Painting

Samus in amber armour

Amber power armour, a red helmet and a teal arm cannon build Samus's warm–cool contrast. A green visor and dark stone base focus attention on the rounded armour and head.

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Colours on the model

Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 4

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Detailed instructions · 1

Prepare smooth shells without softening the sculpt.
Inspect the helmet and cannon for support marks and remove them carefully. Wash if release residue is present and dry completely. Apply thin even Black Surface Primer, keeping the visor rim and vent grooves open.
Expected result
Dry primer covers the model and base without hiding vent ribs.
Points to watch
Do not sand away the fine rim around the visor.

Read the complete guide · 4

1. Prepare the model

Prepare smooth shells without softening the sculpt.
Where to paint: Whole model
Blackvallejo · 70.602
Inspect the helmet and cannon for support marks and remove them carefully. Wash if release residue is present and dry completely. Apply thin even Black Surface Primer, keeping the visor rim and vent grooves open.
Expected result
Dry primer covers the model and base without hiding vent ribs.
Points to watch
Do not sand away the fine rim around the visor.

2. Apply the base colours

Establish the red helmet.
Where to paint: Red helmet
Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03
Build a smooth Mephiston Red coat on the helmet, following the visor boundary with the brush point.
Expected result
The helmet is evenly red with a clean visor opening.
Points to watch
Keep the round side discs for amber.
Give the power armour its warm foundation.
Where to paint: Amber armour
Averland Sunsetcitadel · 21-01
Apply thin Averland Sunset until the amber armour is opaque, leaving every black joint separate.
Expected result
The amber panels have solid coverage without thick yellow ridges.
Points to watch
Do not bridge the gaps at elbows or knees.
Separate the armour plates.
Where to paint: Dark joints
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Reinforce the flexible sections and cannon opening with Abaddon Black, trimming the colour neatly against the amber edges.
Expected result
Dark joints clearly divide the bright plates.
Points to watch
Do not cover the metal jaw vent in black.
Create the cool counterpoint to the armour.
Where to paint: Teal arm cannon
Sotek Greencitadel · 22-19
Build Sotek Green over the cannon in thin coats, working around the supporting fingers.
Expected result
The cannon is consistently teal and separate from the amber hand.
Points to watch
Keep the muzzle opening dark.
Set a green focal point.
Where to paint: Green visor
Warpstone Glowcitadel · 22-23
Paint the visor with Warpstone Glow, preserving a narrow dark boundary beside the red helmet.
Expected result
Green fills the glass shape without softening its corners.
Points to watch
Do not spread green onto the metallic jaw.
Distinguish the exposed machinery.
Where to paint: Steel vents
Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28
Use Leadbelcher on the grille and connector, guiding the brush over the raised ribs.
Expected result
The vent reads as steel beside the coloured shells.
Points to watch
Keep metallic paint off the visor.
Ground the bright figure on dark stone.
Where to paint: Rock base
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Cover the rock with Eshin Grey, reaching the cracks with the brush point while leaving the boots clean.
Expected result
The base is dark grey throughout, with no bare primer patches.
Points to watch
Do not paint a grey tide mark up the boots.

3. Build the shadows

Define the warm armour seams.
Where to paint: Amber armour
Agrax Earthshadecitadel · 24-15
Place Agrax Earthshade only in the amber panel seams and lower rims; remove spills from the rounded shoulder tops.
Expected result
The amber shapes separate clearly while their upper surfaces stay bright.
Points to watch
Do not wash the whole yellow shoulder brown.

4. Build the highlights

Light the rounded armour.
Where to paint: Amber armour
Yriel Yellowcitadel · 22-01
Layer thin Yriel Yellow towards the tops of the shoulders and the forward armour ridges, leaving Averland Sunset visible below.
Expected result
The yellow brightens gradually towards the light.
Points to watch
Avoid broad opaque yellow stripes across the curved shells.
Clarify the cannon panels.
Where to paint: Teal arm cannon
Temple Guard Bluecitadel · 22-20
Add short Temple Guard Blue accents along the upper cannon edges, keeping the lower half in Sotek Green.
Expected result
The cannon catches the same overhead light as the shoulders.
Points to watch
Do not highlight the inside of the dark muzzle.
Reveal the rock without competing with the armour.
Where to paint: Rock base
Dawnstonecitadel · 22-49
Touch Dawnstone to selected high rock edges, leaving the cracks and lower faces dark grey.
Expected result
The rock texture reads beneath the brighter figure.
Points to watch
Do not outline every crack with pale grey.
Focus the eye on the visor.
Where to paint: Green visor
Moot Greencitadel · 22-24
Build a narrow Moot Green glow inside the visor, feathering its edge into Warpstone Glow and retaining the dark frame.
Expected result
The visor is the brightest green accent, with a visible darker border.
Points to watch
Do not paint green light onto surrounding armour.
Shape the helmet with a warm highlight.
Where to paint: Red helmet
Evil Sunz Scarletcitadel · 22-05
Layer thin Evil Sunz Scarlet towards the top of the helmet, stopping short of the panel grooves so the red remains deeper there.
Expected result
The dome has a gradual red transition with dark panel lines.
Points to watch
Do not flatten the dome with one broad opaque patch.

All paints and materials (14)

Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03

Evil Sunz Scarletcitadel · 22-05

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Averland Sunsetcitadel · 21-01

Agrax Earthshadecitadel · 24-15

Yriel Yellowcitadel · 22-01

Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25

Sotek Greencitadel · 22-19

Temple Guard Bluecitadel · 22-20

Warpstone Glowcitadel · 22-23

Moot Greencitadel · 22-24

Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28

Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51

Dawnstonecitadel · 22-49

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Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 4

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Detailed instructions · 1

Prepare smooth shells without softening the sculpt.
Inspect the helmet and cannon for support marks and remove them carefully. Wash if release residue is present and dry completely. Apply thin even Black Surface Primer, keeping the visor rim and vent grooves open.
Expected result
Dry primer covers the model and base without hiding vent ribs.
Points to watch
Do not sand away the fine rim around the visor.

Samus in amber armour

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prepare smooth shells without softening the sculpt.

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prepare smooth shells without softening the sculpt.

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Establish the red helmet.

Expected result

Points to watch

Give the power armour its warm foundation.

Expected result

Points to watch

Separate the armour plates.

Expected result

Points to watch

Create the cool counterpoint to the armour.

Expected result

Points to watch

Set a green focal point.

Expected result

Points to watch

Distinguish the exposed machinery.

Expected result

Points to watch

Ground the bright figure on dark stone.

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Define the warm armour seams.

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Light the rounded armour.

Expected result

Points to watch

Clarify the cannon panels.

Expected result

Points to watch

Reveal the rock without competing with the armour.

Expected result

Points to watch

Focus the eye on the visor.

Expected result

Points to watch

Shape the helmet with a warm highlight.

Expected result

Points to watch

Comments …

Samus in amber armour

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prepare smooth shells without softening the sculpt.

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prepare smooth shells without softening the sculpt.

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Establish the red helmet.

Expected result

Points to watch

Give the power armour its warm foundation.

Expected result

Points to watch

Separate the armour plates.

Expected result

Points to watch

Create the cool counterpoint to the armour.

Expected result

Points to watch