Painting

Adeptus Custodes auramite gold and red

Warm auramite gold and red cloth give the Custodes their ceremonial contrast. Dark weapon frames, cool steel blades and selective bright gold reflections keep the armour, fittings and working parts distinct.

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Colours on the model

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

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 the third sword bearer
Clean the narrow gap beside the sword arm, rinse the miniature and let moisture drain from under the plume. Spray Black Surface Primer in short side passes, then check the arm-to-chest gap before the coat cures.
Expected result
Black primer reaches the closed pose without joining the sword arm to the breastplate.
Points to watch
Do not let the primer bridge the close silhouette or blunt the plume tips.

Read the complete guide · 5

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the third sword bearer
Where to paint: Whole model
Blackvallejo · 70.602
Clean the narrow gap beside the sword arm, rinse the miniature and let moisture drain from under the plume. Spray Black Surface Primer in short side passes, then check the arm-to-chest gap before the coat cures.
Expected result
Black primer reaches the closed pose without joining the sword arm to the breastplate.
Points to watch
Do not let the primer bridge the close silhouette or blunt the plume tips.

2. Apply the base colours

Base coat
Where to paint: Gold armour and shield
Retributor Armourcitadel · 21-35
Work Retributor Armour over the chest and rounded shoulder plates, then cover the shield from its centre out to the frame. Finish the knees, greaves and the fingers holding the sword across the body.
Expected result
Armour and shield form one even gold mass, with no black gaps left around the horizontal sword.
Points to watch
Keep gold off the blade, red greave insets and the black gap beneath the right shoulder plate.
Base coat
Where to paint: Helmet plume and red tabard
Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03
Cover each plume lock with Mephiston Red, then fill the sash and the triangular greave panels. Paint those panels from the centre towards their gold trim without loading the edges.
Expected result
Plume, sash and leg panels are clean and opaque, reading as one red theme across the crouched pose.
Points to watch
Do not cover the gold greave borders or fill the dark grooves between plume locks.
Base coat
Where to paint: Black armour joints and sword grip
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Restore Abaddon Black in the joints after the gold is dry. Keep an even dark arc beneath the right shoulder and use black beneath the horizontal sword to separate the fingers from the sash.
Expected result
The dark gaps explain the movement of the arms and bent legs without becoming broad black patches.
Points to watch
Do not spread black onto the red greave panels or thicken the helmet slit.
Base coat
Where to paint: Sword blade and exposed metal details
Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28
Draw Leadbelcher from the square guard towards the point. Cover the upper face first, then turn the figure to reach the narrow lower edge beneath the fingers.
Expected result
Metal covers every visible side of the blade, and its long horizontal line remains straight and clean.
Points to watch
Keep steel off the gold guard and do not leave a dark triangle beside the point.

3. Build the shadows

Shade
Where to paint: Gold armour and shield
Reikland Fleshshadecitadel · 24-24
Run Reikland Fleshshade through the chest seams and beneath the shoulder rims. Shade only the shield's inner step, then define the fingers and guard mounting below the sword with the tip of the brush.
Expected result
A narrow warm border defines the shield, and the hands and sword remain separate from the gold chest.
Points to watch
Do not wash the broad shield face or leave a brown stripe across the upper plane of the sword.

4. Build the highlights

Highlight
Where to paint: Gold armour and shield
Liberator Goldcitadel · 22-71
Blend Liberator Gold broadly over the shoulder domes and more narrowly along the shield. Shift the knee highlights towards their upper front corners to preserve the weight of the low stance.
Expected result
Light gathers on the helmet and shield while the bent legs retain a deeper gold value.
Points to watch
Do not brighten the full lower rim of the shield or make both legs equally light.
Highlight
Where to paint: Helmet plume and red tabard
Evil Sunz Scarletcitadel · 22-05
Place short Evil Sunz Scarlet strokes on the leading plume tips. Blend the sash and greave highlights down from the top, keeping Mephiston Red beside the gold frames.
Expected result
The plume has volume, and the leg panels catch light only from above without competing with the shield.
Points to watch
Do not trace the entire red panel borders or brighten their lower corners.
Final point highlight
Where to paint: Sword blade and exposed metal details
Stormhost Silvercitadel · 22-75
Pull a fine Stormhost Silver line along the upper edge, breaking it where the sword passes behind the shield. Add one brighter stroke to the bevel at the point.
Expected result
The long bright edge reinforces the sword's direction while the broad face retains its steel midtone.
Points to watch
Do not repeat the same highlight below or dot the whole cutting edge at equal intervals.

5. Finish the model

Base coat
Where to paint: Ground texture and rim of the base
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Cover the cramped area below the shield and sword with Abaddon Black while the brush is freshly loaded. Then level the open front sector and finish the outer rim.
Expected result
The platform is evenly black beneath the weapon and around the entire exposed front edge.
Points to watch
Do not touch the lower shield edge or leave a grey crescent between the toes.

All paints and materials (13)

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Retributor Armourcitadel · 21-35

Reikland Fleshshadecitadel · 24-24

Liberator Goldcitadel · 22-71

Stormhost Silvercitadel · 22-75

Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03

Evil Sunz Scarletcitadel · 22-05

Agrax Earthshadecitadel · 24-15

Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25

Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51

Dawnstonecitadel · 22-49

Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28

Nuln Oilcitadel · 24-14

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Adeptus Custodes auramite gold and red

◉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 the third sword bearer
Clean the narrow gap beside the sword arm, rinse the miniature and let moisture drain from under the plume. Spray Black Surface Primer in short side passes, then check the arm-to-chest gap before the coat cures.
Expected result
Black primer reaches the closed pose without joining the sword arm to the breastplate.
Points to watch
Do not let the primer bridge the close silhouette or blunt the plume tips.

Adeptus Custodes auramite gold and red

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prepare the third sword bearer

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the third sword bearer

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Base coat

Expected result

Points to watch

Base coat

Expected result

Points to watch

Base coat

Expected result

Points to watch

Base coat

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Shade

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Highlight

Expected result

Points to watch

Highlight

Expected result

Points to watch

Final point highlight

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Finish the model

Base coat

Expected result

Points to watch

Comments …

Adeptus Custodes auramite gold and red

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prepare the third sword bearer

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the third sword bearer

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Base coat

Expected result

Points to watch

Base coat

Expected result

Points to watch

Base coat

Expected result

Points to watch

Base coat

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Shade

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Highlight

Expected result

Points to watch

Highlight

Expected result

Points to watch