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Warhammer Paint Types and When to Use Them
Painting Warhammer miniatures is an exciting part of the hobby, but with so many kinds of paint available it can be confusing to know which to use and when.
Note: in March 2026 Games Workshop renamed its Citadel Colour paint range to Warhammer Colour. It is the same paint, so older Citadel pots and recipes still work, and you may see either name in shops.
This guide breaks down the main types: Base, Layer, Contrast, Shade, Dry, Technical, Air and Spray. There’s also a section for beginners, so you know exactly where to start.
Base Paints: Strong Foundation Colours
What they are: Base paints give strong, solid colour coverage over a primed model. They’re slightly thicker than other paints and go down as the first layer of colour.
Why use them:
- High pigment for strong coverage
- Meant to be painted over a primer
- Creates the foundation for later layers and highlights
When to use them:
- First coat of red on Space Marine armour
- Blocking in skin tones or metallics
- Painting large areas before layering or shading
Examples: Abaddon Black, Macragge Blue, Leadbelcher
Layer Paints: Highlights and Detail
What they are: Layer paints are thinner than base paints and go on top of base coats to build up colour, highlights and depth.
Why use them:
- Allows colour blending and highlighting
- More transparent for smoother transitions
- Adds visual depth and detail
When to use them:
- Highlighting armour edges
- Brightening skin tones
- Layering brighter colours over shadows
Examples: Calgar Blue (over Macragge Blue), Evil Sunz Scarlet (over Mephiston Red), Stormhost Silver (metallic highlights)
Contrast Paints: Colour and Shading in One Step
What they are: Contrast paints are thin like a wash but rich in colour. Over a light primer they flow into recesses and leave raised areas brighter, giving shading and highlighting in one coat.
Why use them:
- Speeds up painting a lot
- Great for beginners or speed painting
- Good for organic textures like skin, fur and cloth
When to use them:
- Painting armies quickly
- Speed painting Tyranids, Orks, robes or beasts
- Adding instant depth to models
Examples: Guilliman Flesh, Blood Angels Red, Leviadon Blue
Note: best used over a white or bone coloured primer like Wraithbone or Grey Seer.
Shade Paints (Washes): Shadows and Depth
What they are: Shades are thin inks that flow into the recesses of a model to create shadows and bring out detail. They’re also known as washes.
Why use them:
- Adds instant depth and realism
- Makes details pop
- Easy to apply over whole sections
When to use them:
- Shading armour panels or skin
- Dirtying metallics for a realistic look
- Creating worn or grimy effects
Examples: Nuln Oil (black), Agrax Earthshade (brown), Druchii Violet (purple, for magical or corrupted looks)
Pro tip: let it flow naturally into the creases. Don’t brush it around too much.
Dry Paints: Drybrushing Effects
What they are: Dry paints are thicker than normal and made specifically for drybrushing, which highlights raised areas by lightly brushing paint over texture.
Why use them:
- Perfect for fur, stone and chainmail
- Makes highlights fast and easy
- Creates a natural, worn look
When to use them:
- Drybrushing textured surfaces
- Highlighting terrain, bases and details
- Weathering or battle damage
Examples: Longbeard Grey, Necron Compound, Ryza Rust
Technical Paints: Special Effects
What they are: These paints do specific jobs like creating texture, simulating blood or rust, or adding magical effects. Each one is different.
Why use them:
- Adds realism or fantasy effects
- Great for bases, blood splatter and glowing goo
- Finishing touches that add drama
When to use them:
- Finishing bases with sand, snow or cracked earth
- Adding blood, rust or slime
- Painting magical power or lava
Examples: Blood for the Blood God (wet blood), Typhus Corrosion (rusty grime), Nihilakh Oxide (verdigris), Armageddon Dust (texture)
Air Paints: For Airbrushing
What they are: Thinner versions of Warhammer Colour (formerly Citadel) paints, made to be sprayed through an airbrush.
Why use them:
- Super smooth coats
- Fast coverage over large areas
- Ideal for vehicles and big models
When to use them:
- Basecoating tanks, monsters or terrain
- Creating smooth gradients
- Priming or varnishing with control
Examples: Corax White (Air), Mephiston Red (Air), Leadbelcher (Air)
Note: you’ll need an airbrush setup to use these.
Spray Paints: Priming and Basecoating
What they are: Spray paints (rattle cans) prime your models or apply a fast base colour.
Why use them:
- Prepares the model so paint sticks better and goes on smoother
- Saves a lot of time on large batches
When to use them:
- Before applying any other paint
- Basecoating terrain or large miniatures
- Matching the spray to your model’s main colour
Examples: Chaos Black (primer), Wraithbone (for Contrast paints), Leadbelcher (metallic)
Always spray in a well ventilated area, in light coats.
Beginners: What Paints Should I Start With?
You don’t need every type of paint. Start with the basics and expand as you learn.
Start with:
- Base paints for strong, clean colour
- Layer paints for simple highlights
- Shade paints for fast shadows
- A spray primer: Chaos Black or Wraithbone
Optional but helpful:
- Contrast paints to speed things up, especially on organic models
- Dry paint for fast highlights
- Technical paint for basing or special effects later on
Example beginner colour list (Space Marines)
| Paint | Use |
|---|---|
| Chaos Black Spray | Primer |
| Macragge Blue | Base coat |
| Calgar Blue | Layer highlight |
| Leadbelcher | Base for metals |
| Abaddon Black | Base for weapons and boots |
| Agrax Earthshade | Shade for armour and weapons |
| Longbeard Grey | Drybrush highlight |
| Armageddon Dust | Texture paint for the base |
Start small: pick a few colours for your army and build your collection over time.
Quick Reference: When to Use Each Paint
| Paint type | Purpose | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Base | First solid layer | Blocking in main colours |
| Layer | Highlights, building colour depth | Raised areas, blending |
| Contrast | Paint and shade in one step | Speed painting, organic textures |
| Shade | Shadows and realism | Recesses, metallics, details |
| Dry | Drybrushed texture and highlights | Fur, rocks, terrain |
| Technical | Special effects | Blood, rust, slime, textured bases |
| Air | Airbrush use only | Smooth basecoats, gradients, large models |
| Spray | Priming or fast base colours | First coat, large batches, terrain |
Final Tips
- Thin your paints slightly with water, unless you’re using Contrast or Dry paints.
- Don’t dip too deep into the pot. Use a palette.
- Clean your brushes often.
- Practise on spare models or sprues before painting your favourite characters.
Paint Sets We Recommend
- The Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Starter Set: 11 acrylic paints including metallics, wash and brush on primer, plus a miniature and a brush
- Citadel Layer Paint Set
- Citadel Colour: Battle Ready Paint Set
- The Army Painter Wet Palette: includes 50 hydro sheets, 2 hydro foams and brush storage
- The Army Painter Speedpaint Marker Starter Set: 10 Speedpaint 2.0 markers