Painting

Paint concept — teal and ivory

Dark teal stitches surround ivory face discs and a pale breast. Ochre beak and feet, bright eye catchlights and gloss confined to the eyes keep the owl's knitted body soft and matte.

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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 sculpt
Remove support marks, clean the print as its material requires and let it dry fully. With resin, complete the maker's cleaning and curing process first. Apply thin coats of Vallejo Grey Surface Primer without filling the knitted grooves.
Expected result
The dry primer covers the underside as well as the raised loops.
Points to watch
Do not prime damp or incompletely cured resin.

Read the complete guide · 5

1. Prepare the model

Clean and prime the sculpt
Where to paint: Whole model
Greyvallejo · 70.601
Remove support marks, clean the print as its material requires and let it dry fully. With resin, complete the maker's cleaning and curing process first. Apply thin coats of Vallejo Grey Surface Primer without filling the knitted grooves.
Expected result
The dry primer covers the underside as well as the raised loops.
Points to watch
Do not prime damp or incompletely cured resin.

2. Apply the base colours

Give the teal areas a dark foundation
Where to paint: Teal head, wings and back
Incubi Darknesscitadel · 21-11
Brush Incubi Darkness along the sculpted loops. Work into the narrow channels with the tip, taking off any pooled paint before it dries; repeat thin coats until no grey primer shows.
Expected result
The dark teal is even and each knitted groove stays open.
Points to watch
Keep Incubi Darkness off the face discs, breast, beak and feet.
Lay in the warm base for the ivory
Where to paint: Ivory face discs and breast
Zandri Dustcitadel · 21-16
Cover the face discs and breast with Zandri Dust. Follow the edge of each loop around the eyes and beak; keep the coats thin so the stitches remain separate.
Expected result
A continuous warm beige base reaches into the knitted recesses.
Points to watch
Do not bridge the gap between the face and the beak with paint.
Basecoat the beak and feet
Where to paint: Ochre beak and feet
XV-88citadel · 21-21
Apply XV-88 to the beak and feet, using the tip to reach between the toe loops. Turn the owl to check the sides of the beak and the edges beneath each foot.
Expected result
The ochre-brown base covers all three parts without grey gaps.
Points to watch
Keep the surrounding ivory and teal clean.
Paint the black eyes
Where to paint: Glossy black eyes
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Use Abaddon Black to cover each eye. Draw the outline with the brush tip first, then fill towards the centre without touching the surrounding stitches.
Expected result
Both eyes are solid black with clean oval outlines.
Points to watch
Do not add irises or eyelashes.

3. Build the highlights

Bring out the teal loops
Where to paint: Teal head, wings and back
Sotek Greencitadel · 22-19
Paint Sotek Green over the raised loops, following their curves. Leave Incubi Darkness visible between them and beneath the wings; build the brightest coverage on the forehead and upper wing curves.
Expected result
Teal loops stand out from dark channels, with a lighter upper half.
Points to watch
Do not cover every groove with the lighter colour.
Build the ivory over the beige base
Where to paint: Ivory face discs and breast
Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32
Follow the raised stitches with Ushabti Bone, leaving a narrow line of Zandri Dust beneath each overlap. Thin layers should cover the beige on the tops of the loops without filling their gaps.
Expected result
The pale loops remain distinct, with warm shadows underneath.
Points to watch
Avoid a chalky drybrush haze over the eyes or teal.
Warm up the beak and toes
Where to paint: Ochre beak and feet
XV-88citadel · 21-21
Averland Sunsetcitadel · 21-01
Mix equal amounts of XV-88 and Averland Sunset. Paint this warm ochre along the raised loops, leaving the brown base in the channels and underneath the feet.
Expected result
Warm yellow-ochre tops contrast with the brown recesses.
Points to watch
Do not lighten the undersides as much as the beak.
Highlight the upper teal stitches
Where to paint: Teal head, wings and back
Sotek Greencitadel · 22-19
Temple Guard Bluecitadel · 22-20
Mix equal parts Sotek Green and Temple Guard Blue. Use short curved strokes on the tops of the forehead and wing loops, reducing the highlighted area towards the lower sides.
Expected result
The light follows the upper curves rather than outlining every stitch.
Points to watch
Do not draw bright lines across the dark grooves.
Brighten the face discs
Where to paint: Ivory face discs and breast
Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32
Screaming Skullcitadel · 22-33
Mix equal parts Ushabti Bone and Screaming Skull. Pick out the upward-facing half of each loop, using shorter strokes on the breast so the face stays the brightest pale area.
Expected result
The face is brighter than the breast, with beige still visible in the recesses.
Points to watch
Do not cover the complete loop with this highlight.
Add the final light to the ochre
Where to paint: Ochre beak and feet
Screaming Skullcitadel · 22-33
Averland Sunsetcitadel · 21-01
Mix two parts Averland Sunset with one part Screaming Skull. Trace short highlights on the beak ridge and a few upper toe loops, keeping these marks narrower than the ochre layer beneath.
Expected result
The beak catches a small pale-yellow highlight; the feet remain quieter.
Points to watch
Do not make the entire beak pale yellow.
Place a few crisp teal accents
Where to paint: Teal head, wings and back
Temple Guard Bluecitadel · 22-20
Use Temple Guard Blue for tiny strokes at the highest points of the forehead and ear loops. Keep each stroke inside the broader mixed highlight from the previous pass.
Expected result
Only a few upper stitches carry the sharpest blue highlights.
Points to watch
Do not repeat the same bright mark over the whole back.
Sharpen the light around the eyes
Where to paint: Ivory face discs and breast
Screaming Skullcitadel · 22-33
Add short Screaming Skull accents to a few loop tops above each eye. Leave the lower rims and breast at their earlier tones so the pale highlights frame the black eyes.
Expected result
The upper face has crisp ivory accents without losing the knitted pattern.
Points to watch
Avoid long continuous white rings around the eyes.

4. Paint the details

Paint the soft eye reflections
Where to paint: Glossy black eyes
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Paint a narrow curved Eshin Grey reflection near the lower edge of each eye. Keep the grey within the black surface, leaving most of each eye untouched.
Expected result
Both eyes have a small grey crescent while remaining predominantly black.
Points to watch
Do not turn the reflection into a grey outline.
Match the bright catchlights
Where to paint: Glossy black eyes
White Scarcitadel · 22-57
With the tip of a fine brush, add one small White Scar dot to the upper left of each eye. Check the pair from the front: both dots should suggest the same light source.
Expected result
The catchlights match in position and do not dominate the black eyes.
Points to watch
Do not add clusters of white dots.

5. Finish the model

Protect the matte finish
Where to paint: Teal head, wings and back
Stormshieldcitadel · 27-34
Once the paint is fully dry, brush on a thin coat of Stormshield. Draw excess varnish out of the knitted recesses before it sets and let the surface lose all wet shine.
Expected result
The coating is dry and matte, with the knitted relief still crisp.
Points to watch
Do not fill the narrow gaps with varnish.
Gloss only the eyes
Where to paint: Glossy black eyes
Ardcoatcitadel · 27-03
Use a clean pointed brush to spread a little Ardcoat across each eye. Stop at the black outline and keep the surrounding ivory loops dry.
Expected result
The dry eyes shine against the matte knitted face.
Points to watch
Do not leave a thick drop at the lower edge of an eye.

All paints and materials (14)

Greyvallejo · 70.601

Incubi Darknesscitadel · 21-11

Sotek Greencitadel · 22-19

Temple Guard Bluecitadel · 22-20

Stormshieldcitadel · 27-34

Zandri Dustcitadel · 21-16

Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32

Screaming Skullcitadel · 22-33

XV-88citadel · 21-21

Averland Sunsetcitadel · 21-01

Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25

Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51

White Scarcitadel · 22-57

Ardcoatcitadel · 27-03

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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 sculpt
Remove support marks, clean the print as its material requires and let it dry fully. With resin, complete the maker's cleaning and curing process first. Apply thin coats of Vallejo Grey Surface Primer without filling the knitted grooves.
Expected result
The dry primer covers the underside as well as the raised loops.
Points to watch
Do not prime damp or incompletely cured resin.

Paint concept — teal and ivory

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Clean and prime the sculpt

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Clean and prime the sculpt

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Give the teal areas a dark foundation

Expected result

Points to watch

Lay in the warm base for the ivory

Expected result

Points to watch

Basecoat the beak and feet

Expected result

Points to watch

Paint the black eyes

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the highlights

Bring out the teal loops

Expected result

Points to watch

Build the ivory over the beige base

Expected result

Points to watch

Warm up the beak and toes

Expected result

Points to watch

Highlight the upper teal stitches

Expected result

Points to watch

Brighten the face discs

Expected result

Points to watch

Add the final light to the ochre

Expected result

Points to watch

Place a few crisp teal accents

Expected result

Points to watch

Sharpen the light around the eyes

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Paint the details

Paint the soft eye reflections

Expected result

Points to watch

Match the bright catchlights

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Finish the model

Protect the matte finish

Expected result

Points to watch

Gloss only the eyes

Expected result

Points to watch

Comments …

Paint concept — teal and ivory

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Clean and prime the sculpt

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Clean and prime the sculpt

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Give the teal areas a dark foundation

Expected result