Painting

Grey Knights — canonical silver, red and ivory

Silver armour, devotional gold and red heraldry are balanced by ivory books and parchment. Recess-only metal shading and selective cool reflections preserve the Grey Knight's lettering and raised icons.

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Colours on the model

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

Grey Knights — canonical silver, red and ivory

Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 5

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Detailed instructions · 1

Prepare Terminator Two
Clean the lettering, book edges and joints with a dry brush, wash the figure and let the deep Terminator recesses dry. Apply Black Surface Primer from below the shoulder armour first, then circle the miniature with two light passes.
Expected result
The black key reaches the armour joints and weapon hand while inscriptions and book pages remain legible.
Points to watch
Do not fill the engraved script or leave bare material beneath the broad shoulder plates.

Read the complete guide · 5

1. Prepare the model

Prepare Terminator Two
Where to paint: Whole model
Blackvallejo · 70.602
Clean the lettering, book edges and joints with a dry brush, wash the figure and let the deep Terminator recesses dry. Apply Black Surface Primer from below the shoulder armour first, then circle the miniature with two light passes.
Expected result
The black key reaches the armour joints and weapon hand while inscriptions and book pages remain legible.
Points to watch
Do not fill the engraved script or leave bare material beneath the broad shoulder plates.

2. Apply the base colours

Silver foundation
Where to paint: Silver Terminator armour
Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28
Brush Leadbelcher over one plate at a time and rotate the Terminator before moving on. Finish the underside of the shoulder arches and the armour hidden beside the gun and left arm.
Expected result
The complete armour shell is opaque silver from front, sides and rear, without covering books, seals or gold icons.
Points to watch
Do not paint the ribbed joints or weapon casing silver at this stage.
Devotional gold
Where to paint: Gold devotional details and insignia
Retributor Armourcitadel · 21-35
Use the point of the brush to place Retributor Armour on one icon at a time. Paint inward from each relief edge so the surrounding silver or red border stays sharp.
Expected result
Every proven icon is warm gold and no blank armour panel has acquired invented ornament.
Points to watch
Do not enlarge the gold beyond the raised sculpted borders.

3. Build the shadows

Armour depth
Where to paint: Silver Terminator armour
Nuln Oilcitadel · 24-14
Guide Nuln Oil through each recess with a fine brush. On the large shoulder and shin plates, clean the flat metal immediately so the shade remains only around their boundaries.
Expected result
Each plate is outlined by a controlled dark join, but its broad face stays bright and metallic.
Points to watch
Do not leave black pools on the forehead or the centres of the shoulder plates.

4. Build the highlights

Cold reflection
Where to paint: Silver Terminator armour
Ironbreakercitadel · 22-59
Stormhost Silvercitadel · 22-75
Layer Ironbreaker as narrow reflections following each curved plate. Add Stormhost Silver only to the helmet brow, nearest shoulder rivets and two sharp knee corners.
Expected result
The face and upper torso become the brightest silver focus; the legs retain darker reflected bands.
Points to watch
Do not outline every armour edge or flatten the reflections into uniform white stripes.
Relief definition
Where to paint: Gold devotional details and insignia
Reikland Fleshshadecitadel · 24-24
Liberator Goldcitadel · 22-71
Touch Reikland Fleshshade into the skull sockets and the roots of each icon. Once dry, place Liberator Gold on brows, cross tips and the upper edge of the knee sword.
Expected result
Skulls and symbols are readable without competing with the silver helmet as the main focus.
Points to watch
Do not wash the surrounding ivory letters or silver armour with the warm shade.
Psychic optics
Where to paint: Wrist weapon, flexible joints and blue optics
Wraithbonecitadel · 21-53
Using the existing cyan undercolour, place a short Wraithbone line at the inner end of each eye and a tiny dot low inside each muzzle aperture. Keep all four marks within their sculpted recesses.
Expected result
Eyes and muzzle lenses look illuminated at close range, with no glow painted on the surrounding silver.
Points to watch
Do not add cyan to rivets, blank vents or the hose.

5. Paint the details

Red heraldry
Where to paint: Red book, parchment and engraved nameplates
Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03
Place Mephiston Red inside each raised border, pulling paint away from the gold trim. On the seals, paint the wax disc and leave the hanging parchment untouched.
Expected result
Every red inset has a clean boundary and remains distinct from parchment, gold and silver.
Points to watch
Do not invent red panels on blank silver armour.
Books and parchment
Where to paint: Red book, parchment and engraved nameplates
Wraithbonecitadel · 21-53
Zandri Dustcitadel · 21-16
Agrax Earthshadecitadel · 24-15
Screaming Skullcitadel · 22-33
Base pages and the large letter plate with Wraithbone, and use Zandri Dust on hanging parchment. Draw Agrax Earthshade along page seams and beneath raised letters, then touch Screaming Skull to the letter tops and torn lower corners.
Expected result
The words remain legible at close range, and pages, aged parchment and red wax read as three different materials.
Points to watch
Do not repaint or reinterpret the sculpted wording, and keep shade out of the silver plate around it.
Weapon and joints
Where to paint: Wrist weapon, flexible joints and blue optics
Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28
Ironbreakercitadel · 22-59
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Corvus Blackcitadel · 21-44
Set the joints and hose with Abaddon Black, then layer Corvus Black on the weapon casing while leaving the deepest panel lines black. Paint the muzzle rings and feed bars Leadbelcher and finish their forward edges with Ironbreaker.
Expected result
Casing, steel fittings, hose and flexible joints are four clearly separated forms despite their dark values.
Points to watch
Do not paint the entire gun silver or brighten every rib on the undersuit.

All paints and materials (15)

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28

Nuln Oilcitadel · 24-14

Ironbreakercitadel · 22-59

Stormhost Silvercitadel · 22-75

Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03

Wraithbonecitadel · 21-53

Zandri Dustcitadel · 21-16

Agrax Earthshadecitadel · 24-15

Screaming Skullcitadel · 22-33

Retributor Armourcitadel · 21-35

Reikland Fleshshadecitadel · 24-24

Liberator Goldcitadel · 22-71

Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25

Corvus Blackcitadel · 21-44

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Grey Knights — canonical silver, red and ivory

◉BrushDojoOfficial guide

Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 5

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Detailed instructions · 1

Prepare Terminator Two
Clean the lettering, book edges and joints with a dry brush, wash the figure and let the deep Terminator recesses dry. Apply Black Surface Primer from below the shoulder armour first, then circle the miniature with two light passes.
Expected result
The black key reaches the armour joints and weapon hand while inscriptions and book pages remain legible.
Points to watch
Do not fill the engraved script or leave bare material beneath the broad shoulder plates.

Grey Knights — canonical silver, red and ivory

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prepare Terminator Two

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prepare Terminator Two

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Silver foundation

Expected result

Points to watch

Devotional gold

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Armour depth

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Cold reflection

Expected result

Points to watch

Relief definition

Expected result

Points to watch

Psychic optics

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Paint the details

Red heraldry

Expected result

Points to watch

Books and parchment

Expected result

Points to watch

Weapon and joints

Expected result

Points to watch

Comments …

Grey Knights — canonical silver, red and ivory

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prepare Terminator Two

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prepare Terminator Two

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Silver foundation

Expected result

Points to watch

Devotional gold

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Armour depth

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Cold reflection

Expected result

Points to watch

Relief definition

Expected result

Points to watch

Psychic optics

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Paint the details

Red heraldry

Expected result