RAY LAROSE|MINIATURES
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New to this? Start here
Gold
4 steps
The basecoat, wash, highlight sequence most metal is built on.
Ultramarine Armour
4 steps
The same idea with an edge highlight, which is what makes armour read as armour.
Rust
3 steps
Stippling and drybrushing, and hard to get wrong.
Ork Flesh
9 steps
The whole ladder: a basecoat, two layers, a highlight, then glazes to blend it together.
Every miniature I have painted, with the paints and the steps to paint it again.
Paint Schemes
How I painted each model: the exact paints, the order they went on, and the finish they gave.
Before you start, and what the technique words mean
- Thin your paint
- Almost everything here goes on thinner than it comes out of the pot. Neat paint dries thick and fills in the detail you paid for. Add water a drop at a time on a palette until it runs somewhere between milk and heavy cream, depending on the brand, then build the colour up in two or three coats rather than one.
- Start on a primed model
- Unless a step says otherwise, every recipe here begins on a model that has already been primed - paint will not sit properly on bare plastic. Black unless the scheme says otherwise, which is what most of these were painted over.
- The same words mean two things
- Wash, shade and layer are both things you do and names Citadel puts on pots. The badge on a step is the action. The Type column in the paint list is which range the pot came from. A step badged "layer" is often painted with a Base paint, and that is not a mistake.
- basecoat
- The first solid colour over primer. Two thin coats beat one thick one.
- highlight
- A lighter colour on the parts that would catch the light.
- layer
- A slightly lighter colour over part of the coat below, leaving its edges showing.
- wash
- Thin, watery paint that runs into the recesses and shades the whole area at once.
- edge
- A highlight along a sharp edge only, painted with the side of the brush.
- shade
- Darker paint placed deliberately in the shadows rather than left to flow.
- glaze
- Heavily thinned paint over dry paint, to tint it and soften the join between two colours.
- stipple
- Dabbed on with the tip of the brush for a broken, rough, mottled surface.
- drybrush
- Almost-dry paint dragged across raised texture so it catches only the high points.
- blend
- Two colours worked into each other while both are wet, so there is no visible line.
- special
- Anything that is not one of the above. The step note says what it is.
Recipes
Methods I reuse across models - skin, metal, armour, cloth and the rest. Each step is one named paint, one technique and a note. Unless a step says otherwise, every recipe here starts on a primed model - the scheme that uses it usually says which colour.
Before you start, and what the technique words mean
- Thin your paint
- Almost everything here goes on thinner than it comes out of the pot. Neat paint dries thick and fills in the detail you paid for. Add water a drop at a time on a palette until it runs somewhere between milk and heavy cream, depending on the brand, then build the colour up in two or three coats rather than one.
- Start on a primed model
- Unless a step says otherwise, every recipe here begins on a model that has already been primed - paint will not sit properly on bare plastic. Black unless the scheme says otherwise, which is what most of these were painted over.
- The same words mean two things
- Wash, shade and layer are both things you do and names Citadel puts on pots. The badge on a step is the action. The Type column in the paint list is which range the pot came from. A step badged "layer" is often painted with a Base paint, and that is not a mistake.
- basecoat
- The first solid colour over primer. Two thin coats beat one thick one.
- highlight
- A lighter colour on the parts that would catch the light.
- layer
- A slightly lighter colour over part of the coat below, leaving its edges showing.
- wash
- Thin, watery paint that runs into the recesses and shades the whole area at once.
- edge
- A highlight along a sharp edge only, painted with the side of the brush.
- shade
- Darker paint placed deliberately in the shadows rather than left to flow.
- glaze
- Heavily thinned paint over dry paint, to tint it and soften the join between two colours.
- stipple
- Dabbed on with the tip of the brush for a broken, rough, mottled surface.
- drybrush
- Almost-dry paint dragged across raised texture so it catches only the high points.
- blend
- Two colours worked into each other while both are wet, so there is no visible line.
- special
- Anything that is not one of the above. The step note says what it is.
Paint Inventory
The paints I actually own - every pot on my shelf, not a catalogue of what exists. This is what the schemes and recipes are painted with.
| Paint | Brand | Type | Hue | Used in |
|---|
Paint Conversion Chart
Citadel colours matched to their closest Vallejo, Pro Acryl and Two Thin Coats equivalents, by eye, over time. Nothing here is a measured colour match - the dots say how close each one really is.
Still filling this in: 8 of the 108 colours used in the recipes here have no row yet. Mostly Vallejo. A blank means not mapped, not that no equivalent exists.
How close the match is: near identical usable avoid
| Citadel | Vallejo | Pro Acryl | Two Thin Coats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abaddon Black4 | Black (72.051), Black | Charcoal Black, Coal Black, Matte Black, Black Brown | Doom Death Black |
| Administratum Grey | Cold Grey (72.050) | Light Neutral Grey | Carcharodon Grey |
| Agrax Earthshade26 | Smokey Ink (72.068) | Transparent Brown | Battle Mud Wash |
| Ahriman Blue | Tidal Blue (72.103) | Jade | Cursed Blue |
| Altdorf Guard Blue | Ultramarine Blue (72.022) | Ultramarine | Ultramarine Blue |
| Athonian Camoshade2 | Pastel Green (70.885) | no direct equivalent | Necrosis Green Wash |
| Auric Armour Gold | Glorious Gold (72.056) | Gold | Dragon's Gold |
| Averland Sunset | Scrofulous Brown (72.038) | Golden Yellow | Dark Sun Yellow |
| Baharroth Blue3 | Sunrise Blue (72.118) | Grey Blue | Ray Gun Glow |
| Balor Brown | Plague Brown (72.039) | Yellow Ochre | Fur Brown |
| Balthasar Gold | Bright Bronze (72.057) | Bronze | Spartan Bronze |
| Baneblade Brown | Khaki (72.061) | Khaki | Vambrace Brown |
| Barak-Nar Burgundy | Black Red (70.859) | Burgandy | Royal Cloak |
| Biel-Tan Green | Green Ink (72.089) | Transparent Green | Orc Flesh Wash |
| Blood for the Blood God5 | Transparent Red (70.934) | Transparent Red | no direct equivalent |
| Blood Reaver Flesh | Burnt Red (70.814) | Dark Flesh | Paladin Flesh |
| Blue Horror1 | Wolf Grey (72.047) | Grey Blue | Ion Blue |
| Brass Scorpion | Bright Brass (71.067) | Bright Gold | Chaos Bronze |
| Bugman's Glow4 | Bronze Flesh Tone (72.036) | Red Brown | Barbarian Brawn |
| Cadian Fleshtone | Flat Flesh (70.955) | Shadow Flesh | Dwarven Skin |
| Caledor Sky | Magic Blue (72.021) | Blue | Eldar Blue |
| Calgar Blue1 | Flat Blue (70.962) | Blue | Elysium Blue |
| Caliban Green | Heavy Blackgreen (72.147) | Dark Green | Wyvern Green |
| Canoptek Alloy | Brassy Brass (72.058) + Vallejo Silver (72.052) | White Gold | Platinum Crown |
| Carroburg Crimson5 | Red Ink (72.086) | Transparent Red Oxide | Hellion Red Wash |
| Casandora Yellow | Yellow Ink (72.085) | Transparent Yellow | Hazard Yellow Wash |
| Castellan Green | German Uniform (70.920) | Dark Camo Green | Fury Green |
| Castellax Bronze | Copper (77.710) | Dark Bronze Signature | Overlord Brass |
| Catachan Flesh | Charred Brown (72.045) | Brown | Druid Flesh |
| Celestra Grey | Pale Grey Blue (70.907) | Bright Neutral Grey | Wolf Grey |
| Coelia Greenshade | Green Ink (72.089) thinned | Transparent Green (thinned) | Aztec Turquoise Wash |
| Corax White | Dead White (72.001) | Bold Titanium White | Trooper White |
| Corvus Black9 | German Grey (70.995) | Dark Neutral Grey | Death Reaper |
| Daemonette Hide | Alien Purple (72.076) | Dark Plum | Incubus Purple |
| Dark Reaper | German Grey (70.995) + Blue Wash | Charcoal Black | Faust Blue |
| Dawnstone | Stonewall Grey (72.049) | Neutral Grey | Wizard Grey |
| Death Guard Green2 | Camouflage Green (70.894), German Field Grey (70.830) | Olive Green | Contagion Green |
| Deathclaw Brown | Beastly Brown (72.043) | Burnt Sienna | Satyr Brown |
| Deathworld Forest | Olive Grey (70.888), Yellow Olive (72.064) | Olive Green | Military Green |
| Deepkin Flesh | Deck Tan (70.976) | Mossy Green | Pestilence Green |
| Dom Yellow | Pale Yellow (72.097) | Golden Yellow | Sun Bleach Yellow |
| Doombull Brown7 | Charred Brown (72.045) | Burnt Red | Boar Hide |
| Dorn Yellow | Ice Yellow (70.858) | Ice Yellow | Pale Sand Yellow |
| Drakenhof Nightshade | Blue Ink (72.088) | Transparent Blue | Tempest Blue Wash |
| Druchii Violet2 | Violet Ink (72.087) | Magenta + Transparent Medium | Magi Tone Wash |
| Dryad Bark4 | Camo Black Green (70.941), Panzer Grey | Dark Umber | Scorched Earth |
| Elysian Green | Elysian Green (72.031) | Green | Goblin Green |
| Emperor's Children1 | Squid Pink (72.013) | Hot Pink | Hot Pink |
| Eshin Grey9 | Black Grey (70.862) | Dark Neutral Grey | Ashen Grey |
| Evil Sunz Scarlet17 | Bloody Red (72.010) | Red, Bold Pyrrole Red | Demon Red |
| Fenrisian Grey1 | Wolf Grey (72.047) | Light Neutral Grey | Frost Blue |
| Fire Dragon Bright1 | Orange Fire (72.008), Elf Skin Tone (72.004) | Orange | Orange Flare |
| Flash Gitz Yellow | Moon Yellow (72.005) | Bright Yellow | Yellow Flame |
| Flayed One Flesh | Pale Flesh (72.003) | Ivory | Pale Skin |
| Fuegan Orange2 | Orange Ink (72.091) | Orange (Thinned) | Orange Tone Wash |
| Fulgrim Pink1 | Squid Pink (72.013) | Pink | Cyber Pink |
| Fulgurite Copper | Copper (77.710) | Copper | Bright Bronze |
| Gal Vorbak Red | Black Red (70.859) | Burgandy | Amphora Red |
| Gauss Blaster Green | Verdigris (72.096) | Light Green | Elixir Green |
| Genestealer Purple | Blue Violet (70.811) | Purple | Sorcerer Cloak |
| Gorthor Brown | Leather Brown (72.040) | Neutral Leather | Boot Strap |
| Grey Knights Steel | Chainmail (72.053) | no direct equivalent | Blue Steel |
| Grey Seer | Pale Grey Blue (70.907) | Bright Neutral Grey | Pale Grey |
| Hashut Copper | Hammered Copper (72.059) | Copper | Copper |
| Hoeth Blue | Sunrise Blue (72.118) | Sky Blue | Leviathan Blue |
| Incubi Darkness4 | Black Green (70.980) | Dark Jade Signature | Hydra Green |
| Ionrach Skin | Interior Grey Green (71.305) | Olive Flesh + Bright Ivory | Zombie Rot |
| Iron Warriors | Gunmetal (72.054) | Dark Silver Metallic | Dwarven Iron |
| Ironbreaker | Silver (72.052) | Silver Metallic | Plate Armour |
| Jokaero Orange1 | Orange Fire (72.008) | Orange, Orange Red | Orange |
| Kabalite Green | Jade Green (70.838) | Jade | Jade Green |
| Kakophoni Purple | Royal Purple (70.810) | Faded Plum | Spectral Purple |
| Kantor Blue1 | Night Blue (72.019) | Dark Blue | Abyss Blue |
| Karak Stone | Khaki (72.061) | Khaki | Temple Stone |
| Khorne Red9 | Carmine Red (70.908) | Burnt Red | Asmodeus Red |
| Kislev Flesh | Light Flesh (70.928) | Tan Flesh | Elven Flesh |
| Knight Questor Flesh | Brown Rose (70.803) | Mahogany | Bard Skin |
| Krieg Khaki1 | German Uniform (70.920) | Olive Green | Kobold Grey |
| Lahmian Medium6 | Glaze Medium (70.596), Elfic Flesh (72.098) | Glaze/Wash Medium | Spirit Medium |
| Leadbelcher26 | Gunmetal (72.054), Aged Metal Base (77.139), Aged Metal Air Brush (77.179) | Dark Silver Metallic | Sir Coates Silver |
| Liberator Gold | Glorious Gold (72.056) | Bright Gold | Glistening Gold |
| Loren Forest | Cayman Green (72.067) | Light Green | Gung-Ho Green |
| Lothern Blue | Electric Blue (72.023) | Sky Blue | Seafarer Blue |
| Lugganath Orange | Salmon Rose (70.835) | Nova Orange | Solar Flare |
| Lupercal Green | Black Green (70.980) | Black Green | War Master Green |
| Macragge Blue, Macragge Blue (Air)1 | Ultramarine Blue (72.022) | Dark Blue | Marine Blue |
| Mechanicus Standard Grey18 | Cold Grey (72.050), Dark Sea Green (70.868) | Neutral Grey | Dungeon Stone Grey |
| Mephiston Red17 | Gory Red (72.011) | Red | Sanguine Scarlet |
| Moot Green6 | Lime Green (70.827) | Yellow Green | Ethereal Green |
| Morghast Bone | Dark Sand (70.847) | no direct equivalent | Sandstone |
| Mournfang Brown | Beastly Brown (72.043) | Red Brown | Noble Steed Brown |
| Naggaroth Night | Hexed Lichen (72.015) | Dark Purple | Von Evile Purple |
| Nuln Oil26 | Game Wash Black (73.201) | Transparent Black | Oblivion Black Wash |
| Nurgle's Rot2 | Vallejo Still Water (73.110) + Lime Green (72.019) | Transparent Green + Gloss Varnish | no direct equivalent |
| Nurgling Green2 | Dead Flesh (72.035) | Yellow Green | Rotting Green Highlight |
| Ogryn Camo | Dead Flesh (72.035) | Light Green | Rotting Green |
| Ork Flesh (Contrast) | Orc Skin (72.408) | Yellow Green + Green (Thinned) | no direct equivalent |
| Pallid Wych Flesh | Off White (71.270) | Off White | Ivory Tusk |
| Phalanx Yellow | Ice Yellow (70.858) | Golden Yellow | Serpent Eye Yellow |
| Phoenician Purple | Hexed Lichen (72.015) | Purple | Enchantress Purple |
| Pink Horror2 | Warlord Purple (72.014) | Dark Hot Pink | Glistening Gums |
| Rakarth Flesh4 | Khaki (72.061), Tan (72.066) | Khaki | Griffon Claw |
| Reikland Fleshshade8 | Skin Wash Ink (72.093) | Transparent Red Oxide | Flesh Wash |
| Retributor Armour11 | Polished Gold (72.055) | Rich Gold | Dragon's Gold |
| Rhinox Hide6 | Charred Brown (72.045), Dark Flesh Tone (72.044) | Dark Umber | Cuirass Leather |
| Runefang Steel | Silver (72.052) | Bright Silver | Shining Silver |
| Runelord Brass6 | Brassy Brass (72.058) + Silver (70.997), Aged Metal Light (77.119) | Light Bronze | Battle Axe Brass |
| Russ Grey | Wolf Grey (72.047) | Neutral Grey | Wolf Grey |
| Screamer Pink | Warlord Purple (72.014) | Dark Hot Pink | Sword Hilt Burgundy |
| Screaming Bell2 | Hammered Copper (72.059) | Copper + Rust | Steampunk Copper |
| Screaming Skull | Deck Tan (70.986) | Ivory | Vampire Fang |
| Seraphim Sepia | Yellow Ink (72.085) | Transparent Yellow | Archaic Sepia Wash |
| Skarsnik Green | Yellow Green (70.954) | Yellow Green | Troll Snot Green |
| Skavenblight Dinge | Black Grey (70.862) | Dark Neutral Grey | Eidolon Grey |
| Skrag Brown4 | Orange Fire (72.008) | Burnt Sienna | Dry Rust Brown |
| Skullcrusher Brass | Brassy Brass (72.058) | Gold | Heirloom Gold |
| Slaanesh Grey | Stonewall Grey (72.049) | Grey Blue | Decadent Purple |
| Sons of Horus Green | Deep Dark Green (71.292) + Light Green (70.942) | Jade | Traitor Green |
| Sotek Green2 | Turquoise (72.024) | Jade | Antiquity Green |
| Soulblight Grey | Pale Blue Grey (72.049) | Bright Warm Grey (thinned) | Smoke Grey Wash |
| Squig Orange | Hot Orange (72.009) | Signature Orange red | Rust Orange |
| Steel Legion Drab | Japanese Uniform (70.923) | Camo Green | Dust Bowl |
| Stegadon Scale Green | Abyssal Turquoise (72.120) | Jade + Black Green | Oxidation Green |
| Stormhost Silver5 | Silver (72.052) | Bright Silver | Mythril Blade |
| Stormshield1 | Matt Varnish (70.520) | no direct equivalent | Satin Varnish |
| Stormvermin Fur | German Grey (70.995) | Dark Warm Grey | Rodent Grey |
| Straken Green | Elysian Green (72.031) | Camo Green | Green Beret |
| Sybarite Green1 | Foul Green (72.025) | Bright Jade | Ghoul Green |
| Sycorax Bronze | Bright Bronze (72.057) | Bright Gold | Top Brass |
| Tallarn Sand | Khaki (72.061) | Sand | Sandstone |
| Tau Light Ochre | Bronze Brown (72.036) | Yellow Ochre | Manticore Ochre |
| Teclis Blue | Magic Blue (72.021) | Blue | Relic Blue |
| Temple Guard Blue1 | Turquoise (72.024) | Teal | Mythic Turquoise |
| The Fang | Field Blue (70.964) | Dark Blue | Cold Corpse Blue |
| Thondia Brown | Gorgon Brown (72.124) | Dark Golden Brown | Scabbard Brown |
| Thousand Sons Blue | Turquoise (70.966) | Teal | Sentient Turquoise |
| Thunderhawk Blue | Field Blue (70.964) | mix | Shadow Blue |
| Troll Slayer Orange1 | Orange Fire (72.008) | Orange | Fanatic Orange |
| Tuskgor Fur5 | Gory Red (72.011) | Burnt Orange | Fur Coat |
| Typhus Corrosion4 | Weathering Effects - Rust | no direct equivalent | no direct equivalent |
| Ungor Flesh | Yellow Ochre (70.913) | Tan Flesh | Cerberus Brown |
| Ushabti Bone3 | Deck Tan (70.986) | Ivory, Pale Yellow | Skeleton Legion |
| Vulkan Green | Black Green (70.980) | Black Green | Field Grey |
| Waaagh! Flesh | Dark Green (72.028) | Dark Green | Orc Hide |
| Warboss Green | Intermediate Green (70.891) | Green | Goblinoid Green |
| Warpfiend Grey | Cold Grey (72.050) | Warm Grey | Enticing Purple |
| Warplock Bronze | Tinny Tin (72.060) | Dark Silver + Brown | Dark Bronze |
| Warpstone Glow8 | Goblin Green (72.030) | Green | Emerald Green |
| Wazdakka Red | Gory Red (72.011) | Red | Evil Eye Red |
| White Scar1 | Dead White (72.001), Surface White | Bold Titanium White | White Star |
| Wild Rider Red10 | Scarlett Red (72.012) | Red Orange | Centurion Red |
| Wraithbone5 | Bonewhite (72.034) | Ivory | Ivory Tusk |
| Wyldwood3 | Mahogany (72.472) | Dark Camo Green (Thinned) | no direct equivalent |
| Xereus Purple | Warlord Purple (72.014) | Purple | Amethyst Rayne |
| XV-883 | Leather Brown (72.040) | Golden Brown | Gyzmo Fur |
| Yriel Yellow | Sun Yellow (72.006) | Bright Yellow, Warm Yellow | Skulker Yellow |
| Zandri Dust2 | Desert Yellow (72.063), Sunny Skin Tone (70.845) | Khaki, Light Umber | Dragon Fang |
| Imperial Fist6 | Yellow Ink (72.085) | no direct equivalent | no direct equivalent |
| Shyish Purple4 | no direct equivalent | no direct equivalent | no direct equivalent |
| Apothecary White3 | no direct equivalent | no direct equivalent | no direct equivalent |
| Black Templar2 | Black Ink (72.094) | Black Wash | no direct equivalent |
| Flesh Tearers Red5 | Skin Wash Ink (72.093) | Flesh Wash | no direct equivalent |