If you're looking for a solid blood angels paint guide to get your Space Marines ready for the tabletop, you've come to the right place. There's something undeniably cool about the Sons of Sanguinius charging across a battlefield, but let's be honest—red can be a real pain to get right. It either looks too orange, too pink, or just flat and boring. I've spent way too many hours hunched over a desk trying to find that sweet spot between a vibrant, heroic red and something that actually looks like it belongs on a grimdark super-soldier.
In this walkthrough, I'm going to break down how I tackle my Blood Angels. Whether you're a total beginner or you've been painting for years and just want a faster way to churn out an army, these steps should help you get results you're actually proud to put on the table.
Getting Your Supplies Ready
Before we even touch a brush to a miniature, let's talk about what you're going to need. You don't need every single pot of paint Citadel makes, but having the right shades will make your life a whole lot easier.
First, you need a good primer. I personally prefer a Chaos Black or a dark grey, but if you want to save time, Mephiston Red spray is a lifesaver. For the actual paints, the "classic" Blood Angels look usually revolves around Mephiston Red, Agrax Earthshade (or Carroburg Crimson), and Wild Rider Red for highlights.
Don't forget your brushes. You don't need anything fancy, but a decent size 1 or 2 round brush with a sharp point is essential for the armor panels. If you're planning on doing a lot of edge highlighting, a smaller size 0 brush will be your best friend. Also, grab a wet palette if you have one. If you don't, a plastic plate will work, but a wet palette keeps your red paint from drying out every five minutes, which is a massive help.
The Foundation: Priming and Basecoating
I can't stress this enough: how you prime your model changes everything. If you prime it white, your red is going to be incredibly bright and almost neon. If you go black, you're going to spend three or four coats just trying to get the red to look solid.
My favorite middle ground is a Zenithal prime. I spray the whole thing black, then do a quick 45-degree spray from the top with a light grey or white. This creates natural shadows in the recesses before you even start.
Once your primer is dry, it's time for the basecoat. Mephiston Red is the gold standard for a reason. It's got great coverage and that perfect "Space Marine" hue. If you're hand-painting this over black, make sure you thin your paint with a little water. Two thin coats are always better than one thick, gloopy one. You want the surface to be smooth, not textured like a stucco wall.
Adding Depth with Shading
A flat red marine looks like a plastic toy. To make it look like a war machine, we need shadows. You have two main ways to go about this.
The first is the "all-over wash." You take some Agrax Earthshade or Carroburg Crimson, dilute it slightly, and slather it over the whole model. This is fast, but it can make the armor look a bit dirty and dull. If you go this route, you'll need to go back over the flat armor panels with Mephiston Red again to clean them up.
The second method—and the one I recommend—is "recess shading." Instead of washing the whole thing, you take a fine brush and just paint the shade into the cracks, joints, and around the rivets. This keeps your flat surfaces bright and clean while giving you that deep contrast. I usually use Agrax Earthshade for this because it gives a grittier, more realistic look than the purple-ish tint of Carroburg Crimson.
Making it Pop with Highlights
This is the part that most people dread, but it's what really brings the Blood Angels to life. Red is a warm color, so we want our highlights to feel "hot."
Start with an edge highlight of Evil Sunz Scarlet. You want to hit the top edges of the shoulder pads, the top of the helmet, and the tops of the knee pads. It's a subtle change, but it adds a lot of dimension.
If you really want them to stand out, do a final "point highlight" with Wild Rider Red or even Fire Dragon Bright on the very sharpest corners. Just a tiny dot on the corners of the armor plates will make the whole thing look like it's catching the light. If you're worried about shaky hands, try using the side of your brush rather than the tip. It's way easier to control.
The Details: Lenses, Gold, and Black
Now that the armor is done, we need to handle the bits and bobs that make a Blood Angel a Blood Angel.
- The Eyes: Blood Angels almost always have green lenses. I like to start with a dark green like Caliban Green, then put a tiny sliver of Moot Green in the front corner, followed by a tiny white dot in the back corner. It sounds hard, but once you do it a few times, it's actually pretty quick.
- The Aquila (Chest Eagle): You can go with black or gold here. Gold looks more regal and traditional. A base of Retributor Armour, a wash of Reikland Fleshshade, and a quick highlight of Liberator Gold works wonders. If you want a more "tactical" look, go with black and a subtle grey highlight.
- The Bolter: Keep it simple. Abaddon Black for the casing and Leadbelcher for the metal parts. Give the metal a quick wash of Nuln Oil to make it look oily and used.
The Faster Way: Contrast Paints
I know not everyone has ten hours to spend on a single Intercessor. If you're trying to paint an entire company, you might want to look into Blood Angels Red Contrast paint.
To use this effectively, you must prime the model with a light color like Grey Seer or Wraithbone. You just apply one thick (but controlled) layer of the Contrast paint over the whole thing. It flows into the cracks to create shadows and stays thin on the raised areas for highlights. It's not going to look as "pro" as the traditional method, but man, is it fast. You can finish the red armor on ten marines in about twenty minutes.
Basing for Contrast
Don't overlook the base! Since your model is primarily a warm, bright red, you want a base that provides contrast. Putting a red model on a reddish-brown dirt base makes the whole thing look like a muddy mess.
Instead, try a cool-toned base. A dark grey urban rubble, a snowy tundra, or even a dusty light tan desert works great. The cool blues or greys of a stone base will make that red armor look much more vibrant. A little bit of tuft or some "blood for the blood god" technical paint on the base can also add that extra bit of storytelling.
Final Touches and Varnishing
Once you're done, take a step back and look for any spots you missed. It's easy to forget the soft armor behind the knees or the underside of the backpack.
I always suggest hitting your Blood Angels with a matte varnish once you're finished. Red paint, especially some of the brighter shades, can sometimes have a weird satin or glossy finish that looks a bit "toy-like" under bright game-room lights. A matte finish kills that glare and protects your hard work from getting chipped when you're moving them around the table.
Painting Blood Angels shouldn't be a chore. Even though red has a reputation for being tricky, it's actually one of the most rewarding colors to work with because the results are so striking. Whether you're going for a grim, battle-worn look or a bright, "Eavy Metal" style, the key is just to keep your layers thin and don't be afraid of the highlights.
Hopefully, this blood angels paint guide gives you the confidence to crack open those pots of red and get to work. Sanguinius would be proud!