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MINIATURES

RAY LAROSE · MINIATURES

Notes from my painting desk

The paints and steps behind each finished model, and the recipes I come back to.

Try

58 painted schemes 300 photos 44 recipes 162 paint matches

Ironhead Squat - Kronus Hegemony, Squats, painted miniature Ironhead Squat - Kronus Hegemony Deimos Pattern Predator Tank, Iron Warriors, painted miniature Deimos Pattern Predator Tank Vashtorr The Arkifane, Iron Warriors, painted miniature Vashtorr The Arkifane

Paint Necromunda? Play it.

Rise is my text adventure, set in Hive Primus. You start in the Sump and climb towards Lord Helmawr. Free, in your browser, and played the old way: you type what you do.

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Fresh off the bench

The newest finished schemes, each with every paint and step.

All 58 schemes →
Ironhead Squat - Kronus Hegemony, Squats, painted miniature6 photos

Ironhead Squat - Kronus Hegemony

Squats · NecromundaNov 2026Deimos Pattern Predator Tank, Iron Warriors, painted miniature9 photos

Deimos Pattern Predator Tank

Iron Warriors · 30k / HHNov 2026Vashtorr The Arkifane, Iron Warriors, painted miniature10 photos

Vashtorr The Arkifane

Iron Warriors · 30k / HHNov 2026Flesh Tearers - Terminators, Blood Angels, painted miniature3 photos

Flesh Tearers - Terminators

Blood Angels · 40kOct 2026

Find your army

Paint schemes for Warhammer 40k, Blood Bowl, Necromunda and Horus Heresy and more. Pick a game or an army to see how I painted it.

Warhammer 40k30 Blood Bowl6 Necromunda5 Horus Heresy5 Age of Sigmar5 Kill Team2 One Page Rules1 Other4
Blood Angels11 Orks11 Astra Militarum9 Squats4 Iron Warriors4 Orruks3 Gloomspite Gitz2 Free Blade2 Goliath2 Dark Angels1

Learn a part

Miniature painting recipes for one part at a time, like armour, flesh and weapon, each a short list of steps you can follow at the desk.

All 44 recipes →
Armour14 recipes Flesh11 recipes Weapon4 recipes Leather3 recipes Metal3 recipes Cloth2 recipes

Switching paint brands?

162 Citadel colours matched to Vallejo, Pro Acryl and Two Thin Coats, by eye, with how close each match really is. Search any name from any brand.

Open the conversion chart →
Abaddon Black Citadel VallejoBlack (72.051) Pro AcrylCharcoal Black Two Thin CoatsDoom Death Black Mephiston Red Citadel VallejoGory Red (72.011) Pro AcrylRed Two Thin CoatsSanguine Scarlet Retributor Armour Citadel VallejoPolished Gold (72.055) Pro AcrylRich Gold Two Thin CoatsDragon's Gold

New to painting? Start here

Four short recipes, in this order. Each one adds a single new skill.

Gold, metal painting recipe1

Gold

4 stepsThe basecoat, wash, highlight sequence most metal is built on. Ultramarine Armour, armour painting recipe2

Ultramarine Armour

4 stepsThe same idea with an edge highlight, which is what makes armour read as armour. Rust, metal painting recipe3

Rust

3 stepsStippling and drybrushing, and hard to get wrong. Ork Flesh, flesh painting recipe4

Ork Flesh

9 stepsThe whole ladder: a basecoat, two layers, a highlight, then glazes to blend it together.
How I paint a Space Marine, the finished model Start to finish How I paint a Space Marine 10 stages, from the box to the table, with a photo at each step and the paints and recipes for each. How I paint an Ork, the finished model Start to finish How I paint an Ork 11 stages, from the box to the table, with a photo at each step and the paints and recipes for each.
← All schemes
Untamed Troll, Orks, painted miniature, photo 1 of 3

Untamed Troll

OrksBlood BowlDecember 2025
FinishBright, comical
PrimaryMuted brown flesh with vibrant purples
ContrastBlue skirt, red armour
TechniqueGlazed blends between every layer

What went where

BASE
PrimeBlack
FLESH
RecipeTroll Flesh
EYES
BaseEvil Sunz Scarlet
HighlightWild Rider Red
ARMOUR
BaseOrange Red
EdgeDeep Orange Intense
CLOTH
BaseDark Turquoise
HighlightBlend Dark Turquoise with Ice Yellow
LEATHER
RecipeBrown Leather
NAILS / BONE / TEETH
BaseIvory
HighlightBold Titanium White
WashAgrax Earthshade
GROT
RecipeOrk Flesh
BASE
RecipeBlood Bowl Bases
DECALS
BaseMicro Set
Melt InMicro Sol
VARNISH
BaseTamiya Extra Matte - there is no substitute

Recipes used

6 recipes, 37 steps
Blood Bowl BasesBase · 5 steps
  1. 1
    basecoatBlackVallejo
    Primer over sand·Harder & Steenbeck Airbrush ULTRA 2024 Medium
  2. 2
    highlightGoblin Green (72.030)Vallejo
    Light touch·Artis Opus Series D Medium
  3. 3
    highlightMoon Yellow (72.005)Vallejo
    Even lighter touch·Artis Opus Series D Medium
  4. 4
    basecoatBold Titanium WhitePro Acryl
    White stripe
  5. 5
    layerSC00 (Matte Black)Scale75
    Rim the base

The recipe on its own pagePrint a bench card

Brown LeatherLeather · 6 steps
  1. 1
    basecoatRhinox HideCitadel
    Base all leather·Artis Opus Series S 1
  2. 2
    basecoatAbaddon BlackCitadel+Lahmian MediumCitadel 1:2
    Shade all leather recesses·Artis Opus Series S 1
  3. 3
    highlightDoombull BrownCitadel
    Chunky·Artis Opus Series S 1
  4. 4
    highlightSkrag BrownCitadel
    Scratchy damage highlight·Artis Opus Series S 1
  5. 5
    edgeXV-88 (Deep Ochre)Citadel
    Shaky - edge and scratch·Artis Opus Series S 00
  6. 6
    highlightUshabti BoneCitadel
    Dot highlight sparingly·Artis Opus Series S 00

The recipe on its own pagePrint a bench card

Dark WoodWood · 3 steps
  1. 1
    basecoatDryad BarkCitadel
    Base all wood·Artis Opus Series S 3
  2. 2
    edgeDoombull BrownCitadel
    Ragged edge·Artis Opus Series S 1
  3. 3
    shadeAgrax EarthshadeCitadel
    One or two coats, depending on how aged you want it·Vallejo Detail 2

The recipe on its own pagePrint a bench card

Ork FleshFlesh · 9 steps
  1. 1
    basecoatDark Green (72.028)Vallejo
    Base all skin·Artis Opus Series S 3
  2. 2
    layerCayman Green (72.067)Vallejo
    80% of upward facing flesh·Artis Opus Series S 3
  3. 3
    layerLime Green (70.827)Vallejo
    40% of Cayman layer·Artis Opus Series S 3
  4. 4
    highlightYellow Green (70.954)Vallejo
    10% of Lime layer·Artis Opus Series S 3
  5. 5
    glazeTuskgor FurCitadel
    1 part paint to 4 parts thinner·Artis Opus Series S 3
  6. 6
    basecoatIncubi DarknessCitadel
    Fingernail base·Artis Opus Series S 00
  7. 7
    highlightWolf GreyTwo Thin Coats+Incubi DarknessCitadel 1:2
    Fingernail highlights·Artis Opus Series S 00
  8. 8
    highlightWolf GreyTwo Thin Coats+Incubi DarknessCitadel 2:1
    Fingernail bright highlight·Artis Opus Series S 00
  9. 9
    highlightWolf GreyTwo Thin Coats
    Fingernail dot highlight·Artis Opus Series S 00

The recipe on its own pagePrint a bench card

Red ArmourArmour · 5 steps
  1. 1
    basecoatMephiston RedCitadel
    Base armour·Artis Opus Series S 3
  2. 2
    highlightEvil Sunz ScarletCitadel
    1st chunky highlight·Artis Opus Series S 1
  3. 3
    highlightWild Rider RedCitadel
    2nd thin highlight·Artis Opus Series S 1
  4. 4
    highlightDeep Orange IntenseAK Interactive
    3rd highlight·Artis Opus Series S 1
  5. 5
    highlightIce Yellow (70.858)Vallejo
    Dot highlight·Artis Opus Series S 1

The recipe on its own pagePrint a bench card

Troll FleshFlesh · 9 steps
  1. 1
    basecoatMatte BlackPro Acryl
    Basic primer
  2. 2
    basecoatWizard's Butt #1Pro Acryl
    Belly / under arms - darkest version·Artis Opus Series S 3
  3. 3
    layerWizard's Butt #2Pro Acryl
    Belly / under arms - brighter·Artis Opus Series S 3
  4. 4
    layerWizard's Butt #3Pro Acryl
    Belly / under arms - brightest version·Artis Opus Series S 3
  5. 5
    layerPale YellowPro Acryl
    Belly / under arms - blend in towards this colour·Artis Opus Series S 3
  6. 6
    highlightPale YellowPro Acryl
    Brightest bits, pure·Artis Opus Series S 3
  7. 7
    basecoatPurplePro Acryl
    Back, legs, top of arms·Artis Opus Series S 3
  8. 8
    layerPale YellowPro Acryl
    Blend with purple for highlights·Artis Opus Series S 3
  9. 9
    highlightSky BluePro Acryl
    Back spike tips, subtle highlight·Artis Opus Series S 1

The recipe on its own pagePrint a bench card

Paints

Orange RedPro Acryl⇆Dark TurquoisePro AcrylIvoryPro Acryl⇆Extra Matte VarnishTamiyaMicro Set 101MicroscaleMicro Sol 102Microscale

More Orks

All 58 schemes →
Beast Snagga Boyz, Orks, painted miniature10 photos

Beast Snagga Boyz

Orks · 40kSep 2026 · 5 modelsSpace Ork Dreadnought, Orks, painted miniature3 photos

Space Ork Dreadnought

Orks · 40kJul 2026Armageddon - Orks, Orks, painted miniature9 photos

Armageddon - Orks

Orks · 40kJul 2026 · 14 modelsWazdakka Gutsmek, Orks, painted miniature7 photos

Wazdakka Gutsmek

Orks · 40kMay 2026

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.

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.

PaintBrandTypeHueUsed 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 112 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
4 how many of my recipes and schemes use it - tap one to see them

CitadelVallejoPro AcrylTwo Thin Coats