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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.

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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
Death Korps Artillery, Astra Militarum, painted miniature, photo 1 of 4

Death Korps Artillery

Astra Militarum40kApril 2026
FinishTrench mud, battle-worn
PrimaryGerman greys everywhere
ContrastRed logos
TechniqueSubtle edge highlights, wet mud for the trench look

What went where

BASE
PrimeBlack
CANNON
RecipeDeath Korps Vehicle Armour
GREATCOAT
RecipeGreatcoat
TROUSERS
BaseDark Sea Green
HighlightDeck Tan (soft lift)
CLOTH / WRAPS
BaseDeck Tan
WashAgrax Earthshade
BOOTS / GLOVES
BaseCoal Black
HighlightDark Sea Green (subtle tie-in)
GAS MASK
BaseWolf Grey
LensesMephiston Red
TrimLeadbelcher (edge)
DotBold Titanium White
LEATHERS
RecipeBrown Leather
WOODS
RecipeDark Wood
RecipeLight Wood
FINISHING
GrimeAgrax Earthshade + Brown Earth
RecipeGold (metals)
FACES (if exposed)
RecipeBasic White Flesh
RecipeDark Skin
VARNISH
BaseTamiya Extra Matte - there is no substitute

Recipes used

9 recipes, 40 steps
Basic White FleshFlesh · 4 steps
  1. 1
    basecoatElf Skin Tone (72.004)Vallejo
    Base all skin·Artis Opus Series S 3
  2. 2
    layerBarbarian Skin (72.071)Vallejo
    Deep shadows·Artis Opus Series S 3
  3. 3
    highlightSunny Skin Tone (70.845)Vallejo
    Blend in highlights·Artis Opus Series S 3
  4. 4
    layerElfic Flesh (72.098)Vallejo
    Final bright highlights·Artis Opus Series S 3

The recipe on its own pagePrint a bench card

Black WeaponsWeapon · 7 steps
  1. 1
    basecoatCoal BlackPro Acryl
    Base weapon·Artis Opus Series S 3
  2. 2
    edgeEshin GreyCitadel
    Chunky edge·Artis Opus Series S 1
  3. 3
    edgeMechanicus Standard GreyCitadel
    Edge all panels·Artis Opus Series S 1
  4. 4
    edgeDawnstoneCitadel
    Extreme upper corners·Artis Opus Series S 1
  5. 5
    highlightAdministratum GreyCitadel
    Dot highlights·Artis Opus Series S 1
  6. 6
    basecoatLeadbelcherCitadel
    Barrels, clips·Vallejo Detail 2
  7. 7
    washNuln OilCitadel
    Barrels, clips·Vallejo Detail 2

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 SkinFlesh · 4 steps
  1. 1
    basecoatDark Flesh Tone (72.044)Vallejo
    Base all flesh·Artis Opus Series S 3
  2. 2
    layerCharred Brown (72.045)Vallejo
    Deepen the shadows·Artis Opus Series S 1
  3. 3
    highlightTan (72.066)Vallejo
    Lighten the highlights·Artis Opus Series S 1
  4. 4
    highlightBugman’s GlowCitadel
    Brightest highlights into the pink tones·Artis Opus Series S 1

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

Death Korps Vehicle ArmourArmour · 5 steps
  1. 1
    basecoatGerman Grey (70.995)Vallejo
    Base armour sections·Artis Opus Series D Large
  2. 2
    layerDark Sea Green (70.868)Vallejo
    Torn sponge weathering·Beaky Make-up Sponge Medium
  3. 3
    layerBlack Grey (70.862)Vallejo
    Torn sponge weathering·Beaky Make-up Sponge Medium
  4. 4
    shadeBurnt UmberGamblin Artist Oils
    Pin line entire vehicle and work into lower half for wear and tear·Vallejo Detail
  5. 5
    highlightEarth (72.062)Vallejo
    Mud splash, like the greatcoat·Artis Opus Series S 3

The recipe on its own pagePrint a bench card

GoldMetal · 4 steps
  1. 1
    basecoatRetributor ArmourCitadel
    Base gold·Artis Opus Series S 3
  2. 2
    washReikland FleshshadeCitadel
    Light wash·Artis Opus Series S 3
  3. 3
    highlightRetributor ArmourCitadel
    Bring back the edges·Artis Opus Series S 1
  4. 4
    basecoatSilver (72.052)Vallejo
    Dot highlights·Artis Opus Series S 1

The recipe on its own pagePrint a bench card

GreatcoatCloth · 4 steps
  1. 1
    basecoatGerman Field Grey (70.830)Vallejo
    Based with two thin coats·Artis Opus Series S 3
  2. 2
    highlightGerman Field Grey (70.830)Vallejo+Sunny Skin Tone (70.845)Vallejo 2:1
    Nice light highlight on just the upwards facing creases·Artis Opus Series S 1
  3. 3
    washAgrax EarthshadeCitadel
    Mix with water - bottoms of coat to show wet / damp·Artis Opus Series S 3
  4. 4
    highlightBrown Earth (26.219)Vallejo
    Stipple in mud splash·Artis Opus Series S 3

The recipe on its own pagePrint a bench card

Light WoodWood · 3 steps
  1. 1
    basecoatDoombull BrownCitadel
    Base layer·Artis Opus Series S 1
  2. 2
    edgeXV-88 (Deep Ochre)Citadel
    Very light edge·Artis Opus Series S 1
  3. 3
    shadeAgrax EarthshadeCitadel
    Shade to weather·Vallejo Detail 2

The recipe on its own pagePrint a bench card

Paints

Dark Sea Green (70.868)Vallejo⇆Deck Tan (70.986)Vallejo⇆Agrax EarthshadeCitadel⇆Wolf Grey (72.047)Vallejo⇆Mephiston RedCitadel⇆LeadbelcherCitadel⇆Bold Titanium WhitePro Acryl⇆Extra Matte VarnishTamiya

More Astra Militarum

All 58 schemes →
Catachan Jungle Fighters, Astra Militarum, painted miniature5 photos

Catachan Jungle Fighters

Astra Militarum · 40kSep 2026 · 3 modelsCadian Shock Troops, Astra Militarum, painted miniature4 photos

Cadian Shock Troops

Astra Militarum · 40kAug 2026 · 6 modelsCommissar Yarrick, Astra Militarum, painted miniature3 photos

Commissar Yarrick

Astra Militarum · 40kAug 2026Death Riders, Astra Militarum, painted miniature5 photos

Death Riders

Astra Militarum · 40kMay 2026 · 4 models

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