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.

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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 crested warrior
Remove support marks and mould lines, taking care around the crest and spear. Wash the miniature in warm soapy water, rinse and let it dry completely. Brush on Black Surface Primer in a thin coat, turning the figure to reach behind the weapon and under the armour.
Expected result
Primer reaches behind the weapon without bridging gaps.
Points to watch
Keep the crest ridges distinct.

Read the complete guide · 5

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the crested warrior
Where to paint: Whole model
Blackvallejo · 70.602
Remove support marks and mould lines, taking care around the crest and spear. Wash the miniature in warm soapy water, rinse and let it dry completely. Brush on Black Surface Primer in a thin coat, turning the figure to reach behind the weapon and under the armour.
Expected result
Primer reaches behind the weapon without bridging gaps.
Points to watch
Keep the crest ridges distinct.

2. Apply the base colours

Lay down the auramite
Where to paint: Crested Guardian’s armour
Retributor Armourcitadel · 21-35
Paint the armour and armoured gloves with Retributor Armour. Include both round discs, the boots and every rectangular gold plate on the spear. Apply thin coats until the black no longer shows through on these surfaces.
Expected result
Armour and ornaments share a clean gold base.
Points to watch
Do not paint the plume or tabard gold.
Paint the crimson accents
Where to paint: Tall crest and tabard
Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03
Apply Mephiston Red to the whole plume and hanging cloth, including the cloth behind the spear. Keep both round gold discs untouched.
Expected result
The red covers every cloth panel and crest surface.
Points to watch
Keep red within the sculpted cloth edges.
Paint the dark spear sections
Where to paint: Cross-body guardian spear
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Paint the shaft and black gun frame with Abaddon Black. Use the same colour in the exposed armour joints, avoiding the gold hand plates.
Expected result
The shaft is black on both sides of the hands.
Points to watch
Leave the rectangular gun side plates gold.
Paint the blade and muzzle
Where to paint: Cross-body guardian spear
Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28
Coat the broad spear blade and projecting muzzle with Leadbelcher. Paint both blade faces right up to the gold housing.
Expected result
Steel surfaces have no bare patches.
Points to watch
Do not silver the adjoining gold plates.
Establish a black base
Where to paint: Crested warrior’s base
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Apply Abaddon Black to the base top and rim. Reach carefully between the feet and beneath the hanging tabard.
Expected result
Black paint covers the tight areas below the figure.
Points to watch
Keep the tabard hem red.

3. Build the shadows

Shade beneath the gold trim
Where to paint: Crested Guardian’s armour
Reikland Fleshshadecitadel · 24-24
Apply Reikland Fleshshade beneath the shoulder rims, around the two discs and inside the gold gauntlet joints.
Expected result
The gold details are separated by narrow warm shadows.
Points to watch
Do not leave brown pools on the chest.
Shade the plume grooves
Where to paint: Tall crest and tabard
Nuln Oilcitadel · 24-14
Use Nuln Oil in the plume grooves and the deep vertical folds below the belt.
Expected result
Dark grooves give the red details depth.
Points to watch
Lift excess shade from the crest tips.
Darken the steel joins
Where to paint: Cross-body guardian spear
Nuln Oilcitadel · 24-14
Place Nuln Oil where the steel blade meets its housing and around the muzzle base.
Expected result
The steel is darkest at its mounting points.
Points to watch
Keep the cutting edge free of shade stains.

4. Build the highlights

Restore the warm gold
Where to paint: Crested Guardian’s armour
Retributor Armourcitadel · 21-35
Reapply Retributor Armour to the flat plates and lower shoulder curves wherever the shade has stained them. Leave the narrow shadows around the discs and beneath the trim intact.
Expected result
Clean gold surrounds the narrow shaded joins.
Points to watch
Do not cover the recess shading.
Restore the red between the shadows
Where to paint: Tall crest and tabard
Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03
Reapply Mephiston Red to the raised crest and cloth folds. Leave Nuln Oil visible in the grooves so the following highlights do not sit directly against black.
Expected result
Red areas are clean, with dark grooves still visible.
Points to watch
Do not flood the shallow crest channels.
Bring out the helmet and shoulders
Where to paint: Crested Guardian’s armour
Liberator Goldcitadel · 22-71
Build narrow Liberator Gold highlights over the top curves of the helmet and shoulders. Add smaller strokes to the upper chest edge, glove plates and forward knee. Use another thin pass within the first on the helmet, keeping warm gold visible below.
Expected result
The strongest highlights gather around the helmet.
Points to watch
Do not edge every plate equally brightly.
Light the crest tips
Where to paint: Tall crest and tabard
Evil Sunz Scarletcitadel · 22-05
Pick out the upper plume ridges and one front tabard fold with Evil Sunz Scarlet. Use short strokes that follow the sculpted ridges.
Expected result
The crest is brighter than the cloth below the belt.
Points to watch
Do not paint individual hair strands.
Highlight the spear edge
Where to paint: Cross-body guardian spear
Ironbreakercitadel · 22-59
Use Ironbreaker along the upper cutting edge and at the muzzle tip. Keep the lower blade face darker.
Expected result
The blade is readable without added decoration.
Points to watch
Do not add blue energy patterns to this steel blade.
Define the black shaft
Where to paint: Cross-body guardian spear
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Add a narrow Eshin Grey stroke along the shaft’s upper face between the hands.
Expected result
A single highlight separates the shaft from the dark gaps.
Points to watch
Keep the underside black.
Add the brightest gold accents
Where to paint: Crested Guardian’s armour
Liberator Goldcitadel · 22-71
Ironbreakercitadel · 22-59
Mix a little Ironbreaker into Liberator Gold. Add a short accent to the helmet brow, the top of the shoulder rim nearest the light and the top edge of the chest disc. Keep these accents smaller than the earlier gold highlights.
Expected result
The helmet attracts attention without turning the armour silver.
Points to watch
At Epic scale, omit stippling and tiny scratched patterns.

5. Finish the model

Finish the dark base top
Where to paint: Crested warrior’s base
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Add a thin Eshin Grey coat to the open base top, stopping before the black rim.
Expected result
The grey top stays less prominent than the gold boots.
Points to watch
No pale dust should cover the feet.
Check the miniature and tidy the rim
Where to paint: Crested warrior’s base
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Turn the miniature through a full circle. Check the crest, both glove plates, the cloth behind the spear and the back of the boots for missed paint. Correct any such gaps with their established colours before finishing. Then use Abaddon Black to remove accidental marks from the shaft and give the base rim a clean, continuous edge.
Expected result
No bare areas remain; gold, red and steel stay separate and the rim is uniformly black.
Points to watch
Do not add terrain, new ornaments or more highlights during cleanup.

All paints and materials (11)

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Retributor Armourcitadel · 21-35

Reikland Fleshshadecitadel · 24-24

Liberator Goldcitadel · 22-71

Ironbreakercitadel · 22-59

Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03

Nuln Oilcitadel · 24-14

Evil Sunz Scarletcitadel · 22-05

Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25

Leadbelchercitadel · 21-28

Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51

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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 crested warrior
Remove support marks and mould lines, taking care around the crest and spear. Wash the miniature in warm soapy water, rinse and let it dry completely. Brush on Black Surface Primer in a thin coat, turning the figure to reach behind the weapon and under the armour.
Expected result
Primer reaches behind the weapon without bridging gaps.
Points to watch
Keep the crest ridges distinct.

Adeptus Custodes auramite gold and red

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prepare the crested warrior

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the crested warrior

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Lay down the auramite

Expected result

Points to watch

Paint the crimson accents

Expected result

Points to watch

Paint the dark spear sections

Expected result

Points to watch

Paint the blade and muzzle

Expected result

Points to watch

Establish a black base

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Shade beneath the gold trim

Expected result

Points to watch

Shade the plume grooves

Expected result

Points to watch

Darken the steel joins

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Restore the warm gold

Expected result

Points to watch

Restore the red between the shadows

Expected result

Points to watch

Bring out the helmet and shoulders

Expected result

Points to watch

Light the crest tips

Expected result

Points to watch

Highlight the spear edge

Expected result

Points to watch

Define the black shaft

Expected result

Points to watch

Add the brightest gold accents

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Finish the model

Finish the dark base top

Expected result

Points to watch

Check the miniature and tidy the rim

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 crested warrior

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the crested warrior

Expected result

Points to watch