Have you ever stared at a pile of unpainted Warhammer 40K miniatures and felt a wave of dread? Those plastic heroes and terrifying aliens are just gray plastic until you bring them to life with color. Choosing the right paint feels like a huge first step. You want your Space Marines to look epic, not sloppy, but the sheer number of brands and types can make your head spin.
The wrong paint can chip easily, cover up important details, or just not give you the vibrant look you see online. It’s frustrating to spend hours assembling an army only to ruin the look with poor paint choices. We understand that pain! You need reliable tools that make the painting process fun, not frustrating.
This guide cuts through the confusion. We will break down the best paints available for Warhammer 40K right now. You will learn which brands offer the best coverage, the smoothest finishes, and the best value for your hobby budget. Get ready to transform your gray plastic into a stunning tabletop army!
Top Paint For Warhammer 40K Recommendations
- Games Workshop - Warhammer 40,000: Paints + Tools Set (2023 Edition)
- Assemble, prepare, and paint your miniatures
- Base paints - Abaddon Black, Corax White, Wraithbone, Naggaroth Night, Macragge, Leadbelcher, Balthasar Gold, Bugman's Glow, Mephiston Red
- Other paints - Thunderhawk Blue (Layer), Magos Purple (Contrast), Agrax Earthshade (Shade), Armageddon Dust (Technical)
- This box also includes the following tools: Citadel Starter Brush , Citadel Starter Clippers, Citadel Mouldline Scraper
- A perfect start to your Space Marines collection
- Three push-fit models, six paints, and a starter brush
- Features moulded squad markings and Ultramarines iconography
- The miniatures in this set are supplied with the appropriate bases and come unassembled and unpainted
- 🚀 THE PERFECT STARTER SET - The Warpaints Fanatic Starter Paint Set Comes with Everything You Need to Get Started with Painting Any Wargaming System. It’s Ideal for Beginners as It Includes the Basic Items You Need in Your Hobby Painting Kit.
- 🖌️ FREE BRUSH AND MINIATURE INCLUDED - The Warpaints Fanatic Starter Paint Set Comes with Both a Starter Brush and Miniature Figure For FREE. This Means That with This Set You Have Everything You Need to Get Started - All in ONE box.
- 🔥 TAKE YOUR MINIATURE PAINTING TO THE NEXT LEVEL – Warpaints Fanatic Is Easy to Use, High-Quality Acrylic Paint with Unsurpassed Coverage and Intense Pigmentation. Easy Enough for A Beginner to Use, Fast Enough for A Gamer, Yet Capable Enough for The Best Painters in The World.
- 🎨 EASY-TO-USE FLEXIBLE COLOUR TRIAD SYSTEM - Each Paint Is Part of a Flexible Colour Triad System: A Segment, Or Family, Of Paint Colours That Are Made Using the Same Root Colour. Inside Each Flexible Colour Triad Are Six Colours That Range from Dark to Light with A Consistent Hue. With This System, You Can Easily Select Paints That Create a Natural Colour Progression on Your Miniatures.
- ✔ CUSTOMER SATISFACTION - We Are Confident That You Will Love Our Warpaints Fanatic Starter Paint Set. If You Encounter Any Issues, Our Dedicated Team Is Always Ready to Provide Prompt and Friendly Assistance to Ensure Your Complete Satisfaction.
- 🖌️ THE BEST VALUE FOR HOBBY PAINTS - The Warpaints Fanatic Mega Combo paint set contains 50 carefully selected colors at an UNBEATABLE price. Includes 36 vibrant acrylic colors, 4 skin tones, 3 metallic colors, 3 effect colors and 4 washes.
- 🎨 FREE BRUSH AND PAINTING STATION - Along with the character brush, we've also added a primer brush and an exclusive painting station for FREE! The painting station makes it easier and more organized to organize and store your paints. The painting station can hold all 50 colors included in the Mega Paint Set, 3 effect colors and 4 washes.
- 🔥 TAKE YOUR MINIATURE PAINTING TO THE NEXT LEVEL - Warpaints Fanatic is easy-to-use, high-quality acrylic paint with unparalleled coverage and intense pigmentation. Simple enough for beginners, fast enough for gamers, yet powerful enough for the world's best painters.
- ✨ ENHANCE YOUR MINIATURES WITH SIMPLICITY AND PRECISION - Fanatic Washes are perfect for creating shades and tones. Fanatic Metallics offer a unique blend of aluminum flakes and mica for superior coverage and shine. Fanatic Effects offer a variety of finishes from high gloss to ultra matte and textures for realistic effects like rust, blood or magical glow.
- 💯 FOR GAMERS, BY GAMERS – Warpaints Fanatic paints were developed with feedback from the hobby community and tested (and approved) by some of the best painters in the world.
- Games Workshop - Warhammer - Age of Sigmar Paints + Tools (2024 3rd Edition)
- Contains a pair of Citadel Starter Set clippers, a starter brush, and a mouldline scraper, plus 13 12ml paint pots: Corax White, Abaddon Black, Averland Sunset, Leadbelcher, Kantor Blue, Khorne Red, Rakarth Flesh, Retributor Armour, Waaagh! Flesh, Bugman’s Glow, Steel Legion Drab, Agrax Earthshade, and Astrogranite.
- The perfect start to your Tyranids collection
- Four push-fit models, six paints, and a starter brush
- No glue required for assembly
- The miniatures in this set are supplied with the appropriate bases and come unassembled and unpainted
- English (Publication Language)
- 🖌️ SPEEDPAINT 2.0 – With Our New Formula the Goal Was To Make the First True One-Coat Miniature Paint Set for a Wide Range of Miniature Figures. To Meet That Goal, the Plastic Acrylic Paint Needed To Offer Superior Coverage, Vibrant Saturation, and a Smooth Stainless Finish.
- 💪 FLEXIBLE AND STRONG – The Speedpaint Acrylic Paints Set Is a Contrast Painting Set Designed for Painters Who Want To Paint Minis Quickly. However, Due to Its Intense Pigmentation, When First Applied, Speedpaint Is Flexible Like a Wash, and is applied easily with an Army Painter Brush Set onto your Warhammer 40K and Dungeons And Dragons (D&D)
- 🖌️ THE PERFECT STARTER SET - New To Miniature Painting Or Looking To Dabble With One-coat Painting Solutions For The First Time? The Speedpaint Starter Set 2.0 Is The Perfect Box For You! Featuring A Selection Of Basic Colours And One Of Our Industry-first Speedpaint Metallic Colours – This Acrylic Paints Set Has Everything You Need To Begin Painting Tabletop-quality Miniatures Easy And Fast!.
- 🛡️ ONE-COAT EXPRESS METALLIC MODEL PAINTS – Speedpaint Metallics Is an Acrylic Painting Set Features A Combination Of Metal Flakes And Heavy Pigments For A Basecoat And Wash Effect In One Simple Step. Apply Metallic Speedpaint Over A Light Basecoat, e.g. Colour Primer Matt White, and Finish with Dry brush Miniature Painting.
- 🧌 FEEDBACK FROM COMMUNITY – The Next Generation of Speedpaints is The Speedpaint Complete Set 2.0, Which Has Expanded From 50 to 90 of the Most Wanted Acrylic Paint Designed and Selected With Feedback From Our Customers. The Expanded Range Features More Colours, Metallic Acrylic Paint, and a New Formulation for Speed and Performance.
- Warpaints Air paints feature ultrafiltered pigments and are pre-thinned, making them ready-to-use right out of the bottle.
- Utilizing loads of heavy pigment for an excellent coverage the Warpaints has been specifically designed to compliment an already existing range.
- Warpaints come in soft 18ml bottles with precise dropper design, making it easy to administer paint in exact quantities, without risking them drying out from being exposed to air.
- Warpaints Air comes pre-loaded with two steel Mixing Balls.
- Developed in a Color Triad System - Each matching Warpaints Acrylics colour has a corresponding Base and Highlight colour.
Choosing the Best Paint for Your Warhammer 40K Army
Painting your Warhammer 40K miniatures brings your army to life. A good paint job makes your models look amazing on the tabletop. Picking the right paint matters. This guide helps you choose the perfect paints for your next squad of Space Marines or horde of Orks.
Key Features to Look For
When buying paint for miniatures, look for specific features. These details affect how easy the paint is to use and how good the final result looks.
1. Pigment Density and Coverage
Pigment density is how much color is packed into the paint. High-quality paints offer excellent coverage. This means you need fewer coats to get a solid, vibrant color. Thin paints require many layers. Thick paints hide important model details.
2. Drying Time
How fast the paint dries is important. Fast-drying paints let you move quickly between colors. However, paints that dry too fast can be hard to blend smoothly. Look for a medium drying time for the best control.
3. Consistency and Flow
The paint should flow smoothly off your brush. This is called consistency. Good consistency helps the paint settle evenly into recesses without pooling too much. Poor consistency leads to brush strokes or clumpy areas.
4. Finish Type
Paints come in different finishes. Matte finishes look realistic, which is popular for military models. Satin or glossy finishes work well for specific details like slime, energy effects, or armor sheen. Check the label for the expected finish.
Important Materials and Paint Types
Warhammer paints generally fall into a few main categories. Understanding these helps you select the right tool for the job.
- Acrylic Paints: These are the standard choice. They are water-based, clean up easily with water, and are non-toxic. Most hobby paints you find are acrylics.
- Base Paints: These are thick and highly pigmented. You use them for the first solid layer of color on a model. They cover primer very well.
- Layer Paints: These are slightly thinner than base paints. You use them to build up color intensity over the base coat.
- Shade/Wash Paints: These are very thin, dark paints. They flow naturally into the cracks and recesses of the model, adding depth and shadow automatically.
- Technical Paints: These specialty paints create specific effects, like rust, slime, or texture on the base.
Factors That Improve or Reduce Quality
The quality of your paint directly impacts your finished miniature.
What Improves Quality:
- Fine Pigments: Paints made with finely milled pigments level out better. This prevents visible brush strokes.
- Good Adhesion: High-quality paints stick well to the plastic or resin model, even without perfect priming.
- Color Stability: The color should not change significantly after drying.
What Reduces Quality:
- Too Much Filler: Cheap paints often use too much filler instead of actual pigment. This makes them chalky or weak in color.
- Poor Mixing: If the binder separates from the pigment easily, the paint will be inconsistent. You must shake or stir vigorously.
- Dulling Washes: Some inexpensive washes dry with a noticeable shine that ruins the matte look of armor.
User Experience and Use Cases
How you plan to paint affects your paint choice.
Beginner Painters:
If you are new, choose a starter set from a major brand. These sets usually contain essential colors, a shade, and a base brush. Look for paints labeled as “easy to use” or “high coverage.” Airbrush-ready paints are generally too thin for beginner brush work.
Experienced Painters:
Advanced hobbyists often seek highly pigmented lines for smooth blending or specific texture paints. They might mix their own thinners (like water or specific acrylic medium) to achieve perfect consistency for techniques like glazing.
Speed Painting vs. Detail Work:
For speed painting large armies, use contrast or speed paints. These paints apply a base, shade, and highlight all in one go. For display-quality models, you need separate pots of base, layer, and shade paints for maximum control over every area.
10 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Do I need to thin Warhammer 40K paints?
A: Yes, most paints need thinning, especially base and layer paints. Thinning them with a small amount of water or acrylic medium helps them go on smoothly without hiding details.
Q: What is the difference between a ‘Base’ paint and a ‘Layer’ paint?
A: Base paints are thicker and offer strong color in one or two coats. Layer paints are thinner and help you smoothly transition to brighter colors on top of the base coat.
Q: Can I use craft store acrylic paint on my miniatures?
A: You can, but it is not recommended. Craft paints are usually too thick, have lower pigment quality, and might chip off easier than dedicated miniature acrylics.
Q: How do I clean my brushes after using acrylic paints?
A: Clean your brushes immediately after use with lukewarm water and mild soap. Never let paint dry in the bristles.
Q: What is ‘priming’ and why is it important?
A: Priming is applying a thin, even base coat before any color goes on. Primer helps the actual paint stick securely to the plastic or metal surface of the model.
Q: Are miniature paints toxic?
A: Most modern acrylic hobby paints are non-toxic. However, you should never ingest them and always wash your hands after painting.
Q: What is the best way to use a ‘Shade’ or ‘Wash’ paint?
A: Apply the wash generously over an area. Gravity pulls the thin paint into the low spots, creating instant shadows and depth. Wipe excess paint off raised surfaces before it dries.
Q: How long does it take for a coat of paint to dry?
A: This varies, but most acrylic coats dry to the touch in 10 to 30 minutes. Always wait until it is completely dry before applying the next layer to avoid pulling up the paint underneath.
Q: Should I use an airbrush or a brush for my army?
A: Brushes are great for beginners and detail work. Airbrushes offer incredibly smooth, thin coats perfect for large armies or advanced blending techniques.
Q: What is the most important first purchase besides the actual paint pots?
A: A good quality set of synthetic or sable-hair brushes is crucial. Poor brushes make even the best paint look bad.