Paint recipes

Step-by-step recipes for the main scheme of popular factions, using current Citadel paint names. Each recipe is prime → base → shade → highlight → details. A faster Contrast/slapchop alternative is given where it helps. Paint names verified current (mid-2026); GW's 'Citadel Colour → Warhammer Colour' rebrand is a label change only — pot names are unchanged.

Universal fast-army method (slapchop + Contrast)

Prime black (Chaos Black) — deepest shadow value.
Drybrush mid-grey (Mechanicus Standard Grey), leaving black only in the deepest recesses.
Drybrush light grey (Dawnstone) on raised areas and edges.
Gentle white (White Scar) drybrush on the sharpest edges — you now have a full black→white underpainting.
Glaze Citadel Contrast over the greyscale: it pools dark in recesses and thins over highlights, giving shaded + highlighted colour in one coat. Thin with Contrast Medium, not water.
(Optional) re-establish a couple of hand edge highlights; pick out metals/details with Base/Layer paints.

Basing quick recipe

Texture: Astrogranite (rubble), Stirland Mud (cracked earth) or Armageddon Dust (sand). Keep off the rim; dry fully.
(Optional) shade with Nuln Oil or Agrax Earthshade.
Drybrush Longbeard Grey (rubble) or Karak Stone (earth).
Add a couple of tufts / static grass — don't carpet the base.
Rim: a clean line of Abaddon Black (or Rhinox Hide / Mournfang Brown for a warm earth border).

Imperium

Ultramarines (blue)

BaseMacragge Blue (2–3 thin coats)

ShadeNuln Oil in recesses

HighlightCalgar Blue edges → fine Fenrisian Grey

DetailsGold: Retributor→Reikland→Liberator. Metal: Leadbelcher→Nuln Oil→Ironbreaker. Lenses: Evil Sunz Scarlet→Trollslayer Orange→white dot

⚡ FastGrey/white prime → one coat Talassar Blue Contrast → Calgar Blue edges

Blood Angels (red)

BaseMephiston Red (2–3 thin coats)

ShadeCarroburg Crimson in recesses (keeps red vivid)

HighlightEvil Sunz Scarlet edges → spot Wild Rider Red

DetailsGold: Retributor→Reikland→Auric Armour Gold. Lenses (green): Warpstone Glow→Moot Green→white

⚡ FastWhite prime → heavy coat Blood Angels Red Contrast → Evil Sunz Scarlet edges

Dark Angels (dark green)

BaseCaliban Green (2–3 thin coats)

ShadeNuln Oil in recesses

HighlightWarpstone Glow edges → fine Moot Green

DetailsBone robes: Zandri Dust→Agrax→Ushabti Bone→Screaming Skull. Gold trim: Retributor→Reikland→Auric Armour Gold

⚡ FastGrey prime → one coat Dark Angels Green Contrast → Warpstone Glow edges

Space Wolves (grey)

BaseThe Fang

ShadeNuln Oil (or Agrax) in recesses

HighlightRuss Grey → fine Fenrisian Grey → spot Ulthuan Grey

DetailsSteel: Leadbelcher→Nuln Oil→Ironbreaker. Pelts: Dryad Bark→Agrax→drybrush Karak Stone

⚡ FastGrey Seer prime → Space Wolves Grey Contrast → Fenrisian Grey edges

Black Templars (black)

BaseAbaddon Black (re-establish solid black over primer)

HighlightCrisp Eshin Grey → tighter Dawnstone edges

DetailsSteel: Leadbelcher→Nuln Oil→Stormhost Silver. Parchment: Ushabti Bone→Agrax→Screaming Skull→white. Gold: Retributor→Reikland→Auric Armour Gold

⚡ FastGrey Seer/Corax White prime → Black Templar Contrast → Eshin Grey + Dawnstone edges

Imperial Fists (yellow)

PrimeWraithbone or Corax White (yellow needs a light base)

BaseAverland Sunset (2 thin coats)

ShadeCasandora Yellow glaze, or Agrax in recesses only — never flood, yellow stains

HighlightYriel Yellow → fine Flash Gitz Yellow (+ a touch of white)

DetailsHazard tips: paint black first, mask diagonal stripes, then yellow over the gaps

⚡ FastWraithbone prime → one–two coats Imperial Fist Contrast → optional Flash Gitz Yellow edge

Adeptus Custodes (gold)

BaseRetributor Armour (2 coats over black, or use the Retributor spray)

ShadeReikland Fleshshade (add Druchii Violet in deepest recesses for richer gold)

HighlightAuric Armour Gold → fine Liberator Gold → tiny Stormhost Silver sparks

DetailsSilver trim: Ironbreaker→Nuln Oil→Stormhost Silver. Red cloth: Khorne Red→Carroburg Crimson→Wazdakka Red

⚡ FastRetributor spray → Reikland wash → quick Auric Armour Gold edge

Grey Knights (silver)

BaseLeadbelcher (or Leadbelcher spray = prime + base)

ShadeNuln Oil, or Drakenhof Nightshade for a cool 'blue steel' look

HighlightIronbreaker edges → fine Stormhost Silver

DetailsForce weapon glow: Caledor Sky→Lothern Blue→white centre. Gold: Retributor→Reikland→Liberator

⚡ FastLeadbelcher spray → Basilicanum Grey or Black Templar Contrast shade → Ironbreaker drybrush

Adepta Sororitas (black armour)

BaseAbaddon Black

HighlightEshin Grey → Dark Reaper → tiniest Thunderhawk Blue on crisp edges

DetailsPale skin: Pallid Wych Flesh → thin Reikland in recesses → re-layer → +white. Red robes: Khorne Red→Carroburg Crimson→Evil Sunz Scarlet. Gold trim: Retributor→Reikland→Liberator

⚡ FastGrey Seer prime → Black Templar Contrast (armour) + Guilliman Flesh Contrast (skin)

Astra Militarum — Cadians (green)

BaseCastellan Green (armour)

ShadeAgrax Earthshade all over

HighlightCastellan Green → Elysian Green edges (+ Ushabti Bone final edge)

DetailsFatigues: Zandri Dust→Agrax→Karak Stone. Skin: Bugmans Glow→Cadian Fleshtone→Kislev Flesh. Lasgun: Leadbelcher→Nuln Oil→Ironbreaker

⚡ FastWraithbone prime → Militarum Green (armour) + Aggaros Dunes (fatigues) + Snakebite Leather (pouches) Contrast

Chaos

Death Guard (green-rot)

BaseDeath Guard Green (or the spray = prime + base)

ShadeAgrax Earthshade liberally into recesses, rivets, damage

HighlightRe-layer Death Guard Green → drybrush Ogryn Camo for a faded, dusty edge

DetailsRust: stipple Typhus Corrosion → drybrush Ryza Rust. Slime: Nurgle's Rot in wounds. Flesh: Plaguebearer Flesh Contrast

⚡ FastDeath Guard Green spray → Agrax wash → Ogryn Camo drybrush → spot details (~20-min Battle Ready)

Thousand Sons (blue & gold)

BaseThousand Sons Blue (armour); Retributor Armour (trim)

ShadeBlue → Drakenhof Nightshade; gold → Reikland Fleshshade

HighlightAhriman Blue → fine Baharroth Blue; gold → Liberator Gold → Stormhost corners

DetailsEyes (green glow): Caliban Green→Warpstone Glow→Moot Green→white dot

⚡ FastGrey/white zenithal → Talassar Blue Contrast (panels) → Ahriman Blue edges; gold Retributor→Reikland

World Eaters (red & brass)

BaseMephiston Red (or Khorne Red for deeper crimson)

ShadeNuln Oil (or Agrax for warmer grime)

HighlightEvil Sunz Scarlet → edge Wild Rider Red

DetailsBrass: Balthasar Gold→Agrax→Skullcrusher Brass→Runefang tips. Blood: Blood for the Blood God (mandatory). Lenses (cold): Macragge Blue→Calgar Blue→white

⚡ FastSpray Runelord Brass → Blood Angels Red Contrast over all → brass stays as trim → Blood for the Blood God

Black Legion (black & gold)

BaseAbaddon Black (armour); Retributor Armour (trim)

ShadeNuln Oil (armour recesses); Agrax (trim)

HighlightBlack → Eshin Grey → Dawnstone; gold → Liberator → Stormhost corners

DetailsLenses (red): Mephiston→Evil Sunz→Wild Rider→white. Brass icons: Balthasar Gold→Agrax→Skullcrusher Brass

⚡ FastZenithal (black + Grey Seer) → Black Legion or Black Templar Contrast → gold trim + red eyes

Xenos

Necrons (metal + green glow)

BaseLeadbelcher (drybrush over black to keep recesses dark, or solid for brighter)

ShadeNuln Oil all over

HighlightLight Ironbreaker drybrush → fine Runefang Steel on characters

DetailsGreen energy (gauss/eyes): one coat Tesseract Glow or Hexwraith Flame over silver. Gold trim: Retributor→Reikland→Liberator

⚡ FastZenithal black→white → thinned Nuln Oil glaze → Ironbreaker drybrush → Tesseract Glow on the energy

Orks (green skin)

BaseWaaagh! Flesh (the Base paint — NOT a Contrast)

ShadeBiel-Tan Green in recesses

HighlightWarboss Green (muscle) → Skarsnik Green on highest points

DetailsTeeth/claws: Ushabti Bone→Seraphim Sepia→white. Metal + rust: Leadbelcher→Nuln Oil→Typhus Corrosion→Ryza Rust

⚡ FastWraithbone/Grey Seer prime → one coat Ork Flesh Contrast over all skin (note: it's 'Ork Flesh', there is no 'Waaagh! Flesh Contrast')

Tyranids — Hive Fleet Leviathan (bone + purple)

PrimeWraithbone (doubles as the bone skin)

SkinSkeleton Horde Contrast → highlight Pallid Wych Flesh → Screaming Skull

CarapaceLeviathan Purple Contrast → Xereus Purple → Genestealer Purple edges

DetailsClaws/teeth: Abaddon Black→Mechanicus Standard Grey→Dawnstone tips. Eyes: Mephiston Red or Yriel Yellow glow

⚡ FastWraithbone spray → Skeleton Horde (skin) + Leviathan Purple (plates) + Abaddon Black (claws) — three-colour Battle Ready

T'au (Sept ochre/tan)

BaseZandri Dust (deeper Farsight ochre: XV-88 first, then Zandri Dust)

ShadeAgrax Earthshade (or Seraphim Sepia for a sandier tone)

HighlightKarak Stone → Ushabti Bone fine edge → Screaming Skull extreme edge

DetailsSensor lens: Leadbelcher→Mephiston→Blood Angels Red glaze→white glint. Metal: Leadbelcher→Nuln Oil→Ironbreaker

⚡ FastWraithbone/Zandri spray → one coat Aggaros Dunes Contrast → Ushabti Bone edge

Aeldari — Saim-Hann (red)

BaseMephiston Red

ShadeNuln Oil thinned ~2:1 with Lahmian Medium, then glaze Mephiston Red over raised panels

HighlightEvil Sunz Scarlet → Wild Rider Red → hot-spot + Lugganath Orange dot

DetailsWraithbone cream: Rakarth Flesh→Seraphim Sepia→Pallid Wych Flesh→white. Spirit stones: Stormhost Silver base → Spiritstone Red up from the base → white spec

⚡ FastWhite prime → one coat Blood Angels Red Contrast on armour; gems done with Gemstone technicals over silver

Drukhari — Kabal of the Black Heart (dark teal)

BaseDark Reaper + Lupercal Green (1:1) — deep teal

ShadeAdd a touch of Abaddon Black to the mix; brush into shadows

HighlightEdge Sons of Horus Green → fine final edge Ionrach Skin

DetailsBone weapons: Karak Stone+Ushabti Bone→Agrax+Reikland→Screaming Skull. Gold trim: Brass Scorpion→Agrax→Runelord Brass

⚡ FastOver black prime, drybrush Ironbreaker up the plates → one coat Akhelian Green Contrast (silver glows through to teal)

Not locked to one brand: The Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic is built ~1:1 against Citadel (its Speedpaint 2.0 is the Contrast analog); Vallejo Game Color is the closest opaque equivalent. Swatch substitutes before committing an army.