-49

White Scarcitadel · 22-57

Karak Stonecitadel · 22-35

Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25

Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51

Rhinox Hidecitadel · 21-22

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Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 5

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Greyvallejo · 70.601

Detailed instructions · 1

Clean and prime the horse
Remove supports and tidy the contact marks, protecting the lifted hoof and loose mane tips. Complete the cleaning and curing required for your printing material, wash off the remaining dust and let the model dry. Apply thin coats of Grey Surface Primer. Check the belly, inner legs and tail underside from several angles.
Expected result
Primer covers every surface without filling the mane grooves.
Points to watch
Do not force a brush between fragile strands or prime a damp model.

Camargue horse — ivory and soft grey

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Clean and prime the horse

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Clean and prime the horse

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

A light grey base for the coat

Expected result

Points to watch

Warm pale mane and tail

Expected result

Points to watch

Dark hooves, muzzle and eyes

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Soft shadows around the muscles

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

White highlights on the coat

Expected result

Points to watch

Pick out the flowing strands

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Paint the details

Finish hooves and expression

Expected result

Points to watch

Comments …

Camargue horse — ivory and soft grey

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Clean and prime the horse

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Clean and prime the horse

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

A light grey base for the coat

Expected result

Points to watch

Warm pale mane and tail

Expected result

Points to watch

Dark hooves, muzzle and eyes

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Soft shadows around the muscles

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

White highlights on the coat

Expected result

Points to watch

Pick out the flowing strands

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Paint the details

Finish hooves and expression

Expected result

Points to watch

Comments …