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

Chaos Marine — black armour, aged brass and crimson

Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 4

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Detailed instructions · 1

Prepare the horned champion
Remove support marks without rounding the axe teeth or leg studs. Wash off handling residue, rinse and let the miniature dry fully. Apply thin coats of Vallejo Black Surface Primer 70.602 from several angles so the sheltered chest and inner legs are covered.
Expected result
All surfaces have a thin black coat and the serrations remain separate.
Points to watch
Do not let primer collect under the shoulder rims.

Read the complete guide · 4

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the horned champion
Where to paint: Whole model
Blackvallejo · 70.602
Remove support marks without rounding the axe teeth or leg studs. Wash off handling residue, rinse and let the miniature dry fully. Apply thin coats of Vallejo Black Surface Primer 70.602 from several angles so the sheltered chest and inner legs are covered.
Expected result
All surfaces have a thin black coat and the serrations remain separate.
Points to watch
Do not let primer collect under the shoulder rims.

2. Apply the base colours

Establish the black armour
Where to paint: Black armour
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Apply Abaddon Black evenly to these armour plates and the joints between them. Keep the chest centre and the opposite shoulder clear for crimson, and work around the raised trim rather than burying it.
Expected result
The armour is uniformly black without filled recesses.
Points to watch
Do not paint the horns as part of the helmet armour.
Set the crimson panels and lenses
Where to paint: Crimson chest, shoulder and eye lenses
Khorne Redcitadel · 21-04
Cover the chest panel and axe-side shoulder with two thin coats of Khorne Red. Use the same colour inside the eye slits, leaving black around them. Stop the red precisely at the raised brass borders.
Expected result
Two large crimson areas balance the small red eyes.
Points to watch
The pistol-side shoulder remains black.
Lay in the aged brass
Where to paint: Brass trim and studs
Retributor Armourcitadel · 21-35
Mournfang Browncitadel · 21-20
Mix three parts Retributor Armour with one part Mournfang Brown and paint the raised brass fittings. Pick out each leg stud separately so its black surround stays visible.
Expected result
The brass is warm and subdued, not bright yellow.
Points to watch
Keep the weapon casings out of this brass pass.
Give horns and skulls a warm foundation
Where to paint: Horns and skull trophies
Zandri Dustcitadel · 21-16
Apply Zandri Dust in thin coats over the entire bone surfaces. Turn the model to reach the undersides of the skulls, keeping their metal supports distinct.
Expected result
No black primer shows through the broad bone areas.
Points to watch
The little helmet and wrist spikes are metal, not bone.
Paint the dark weapon metal
Where to paint: Pistol, chainaxe and axe haft
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28
Mix Leadbelcher and Abaddon Black equally for the weapon casings and small steel fittings. Paint the flat faces smoothly and keep the muzzle interior black. Use the brush tip between the axe teeth.
Expected result
The weapons read as dark steel, distinct from the warm trim.
Points to watch
Do not brighten every gap between the teeth.
Separate the brown axe haft
Where to paint: Pistol, chainaxe and axe haft
Dryad Barkcitadel · 21-23
Paint the exposed haft with Dryad Bark, stopping at the metal bands. Keep this brown dark enough to sit behind the axe head rather than become a new focal point.
Expected result
Brown separates the shaft from the steel head and black gauntlet.
Points to watch
Do not repaint the arm or fingers brown.

3. Build the shadows

Shade the brass and bone joins
Where to paint: Brass trim and studs
Agrax Earthshadecitadel · 24-15
Use Agrax Earthshade around the brass studs and along trim joins. On the bone, concentrate it at the horn roots and in the sculpted skull recesses; draw away any pool from the broad forehead surfaces.
Expected result
The recessed areas are darker while the raised brass and bone remain clear.
Points to watch
Do not wash the entire black armour brown.

4. Build the highlights

Shape the black armour with restrained grey
Where to paint: Black armour
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Add a little Eshin Grey to Abaddon Black and build soft highlights on the upper curves. Reduce the painted area as the mix gets lighter, leaving the lower plates and spaces beneath the brass truly black.
Expected result
The curved plates are visible at normal viewing size, but the armour still looks black.
Points to watch
Do not turn the whole forward leg grey.
Bring light onto the crimson curves
Where to paint: Crimson chest, shoulder and eye lenses
Khorne Redcitadel · 21-04
Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03
Blend Mephiston Red into Khorne Red over the upper chest and shoulder. Keep the colour darker beside the lower trim. Add a tiny touch of Mephiston Red inside each lens without lighting the surrounding helmet.
Expected result
The red curves have depth without becoming orange or glossy.
Points to watch
Leave the black shoulder unchanged.
Build pale horn tips and skull crowns
Where to paint: Horns and skull trophies
Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32
Screaming Skullcitadel · 22-33
Layer Ushabti Bone from the middle of each horn towards its tip, keeping the root brown. Use it on the skull crowns as well. Add Screaming Skull only to the tips and the small uppermost highlights, following the existing shape rather than drawing extra cracks.
Expected result
The bone shifts from dark roots to pale tips with no chalky white patches.
Points to watch
Keep the horn roots darker than the tips.
Sharpen the warm metal reflections
Where to paint: Brass trim and studs
Retributor Armourcitadel · 21-35
Liberator Goldcitadel · 22-71
Restore Retributor Armour on the lit brass edges, leaving the shaded joins dark. Add a little Liberator Gold for a few short upper-edge reflections and small touches on the forward studs.
Expected result
The brass has distinct highlights without a continuous pale outline.
Points to watch
Do not cover every stud completely with the brightest mix.
Catch the cutting edges and muzzle rim
Where to paint: Pistol, chainaxe and axe haft
Ironbreakercitadel · 22-59
Touch Ironbreaker onto the exposed tooth tips and selected outer weapon edges. Place a narrow reflection around only the upper part of the muzzle rim. Keep the broad weapon faces dark and free of bright scratch patterns.
Expected result
The weapon shapes read clearly without looking polished silver.
Points to watch
The muzzle hole and the gaps beneath the teeth stay black.

All paints and materials (15)

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25

Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51

Khorne Redcitadel · 21-04

Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03

Retributor Armourcitadel · 21-35

Mournfang Browncitadel · 21-20

Agrax Earthshadecitadel · 24-15

Liberator Goldcitadel · 22-71

Zandri Dustcitadel · 21-16

Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32

Screaming Skullcitadel · 22-33

Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28

Dryad Barkcitadel · 21-23

Ironbreakercitadel · 22-59

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Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 4

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Detailed instructions · 1

Prepare the horned champion
Remove support marks without rounding the axe teeth or leg studs. Wash off handling residue, rinse and let the miniature dry fully. Apply thin coats of Vallejo Black Surface Primer 70.602 from several angles so the sheltered chest and inner legs are covered.
Expected result
All surfaces have a thin black coat and the serrations remain separate.
Points to watch
Do not let primer collect under the shoulder rims.

Chaos Marine — black armour, aged brass and crimson

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prepare the horned champion

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the horned champion

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Establish the black armour

Expected result

Points to watch

Set the crimson panels and lenses

Expected result

Points to watch

Lay in the aged brass

Expected result

Points to watch

Give horns and skulls a warm foundation

Expected result

Points to watch

Paint the dark weapon metal

Expected result

Points to watch

Separate the brown axe haft

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Shade the brass and bone joins

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Shape the black armour with restrained grey

Expected result

Points to watch

Bring light onto the crimson curves

Expected result

Points to watch

Build pale horn tips and skull crowns

Expected result

Points to watch

Sharpen the warm metal reflections

Expected result

Points to watch

Catch the cutting edges and muzzle rim

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

Prepare the horned champion

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the horned champion

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Establish the black armour

Expected result

Points to watch

Set the crimson panels and lenses

Expected result

Points to watch

Lay in the aged brass

Expected result

Points to watch

Give horns and skulls a warm foundation

Expected result

Points to watch

Paint the dark weapon metal

Expected result

Points to watch