Painting

Black Templars — classic crusade

Deep black armour is framed by ivory heraldry, warm cloth and ceremonial red accents. Cool blade edges, gold relics and selective grey armour highlights give the Black Templars a disciplined crusading finish.

◉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 4

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Detailed instructions · 1

Begin with a clean surface and a thin black foundation that leaves the cables, skulls and cloth texture open.
Remove support nubs and loose dust, then check the bolter muzzle, the halberd blade and every cable connection under a side light. Wash the model in warm water with a drop of dish soap, rinse it well and leave it until completely dry. Apply Black Surface Primer in several light passes, turning the miniature so the undersides receive the same thin coat as the front.
Expected result
The primer is even and matte, with open muzzle holes, distinct cable ribs and sharp cloth folds.
Points to watch
Do not flood the row of small skulls, the helmet grille or the recesses around the bolter grip.

Read the complete guide · 4

1. Prepare the model

Begin with a clean surface and a thin black foundation that leaves the cables, skulls and cloth texture open.
Where to paint: Whole model
Blackvallejo · 70.602
Remove support nubs and loose dust, then check the bolter muzzle, the halberd blade and every cable connection under a side light. Wash the model in warm water with a drop of dish soap, rinse it well and leave it until completely dry. Apply Black Surface Primer in several light passes, turning the miniature so the undersides receive the same thin coat as the front.
Expected result
The primer is even and matte, with open muzzle holes, distinct cable ribs and sharp cloth folds.
Points to watch
Do not flood the row of small skulls, the helmet grille or the recesses around the bolter grip.

2. Apply the base colours

Turn the flat primer into cold black armour with readable volumes and deep separations.
Where to paint: Helmet, backpack, chest and black limb armour
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Corvus Blackcitadel · 21-44
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Keep Abaddon Black in the panel lines and on the downward-facing undersides. Thin Corvus Black and build it across the centres of the large plates. Add a little Eshin Grey for the upper curve of the helmet, the front of the raised shoulder, the chest rim and the forward faces of both greaves. Feather each layer before it dries so the armour brightens gradually rather than in separate grey patches.
Expected result
The armour still reads as black, but the head, chest and forward leg are clearly separated from the backpack and rear leg.
Points to watch
Do not paint every plate the same charcoal value or fill the ribbed joints with grey.
Establish warm ivory while keeping the hard pauldron, old bone and hanging cloth visibly different.
Where to paint: Skull-faced left pauldron, tabard, small skulls, parchment and pale devotional ornaments
Wraithbonecitadel · 21-53
Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32
Agrax Earthshadecitadel · 24-15
Cover the pale areas with Wraithbone in two thin coats. Glaze a little Ushabti Bone into the lower half of the tabard and around the eye sockets and teeth of the sculpted skulls. Place Agrax Earthshade only inside the deepest folds, beneath the pauldron brow and between individual teeth, then clean any tide mark from the broad cloth before it dries.
Expected result
The tabard is softly shaded, the pauldron reads as hard painted bone, and every small skull remains distinct.
Points to watch
Do not cover the whole tabard with brown wash or leave the eye sockets the same pale value as the brow.
Use red as a measured focal path from the bolter toward the helmet, not as a colour for every ornament.
Where to paint: Red bolter casing, the single helmet optic and the small red devotional seals
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03
Evil Sunz Scarletcitadel · 22-05
Lay Mephiston Red over the bolter panels and seals, leaving a hairline of black around hinges, screws and panel joins. Mix a trace of Abaddon Black into the red for the lower rear corner of the casing. Use Evil Sunz Scarlet on the upper front planes and along the lip nearest the muzzle. Keep the helmet optic separate until the surrounding metal rim is clean.
Expected result
The bolter has a dark rear and lower edge, a brighter front plane and clean black separation around every fitting.
Points to watch
Do not repaint the steel barrel or the ivory cross red, and do not brighten every seal to the same value as the bolter.
Separate sharp weapon steel from dark, oily mechanisms and flexible cables.
Where to paint: Halberd, bolter mechanisms, cables, grips and relics
Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28
Nuln Oilcitadel · 24-14
Ironbreakercitadel · 22-59
Stormhost Silvercitadel · 22-75
Base the hard metal with Leadbelcher. Guide Nuln Oil into the bolter vents, blade socket and cable valleys, then lift any spill from the flat blade. Layer Ironbreaker along the halberd's upper bevel, the front halves of the barrels and the highest cable ribs. Add Stormhost Silver only to the blade point, the muzzle lips and two or three sharp corners closest to the light.
Expected result
The blade and muzzle lips catch clean light, while vents, sockets and cable valleys remain dark.
Points to watch
Do not drybrush silver across the black armour or fill the bolter muzzle openings with metallic paint.

3. Build the highlights

Sharpen the lit silhouette without drawing a uniform grey outline around the figure.
Where to paint: Helmet, backpack, chest and black limb armour
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Dawnstonecitadel · 22-49
Administratum Greycitadel · 22-50
Use Dawnstone for short broken strokes on the edges facing the light. Reduce the line as it travels away from the upper left. Reserve Administratum Grey for a few meeting points: the helmet brow, the closest shoulder corner, the front knee and the toe of the leading foot.
Expected result
The brightest marks form one upper-left light path and disappear on the lower and rear edges.
Points to watch
Do not edge every rivet or turn the lower boot rims into continuous pale rings.
Finish each pale material with highlights that follow its own surface rather than one shared edge pattern.
Where to paint: Skull-faced left pauldron, tabard, small skulls, parchment and pale devotional ornaments
Wraithbonecitadel · 21-53
Screaming Skullcitadel · 22-33
Restore Wraithbone across the broad folds, leaving the warm shade visible in the valleys. Use Screaming Skull as narrow strokes along the upper fold crests and the hard pauldron rim. On each skull, touch only the brow, nose bridge and front teeth; keep the sides warmer and darker.
Expected result
Cloth folds remain soft, bone details are crisp, and the shoulder rim catches more light than the tabard hem.
Points to watch
Do not paint every tooth pure ivory or draw bright lines down both sides of every cloth fold.

4. Paint the details

Make the one sculpted optic bright enough to hold the face without inventing a second eye.
Where to paint: Red bolter casing, the single helmet optic and the small red devotional seals
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Screaming Skullcitadel · 22-33
Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03
Evil Sunz Scarletcitadel · 22-05
Wild Rider Redcitadel · 22-06
Re-establish a clean Abaddon Black rim. Fill the lens with Mephiston Red, then place Evil Sunz Scarlet in the lower-right crescent and a smaller Wild Rider Red crescent inside it. Add one tiny Screaming Skull reflection at the upper-left and leave a dark red band between the reflection and the bright lower crescent.
Expected result
The lens has a crisp dark rim, a red internal gradient and one sharp reflection point.
Points to watch
Do not place red on the opposite side of the helmet where no lens is sculpted.
Give the grip, belt leather, prayer beads and brass fittings their own quiet materials beneath the main focal colours.
Where to paint: Halberd, bolter mechanisms, cables, grips and relics
Wraithbonecitadel · 21-53
Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32
Agrax Earthshadecitadel · 24-15
Nuln Oilcitadel · 24-14
Retributor Armourcitadel · 21-35
Liberator Goldcitadel · 22-71
Start the grip, pouch and straps with Ushabti Bone, then deepen them with two controlled glazes of Agrax Earthshade, letting the second glaze settle only in the wrap gaps and lower corners. Restore Wraithbone as a narrow worn line on the grip and the top pouch edge. Use Retributor Armour on the beads and brass caps, shade their joins with a pin touch of Nuln Oil, then place Liberator Gold on the upper half of each bead and the forward rim of each cap.
Expected result
Leather remains matte and brown, while the beads and caps show small warm metallic highlights without competing with the optic.
Points to watch
Do not turn every skull into gold or add bright metallic scratches to the smooth leather panels.

All paints and materials (19)

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25

Corvus Blackcitadel · 21-44

Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51

Dawnstonecitadel · 22-49

Administratum Greycitadel · 22-50

Wraithbonecitadel · 21-53

Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32

Agrax Earthshadecitadel · 24-15

Screaming Skullcitadel · 22-33

Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03

Evil Sunz Scarletcitadel · 22-05

Wild Rider Redcitadel · 22-06

Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28

Nuln Oilcitadel · 24-14

Ironbreakercitadel · 22-59

Stormhost Silvercitadel · 22-75

Retributor Armourcitadel · 21-35

Liberator Goldcitadel · 22-71

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Black Templars — classic crusade

◉BrushDojoOfficial guide

Colours on the model

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

Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 4

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Detailed instructions · 1

Begin with a clean surface and a thin black foundation that leaves the cables, skulls and cloth texture open.
Remove support nubs and loose dust, then check the bolter muzzle, the halberd blade and every cable connection under a side light. Wash the model in warm water with a drop of dish soap, rinse it well and leave it until completely dry. Apply Black Surface Primer in several light passes, turning the miniature so the undersides receive the same thin coat as the front.
Expected result
The primer is even and matte, with open muzzle holes, distinct cable ribs and sharp cloth folds.
Points to watch
Do not flood the row of small skulls, the helmet grille or the recesses around the bolter grip.

Black Templars — classic crusade

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Begin with a clean surface and a thin black foundation that leaves the cables, skulls and cloth texture open.

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Begin with a clean surface and a thin black foundation that leaves the cables, skulls and cloth texture open.

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Turn the flat primer into cold black armour with readable volumes and deep separations.

Expected result

Points to watch

Establish warm ivory while keeping the hard pauldron, old bone and hanging cloth visibly different.

Expected result

Points to watch

Use red as a measured focal path from the bolter toward the helmet, not as a colour for every ornament.

Expected result

Points to watch

Separate sharp weapon steel from dark, oily mechanisms and flexible cables.

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the highlights

Sharpen the lit silhouette without drawing a uniform grey outline around the figure.

Expected result

Points to watch

Finish each pale material with highlights that follow its own surface rather than one shared edge pattern.

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Paint the details

Make the one sculpted optic bright enough to hold the face without inventing a second eye.

Expected result

Points to watch

Give the grip, belt leather, prayer beads and brass fittings their own quiet materials beneath the main focal colours.

Expected result

Points to watch

Comments …

Black Templars — classic crusade

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Begin with a clean surface and a thin black foundation that leaves the cables, skulls and cloth texture open.

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Begin with a clean surface and a thin black foundation that leaves the cables, skulls and cloth texture open.

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Turn the flat primer into cold black armour with readable volumes and deep separations.

Expected result

Points to watch

Establish warm ivory while keeping the hard pauldron, old bone and hanging cloth visibly different.

Expected result

Points to watch

Use red as a measured focal path from the bolter toward the helmet, not as a colour for every ornament.

Expected result

Points to watch

Separate sharp weapon steel from dark, oily mechanisms and flexible cables.

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the highlights

Sharpen the lit silhouette without drawing a uniform grey outline around the figure.

Expected result

Points to watch

Finish each pale material with highlights that follow its own surface rather than one shared edge pattern.

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Paint the details

Make the one sculpted optic bright enough to hold the face without inventing a second eye.

Expected result

Points to watch

Give the grip, belt leather, prayer beads and brass fittings their own quiet materials beneath the main focal colours.

Expected result

Points to watch

Comments …