Kyle's Dark Angels Veteran Paint Guide — Kitbash Build Feature
Kyle's Dark Angels Veteran — Kitbash Build Feature
Warhammer 40,000 · Dark Angels · Paint Guide
This is the quintessential Dark Angel - the one you picture when the chapter comes to mind. Deep black-green armour, red accents, purity seals, and the kind of weathered gravitas that the chapter demands. Kyle built this as a kitbash from three kits to get exactly the right silhouette and stance.
Kit sources: Primaris Intercessors (base), pistol arm from a Bladeguard Veteran, power fist from a Tactical Squad, power fist arm and shoulder also from a Bladeguard Veteran.
A note on paint availability: this model was originally painted with Vallejo Heavy Black Green and Heavy Red, both now discontinued. The closest current equivalents are Vallejo Model Color Black Green (70980) and Vallejo Game Color Gory Red (72011) - both used in this guide.
Kyle's Dark Angels Veteran Kitbash - looking down the barrel.
Open stance - high lighting
Eye and barrel - high lighting
Left three-quarter - power fist and chest
Three-quarter front - eyes and stance
How Kyle Painted It
Full step-by-step breakdown. All products in stock at Wheels & Wings.
Black Base
Black Green Base & Scratch Chipping
Vallejo Black Green (70980) across all armour. Scratches and chips are added with a mix of Black Green and Vallejo Black - the darker mix sits in the chips convincingly as shadow rather than reading as a separate colour.
Three-Step Glow - White, Orange, Red Ink
Corax White line down the centre of the lens, then Fluorescent Orange glazed over, then Red Ink over that. The three-step layering builds a warm, deep glow that reads as genuinely lit from within - particularly effective against the very dark armour colour of a Dark Angels scheme.
The three-step eye glow - Corax White, Fluorescent Orange, Red Ink.
Weapon Casing & Hand-Painted Knee Stripe
Gory Red on the weapon casing. The knee stripe is painted freehand in Gory Red, then gone back over with the chipping colour (Black Green mixed with Black) to add wear and chips into the red - tying the stripe's battle-worn look back to the armour.
Deck Tan with Agrax Wash
Deck Tan base on the chest wings, washed with Agrax Earthshade to deepen the feather detail, then highlighted back with Deck Tan over the raised surfaces to restore the contrast.
Parchment with Sepia Wash
Khaki parchment base on the power fist detail, washed with Vallejo Sepia. A freehand lion motif is painted on the back of the hand parchment.
Sycorax Bronze with Agrax Wash
Sycorax Bronze on all gold metallic elements, washed with Agrax Earthshade. The sycorax bronze buckle on the utility belt receives the same treatment.
Leadbelcher with Nuln Oil
Gory Red Wax, Khaki Parchment
Gory Red for the wax seals. Parchment in Khaki washed with Vallejo Sepia.
Earth, Agrax Wash, Sycorax Buckle
Belt pouches in Vallejo Earth washed with Agrax Earthshade, then highlighted back up with Earth to restore the surface highlights. Sycorax Bronze buckle.
Right side - utility belt, weapon, and right hand detail.
Heavy Charcoal
Back - backpack, utility belt and soft joint detail.
Burnt Grass & Black Tea
Woodland Scenics Burnt Grass Fine Turf mixed with Red Rose black tea leaves - the tea leaves create a dense, dark mulch texture that anchors the grass scatter and gives the base an organic, earthy quality.
Mecha Satin
Vallejo Mecha Satin to finish - preserving the depth of the very dark Black Green without flattening it under a heavy matt coat.
The Finished Model
Dark Angels Veteran. The quintessential son of the Lion.
Looking down the barrel - low lighting
Open stance - low lighting
Open stance - high lighting
Left side - power fist and lion freehand
Left three-quarter - power fist, chest wings, and inner arm.
All paints used in this guide are in stock at Wheels & Wings Hobbies in Toronto, available online with Canada-wide shipping.
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