Painting

Bengal tiger cub — amber coat and black stripes

Golden amber fur and cream underside markings carry tapered black stripes around the cub's body. Warm shadows, a brighter muzzle and small eye reflections keep the Bengal tiger's face lively and the pattern natural.

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Colours on the model

Bengal tiger cub — amber coat and black stripes

Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 5

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Greyvallejo · 70.601

Detailed instructions · 1

Prepare the cub and prime it
Remove supports and smooth their contact marks without flattening the fur. Finish the cleaning and curing required by the printing material. Wash off dust with a suitable cleaner and let the model dry completely. Apply thin coats of Grey Surface Primer from several angles, including beneath the body.
Expected result
All surfaces are clean and primed; fur grooves remain open.
Points to watch
Do not paint over damp material or build thick primer around the toes.

Read the complete guide · 5

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the cub and prime it
Where to paint: Whole model
Greyvallejo · 70.601
Remove supports and smooth their contact marks without flattening the fur. Finish the cleaning and curing required by the printing material. Wash off dust with a suitable cleaner and let the model dry completely. Apply thin coats of Grey Surface Primer from several angles, including beneath the body.
Expected result
All surfaces are clean and primed; fur grooves remain open.
Points to watch
Do not paint over damp material or build thick primer around the toes.

2. Apply the base colours

Basecoat the orange fur
Where to paint: Orange fur
Skrag Browncitadel · 22-40
Tau Light Ochrecitadel · 22-42
Mix equal parts Skrag Brown and Tau Light Ochre. Apply two thin coats over the orange areas shown in the reference, allowing each to dry. Reach behind the legs and around the tail; leave the muzzle, chest, belly and pale toes for the cream base.
Expected result
The orange base is even on both sides.
Points to watch
Keep paint thin near the eyelids and ears.
Paint the pale fur
Where to paint: Cream muzzle, chest and paws
Ivoryvallejo · 70.918
Karak Stonecitadel · 22-35
Mix one part Karak Stone with two parts Ivory and paint the pale areas. Use the existing tufts to make the boundary slightly uneven, rather than drawing a solid line around the chest. Cover the underside and far paws too.
Expected result
All cream patches are opaque and have clean, soft-edged boundaries.
Points to watch
Do not cover the nose or enlarge the white patches beyond the reference.
Place the tiger stripes
Where to paint: Black stripes and ear rims
Dryad Barkcitadel · 21-23
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Add a little Dryad Bark to Abaddon Black. Following the reference, draw the main stripes one at a time, lifting the brush to taper each end. Vary their spacing and width. Wrap the leg and tail markings around the form, and paint the dark ear rims with the same mix.
Expected result
The stripes have tapered ends and remain separate.
Points to watch
Do not add dense microscopic stripes or paint all the orange fur black.
Base colours for the face
Where to paint: Eyes, nose and mouth
Tau Light Ochrecitadel · 22-42
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Rhinox Hidecitadel · 21-22
Kislev Fleshcitadel · 22-37
Paint the eyes and mouth recess with Abaddon Black. Put Tau Light Ochre inside each eye, leaving a narrow dark rim. For the nose, mix a little Kislev Flesh into Rhinox Hide to make a muted pink-brown. Keep the lip line dark and the surrounding cream fur clean.
Expected result
The eyes and nose are distinct without oversized outlines.
Points to watch
Do not enlarge the eyes or add projecting whiskers.

3. Build the shadows

Warm shadows beneath the body
Where to paint: Orange fur
Skrag Browncitadel · 22-40
Dryad Barkcitadel · 21-23
Tint Skrag Brown with a little Dryad Bark and dilute until translucent. Build the shadows on the orange fur in several light passes. Wipe excess paint from the brush before touching the small recesses. Keep the forehead and upper back bright.
Expected result
The lower body is darker without looking muddy.
Points to watch
Do not flood the cream fur or blur the stripes.

4. Build the highlights

Brighten the muzzle and chest
Where to paint: Cream muzzle, chest and paws
Ivoryvallejo · 70.918
White Scarcitadel · 22-57
Layer Ivory over the cream base, leaving the darker mixture between tufts. Add White Scar for a few short highlights on the cheeks, chin and front toes. Follow the sculpted strands instead of drawing new hairs.
Expected result
The pale fur has depth and the muzzle is the brightest area.
Points to watch
Avoid a chalky white layer across the whole belly.
Golden light on the orange coat
Where to paint: Orange fur
Skrag Browncitadel · 22-40
Tau Light Ochrecitadel · 22-42
Ivoryvallejo · 70.918
Return to the Skrag Brown and Tau Light Ochre base mix, then add more ochre and a little Ivory. Highlight the upper tufts with short strokes, using smaller areas as the mix gets lighter. Leave the black stripes visible and soften any abrupt change with the previous orange mix.
Expected result
Highlights follow the existing fur and do not break up the stripes.
Points to watch
Do not outline every strand or turn the coat pale yellow.

5. Paint the details

Finish the eyes and nose
Where to paint: Eyes, nose and mouth
White Scarcitadel · 22-57
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Rhinox Hidecitadel · 21-22
Kislev Fleshcitadel · 22-37
Add small black pupils and check the direction of the gaze. Place a tiny White Scar reflection in each visible eye. Lighten the nose mix with Kislev Flesh and touch only its upper curve. Add a few small black muzzle dots where shown; keep them sparse enough to paint at miniature scale.
Expected result
The expression is clear when the whole miniature is viewed.
Points to watch
Keep the eye highlights tiny and leave the fur matte.

All paints and materials (10)

Greyvallejo · 70.601

Skrag Browncitadel · 22-40

Tau Light Ochrecitadel · 22-42

Dryad Barkcitadel · 21-23

Ivoryvallejo · 70.918

Karak Stonecitadel · 22-35

White Scarcitadel · 22-57

Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25

Rhinox Hidecitadel · 21-22

Kislev Fleshcitadel · 22-37

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Bengal tiger cub — amber coat and black stripes

◉BrushDojoOfficial guide

Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 5

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Greyvallejo · 70.601

Detailed instructions · 1

Prepare the cub and prime it
Remove supports and smooth their contact marks without flattening the fur. Finish the cleaning and curing required by the printing material. Wash off dust with a suitable cleaner and let the model dry completely. Apply thin coats of Grey Surface Primer from several angles, including beneath the body.
Expected result
All surfaces are clean and primed; fur grooves remain open.
Points to watch
Do not paint over damp material or build thick primer around the toes.

Bengal tiger cub — amber coat and black stripes

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prepare the cub and prime it

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the cub and prime it

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Basecoat the orange fur

Expected result

Points to watch

Paint the pale fur

Expected result

Points to watch

Place the tiger stripes

Expected result

Points to watch

Base colours for the face

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Warm shadows beneath the body

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Brighten the muzzle and chest

Expected result

Points to watch

Golden light on the orange coat

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Paint the details

Finish the eyes and nose

Expected result

Points to watch

Comments …

Bengal tiger cub — amber coat and black stripes

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prepare the cub and prime it

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the cub and prime it

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Basecoat the orange fur

Expected result

Points to watch

Paint the pale fur

Expected result

Points to watch

Place the tiger stripes

Expected result

Points to watch

Base colours for the face

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Warm shadows beneath the body

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Brighten the muzzle and chest

Expected result

Points to watch

Golden light on the orange coat

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Paint the details

Finish the eyes and nose

Expected result