In this painting tutorial, our studio painter takes on Kravek Morne, the brutal Iron Warriors Warsmith from Eye of Terror: Reign of Iron. The focus here is on building a dark, battle-worn finish that suits the legion perfectly, combining cold metallic armour with a rich red underglow, aged bronze trim, and plenty of weathering to give the model real weight and character.
Throughout the video, you’ll see how to create that heavy Iron Warriors look without making the process more complicated than it needs to be. From chipped armour and gritty washes to crisp hazard stripes and a Mars-themed base, every stage is geared towards producing a centrepiece model that feels industrial, brutal, and properly at home in a siege force.
If you’re painting an Iron Warriors army, or just want to bring more texture and atmosphere into your character models, this is a great tutorial to follow.
Watch the full tutorial below & scroll down for the full process, paint list, and links to the products used
Paints used in this tutorial
- Sanguine Red (P3)
- Pig Iron (P3)
- Molten Bronze (P3)
- Ogor Bronze (P3)
- Black Legion Contrast (Citadel)
- Radiant Platinum (P3)
- Ratling Grime Contrast (Citadel)
- Reikland Fleshshade (Citadel)
- Administratum Grey (Citadel)
- Wicked Pink (Warpaints Fanatic)
- Imperial Fist Yellow Contrast (Citadel)
- Great Hall Grey (Warpaints Fanatic)
- Druchi Violet (Citadel)
- Umbral Umber (P3)
- Desert Sand texture paste (AK Interactive)
Step 1: Basecoat and Gradient
- Shadow Tone: Start by applying Sanguine Red (P3) from the bottom of the miniature using an airbrush (or a standard brush for a similar effect).
- Primary Armor: Apply Pig Iron (P3) from above to create a nice gradient, allowing the red to act as an under-lighting effect.
Step 2: Metallic Detailing
- Copper/Bronze Accents: Use Molten Bronze (P3) for cables, wires, and armor accents. Apply two thin coats for better coverage.
- Trim: Paint the extensive trim with Ogor Bronze (P3).
Step 3: Dark Armor and Highlights
- Black Sections: Use Black Legion Contrast (Citadel) for the black portions of the armour. Don’t worry about perfect coverage, as it will be washed later to create a worn look.
- Bright Silver Stipple: Lightly drybrush or stipple Radiant Platinum (P3) onto certain
areas of the armour to add more visual interest. - Armour Wash: Apply Ratling Grime Contrast (Citadel) over the black sections and
tendrils. Then, water it down (70/30 ratio) and apply it over the entire model. - Shading Bronze/Copper: Use Reikland Fleshshade (Citadel) over all copper and gold sections.
Step 4: Edge Highlighting and Texturing
- Silver Highlights: Use Radiant Platinum (P3) for edge highlighting and adding fine
scratches. - Studs: Use Pig Iron (P3) to pick out the small studs on the armour.
- Bronze Highlights: Add rough scratches and highlights using Molten Bronze and Ogor Bronze. For a brighter tone, mix a small amount of Radiant Platinum into the Ogor Bronze.
- Black Highlights: Edge highlight the black armour sections with Administratum Grey
(Citadel).
Step 5: Special Details
- Hazard Stripes:
- 1. Base the area with Wicked Pink (Warpaints Fanatic).
- 2. Layer up to white using a sponge or drybrush.
- 3. Coat with Imperial Fist Yellow Contrast (Citadel); the pink tones will create natural orange shadows.
- 4. Mark out the stripes with a mechanical pencil.
- 5. Fill in the stripes with Black Legion Contrast.
- Face:
- 6. Base with red.
- 7. Layer with Great Hall Grey (Warpaints Fanatic).
- 8. Finish with a wash of watered-down Druchi Violet (Citadel).
- Weathering: Use a sponge to apply Umbral Umber (P3) for chipping and weathering effects.
Step 6: Basing (Mars Theme)
- Texture: Apply AK Interactive Desert Sand texture paste.
- Colour: Paint the base with two coats of red, followed by a wash of Ratling Grime.
- Pigments: Apply Medium Rust and Light Rust pigment powders using a fixer. Finish with a touch of Red Pigment Powder to complete the Mars look.
Final Result: A battle-worn, metallic Chaos Space Marine with a distinctive red-glow shadow effect.
Hopefully, this guide helps you paint your own Iron Warrior!
