How to Paint Stormcast Eternals

Sigmar's immortal warriors stride into battle in gleaming golden warplate, and the Stormcast Eternals are one of the most satisfying armies a newcomer can paint. Their armour is bold, their details are large and easy to reach, and the classic gold-and-blue scheme looks heroic even at a beginner's skill level. This guide covers a reliable route to a gleaming Stormhost, plus a faster shortcut for painting an army at speed.

What You'll Need

For the armour you will want a gold basecoat such as Retributor Armour, a brighter gold for layering, and a silver for the final edges. A warm brown or flesh shade sinks into the recesses beautifully. For the accents, gather a rich blue for the shoulder guards and cloth, a teal or turquoise for capes and gems, and a bone tone for scrolls and details. If you would rather paint fast, a single gold Contrast paint over a light undercoat does much of the work in one coat. Using a different range? Our paint converter will translate every colour for you.

Stage 1: Undercoat

For the traditional method, prime the model black so the gold reads with deep, natural shadows. If you plan to use the Contrast shortcut instead, prime in a light grey or bone, because Contrast paints rely on that pale surface glowing through to do their shading automatically. Either way, spray thin, even coats and let it dry fully.

Stage 2: Basecoat

Paint the armour with your gold basecoat, thinning it slightly and applying two coats for solid coverage. Leave the recesses darker where you can. If you are taking the fast route, this is where a single generous coat of gold Contrast paint replaces both the basecoat and the shade in one go, flowing into the recesses on its own; it is a wonderful trick for getting a whole unit table-ready quickly.

Stage 3: Wash and Shade

Over a standard gold basecoat, apply a warm shade across the armour, letting it collect in the grooves and around every rivet and cable. A flesh shade keeps the gold warm, while a brown earth shade gives a more rugged, weathered tone. This step gives the metal instant depth and does most of your shadow work automatically.

Stage 4: Layer

Layer a brighter gold over the raised plates, staying off the shaded recesses. Stormcast armour has big, smooth surfaces that take layering wonderfully, so a couple of confident passes make the gold gleam. Keep the paint thin so each coat stays smooth rather than chalky, and let the darker depths show through for contrast.

Stage 5: Edge Highlights

Run a bright silver along the sharpest edges of the armour, the rims of the shoulder guards, and the crest of the helmet. A little goes a long way; thin, deliberate lines on the leading edges catch the eye and make the whole warrior look freshly forged. This is the step that turns solid gold into radiant, heroic metal.

Stage 6: Details and Base

Paint the shoulder guards and cloth in your chosen blue, shaded and highlighted for richness, and add a teal cape or gemstones for a striking contrast against the gold. Pick out scrolls and parchment in bone, and any weapon shafts in dark metal. Gems look brilliant with a dark base, a bright colour, and a dot of white. Finish with a base of broken stone or realm-touched earth, then tidy the rim for a display-ready model.

Final Tips

Stormcast are large, forgiving, and endlessly rewarding, which makes them ideal for practising the gold-armour techniques you will use across countless armies. Mix the slow method for your heroes with the Contrast shortcut for your rank and file, and your Stormhost will grow fast without losing its shine. Every model you finish makes the next one quicker, so keep the thunder rolling.