Dark Angels Intercessor — Painting Recipe

1. Prime the model.
   Colour Forge Renegade Green
   Use this dark green primer as the usual starting point.
2. Highlight from above.
   Colour Forge Salamander Green
   Spray an overhead zenithal highlight, leaving the lower surfaces darker.

Black-primer alternative:
Replace the initial green primer with Colour Forge Matt Black or Colour Forge Raven Black. Either works; follow with the same overhead green primer pass.

Tabletop stopping point:
The green foundation is suitable for tabletop use while the full paint job is pending. The later airbrush layers may cover much of this spray gradient.

Airbrush the green armor

1. Apply the dark foundation.
   AK 3GEN Black Green
   Cover the green armor, including the belt buckle and the sergeants’ pauldron rims and tilt shields. Thin 1 part paint : 1 part AK Airbrush Thinner; use the usual 15–20 PSI.
2. Build a generous overhead highlight.
   1 part AK 3GEN Black Green : 1 part AK 3GEN Color Punch Greenskin Punch
   Airbrush the prepared mix from above over the armor, leaving the lower areas darker.
3. Pick out the brightest volumes.
   2 parts AK 3GEN Color Punch Greenskin Punch : 1 part AK 3GEN Color Punch Slime Green — bottled volume mix
   Keep this pass restrained but bright. Focus on the tops of shoulders, backpacks, heads, and other prominent features that need emphasis.

For both highlight passes:
Thin 1 part prepared paint mixture : 1 part AK Airbrush Thinner and use the usual 15–20 PSI. This dilution is separate from each paint-to-paint ratio above.

Keep the brush edge mix for later:
Reserve the bottled 1:1 Greenskin Punch : Slime Green mix for the layered edge highlights in Step 8.

Line the armor recesses

1. Let the acrylic armor dry.
   AK Precision Panel Liner Sepia
   Use this enamel liner for the preferred shadows against the green armor. The acrylic paint-thinning ratios above do not apply to it.
2. Apply small, targeted amounts.
   Place the liner directly in panel lines and cavities. Let it flow along the recesses for defined shadows, keeping it off the broad green panels so they retain their color. Do not use an all-over wash.
3. Leave rubber joints and black details for Step 4.
   Skip the exposed rubber joints now. Black panel liner is reserved for forward grips and awkward, hard-to-reach black details.
4. Let the enamel dry.
   Wait before painting over it or applying varnish. Stray marks can dry and be painted over during Step 8: armor cleanup and highlights; there is no need to perfect every line now.

Optional spirits correction:
Lift excess liner with a cotton bud (Q-tip) barely dampened with white spirit. Use a very gentle touch; avoid scrubbing or soaking the surface. No extra varnish stage is required in this workflow.

Finish the ground, gold street features, and rim before the marine’s small details. Work across the squad one color at a time, letting each layer dry before the next.

Scenic ground & stone

1. Build an opaque foundation.
   Army Painter Fanatic Ash Grey
   Cover the entire primed scenic ground and stone, including recesses and any green overspray. Apply a full, even basecoat rather than a skim or drybrush. No Eshin Grey undercoat is needed.
2. Add the grey tone and shading.
   Pro Acryl 1-Step Graphite Grey
   Apply over the dry ground basecoat. Let it dry before painting the gold details.

Optional brighter foundation:
Replace the ground basecoat with Army Painter Fanatic Company Grey or Army Painter Fanatic Brigade Grey if the result reads too dark. These are alternatives, not extra layers.

Previous test:
Avoid Citadel Wraithbone here; it made this ground treatment too bright.

Gold street features

1. Prepare the entire feature.
   AK 3GEN Silver Grey
   Apply thin, opaque coats over the sides, recesses, lettering, and remaining surfaces. Let the foundation dry.
2. Apply the gold.
   AK Quick Gen Old Gold
   Cover the full prepared feature and let it dry.
3. Define the recesses.
   Citadel Reikland Fleshshade
   Use undiluted. Keep the shade on the gold feature. Deep recess shadows help the lettering stand out. Let it dry.

Base rim

1. Paint a clean, even rim.
   Citadel Eshin Grey
   Touch up later only if subsequent painting or weathering marks it.

Base painting complete:
Leave pigment weathering for Step 12, after the protective varnish coats. Correct any stray marks on the green armor together in Step 8.

Forward grips

1. Basecoat the foregrips.
   Army Painter John Blanche Masterclass Ironclad Grey
   Use this as the default for forward grips. Batch any other details using the same paint at the same time.
2. Shade the grip texture.
   AK Precision Panel Liner Black
   Wait for the acrylic basecoat to dry. Work small amounts into the grip texture and recesses, keeping the liner confined to the grip.

Other black details & awkward spaces

1. Paint the non-metallic black areas.
   Citadel Contrast Black Legion
   Use where its flow helps on exposed rubber armor joints, sword and knife handles, and other non-metallic black grips. Batch matching areas by the chosen paint.
2. Alternative: use a softer black.
   Army Painter John Blanche Masterclass Ironclad Grey is an acceptable near-black grey alternative to the black basecoat above.
3. Reach cramped black details.
   AK Precision Panel Liner Black
   Use a small, targeted application where brushing Contrast into the space risks marking the surrounding green armor. Keep it on the intended black detail. The green armor panel lines use AK Precision Panel Liner Sepia.
4. Highlight black details if appropriate.
   Army Painter Fanatic Deep Grey
   Allow any liner to dry before painting over it. Use the optional gentle spirits correction in Step 2 for stray liner, or paint over the dried marks during the shared armor cleanup in Step 8.

Exposed pistol handles:
Leave these for Scale75 Black Metal in Step 7, including handles protruding from holsters. Keep the leather holsters in the leather batch below.

Leather

1. Basecoat all the leather.
   AK 3GEN Hull Red
   Cover the straps, belts, holsters, and bags.
2. Optional: deepen seams and folds.
   AK Precision Panel Liner Sepia
   After the basecoat dries, add a targeted pin wash only where extra contrast would help. Keep it in seams, folds, and recesses rather than washing the whole leather surface. Skip this extra pass for a simpler model. Let the liner dry before highlighting.
3. Add restrained highlights.
   AK 3GEN Color Punch Beast Brown
   Keep the contrast subtle; the restrained finish is intentional.

Chest aquilas & optional bone shield stripes

1. Basecoat the bone details.
   Citadel Ushabti Bone
   Apply thin, opaque coats to all chest aquilas and any chosen vertical bone center stripes on green tilt shields. Batch these foundations across the squad. Work carefully around weapons crossing the chest and let the paint dry.
2. Shade only the recesses.
   Citadel Seraphim Sepia
   Use undiluted. Apply small, controlled amounts between feathers and around central details. On a bone shield stripe, shade only physical recesses crossing it. Do not wash the whole aquila or stripe. Leave the raised faces in the bone basecoat.
3. Remove excess shade while wet.
   Wick any shade off the raised faces with a clean, lightly damp brush. Let the remaining recess shade dry.
4. Add narrow, selective highlights.
   Citadel Screaming Skull
   Pick out selected raised feather ridges, the central device, and upper-facing edges crossing an optional bone shield stripe. Leave most visible bone in its basecoat. Use a controlled pointed brush near the armor. Complete this bone batch before the weapons and protective varnish.

Prepare the purity-seal wax

1. Lay down the wax foundation.
   AK 3GEN Silver Grey
   Basecoat all purity-seal wax with thin, opaque coats. Keep this separate from the bone aquila and optional shield-stripe batch. Let it dry before the magenta coat below.

Purity-seal oath paper

1. Basecoat the paper.
   AK 3GEN Light Earth
   Build smooth, opaque coverage on all oath paper with thin coats. Let it dry.
2. Define the folds.
   AK Precision Panel Liner Dark Brown
   Apply precisely to the folds and recesses of the dry parchment. Leave the broad paper surfaces in the basecoat.
3. Let the liner dry.
   Touch up the paper basecoat if needed before adding the writing.
4. Suggest handwritten text.
   AK 3GEN Color Punch Afro Shadow
   Paint tiny, broken lines and short strokes. Keep the marks fine, leaving some of the paper basecoat visible between them.

Batch any stray marks on the surrounding green armor into the shared cleanup in Step 8.

Sergeant tilt shields

Same unit recipe; one rank identifier.
Sergeants, including veteran sergeants, use the normal unit recipe for the helmet, chest aquila, pauldron rims, weapons, and every other area. Their sole sergeant rank identifier is a tilt shield bearing a red skull waterslide decal.

Greenwing:
Paint the shield green with the armor. An optional vertical bone center stripe uses the bone treatment above. Finish painting and highlighting the shield before applying the red skull decal in Step 9.

Deathwing:
Invert the pattern: the shield uses the same bone color as its armor, optionally with a vertical green center stripe, plus the red skull decal. This shield convention does not select a new Deathwing armor recipe.

Color the purity-seal wax

1. Apply the magenta coat.
   Citadel Contrast Doomfire Magenta
   Cover the dry wax foundations prepared earlier in this step.

Eye lenses

1. Prepare a neat white foundation.
   Pro Acryl Bold Titanium White
   Basecoat the eye lenses and let the white dry.
2. Color the lenses red.
   Citadel Contrast Flesh Tearers Red
   Apply over the white lenses and let it dry.
3. Leave the bright lens highlights for Step 6.
   Add small Pro Acryl Bold Pyrrole Red highlights with the shared red batch. Leave some of the deeper lens color visible for contrast.

Work across the squad one paint at a time. Paint the larger red casings before their metallic fittings to minimize later metal touch-ups.

1. Basecoat the red areas.
   AK 3GEN Wine Red
   Cover the weapon casings and the 3rd Company marking on the model’s left kneepad. Let the basecoat dry.
2. Highlight casings and company knees.
   Pro Acryl Bold Pyrrole Red
   Leave the darker basecoat visible in the deeper areas. The weapon highlights can be broad; keep the knee marking neatly defined.
3. Batch the lens highlights with the same bright red.
   Add small highlights to the dry eye lenses prepared in Step 5. Leave some Citadel Contrast Flesh Tearers Red visible for contrast.

Company-marking placement:
Consult the Dark Angels marking reference. Left and right refer to the model’s own sides.

Steel details

1. Basecoat the exposed steel.
   Scale75 Black Metal
   Apply an even coat to gun barrels, metallic weapon hardware, grenades, and similar metal details. Paint other metal handles and fittings separately from the black or near-black grips in Step 4.
2. Paint every exposed pistol handle.
   Include handles protruding from holsters. Keep the surrounding leather holsters in the AK 3GEN Hull Red treatment from Step 4.
3. Pick out backpack and helmet metal.
   Paint the lower vent interiors and exposed metal around the rounded upper exhaust housings. Include helmet tubes entering the mask and accessible ports at the rear.
4. Check the green boundaries.
   Keep the belt buckle and the upper armor shell of each backpack exhaust green. Use the rear and side reference photos to identify the exhaust boundary.
5. Paint blades and chainsword teeth.
   Use the same steel basecoat. It normally needs no additional shade in this recipe.
6. Add brighter wear only where needed.
   Scale75 Heavy Metal or Citadel Dry Necron Compound
   Apply over the steel basecoat where highlights or wear patterns call for it, including blades and chainsword teeth. Save optional restoration of shine and reflective edge accents for Step 13, after all varnishing.

Brass ammunition

1. Paint the ammunition.
   AK 3GEN Rusty Brass
   Use on bullet shells, magazines, and other projectile ammunition.

Remaining marine gold

1. Basecoat the selected gold ornaments.
   Vallejo True Metallic Metal Imperial Gold Base (77.123)
   Paint knife and sword pommels and guards, weapon symbols intended to be gold, appropriate belt relics, and any other selected marine gold ornaments. Let the basecoat dry.
2. Shade the dry gold.
   1 part Imperial Gold Shade : 1 part Vallejo Xpress Medium
   Avoid pooling and let the shade dry.
3. Restore midtones only where needed.
   Imperial Gold Airbrush (77.163)
   Clean up selected midtones while preserving the shaded recesses. Complete this cleanup before varnishing.

Sergeants: use the same gold placements as their peers. Helmets, chest aquilas, pauldron rims, and other details follow the normal unit recipe. The red skull decal on the tilt shield is the rank marker; apply it in Step 9.

Keep the batches separate: bone aquilas and optional bone shield stripes were completed in Step 5, red casings and knees in Step 6, and the base’s Old Gold details in Step 3.

Gold highlights come later: after all varnishing, Step 13 uses optional 1:1 Imperial Gold Base / Light highlights, then 1:2 Base / Light for selected brighter final accents.

Optional white chapter and weapon symbols

Use this selectively for chapter wings or other sculpted symbols chosen to be white instead of gold—for example, a Chaplain’s pistol emblem or Azrael’s combi-bolter symbol.

1. Build a smooth, opaque white basecoat.
   Pro Acryl Matt Cexwish Heavy Titanium White (S21)
   Let it dry.
2. Add blue-grey recess shading.
   Vallejo Xpress Color Templar White (72.401)
   Apply undiluted over the white symbol, control pooling, and let it dry before varnishing.

Complete these symbols here, before the protective varnish. Keep the standard bone aquila and the eye lenses’ separate Pro Acryl Bold Titanium White recipe in Step 5. White symbols do not receive the metallic accents in Step 13.

Repair stray marks

The base and detail colors are finished. Correct dried stray panel liner and other paint marks together in one armor-color batch before the edge highlights; this avoids repeatedly touching up the same areas in earlier steps.

1. Repair dark, lower armor areas.
   AK 3GEN Black Green
   Paint over dried stray marks where this matches the surrounding color.
2. Repair brighter armor areas.
   2 parts AK 3GEN Color Punch Greenskin Punch :
   1 part AK 3GEN Color Punch Slime Green
   Use the bottled 2:1 mix where it matches. Choose between this and the dark basecoat according to the blemish’s position and surrounding color.

Layered brush edge highlights

1. Use the bottled edge-highlight mix.
   1 part AK 3GEN Color Punch Greenskin Punch :
   1 part AK 3GEN Color Punch Slime Green
   Build controlled layers along upward-facing green armor edges. Keep the lines narrow, crisp, and strong enough to read on the tabletop, emphasizing the head and shoulders.
2. Include the small green details.
   Highlight the green pauldron rims, belt buckle, and helmets on all marines. Include the upper helmet rim and ear details.
3. Finish the sergeants’ tilt shields.
   Use the same cleanup and highlights on their green areas. Keep the green mix off any optional bone stripe. Finish all shield painting and highlighting before the red skull decal in Step 9.

Apply the chapter or Battleline transfer first, then layer the squad number where needed. Batch the sergeants’ red skull decals with these transfers. The times below are checkpoints: continue when the surface is ready.

Sergeant tilt shields

Use a red skull waterslide decal on each painted tilt shield. Greenwing shields have a green field with an optional vertical bone center stripe; Deathwing shields match the bone armor with an optional vertical green center stripe. Both variations mean the same rank.

Use the preparation, placement, conforming, drying, and sealing process below for the skull. Squad numbers retain their normal unit placement.

Prepare the complete decal area

1. Check the paint and mix the clear coat.
   Pro Acryl Gloss Varnish
   Make sure the paint is dry and thoroughly mix the varnish.
2. Apply one thin, smooth gloss coat.
   Cover the complete shoulder face inside the trim and each tilt-shield face receiving a skull. Airbrushing is convenient for a squad; a brush works for an individual shoulder.
3. Wait for a stable, tack-free surface.
   Let the gloss dry before adding decal solutions. Check the surface rather than relying only on elapsed time.

Place the chapter or Battleline transfer

1. Soak the cut-out transfer.
   Wet the backing until the transfer slides freely. About 10 seconds is a starting point; do not force it off the paper.
2. Set and align the transfer.
   Microscale Micro Set
   Apply a small amount, slide the transfer into place, and align it carefully.
3. Wick away excess liquid.
   A damp soft brush or tightly wound cotton bud can help settle it while positioning.
4. Wait until it stops shifting.
   Check after about 5–10 minutes. It should no longer float or move easily.

Conform the first transfer

1. Apply one light softening treatment.
   Microscale Micro Sol
   Use as few brush strokes as possible.
2. Leave the soft transfer alone.
   Do not press, reposition, or touch it while softened or wrinkled.
3. Check after 30–60 minutes.
   Continue only when it is dry, flat, and no longer soft. Repeat the softening treatment only where needed, allowing each application to dry.

Layer the squad number, where needed

For a squad number placed over the Battleline symbol:

1. Place it directly over the settled lower transfer.
   Use a small amount of Microscale Micro Set. No intermediate gloss coat is needed in this workflow.
2. Position and wick gently.
   Do not scrub the lower transfer. Wait about 5–10 minutes, until the number stops floating.
3. Soften only if needed.
   Use Microscale Micro Sol only where needed to conform the number. Leave it untouched and inspect after 30–60 minutes. Wait longer if either transfer is wet or soft.

Dry, clean if needed, and seal

1. Allow a few hours before sealing when practical.
   3–4 hours after the final decal solution is a same-day checkpoint, not a guaranteed dry time. Transfers must be completely dry, settled, and no longer soft.
2. Remove residue only if visible.
   Use a soft brush barely dampened with clean water to remove adhesive or solution residue. Do not rub across the transfers. Let the area dry completely; 30–60 minutes is a checkpoint after light cleaning. Skip this action if there is no residue.
3. Seal the complete face.
   Pro Acryl Gloss Varnish
   Apply one thin, continuous coat over the complete shoulder or tilt-shield face to seal the transfers and even the surface.
4. Let the sealing gloss dry.
   Continue to Step 10 only when the surface is stable and no longer tacky.

Handling: use small amounts of the decal solutions rather than saturating the area. Favor natural drying. If using a hairdryer or air blower, keep it low and gentle, without disturbing a softened transfer.

The Microscale Micro Sol instructions also emphasize leaving the softened decal undisturbed until dry.

Finishing order: both clear coats here use Pro Acryl Gloss Varnish. Step 10 adds two thin coats of AK Ultra Matte Varnish; a separate initial satin coat is optional. Attach any vegetation in Step 11 and let the glue dry. Step 12 adds pigments, then a light final application of pure AK Ultra Matte Varnish.

Check the finished paintwork

1. Inspect the base rim.
   Citadel Eshin Grey — touch-ups only if needed
   The initial rim coat was completed in Step 3.
2. Let all surfaces dry.
   Paint, transfers, and sealing gloss must be dry before varnishing.

Optional initial satin coat

If desired, apply one thin, even all-over coat of AK Satin Varnish. Let it dry before the matte coats below. This is an optional precaution, including for models handled by their shoulders during games; it is not a required layer.

Default protection: two Ultra Matte coats

1. Thoroughly mix the varnish.
   Pure AK Ultra Matte Varnish
   Use this as the default protective finish, without mixing in satin.
2. Airbrush the first thin, consistent all-over coat.
   Aim for a continuous film that lands lightly wet. Avoid pooling and dry, dusty spray. Let the coat dry before continuing.
3. Apply the second thin, consistent coat.
   Work across the squad coat by coat, allowing each model to dry between applications. Let this coat dry before optional vegetation in Step 11 and pigments in Step 12.

Drying checkpoint

Check each coat after about 10–20 minutes in this humidity-controlled basement, with relative humidity kept below roughly 45–50%. Continue only when the surface is dry, stable, and no longer tacky. Allow longer whenever needed; this is a working pause, not full cure.

After the protective coats from Step 10 are dry, attach any grass tufts, flowers, or similar ready-made vegetation. Let the glue dry fully before pigment weathering and the final matte pass in Step 12.

1. Dry-fit the vegetation.
   Use tweezers to position a few tufts or flowers. Leave finished stonework and gold street lettering visible where possible.
2. Prepare a clean, firm contact point.
   Clear loose dust from the small contact spot so the glue bonds directly to the finished base.
3. Attach with a small drop of glue.
   PVA or suitable basing glue
   Apply beneath the tuft or flower and press its base into place with tweezers. Keep glue out of fibers and petals, and follow the adhesive instructions for the material.
4. Let the glue dry fully.
   Continue to Step 12 only when it is dry. The controlled final Ultra Matte pass includes the vegetation; avoid soaking tufts or flowers.

Painted scenic pieces: resin plants and other additions needing primer and paint belong with the earlier base-painting work. This step is for ready-made vegetation and similar finishing details.

Apply the battle dust

1. Check the preceding layers are dry.
   The protective coats from Step 10 and any vegetation glue from Step 11 must be dry.
2. Dust selected areas of the base.
   Vallejo Pigment FX Natural Iron Oxide
   Suggest dark battle dust, ash, and scorched debris. Add smaller amounts to the feet and shins to tie the marine into the base.
3. Remove excess pigment.
   Use gentle airbrush airflow until the armor color and weathering are balanced.

Secure the pigment and finish matte

1. Mix the varnish and apply a light final pass.
   Pure AK Ultra Matte Varnish
   Apply light, thin passes for an evenly wetted film. It should land lightly wet without soaking the model or leaving dry, dusty spray.
2. Preserve the pigment texture and vegetation.
   Use this light application to secure the pigment and establish the matte finish. Avoid saturating pigment or building a heavy varnish layer. Keep the spray light over attached grass and flowers; do not soak them.
3. Include the metallic areas.
   Keep the main metallic paint and shading beneath the protective varnish. Step 13 optionally restores selected reflections after this final pass.
4. Let the finish become dry, stable, and tack-free.
   Only then continue to any optional metallic re-layering, gold highlights, or steel and brass accents in Step 13.

Before gaming or transport: leave about 24 hours after the final varnish coat in this workflow. Any added paint and glue must also be dry.

Use a lightly loaded pointed brush and short, controlled strokes. Preserve the shaded, aged gold; avoid drybrushing the assembled aquila.

1. Check that all varnishing is complete.
   Include the light pigment-fixing pass in Step 12. The finish must be dry, stable, and no longer tacky.
2. Optional: restore selected steel and brass shine.
   Scale75 Black Metal or AK 3GEN Rusty Brass
   Re-layer selected, easily accessible faces with their matching metal. Preserve recess shadows and wanted weathering. Let these layers dry.
3. Optional: add general gold highlights.
   1 part Imperial Gold Base (77.123) :
   1 part Imperial Gold Light (77.103)
   Apply to raised edges and upper-facing details of the remaining gold ornaments. Keep the shading visible and let the highlights dry.
4. Optional: add brighter gold points.
   1 part Imperial Gold Base :
   2 parts Imperial Gold Light
   Use the 1:2 mix sparingly on selected sharp corners, feather tips, and small upper-facing points.
5. Optional: add steel and brass edge accents.
   Scale75 Heavy Metal or Citadel Dry Necron Compound for steel;
   AK 3GEN Rusty Brass for matching brass edges.
   Keep accents off surrounding armor and batch them by metal color.
6. Keep the highlights narrow and selective.
   Use a few tiny points on corners. Let them dry and leave them above the varnish. Another all-over Ultra Matte coat would dull these fresh reflections.

Protection: the underlying metal retains its varnish layer. Fresh re-layered areas and edge highlights are unvarnished; touch them up if they wear.