Painting

Aeldari Guardian — Ulthwé black and bone

Black armour and warm bone panels give the Epic Guardian a compact Ulthwé palette. Broken grey edge lights and smaller pale highlights keep the joints separated without outlining every surface at this scale.

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Colours on the model

Letters identify paints. The same letter can appear in several places.

Aeldari Guardian — Ulthwé black and bone

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 Epic Guardian
Remove the smallest support nubs with magnification, rinse the miniature and let it dry beneath a dust cover. Apply Black Surface Primer as a barely wet mist, rotating the figure after each brief pass.
Expected result
The micro-scale figure is uniformly black without losing the weapon profile, helmet or fingers.
Points to watch
Do not chase coverage with extra primer; one pooled drop can erase the Guardian's face and hands.

Read the complete guide · 5

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the Epic Guardian
Where to paint: Whole model
Blackvallejo · 70.602
Remove the smallest support nubs with magnification, rinse the miniature and let it dry beneath a dust cover. Apply Black Surface Primer as a barely wet mist, rotating the figure after each brief pass.
Expected result
The micro-scale figure is uniformly black without losing the weapon profile, helmet or fingers.
Points to watch
Do not chase coverage with extra primer; one pooled drop can erase the Guardian's face and hands.

2. Apply the base colours

Base colour
Where to paint: Black armour
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Corvus Blackcitadel · 21-44
Cover the plates with Abaddon Black, then glaze Corvus Black into the middle of each broad surface. Keep a narrow pure-black border beside every joint so the small figure does not merge into one silhouette.
Expected result
Every plate is solid black but separated from its neighbour by a readable dark seam.
Points to watch
Do not cover the bone helmet or the bone shuriken-catapult casing.
Base colour
Where to paint: Bone helmet and shuriken catapult casing
Wraithbonecitadel · 21-53
Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32
Build Wraithbone in two thin coats. Shade the lower curve by mixing in a little Ushabti Bone, pulling the darker colour towards the neck and the underside of the gun rather than outlining every panel.
Expected result
The helmet and gun read as the same warm material, with clean coverage on front, sides and underside.
Points to watch
Keep bone paint out of the eye slits, muzzle opening and black grip.

3. Build the highlights

Shape and highlight
Where to paint: Black armour
Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51
Administratum Greycitadel · 22-50
Run Eshin Grey along the chosen upper edges, breaking the line at curves. Put Administratum Grey only on the shoulder tips, one knee corner and the knuckles nearest the weapon.
Expected result
The black armour has crisp cold volume, with the brightest marks gathered around the head and weapon.
Points to watch
Do not edge every plate equally; a uniform grey cage will flatten the pose.
Shape and highlight
Where to paint: Bone helmet and shuriken catapult casing
Screaming Skullcitadel · 22-33
Feather Screaming Skull over the upper helmet curve and along the top of the gun. Sharpen only the brow and the front casing corners with the tip of the brush.
Expected result
The helmet is the brightest shape, while the gun remains related but slightly quieter.
Points to watch
Do not turn the whole bone area to one pale cream; preserve the warm lower half.

4. Paint the details

Material detail
Where to paint: Gun metal, red lenses and base
Gunmetal Greyvallejo · 70.863
Place Gunmetal Grey with the side of the brush on the muzzle ring, then pick the mechanism beneath the casing in separate short strokes. Leave the bore black.
Expected result
The weapon has a clearly open dark muzzle and a narrow metallic mechanism, not a silver front block.
Points to watch
Keep silver away from the bone casing and black trigger hand.
Focal detail
Where to paint: Gun metal, red lenses and base
Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03
Evil Sunz Scarletcitadel · 22-05
Fill each lens with Mephiston Red using one controlled pull from the outer corner inward. Add a shorter Evil Sunz Scarlet mark to the lower front half of each slit.
Expected result
Both eyes are equal in width and brightness and remain sharply enclosed by the bone faceplate.
Points to watch
Do not enlarge the eyes beyond the sculpted slits or join them across the nose ridge.

5. Finish the model

Base finish
Where to paint: Gun metal, red lenses and base
Neutral Greyvallejo · 70.992
Brush Neutral Grey around the feet in short outward strokes, then rotate the model and close the unpainted crescent behind the heels.
Expected result
The base forms one even neutral disc with a clean boundary around both boots.
Points to watch
Do not drag grey up the boot toes or leave primer visible behind the model.

All paints and materials (12)

Blackvallejo · 70.602

Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25

Corvus Blackcitadel · 21-44

Eshin Greycitadel · 22-51

Administratum Greycitadel · 22-50

Wraithbonecitadel · 21-53

Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32

Screaming Skullcitadel · 22-33

Gunmetal Greyvallejo · 70.863

Mephiston Redcitadel · 21-03

Evil Sunz Scarletcitadel · 22-05

Neutral Greyvallejo · 70.992

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Aeldari Guardian — Ulthwé black and bone

◉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 Epic Guardian
Remove the smallest support nubs with magnification, rinse the miniature and let it dry beneath a dust cover. Apply Black Surface Primer as a barely wet mist, rotating the figure after each brief pass.
Expected result
The micro-scale figure is uniformly black without losing the weapon profile, helmet or fingers.
Points to watch
Do not chase coverage with extra primer; one pooled drop can erase the Guardian's face and hands.

Aeldari Guardian — Ulthwé black and bone

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prepare the Epic Guardian

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the Epic Guardian

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Base colour

Expected result

Points to watch

Base colour

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the highlights

Shape and highlight

Expected result

Points to watch

Shape and highlight

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Paint the details

Material detail

Expected result

Points to watch

Focal detail

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Finish the model

Base finish

Expected result

Points to watch

Comments …

Aeldari Guardian — Ulthwé black and bone

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prepare the Epic Guardian

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the Epic Guardian

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Base colour

Expected result

Points to watch

Base colour

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the highlights

Shape and highlight

Expected result

Points to watch

Shape and highlight

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Paint the details

Material detail

Expected result

Points to watch

Focal detail

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Finish the model

Base finish

Expected result

Points to watch

Comments …