Painting

Paint concept — sage and chestnut

Sage-green skin and an olive rim support a chestnut shell with pale claws. Soft highlights follow the head and domed plates, while brown irises and matching catchlights give the turtle a lively gaze.

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Colours on the model

Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 6

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Greyvallejo · 70.601

Detailed instructions · 1

Prepare the turtle
Clean away support marks without rounding the eyelids or shell grooves. Wash and fully dry the print; for resin, follow its maker's cleaning and curing instructions. Apply a thin coat of Vallejo Grey Surface Primer, reaching beneath the shell.
Expected result
The dry primer covers every surface while the smile and grooves remain clear.
Points to watch
Do not prime damp or uncured resin.

Read the complete guide · 6

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the turtle
Where to paint: Whole model
Greyvallejo · 70.601
Clean away support marks without rounding the eyelids or shell grooves. Wash and fully dry the print; for resin, follow its maker's cleaning and curing instructions. Apply a thin coat of Vallejo Grey Surface Primer, reaching beneath the shell.
Expected result
The dry primer covers every surface while the smile and grooves remain clear.
Points to watch
Do not prime damp or uncured resin.

2. Apply the base colours

Paint the sage-green skin
Where to paint: Green head, neck and legs
Deathworld Forestcitadel · 21-15
Cover the skin with thin coats of Deathworld Forest. Use a pointed brush around the smile and eyelids, then turn the turtle to reach the neck and legs beneath the shell.
Expected result
The green is even, including the folds beneath the shell.
Points to watch
Keep the claws and eyes free of green paint.
Darken the shell foundation
Where to paint: Chestnut shell plates and olive rim
Rhinox Hidecitadel · 21-22
Paint the upper shell Rhinox Hide. Follow the plate edges with the tip, including the deep seams; spread the paint thinly over the broad domed surfaces.
Expected result
No primer shows through the dark brown shell base.
Points to watch
Do not extend the brown onto the broad lower rim.
Paint the olive shell rim
Where to paint: Chestnut shell plates and olive rim
Deathworld Forestcitadel · 21-15
Paint Deathworld Forest around the full lower band, stopping at the sculpted boundary beneath the brown plates. Check the rear edge as well as the visible front.
Expected result
An unbroken olive band surrounds the brown shell.
Points to watch
Keep the pale underside separate from the olive rim.
Basecoat the claws and underside
Where to paint: Pale claws and underside
Zandri Dustcitadel · 21-16
Use Zandri Dust on the claws and underside. Work around each curved claw with the tip and keep the narrow sculpted lines on the belly open.
Expected result
All claws and the underside have a continuous tan base.
Points to watch
Do not cover the green toes with the claw colour.
Define the dark eyes
Where to paint: Dark eyes with warm brown irises
Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25
Paint the eye surfaces Abaddon Black, drawing each oval boundary before filling the centre. Leave the raised green eyelids untouched.
Expected result
The black eyes have clean edges within the eyelids.
Points to watch
Do not enlarge the eyes by painting over their rims.

3. Build the shadows

Deepen the neck and limb folds
Where to paint: Green head, neck and legs
Castellan Greencitadel · 21-14
Thin Castellan Green to a translucent consistency. Guide it into the neck and leg folds with a lightly loaded brush, then feather the edge onto the surrounding green without staining the cheeks.
Expected result
The folds are darker, with soft edges and no dried tide marks.
Points to watch
Do not wash the entire face with the dark green.

4. Build the highlights

Build the lighter skin curves
Where to paint: Green head, neck and legs
Deathworld Forestcitadel · 21-15
Elysian Greencitadel · 22-30
Mix Deathworld Forest and Elysian Green equally. Apply thin layers across the forehead, cheeks and upper legs, ending each stroke towards the upper-left light and leaving the folds dark.
Expected result
The rounded surfaces brighten gradually towards the light.
Points to watch
Avoid a hard stripe dividing light and dark skin.
Build the chestnut shell colour
Where to paint: Chestnut shell plates and olive rim
Mournfang Browncitadel · 21-20
Layer Mournfang Brown over each plate, following its curve. Leave Rhinox Hide in the seams and along the lower-right edge; thin the paint near that dark edge to soften the transition.
Expected result
Chestnut plates remain clearly separated by dark seams.
Points to watch
Do not draw new plate divisions across the sculpt.
Bring out the pale claws
Where to paint: Pale claws and underside
Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32
Paint Ushabti Bone towards each claw tip and over the raised underside plates. Leave a little Zandri Dust at the claw roots and in the belly grooves.
Expected result
Pale raised areas sit above warm beige recesses.
Points to watch
Keep the claw roots darker than their tips.
Focus the skin highlights
Where to paint: Green head, neck and legs
Elysian Greencitadel · 22-30
Ogryn Camocitadel · 22-31
Mix Elysian Green and Ogryn Camo equally. Apply translucent layers within the earlier light areas, shrinking each pass towards the forehead and upper leg curves.
Expected result
Small pale-green highlights round the head and legs without sharp bands.
Points to watch
Do not make the shaded neck as bright as the forehead.
Light the shell from above left
Where to paint: Chestnut shell plates and olive rim
Mournfang Browncitadel · 21-20
XV-88citadel · 21-21
Mix equal amounts of Mournfang Brown and XV-88. Glaze the upper-left curve of each plate with short overlapping strokes, keeping the lower-right corner dark.
Expected result
Each plate has a soft warm highlight facing the same light.
Points to watch
Keep the sculpted seams dark and narrow.
Highlight the olive rim
Where to paint: Chestnut shell plates and olive rim
Deathworld Forestcitadel · 21-15
Ogryn Camocitadel · 22-31
Mix Deathworld Forest and Ogryn Camo equally. Brush a soft narrow highlight along the upward-facing lip, making it brighter near the head and softer towards the rear.
Expected result
The olive rim has a lighter upper edge and a darker underside.
Points to watch
Keep this green mixture off the chestnut plates.
Highlight the claw tips
Where to paint: Pale claws and underside
Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32
Screaming Skullcitadel · 22-33
Mix Ushabti Bone and Screaming Skull equally. Add a small curved highlight near each claw tip and a shorter stroke on the upper edge of each visible underside plate.
Expected result
The claw tips are lighter than the roots and do not look metallic.
Points to watch
Do not outline every claw with a white border.
Sharpen a few shell highlights
Where to paint: Chestnut shell plates and olive rim
XV-88citadel · 21-21
Balor Browncitadel · 22-43
Mix equal parts XV-88 and Balor Brown. Paint a few short, fine accents inside the earlier highlights, strongest on the top plates and quieter towards the lower shell.
Expected result
The brightest marks are limited to the shell's upper edges.
Points to watch
Do not turn the shell into a grid of equally bright outlines.

5. Paint the details

Add the warm brown irises
Where to paint: Dark eyes with warm brown irises
Mournfang Browncitadel · 21-20
Paint a Mournfang Brown crescent in the lower part of each eye. Leave the centre and upper half black, and stop short of the green eyelid.
Expected result
A warm brown iris surrounds the lower edge of each black pupil.
Points to watch
Do not fill the entire eye with brown.
Brighten the lower iris
Where to paint: Dark eyes with warm brown irises
Mournfang Browncitadel · 21-20
Balor Browncitadel · 22-43
Mix Mournfang Brown and Balor Brown equally. Paint a narrow arc inside the lower brown crescent, keeping the black pupil and the outer dark edge intact.
Expected result
The lower irises have a small amber accent within the brown.
Points to watch
Keep the amber arc away from the green eyelid.
Paint matching catchlights
Where to paint: Dark eyes with warm brown irises
White Scarcitadel · 22-57
Add one tiny White Scar catchlight to the upper-left area of each eye. Compare their position from the front so both eyes reflect the same studio light.
Expected result
The white catchlights match, while the brown irises remain visible.
Points to watch
Keep the dots small enough to preserve the pupils.

6. Finish the model

Protect the matte paint
Where to paint: Chestnut shell plates and olive rim
Stormshieldcitadel · 27-34
Once the colours are fully dry, brush on a thin coat of Stormshield. Lift any pooled varnish from the smile and shell seams with a clean brush before it starts to set.
Expected result
The dry coating is even, with clear shell seams and a readable smile.
Points to watch
Do not leave cloudy drops in the shell grooves.
Gloss the eyes
Where to paint: Dark eyes with warm brown irises
Ardcoatcitadel · 27-03
After the matte coat has dried, spread a small amount of Ardcoat over each eye with a clean pointed brush. Keep the varnish inside the eye rim.
Expected result
The eyes are glossy; the eyelids and cheeks stay matte.
Points to watch
Do not let gloss spill onto the green face.

All paints and materials (16)

Greyvallejo · 70.601

Deathworld Forestcitadel · 21-15

Castellan Greencitadel · 21-14

Elysian Greencitadel · 22-30

Ogryn Camocitadel · 22-31

Rhinox Hidecitadel · 21-22

Mournfang Browncitadel · 21-20

XV-88citadel · 21-21

Balor Browncitadel · 22-43

Stormshieldcitadel · 27-34

Zandri Dustcitadel · 21-16

Ushabti Bonecitadel · 22-32

Screaming Skullcitadel · 22-33

Abaddon Blackcitadel · 21-25

White Scarcitadel · 22-57

Ardcoatcitadel · 27-03

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Painting stages

All stages

Stage 1 of 6

Prepare the model

Where to paintWhole model

For this stage

Greyvallejo · 70.601

Detailed instructions · 1

Prepare the turtle
Clean away support marks without rounding the eyelids or shell grooves. Wash and fully dry the print; for resin, follow its maker's cleaning and curing instructions. Apply a thin coat of Vallejo Grey Surface Primer, reaching beneath the shell.
Expected result
The dry primer covers every surface while the smile and grooves remain clear.
Points to watch
Do not prime damp or uncured resin.

Paint concept — sage and chestnut

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage

Prepare the turtle

Expected result

Points to watch

1. Prepare the model

Prepare the turtle

Expected result

Points to watch

2. Apply the base colours

Paint the sage-green skin

Expected result

Points to watch

Darken the shell foundation

Expected result

Points to watch

Paint the olive shell rim

Expected result

Points to watch

Basecoat the claws and underside

Expected result

Points to watch

Define the dark eyes

Expected result

Points to watch

3. Build the shadows

Deepen the neck and limb folds

Expected result

Points to watch

4. Build the highlights

Build the lighter skin curves

Expected result

Points to watch

Build the chestnut shell colour

Expected result

Points to watch

Bring out the pale claws

Expected result

Points to watch

Focus the skin highlights

Expected result

Points to watch

Light the shell from above left

Expected result

Points to watch

Highlight the olive rim

Expected result

Points to watch

Highlight the claw tips

Expected result

Points to watch

Sharpen a few shell highlights

Expected result

Points to watch

5. Paint the details

Add the warm brown irises

Expected result

Points to watch

Brighten the lower iris

Expected result

Points to watch

Paint matching catchlights

Expected result

Points to watch

6. Finish the model

Protect the matte paint

Expected result

Points to watch

Gloss the eyes

Expected result

Points to watch

Comments …

Paint concept — sage and chestnut

Colours on the model

Painting stages

Prepare the model

For this stage