Painting

Genestealer Cults — Four-armed Emperor industrial grey and purple

Industrial grey clothing, exposed steel and dark leather and rubber give the rider a work-worn palette. Broken grey camouflage, carefully finished skin and small glass reflections separate the figure from the bike's machinery.

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Colours on the model

Genestealer Cults — Four-armed Emperor industrial grey and purple

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 rider and bike
Check the rifle barrel and thin cables for damage, then remove seam lines and loose residue. Wash the model carefully, rinse and let it dry completely. Apply thin coats of Black Surface Primer from several angles so the inner wheels and the underside of the rifle are covered.
Expected result
The crowded spaces are primed without filling their gaps.
Points to watch
Do not force a brush between fragile spokes or cables.

Read the complete guide · 5

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the rider and bike
Where to paint: Whole model
Blackvallejo · 70.602
Check the rifle barrel and thin cables for damage, then remove seam lines and loose residue. Wash the model carefully, rinse and let it dry completely. Apply thin coats of Black Surface Primer from several angles so the inner wheels and the underside of the rifle are covered.
Expected result
The crowded spaces are primed without filling their gaps.
Points to watch
Do not force a brush between fragile spokes or cables.

2. Apply the base colours

Dark grey fabric
Where to paint: Grey clothing
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Paint the clothing Eshin Grey in thin coats. Mix a little Abaddon Black into it for the folds beneath the elbows and along the inner thighs. Keep the fabric distinct from the darker boots and the metal knee guards.
Expected result
Cloth folds remain visible against the bike's machinery.
Points to watch
Do not use metallic paint on the sleeves or trousers.
Industrial steel
Where to paint: Bike and rifle metal
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28
Nuln Oilcitadel · 24-14
Use Leadbelcher on the exposed metal, darkening it with Abaddon Black for the engine block and rifle body. Apply Nuln Oil to the joints and cooling fins. Keep the rubber tyres and leather straps free of metal paint.
Expected result
Steel parts are separate and their recesses remain dark.
Points to watch
Do not flood the space between the rifle and the rider's hands.
Leather and rubber
Where to paint: Tyres, boots and straps
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Dryad Barkcitadel · 21-23
Gorthor Browncitadel · 22-47
Paint rubber and black leather Abaddon Black, then add restrained Eshin Grey highlights to the tread shoulders and boot creases. Use Dryad Bark for the brown straps and seat, with thin Gorthor Brown accents along worn edges. Keep the buckles metallic.
Expected result
The tyres look matte; leather has softer, warmer highlights.
Points to watch
Do not carry brown leather colour onto hoses or exposed steel tubes.

3. Build the highlights

Soft fabric highlights
Where to paint: Grey clothing
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Dawnstonecitadel · 22-49
Blend Dawnstone into Eshin Grey and apply thin layers to the upper folds. Feather each highlight back into the base colour with a damp brush. Let the shadows beneath the rider remain deep so the upper body stands out.
Expected result
The folds have volume without pale stripes along every ridge.
Points to watch
Avoid a drybrush pass over the whole rider.
Pick out working edges
Where to paint: Bike and rifle metal
Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28
Ironbreakercitadel · 22-59
Add short Ironbreaker highlights on the front fork and upper rifle edges. Use a duller mix of Ironbreaker and Leadbelcher on the exhaust and rear frame. Reserve the brightest touches for the weapon and headlight housings near the rider's face.
Expected result
Highlights reveal the machinery without making every tube equally bright.
Points to watch
Leave recesses between cooling fins untouched by the highlights.

4. Paint the details

Broken grey camouflage
Where to paint: Grey clothing
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Dawnstonecitadel · 22-49
Mix Dawnstone into Eshin Grey and paint a few irregular short patches across the cloth. Keep them darker in the folds and lighter on the raised fabric, following the highlights already painted. Leave plenty of plain grey between the patches.
Expected result
The camouflage follows the folds without hiding their shading.
Points to watch
Do not fill the cloth with tiny digital pixels or paint these patches on the steel.
Living skin tones
Where to paint: Purple skin
Xereus Purplecitadel · 22-09
Genestealer Purplecitadel · 22-10
Pallid Wych Fleshcitadel · 22-58
Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32
Basecoat the exposed skin with Xereus Purple mixed with Genestealer Purple. Add Pallid Wych Flesh gradually to highlight the forehead, cheekbones and bare areas of the hands, leaving the black gloves intact. Keep purple shadows in the face and soften the transitions with a thin glaze of the midtone. Pick out the sculpted teeth with a tiny amount of Ushabti Bone.
Expected result
The face has pale highlights and coloured shadows, not a flat grey finish.
Points to watch
Do not repaint the goggles, glove material or respirator as skin.
Small glass reflections
Where to paint: Goggles, scope and headlights
Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32
Sotek Greencitadel · 22-19
Temple Guard Bluecitadel · 22-20
White Scarcitadel · 22-57
Paint the goggles and scope lens Sotek Green, brightening the lower glass with Temple Guard Blue. Use Ushabti Bone for the headlights and blend White Scar towards their upper centres. Add one tiny white reflection to each large lens, keeping every metal rim clean.
Expected result
Glasses and lamps are readable without a glow spreading over the face.
Points to watch
Do not add new lenses to the plain equipment boxes.

5. Add effects and weathering

Road dust
Where to paint: Tyres, boots and straps
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Karak Stonecitadel · 22-35
Glaze very dilute Karak Stone over the lowermost tyre tread and boot toes. Use a nearly unloaded brush to catch a few raised tread blocks and worn boot edges, then add a faint dusty tint to the lower fork. Keep the upper leather black and repair any oversized pale marks with Eshin Grey mixed with Abaddon Black.
Expected result
Dust is concentrated near the road; the tyres still look black and rubbery.
Points to watch
Do not cover the rifle, face or upper sleeves with beige stippling.

All paints and materials (17)

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51

Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25

Dawnstonecitadel · 22-49

Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28

Nuln Oilcitadel · 24-14

Ironbreakercitadel · 22-59

Dryad Barkcitadel · 21-23

Gorthor Browncitadel · 22-47

Karak Stonecitadel · 22-35

Xereus Purplecitadel · 22-09

Genestealer Purplecitadel · 22-10

Pallid Wych Fleshcitadel · 22-58

Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32

Sotek Greencitadel · 22-19

Temple Guard Bluecitadel · 22-20

White Scarcitadel · 22-57

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Genestealer Cults — Four-armed Emperor industrial grey and purple

◉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 rider and bike
Check the rifle barrel and thin cables for damage, then remove seam lines and loose residue. Wash the model carefully, rinse and let it dry completely. Apply thin coats of Black Surface Primer from several angles so the inner wheels and the underside of the rifle are covered.
Expected result
The crowded spaces are primed without filling their gaps.
Points to watch
Do not force a brush between fragile spokes or cables.

Genestealer Cults — Four-armed Emperor industrial grey and purple

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prepare the rider and bike

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the rider and bike

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Dark grey fabric

Expected result

Points to watch

Industrial steel

Expected result

Points to watch

Leather and rubber

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the highlights

Soft fabric highlights

Expected result

Points to watch

Pick out working edges

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Paint the details

Broken grey camouflage

Expected result

Points to watch

Living skin tones

Expected result

Points to watch

Small glass reflections

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Add effects and weathering

Road dust

Expected result

Points to watch

Comments …

Genestealer Cults — Four-armed Emperor industrial grey and purple

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prepare the rider and bike

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the rider and bike

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Dark grey fabric

Expected result

Points to watch

Industrial steel

Expected result

Points to watch

Leather and rubber

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the highlights

Soft fabric highlights

Expected result

Points to watch

Pick out working edges

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Paint the details

Broken grey camouflage

Expected result

Points to watch

Living skin tones

Expected result

Points to watch