Dakkapedia ☕ Coffee
Unofficial fan reference. Not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by Games Workshop. Warhammer 40,000 and all associated names, marks, logos and imagery are © & ™ Games Workshop Ltd — referenced here for identification only.

Paint recipes

Plain-language painting walkthroughs for the main scheme of popular factions, described as generic colour steps you can match with any paint brand. Each walkthrough follows the same order: prime, basecoat, shade, highlight, then details. A faster one-coat alternative is noted where it helps. Where we name a specific hobby paint it's only as a neutral pointer; swap in any equivalent from the range you already own. Looking to level up? See the advanced painting techniques guide →

Universal fast-army method (drybrush underpainting + thinned colour)

  1. Prime black for the deepest shadow value.
  2. Drybrush a mid-grey, leaving black only in the deepest recesses.
  3. Drybrush a lighter grey on raised areas and edges.
  4. A gentle near-white drybrush on the sharpest edges gives you a full dark-to-light underpainting.
  5. Glaze a thin, pigment-heavy colour over the greyscale: it pools dark in recesses and thins over highlights, giving shaded and highlighted colour in one pass. Thin with a matching medium rather than water.
  6. (Optional) re-establish a couple of edge highlights by hand, then pick out metals and details with regular opaque paints.

Basing quick recipe

  1. Spread a textured base paste — rubble, cracked-earth or sand finish to taste. Keep it off the rim and let it dry fully.
  2. (Optional) wash the texture with a brown or black shade to settle the colour.
  3. Drybrush a lighter grey (for rubble) or sandy tan (for earth) to catch the raised grit.
  4. Add a couple of grass tufts or static grass — don't carpet the whole base.
  5. Finish the rim with a clean line of black, or a warm brown for an earthier border.

Imperium

Ultramarines (blue)

BaseA mid-to-deep blue, 2-3 thin coats
ShadeA dark wash in the recesses
HighlightA brighter blue on the edges, then a fine pale-blue final edge
DetailsGold: bronze base, brown wash, brighter gold highlight. Metal: dark steel, black wash, bright steel edge. Lenses: red base, orange middle, tiny white dot
⚡ FastGrey/white prime, one coat of a thinned blue speed paint, then a brighter blue edge

Blood Angels (red)

BaseA bright-to-deep red, 2-3 thin coats
ShadeA red-tinted wash in the recesses to keep the red vivid
HighlightA brighter orange-red on the edges, with a spot of an even hotter red
DetailsGold: bronze base, brown wash, bright gold edge. Lenses (green): vivid green base, brighter green, white spot
⚡ FastWhite prime, a heavy coat of a red speed paint, then a brighter red edge

Dark Angels (dark green)

BaseA deep forest green, 2-3 thin coats
ShadeA dark wash in the recesses
HighlightA brighter green on the edges, then a fine vivid green
DetailsBone robes: tan base, brown wash, bone layer, near-white edge. Gold trim: bronze base, brown wash, bright gold
⚡ FastGrey prime, one coat of a dark-green speed paint, then a brighter green edge

Space Wolves (grey)

BaseA muted blue-grey
ShadeA black or brown wash in the recesses
HighlightA lighter grey, then a fine pale grey, with a spot of near-white
DetailsSteel: dark steel, black wash, bright steel edge. Pelts: dark brown, brown wash, drybrush a sandy tan
⚡ FastLight-grey prime, a grey speed paint, then a pale-grey edge

Black Templars (black)

BaseRe-establish solid black over the primer
HighlightA crisp dark grey, then tighter mid-grey edges
DetailsSteel: dark steel, black wash, bright silver edge. Parchment: bone base, brown wash, near-white. Gold: bronze base, brown wash, bright gold
⚡ FastLight prime, a black speed paint, then dark- and mid-grey edges

Imperial Fists (yellow)

PrimeA light/bone primer — yellow needs a pale base to stay bright
BaseA muted yellow, 2 thin coats
ShadeA yellow glaze, or a brown wash in the recesses only — never flood it, as yellow stains easily
HighlightA brighter yellow, then a fine pure yellow with a touch of white
DetailsHazard tips: paint black first, mask diagonal stripes, then yellow over the gaps
⚡ FastBone prime, one or two coats of a yellow speed paint, optional bright-yellow edge

Adeptus Custodes (gold)

BaseA rich metallic gold over black (a gold spray primer also works)
ShadeA warm flesh-toned wash, with a touch of purple in the deepest recesses for richer gold
HighlightA brighter gold, then a fine pale gold, with tiny silver sparks
DetailsSilver trim: bright steel, black wash, bright silver. Red cloth: deep red, red wash, brighter red
⚡ FastGold spray, a warm wash, then a quick bright-gold edge

Grey Knights (silver)

BaseA dark steel metallic (a steel spray that primes and bases in one also works)
ShadeA black wash, or a blue-tinted wash for a cool 'blue steel' look
HighlightBright steel edges, then a fine pale silver
DetailsForce-weapon glow: blue base, lighter blue, white centre. Gold: bronze base, brown wash, bright gold
⚡ FastSteel spray, a grey or black shade, then a steel drybrush

Adepta Sororitas (black armour)

BaseSolid black
HighlightDark grey, then a cool blue-grey, with the tiniest brighter blue-grey on crisp edges
DetailsPale skin: pale flesh base, thin warm wash in recesses, re-layer, add white. Red robes: deep red, red wash, brighter red. Gold trim: bronze, brown wash, bright gold
⚡ FastLight-grey prime, a black speed paint on armour and a flesh speed paint on skin

Astra Militarum — Cadians (green)

BaseA muted military green on the armour
ShadeA brown wash all over
HighlightRe-layer the green, then a lighter green edge, with a bone final edge
DetailsFatigues: tan base, brown wash, sandy tan. Skin: warm flesh base, mid flesh, light flesh. Lasgun: dark steel, black wash, bright steel
⚡ FastBone prime, then green (armour), tan (fatigues) and leather (pouches) speed paints

Chaos

Death Guard (green-rot)

BaseA sickly pale green (a matching spray that primes and bases works well)
ShadeA brown wash worked liberally into recesses, rivets and damage
HighlightRe-layer the green, then drybrush a dusty pale green for a faded, weathered edge
DetailsRust: stipple a dark rust texture, then drybrush an orange rust. Slime: a glossy green technical in the wounds. Flesh: a pale flesh speed paint
⚡ FastGreen spray, a brown wash, a dusty-green drybrush, then spot details — about a 20-minute table-ready finish

Thousand Sons (blue & gold)

BaseA vivid blue on the armour; a metallic gold on the trim
ShadeBlue: a blue-tinted wash; gold: a warm flesh-toned wash
HighlightA brighter blue, then a fine pale blue; gold: bright gold, then silver corners
DetailsEyes (green glow): dark green, vivid green, bright green, white dot
⚡ FastGrey/white underpaint, a blue speed paint on the panels, brighter blue edges; gold done with a bronze base and warm wash

World Eaters (red & brass)

BaseA bright red, or a deeper crimson for a darker look
ShadeA black wash, or a brown wash for warmer grime
HighlightA brighter orange-red, then a hot-red edge
DetailsBrass: warm bronze, brown wash, brighter brass, fine bright-metal tips. Blood: a glossy red 'technical' effect paint. Lenses (cold): blue base, brighter blue, white
⚡ FastBrass spray, a red speed paint over everything, leaving brass as trim, then the blood effect

Black Legion (black & gold)

BaseBlack on the armour; a metallic gold on the trim
ShadeA black wash in the armour recesses; a brown wash on the trim
HighlightBlack up through dark grey to mid-grey; gold up to a bright gold and silver corners
DetailsLenses (red): deep red, brighter red, hot red, white. Brass icons: warm bronze, brown wash, brighter brass
⚡ FastBlack-plus-grey zenithal, a black speed paint, then gold trim and red eyes

Xenos

Necrons (metal + green glow)

BaseA dark steel metallic, drybrushed over black to keep recesses dark, or applied solid for a brighter finish
ShadeA black wash all over
HighlightA light steel drybrush, then a fine bright silver on characters
DetailsGreen energy (gauss/eyes): one coat of a glowing-green technical over the silver. Gold trim: bronze, brown wash, bright gold
⚡ FastBlack-to-white zenithal, a thinned black glaze, a steel drybrush, then a glowing-green technical on the energy

Orks (green skin)

BaseA solid mid-green opaque base (not a one-coat speed paint)
ShadeA green-tinted wash in the recesses
HighlightA brighter green on the muscles, then a vivid green on the highest points
DetailsTeeth/claws: bone base, warm wash, white. Metal and rust: dark steel, black wash, rust texture, orange rust
⚡ FastBone/light-grey prime, then one coat of a green skin speed paint over all the skin

Tyranids — bone & purple scheme

PrimeA bone primer that doubles as the skin colour
SkinA bone speed paint, highlighted up to a pale flesh then near-white
CarapaceA purple speed paint, then a brighter purple, then vivid purple edges
DetailsClaws/teeth: black, mid-grey, light-grey tips. Eyes: a red or yellow glow
⚡ FastBone spray, then bone (skin), purple (plates) and black (claws) — a three-colour table-ready finish

T'au (ochre/tan sept scheme)

BaseA sandy ochre (for a deeper tone, start with a brown-ochre, then the sandy ochre)
ShadeA brown wash, or a warmer sepia for a sandier tone
HighlightA lighter tan, then a fine bone edge, then a near-white extreme edge
DetailsSensor lens: dark steel base, red, red glaze, white glint. Metal: dark steel, black wash, bright steel
⚡ FastBone/ochre spray, one coat of a tan speed paint, then a bone edge

Aeldari (red craftworld scheme)

BaseA bright-to-deep red
ShadeA black wash thinned with medium, then a red glaze back over the raised panels
HighlightA brighter orange-red, then a hot red, then a hot-spot with an orange dot
DetailsCream details: light brown base, warm wash, pale flesh, white. Spirit stones: bright silver base, a red gem glaze building up from the bottom, white speck
⚡ FastWhite prime, one coat of a red speed paint on the armour; gems done with gem-effect glazes over silver

Drukhari (dark teal kabal scheme)

BaseA deep teal mixed from a dark blue-grey and a dark green
ShadeAdd a touch of black to the mix and brush into the shadows
HighlightEdge with a brighter teal-green, then a fine pale highlight on the final edge
DetailsBone weapons: tan-and-bone base, brown wash, near-white. Gold trim: dark bronze, brown wash, brighter brass
⚡ FastOver a black prime, drybrush steel up the plates, then one coat of a teal speed paint so the silver glows through

None of this is locked to one brand. Most modern hobby ranges map closely to one another — opaque acrylics and one-coat 'speed' paints both have direct equivalents across the major makers. Swatch a few substitutes on a spare model before committing a whole army.