Painting

Teal chameleon with a green crest

A cool teal body supports a brighter green crest and amber eyes. Pale throat spikes and selective facet highlights keep the angular chameleon's head as the main focus.

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Colours on the model

Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 6

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Greyvallejo · 70.601

Detailed instructions · 1

Prepare the angular sculpt
Check the crest edges and throat spikes for support scars, then remove dust from the tail spiral and beneath the feet. Wash off greasy residue if present and let the model dry completely. Apply thin Vallejo Grey Surface Primer without softening the polygon edges.
Expected result
Grey primer reaches the tail recess and pedestal while all angular ridges remain sharp.
Points to watch
Do not scrape away the small original throat spikes.

Read the complete guide · 6

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the angular sculpt
Where to paint: Whole model
Greyvallejo · 70.601
Check the crest edges and throat spikes for support scars, then remove dust from the tail spiral and beneath the feet. Wash off greasy residue if present and let the model dry completely. Apply thin Vallejo Grey Surface Primer without softening the polygon edges.
Expected result
Grey primer reaches the tail recess and pedestal while all angular ridges remain sharp.
Points to watch
Do not scrape away the small original throat spikes.

2. Apply the base colours

Establish the cool body
Where to paint: Teal body and tail
Stegadon Scale Greencitadel · 21-10
Apply Stegadon Scale Green over the body, legs, underside of the throat and complete tail coil. Work one face at a time and leave the eye bulbs, head crest, pale throat spikes and pedestal for separate colours.
Expected result
The cool blue-green foundation reaches every body facet and the inner tail spiral.
Points to watch
Do not mistake a hidden tail face for part of the pedestal.
Set the green head apart
Where to paint: Green head crest
Kabalite Greencitadel · 22-21
Paint Kabalite Green across the crest, forehead and upper muzzle. Stop around the raised eye bulbs and keep the lower jaw and throat in the cooler body colour.
Expected result
The head reads greener than the body with crisp borders around both eyes.
Points to watch
Do not fill the mouth line with opaque green.
Build amber eyes
Where to paint: Amber eyes
Averland Sunsetcitadel · 21-01
Cover each eye bulb with Averland Sunset, taking the paint right up to its sculpted circular edge. Keep the small surrounding projections separate from the eye colour.
Expected result
Both eyes have an even warm yellow foundation within their original outlines.
Points to watch
Do not enlarge the eye by painting over its rim.
Pick out the pale projections
Where to paint: Pale sculpted points
Wraithbonecitadel · 21-53
Use Wraithbone on the existing throat spikes and small projections beside the eyes, drawing from each root towards its tip. Turn the model to reach the far throat row without whitening the teal behind it.
Expected result
The pale projections remain distinct from the teal throat and amber eyes, with every original gap open.
Points to watch
Do not draw extra teeth between the sculpted points.
Paint the simple pedestal
Where to paint: Charcoal pedestal
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Coat the pedestal with Eshin Grey, working carefully around the feet and tail contact. Keep each flat face smooth; the sculpt needs no painted grit, stones or foliage.
Expected result
The pedestal is uniformly charcoal with clean contacts beneath the creature.
Points to watch
Do not carry grey onto the curled tail.

3. Build the shadows

Separate the sheltered forms
Where to paint: Teal body and tail
Nuln Oilcitadel · 24-14
Guide Nuln Oil into the inner tail spiral, beneath the jaw and at the leg joints. Keep it off broad upward-facing polygons so the faceted body remains clean and colourful.
Expected result
Tail turns and limb joints are distinct without black patches across the large facets.
Points to watch
Do not outline every polygon seam with black.

4. Build the highlights

Bring light to the teal facets
Where to paint: Teal body and tail
Temple Guard Bluecitadel · 22-20
Build Temple Guard Blue within the upward-facing leg and tail planes. Carry a restrained light along the upper back ridges, leaving the downward planes dark and the polygon edges intact.
Expected result
Cool highlights describe the original facets without smoothing them into a rounded animal.
Points to watch
Do not paint a scale pattern across the flat faces.
Make the crest the focus
Where to paint: Green head crest
Moot Greencitadel · 22-24
Apply thin Moot Green to the broad front of the crest and the upper muzzle ridge. Build the brightest patch near the crest top, easing into the darker green around the eye sockets.
Expected result
The green head attracts attention while its recessed planes stay darker.
Points to watch
Do not brighten all crest facets equally.

5. Paint the details

Place the pupils
Where to paint: Amber eyes
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Place a small Abaddon Black pupil on the forward face of each amber eye. Keep both marks inside their sculpted bulbs and assess their direction from the front before enlarging either.
Expected result
The two pupils point coherently and ample amber remains around them.
Points to watch
Do not turn either entire eye black.
Add a quiet eye reflection
Where to paint: Amber eyes
Pallid Wych Fleshcitadel · 22-58
Touch a tiny Pallid Wych Flesh reflection onto the upper front of each eye, beside rather than across the pupil. Keep the far-eye mark no larger than the near-eye mark.
Expected result
Both eyes catch the same light without losing their dark pupils.
Points to watch
Do not scatter white spots around the head.

6. Finish the model

Finish the pedestal edge
Where to paint: Charcoal pedestal
Dawnstonecitadel · 22-49
Add a restrained Dawnstone line to the exposed upper front edge of the pedestal, stopping at the feet. Inspect the completed animal from all sides and return to the relevant colour step for any missed face.
Expected result
The dark pedestal has a clean readable edge and no unpainted faces remain.
Points to watch
Do not outline every pedestal edge in pale grey.

All paints and materials (12)

Greyvallejo · 70.601

Stegadon Scale Greencitadel · 21-10

Nuln Oilcitadel · 24-14

Temple Guard Bluecitadel · 22-20

Kabalite Greencitadel · 22-21

Moot Greencitadel · 22-24

Averland Sunsetcitadel · 21-01

Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25

Pallid Wych Fleshcitadel · 22-58

Wraithbonecitadel · 21-53

Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51

Dawnstonecitadel · 22-49

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Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 6

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Greyvallejo · 70.601

Detailed instructions · 1

Prepare the angular sculpt
Check the crest edges and throat spikes for support scars, then remove dust from the tail spiral and beneath the feet. Wash off greasy residue if present and let the model dry completely. Apply thin Vallejo Grey Surface Primer without softening the polygon edges.
Expected result
Grey primer reaches the tail recess and pedestal while all angular ridges remain sharp.
Points to watch
Do not scrape away the small original throat spikes.

Teal chameleon with a green crest

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prepare the angular sculpt

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the angular sculpt

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Establish the cool body

Expected result

Points to watch

Set the green head apart

Expected result

Points to watch

Build amber eyes

Expected result

Points to watch

Pick out the pale projections

Expected result

Points to watch

Paint the simple pedestal

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Separate the sheltered forms

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Bring light to the teal facets

Expected result

Points to watch

Make the crest the focus

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Paint the details

Place the pupils

Expected result

Points to watch

Add a quiet eye reflection

Expected result

Points to watch

6. Finish the model

Finish the pedestal edge

Expected result

Points to watch

Comments …

Teal chameleon with a green crest

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prepare the angular sculpt

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the angular sculpt

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Establish the cool body

Expected result

Points to watch

Set the green head apart

Expected result

Points to watch

Build amber eyes

Expected result

Points to watch

Pick out the pale projections

Expected result

Points to watch

Paint the simple pedestal

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows