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.

◉BrushDojoOfficial guide

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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 6

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Detailed instructions · 1

Prime spear pose ten
Clean the spear blade and raised details with magnification, wash the miniature and dry it beneath a cover. Mist Black Surface Primer from the spear side first, then rotate to catch the rear foot and the far side of the shaft.
Expected result
Black primer covers the dynamic pose from every side without thickening the spear or lifted ornament.
Points to watch
Do not let the primer bead at the spear tip or bridge the open stance.

Read the complete guide · 6

1. Prepare the model

Prime spear pose ten
Where to paint: Whole model
Blackvallejo · 70.602
Clean the spear blade and raised details with magnification, wash the miniature and dry it beneath a cover. Mist Black Surface Primer from the spear side first, then rotate to catch the rear foot and the far side of the shaft.
Expected result
Black primer covers the dynamic pose from every side without thickening the spear or lifted ornament.
Points to watch
Do not let the primer bead at the spear tip or bridge the open stance.

2. Apply the base colours

Armour foundation
Where to paint: Gold armour
Retributor Armourcitadel · 21-35
Apply Retributor Armour in thin coats, first above the spear and then below it. Use the shaft as a visual boundary rather than trying to reach across it with a loaded brush.
Expected result
The crouched figure is gold from helmet to boots, with clean borders along the spear and red cloth.
Points to watch
Do not smear gold onto the black shaft while painting the forearms and fingers.
Red fabric blocks
Where to paint: Helmet plume and red tabard
Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03
Paint the plume one blade at a time with Mephiston Red. For the tabard, start at the lower edge and work upward into the narrow space under the spear so the gold belt stays clean.
Expected result
Both red areas are opaque and separate, and the narrow strip of gold between plume and shoulder remains visible.
Points to watch
Do not bridge the plume to the shoulder or fill the gap above the tabard.

3. Build the shadows

Crouched depth
Where to paint: Gold armour
Reikland Fleshshadecitadel · 24-24
Place Reikland Fleshshade where the crouch naturally blocks the light. Pull the wash downward from the forearms and knee so it finishes inside a seam instead of drying on the middle of a plate.
Expected result
The compressed side of the pose is deeper, while the helmet and leading knee remain readable.
Points to watch
Do not let shade collect in a ring around the round knee cap.

4. Build the highlights

Forward reflections
Where to paint: Gold armour
Liberator Goldcitadel · 22-71
Stormhost Silvercitadel · 22-75
Layer Liberator Gold on the surfaces that project toward the viewer. Add three Stormhost Silver marks only: the helmet point, the uppermost knuckle and the sharp corner of the raised knee plate.
Expected result
The forward triangle of helmet, hands and knee catches the light and explains the pose at miniature scale.
Points to watch
Do not scatter silver dots over the rear shoulder or lower boot.
Rhythm in red
Where to paint: Helmet plume and red tabard
Agrax Earthshadecitadel · 24-15
Evil Sunz Scarletcitadel · 22-05
Deepen the roots and tabard valleys with Agrax Earthshade. Pick alternating plume tips and the two forward folds with Evil Sunz Scarlet, keeping the other blades quieter so the red does not become striped.
Expected result
The plume reads as layered feathers and the tabard hangs behind the spear with two clear forward folds.
Points to watch
Do not brighten the entire lower hem or every plume tip to the same value.
Blade at full reach
Where to paint: Spear shaft, gold head and silver blade
Stormhost Silvercitadel · 22-75
Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28
Nuln Oilcitadel · 24-14
Cover the blade with Leadbelcher, place Nuln Oil only where it enters the gold socket, then run Stormhost Silver along the upper edge and taper it into the point. Leave the lower face one value darker.
Expected result
The projecting point is crisp and bright, while the socket remains deep enough to separate steel from gold.
Points to watch
Do not place black wash across the middle of the blade or silver over the gold socket.

5. Paint the details

Long dark haft
Where to paint: Spear shaft, gold head and silver blade
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Paint the cylinder Abaddon Black and let it dry before touching the hands. Draw a narrow Eshin Grey line along the upper face, breaking it at each grip and just before the gold head.
Expected result
The haft reads as one straight cylinder passing through both hands, with a controlled upper reflection.
Points to watch
Do not allow the grey line to continue across fingers or gold fittings.

6. Finish the model

Low-key platform
Where to paint: Ground texture and rim of the base
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Dawnstonecitadel · 22-49
Paint the platform black. Stipple a little Dawnstone into the centre arcs, leaving the shadow under the crouched body untouched, and repaint the rim as a smooth black circle.
Expected result
Texture is visible around the feet, but the deepest area under the body anchors the crouch.
Points to watch
Do not stipple grey onto the gold toe caps or the red tabard.

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

Agrax Earthshadecitadel · 24-15

Evil Sunz Scarletcitadel · 22-05

Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25

Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51

Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28

Nuln Oilcitadel · 24-14

Dawnstonecitadel · 22-49

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Adeptus Custodes auramite gold and red

◉BrushDojoOfficial guide

Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 6

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Detailed instructions · 1

Prime spear pose ten
Clean the spear blade and raised details with magnification, wash the miniature and dry it beneath a cover. Mist Black Surface Primer from the spear side first, then rotate to catch the rear foot and the far side of the shaft.
Expected result
Black primer covers the dynamic pose from every side without thickening the spear or lifted ornament.
Points to watch
Do not let the primer bead at the spear tip or bridge the open stance.

Adeptus Custodes auramite gold and red

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prime spear pose ten

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prime spear pose ten

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Armour foundation

Expected result

Points to watch

Red fabric blocks

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Crouched depth

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Forward reflections

Expected result

Points to watch

Rhythm in red

Expected result

Points to watch

Blade at full reach

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Paint the details

Long dark haft

Expected result

Points to watch

6. Finish the model

Low-key platform

Expected result

Points to watch

Comments …

Adeptus Custodes auramite gold and red

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prime spear pose ten

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prime spear pose ten

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Armour foundation

Expected result

Points to watch

Red fabric blocks

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Crouched depth

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Forward reflections

Expected result

Points to watch

Rhythm in red

Expected result

Points to watch

Blade at full reach

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Paint the details

Long dark haft

Expected result

Points to watch

6. Finish the model