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 5

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Detailed instructions · 1

Prepare the second sword pose
Trim the sword seam and inspect the trailing cloth for support nubs, then rinse and fully dry the miniature. Dust it with a thin mist of Black Surface Primer from the front, rear and below so the moving silhouette has no bright gaps.
Expected result
The black ground follows the sword arm and cloth cleanly, and the smallest armour ridges remain sharp.
Points to watch
Do not spray a heavy patch where the blade crosses the body or fill the gap behind the cloth.

Read the complete guide · 5

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the second sword pose
Where to paint: Whole model
Blackvallejo · 70.602
Trim the sword seam and inspect the trailing cloth for support nubs, then rinse and fully dry the miniature. Dust it with a thin mist of Black Surface Primer from the front, rear and below so the moving silhouette has no bright gaps.
Expected result
The black ground follows the sword arm and cloth cleanly, and the smallest armour ridges remain sharp.
Points to watch
Do not spray a heavy patch where the blade crosses the body or fill the gap behind the cloth.

2. Apply the base colours

Build one continuous gold silhouette
Where to paint: Gold armour and the broad rectangular shield
Retributor Armourcitadel · 21-35
Apply Retributor Armour in two thin coats, beginning with the shield and then working across the torso and limbs. Turn the miniature after each area dries so the rear shield face and the armour beside the sword arm receive the same smooth coverage.
Expected result
The shield and armour read as one gold material, while the red cloth and black joints remain clean.
Points to watch
Do not cover the shield in one heavy coat or drag gold across the sword blade and plume.
Separate the moving cloth from the rigid gold
Where to paint: Red plume and hanging cloth with black armour gaps
Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Paint the plume, waist cloth and ribbed sword grip with Mephiston Red, following each outer edge rather than every tiny groove. Deepen the elbows, inner thighs and the gap behind the shield arm with Abaddon Black so the gold plates remain clearly separated.
Expected result
Red forms a clear line from plume to waist, while black gaps separate the limbs without widening onto gold.
Points to watch
Do not add unreadable stripes to the cloth or turn the whole shield arm black.
Set the blade against a quiet base
Where to paint: Raised sword, metal fittings and the round base
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28
Dawnstonecitadel · 22-49
Pull Leadbelcher from the guard toward the sword tip in two thin strokes, keeping the long edges straight. Paint the ground Dawnstone and the base rim Abaddon Black, rotating the base by its rim instead of touching the shield.
Expected result
The sword forms a clean vertical silver shape and the black rim remains an even circle.
Points to watch
Do not let silver spread onto the red grip or drag grey ground colour onto the boots.

3. Build the shadows

Give the shield depth and keep the head as the focus
Where to paint: Gold armour and the broad rectangular shield
Reikland Fleshshadecitadel · 24-24
Liberator Goldcitadel · 22-71
Stormhost Silvercitadel · 22-75
Run Reikland Fleshshade around the inner shield rim and into the armour joints, then remove any pool from the shield face. Restore the upper planes with Liberator Gold. Add Stormhost Silver only to the helmet brow, the sword-side shoulder and the top shield corner.
Expected result
The shield has a warm inner shadow and a single bright corner that leads the eye back to the helmet.
Points to watch
Do not shade the shield as a flat brown wash or dot every armour ridge with silver.

4. Build the highlights

Make the plume direction and waist folds readable
Where to paint: Red plume and hanging cloth with black armour gaps
Agrax Earthshadecitadel · 24-15
Evil Sunz Scarletcitadel · 22-05
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Place Agrax Earthshade beneath the plume and into the deepest waist fold. Draw short Evil Sunz Scarlet strokes along the plume tips pointing away from the helmet, then add one small line to the forward cloth fold. Touch Eshin Grey to two black joint corners and stop.
Expected result
The plume sweeps visibly behind the helmet and the waist cloth has one clear fold hierarchy.
Points to watch
Do not highlight every plume groove or brighten the black joints until they compete with the blade.

5. Paint the details

Give the blade two values and seat the feet
Where to paint: Raised sword, metal fittings and the round base
Stormhost Silvercitadel · 22-75
Agrax Earthshadecitadel · 24-15
Nuln Oilcitadel · 24-14
Glaze Nuln Oil along the blade face nearest the shield, leaving the opposite plane bright. Draw one thin Stormhost Silver line along the exposed cutting edge and finish at the tip. Work Agrax Earthshade into the ground at the heels to create a contact shadow.
Expected result
The sword shows a dark shield-side plane and one crisp bright edge, while both feet sit firmly on the ground.
Points to watch
Do not paint a second bright stripe down the blade or flood the ankles with brown shade.

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 5

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Detailed instructions · 1

Prepare the second sword pose
Trim the sword seam and inspect the trailing cloth for support nubs, then rinse and fully dry the miniature. Dust it with a thin mist of Black Surface Primer from the front, rear and below so the moving silhouette has no bright gaps.
Expected result
The black ground follows the sword arm and cloth cleanly, and the smallest armour ridges remain sharp.
Points to watch
Do not spray a heavy patch where the blade crosses the body or fill the gap behind the cloth.

Adeptus Custodes auramite gold and red

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prepare the second sword pose

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the second sword pose

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Build one continuous gold silhouette

Expected result

Points to watch

Separate the moving cloth from the rigid gold

Expected result

Points to watch

Set the blade against a quiet base

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Give the shield depth and keep the head as the focus

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Make the plume direction and waist folds readable

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Paint the details

Give the blade two values and seat the feet

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 second sword pose

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the second sword pose

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Build one continuous gold silhouette

Expected result

Points to watch

Separate the moving cloth from the rigid gold

Expected result

Points to watch

Set the blade against a quiet base

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Give the shield depth and keep the head as the focus

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Make the plume direction and waist folds readable

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Paint the details

Give the blade two values and seat the feet

Expected result

Points to watch

Comments …