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Arkanaut Mini Painting Process

Sep 01, 2023, 4 min read

Blue / Orange / Brass Colour Scheme

Admiral Runestorm — finished mini

Josh walked me through a quick two hour paint job on a 3D printed resin model of Admiral Runestorm from MyMiniFactory. This post’s purpose is mainly to remind me of the process, and to serve as a reference in case anyone likes the colour scheme and wants to do something similar.

This mini was also printed at around 150% of its preset size, making it a little more time consuming to paint, but also makes it look a lot cooler to look at.

The unpainted mini

Paint List

PaintBrandType
Akhelian GreenCitadelContrast
Auric Armour GoldCitadelLayer
Basilicanum GreyCitadelContrast
Blood Angels RedCitadelContrast
Cadian Flesh ToneCitadelContrast
Celestra GreyCitadelBase
Cygor BrownCitadelContrast
Dark Oath FleshCitadelContrast
Dreadful VisageCitadelContrast
Flash Gitz YellowCitadelLayer
Flayed One FleshCitadelContrast
Garaghak’s SewerCitadelContrast
German Grey 995 (Substitute with Mechanicus Standard Grey)VallejoPigment
Gryph-Hound OrangeCitadelContrast
Gryph Charger GreyCitadelContrast
Guilliman FleshCitadelContrast
Nihilak OxideCitadelTechnical
Nuln OilCitadelShade
Reikland Flesh ShadeCitadelShade
Retributor GoldCitadelBase
Snakebite LeatherCitadelContrast
Sotek GreenCitadelLayer
Stormhost SilverCitadelLayer
Titanium White (Substitute with Corax White)VallejoPigment
Typhus CorrosionCitadelTechnical
Wild Rider RedCitadelLayer

Step-by-Step Process

1. Prime and undercoat

Prime the base with black paint, then spray on a layer of red undercoat, before lightly spraying white onto the areas that light would hit.

2. Dry brush highlights

Dry brush the hard edges and raised areas.

  • ⬢ Titanium White (Vallejo — Pigment) (Substitute with Corax White)

Step 2a — primed and dry brushed Step 2b — primed and dry brushed

3. Apply translucent glaze to face

Water down each colour paint to a thin glaze and layer on the skin.

  • Blood Angels Red (Citadel — Contrast)
  • Guilliman Flesh (Citadel — Contrast)

Step 3 — face glaze

4. Apply base colour to hair and beard

  • Gryph-Hound Orange (Citadel — Contrast)

Step 4 — hair and beard

5. Paint shirt & cloak

Combine the two colours and apply to fabric areas.

  • Akhelian Green (Citadel — Contrast)
  • ⬢ Basilicanum Grey (Citadel — Contrast)

Step 5a — shirt and cloak Step 5b — shirt and cloak

6. Apply base colour to armour and hammer head

  • ⬢ Garaghak’s Sewer (Citadel — Contrast)

Step 6a — armour Step 6b — armour

7. Paint pants fabric

  • ⬢ Basilicanum Grey (Citadel — Contrast)

Step 7 — pants

8. Paint pauldrons, gun barrels and tank

  • ⬢ Snakebite Leather (Citadel — Contrast)

Step 8a — pauldrons Step 8b — pauldrons Step 8c — pauldrons

9. Paint pauldron straps and leather boots

  • ⬢ Cygor Brown (Citadel — Contrast)

Step 9 — straps and boots

10. Paint hammer shaft and gun details

  • ⬢ Basilicanum Grey (Citadel — Contrast)

Step 10a — hammer and gun Step 10b — hammer and gun Step 10c — hammer and gun

11. Paint pipes and chain mail

  • Gryph Charger Grey (Citadel — Contrast)

Step 11a — pipes and chain mail Step 11b — pipes and chain mail

12. Apply wash to cloak trimming & pipes

  • Dreadful Visage (Citadel — Contrast)

Step 12a — cloak wash Step 12b — cloak wash

13. Paint base

  • ⬢ Basilicanum Grey (Citadel — Contrast)
  • Gryph Charger Grey (Citadel — Contrast)
  • Dark Oath Flesh (Citadel — Contrast)

Step 13a — base Step 13b — base

14. Apply shade to beard and head

  • Reikland Flesh Shade (Citadel — Shade)

Step 14 — beard and head shade

15. Apply wash to cloak and chain mail

  • Nuln Oil (Citadel — Shade)

Step 15a — cloak and chain mail wash Step 15b — cloak and chain mail wash

16. Dry brush beard

Dry brush Wild Rider Red first, then top off with Flash Gitz Yellow.

  • Wild Rider Red (Citadel — Layer)
  • Flash Gitz Yellow (Citadel — Layer)

Step 16 — dry brush beard

17. Dry brush brown/gold armour & gun highlights

  • Auric Armour Gold (Citadel — Layer)
  • Retributor Gold (Citadel — Base)

Step 17a — armour highlights Step 17b — armour highlights

18. Dry brush silver pipes and gun

  • Stormhost Silver (Citadel — Layer)

Step 18a — silver pipes Step 18b — silver pipes

19. Dry brush cloak

  • Sotek Green (Citadel — Layer)

Step 19 — cloak

20. Dry brush rocks

  • Celestra Grey (Citadel — Base)

Step 20 — rocks

21. Dry brush ground

Pull up onto cloak to tie together.

  • Cadian Flesh Tone (Citadel — Contrast)
  • Flayed One Flesh (Citadel — Contrast)

Step 21a — ground Step 21b — ground Step 21c — ground

22. Highlight facial features

  • Cadian Flesh Tone (Citadel — Layer)
  • Reikland Flesh Shade (Citadel — Shade)

Step 22 — facial highlights

23. Line base rim

  • German Grey 995 (Vallejo — Pigment) (Substitute with Mechanicus Standard Grey)

Step 23 — base rim

24. Add plant details

Step 24a — plants Step 24b — plants

25. Detail weathering on hammer and armour

Apply Typhus Corrosion sparingly — it adds a light gritty texture and can be easily over-applied. Nihilak Oxide should also be painted on with a gentle hand; a little goes a long way.

  • Typhus Corrosion (Citadel — Technical)
  • Nihilak Oxide (Citadel — Technical)

Step 25a — weathering Step 25b — weathering Step 25c — weathering

And done!

Finished — front Finished — detail

Supplies & Materials

Adhesives

Revel Contacta Liquid Glue — Recommended by Thomas for assembling plastic minis.

Graph View

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