Painting

Chaos Marine — black armour, aged brass and crimson

Deep black armour and aged brass trim frame crimson accents and pale skull trophies. Selective steel reflections keep the weapons distinct from the warm metal and bone.

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Colours on the model

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

Chaos Marine — black armour, aged brass and crimson

Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 5

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Detailed instructions · 1

A dark foundation that preserves the character's dense armour and fine trophies
Clean the parts with warm soapy water and a soft brush, rinse them, and leave the deep armour joints to dry overnight. Check the sword edge, talon teeth and trophy spikes for seams before priming. Mist Black Surface Primer across the broad armour first, then turn the pieces and reach the cloak folds, weapon undersides and spaces around the trophy rack with short passes. Keep the spray moving so the face and carved armour stay crisp.
Expected result
The black primer reaches behind the trophy rack and beneath both weapons, with the face, sword edge, talon teeth and armour engraving still clearly defined.
Points to watch
Do not trap moisture in the armour joints or bury the face, trophy spikes and narrow weapon gaps under a heavy primer coat.

Read the complete guide · 5

1. Prepare the model

A dark foundation that preserves the character's dense armour and fine trophies
Where to paint: Whole model
Blackvallejo · 70.602
Clean the parts with warm soapy water and a soft brush, rinse them, and leave the deep armour joints to dry overnight. Check the sword edge, talon teeth and trophy spikes for seams before priming. Mist Black Surface Primer across the broad armour first, then turn the pieces and reach the cloak folds, weapon undersides and spaces around the trophy rack with short passes. Keep the spray moving so the face and carved armour stay crisp.
Expected result
The black primer reaches behind the trophy rack and beneath both weapons, with the face, sword edge, talon teeth and armour engraving still clearly defined.
Points to watch
Do not trap moisture in the armour joints or bury the face, trophy spikes and narrow weapon gaps under a heavy primer coat.

2. Apply the base colours

Deep black plate
Where to paint: Black armour across the shoulders, torso, gauntlets, thighs, shins and boots
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Corvus Blackcitadel · 21-44
Set the deepest joins with Abaddon Black. Layer Corvus Black across the centres of the shoulder shells, chest and forward legs, leaving the lower edges and the spaces beneath the trim truly black.
Expected result
The armour remains black but its large curved volumes separate clearly from one another.
Points to watch
Do not carry Corvus Black over the brass trim or flatten every plate to the same grey value.
Aged brass framework
Where to paint: Brass armour trim, chest and belt emblems, red topknot, cloak and weapon grip
Retributor Armourcitadel · 21-35
Seraphim Sepiacitadel · 24-23
Liberator Goldcitadel · 22-71
Paint the trim Retributor Armour with the side of a small brush, turning the model instead of reaching across the black plates. Run Seraphim Sepia along the inner edge, then return Liberator Gold to the upper corners and forward-facing teeth.
Expected result
The brass forms one unbroken command framework, with dark inner seams and bright outer corners.
Points to watch
Do not fill the black shoulder fields with gold or let sepia stain the armour centres.

3. Build the shadows

Weight beneath the trim
Where to paint: Black armour across the shoulders, torso, gauntlets, thighs, shins and boots
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Glaze Abaddon Black into the sheltered halves of these joints. Widen the shadow beneath the right shoulder where the sword arm crosses the body, but keep a clean midtone on the outer shell.
Expected result
The raised trim casts believable weight and the sword arm sits in front of the torso instead of merging with it.
Points to watch
Do not outline the whole silhouette with black; keep the outward edges available for highlights.

4. Build the highlights

Hard armour edges
Where to paint: Black armour across the shoulders, torso, gauntlets, thighs, shins and boots
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Dawnstonecitadel · 22-49
Draw Eshin Grey along the light-facing edges, breaking the line where brass crosses it. Add Dawnstone only to the shoulder peaks, two knuckles and the sharpest boot corners.
Expected result
The armour catches light in a few connected places while the broad plates still read as black.
Points to watch
Do not trace every lower edge or add grey scratches across the middle of the shoulder shells.
Heavy crimson cloth
Where to paint: Brass armour trim, chest and belt emblems, red topknot, cloak and weapon grip
Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03
Evil Sunz Scarletcitadel · 22-05
Wild Rider Redcitadel · 22-06
Use Mephiston Red as the solid midtone. Pull Evil Sunz Scarlet along the upper ridges of the topknot and the forward folds of the loin plates; place Wild Rider Red only on the two nearest tips and the sharp grip ridge.
Expected result
The red guides the eye from the topknot through the waist to the sword hand without overpowering the face.
Points to watch
Do not brighten every cloak edge or turn the entire topknot orange.
Claw and sword reflections
Where to paint: Bare face, trophy skulls, claw blades, hoses and the serrated sword
Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28
Nuln Oilcitadel · 24-14
Ironbreakercitadel · 22-59
Stormhost Silvercitadel · 22-75
Cover the steel with Leadbelcher and deepen blade roots and serration gaps with Nuln Oil. Use Ironbreaker on the upper planes, then place Stormhost Silver on the claw tips and along one continuous section of the sword edge nearest the viewer.
Expected result
The claw points are individually readable and the sword edge carries one clear reflection from hilt toward tip.
Points to watch
Do not drybrush the whole weapon silver or fill the serrations with bright metal.

5. Paint the details

Face and trophies
Where to paint: Bare face, trophy skulls, claw blades, hoses and the serrated sword
Zandri Dustcitadel · 21-16
Agrax Earthshadecitadel · 24-15
Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32
Screaming Skullcitadel · 22-33
Base the face and skulls with Zandri Dust. Place Agrax Earthshade under the brow, around the nose and inside eye sockets; rebuild cheekbones and skull domes with Ushabti Bone, then touch Screaming Skull only to the nose, lower lip and nearest brow ridges.
Expected result
The face is the brightest organic focal point and each skull remains separate from its brass frame.
Points to watch
Do not paint the beard line, collar hoses or brass studs as bone.

All paints and materials (19)

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25

Corvus Blackcitadel · 21-44

Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51

Dawnstonecitadel · 22-49

Retributor Armourcitadel · 21-35

Seraphim Sepiacitadel · 24-23

Liberator Goldcitadel · 22-71

Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03

Evil Sunz Scarletcitadel · 22-05

Wild Rider Redcitadel · 22-06

Zandri Dustcitadel · 21-16

Agrax Earthshadecitadel · 24-15

Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32

Screaming Skullcitadel · 22-33

Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28

Nuln Oilcitadel · 24-14

Ironbreakercitadel · 22-59

Stormhost Silvercitadel · 22-75

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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

A dark foundation that preserves the character's dense armour and fine trophies
Clean the parts with warm soapy water and a soft brush, rinse them, and leave the deep armour joints to dry overnight. Check the sword edge, talon teeth and trophy spikes for seams before priming. Mist Black Surface Primer across the broad armour first, then turn the pieces and reach the cloak folds, weapon undersides and spaces around the trophy rack with short passes. Keep the spray moving so the face and carved armour stay crisp.
Expected result
The black primer reaches behind the trophy rack and beneath both weapons, with the face, sword edge, talon teeth and armour engraving still clearly defined.
Points to watch
Do not trap moisture in the armour joints or bury the face, trophy spikes and narrow weapon gaps under a heavy primer coat.

Chaos Marine — black armour, aged brass and crimson

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

A dark foundation that preserves the character's dense armour and fine trophies

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

A dark foundation that preserves the character's dense armour and fine trophies

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Deep black plate

Expected result

Points to watch

Aged brass framework

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Weight beneath the trim

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Hard armour edges

Expected result

Points to watch

Heavy crimson cloth

Expected result

Points to watch

Claw and sword reflections

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Paint the details

Face and trophies

Expected result

Points to watch

Comments …

Chaos Marine — black armour, aged brass and crimson

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

A dark foundation that preserves the character's dense armour and fine trophies

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

A dark foundation that preserves the character's dense armour and fine trophies

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Deep black plate

Expected result

Points to watch

Aged brass framework

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Weight beneath the trim

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Hard armour edges

Expected result

Points to watch

Heavy crimson cloth

Expected result

Points to watch

Claw and sword reflections

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Paint the details

Face and trophies

Expected result

Points to watch

Comments …