How to Paint Kharadron Overlords

How I Paint Kharadron Overlords

In this guide, I will show you how I paint Kharadron Overlords, focusing on metallic armour, rich cloth, and detailed character elements. This method uses layering, washes, and drybrushing to create a clean tabletop finish while maintaining strong contrast.

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Paints required:

The Army Painter paints are denoted with (AP). The Citadel paints are denoted with (Cit). Colour Forge Sprays (CF).

• Matt Black spray (CF) - Cit alternative Chaos Black spray
• Standard Grey spray (CF) - Cit alternative Mechanicum Standard Grey spray
• Gun Metal (AP) - Cit alternative Leadbelcher
  
• Dark Tone (AP) - Cit alternative Nuln Oil
  
• Lahmian Medium (Cit)
• Plate Mail Metal (AP) - Cit alternative Ironbreaker
  
• Greedy Gold (AP) - Cit alternative Retributor Gold
  
• Balthasar Gold (Cit)
• Reikland Fleshshade (Cit)
• Strong Tone (AP) - Cit alternative Agrax Earthshade
  
• Bright Gold (AP) - Cit alternative Liberator Gold
  
• Weapon Bronze (AP)
  
• Shining Silver (AP) - Cit alternative Stormhost Silver
  
• Barak-Nar Burgundy (Cit)
• Genestealer Purple (Cit)
• Zandri Dust (Cit)
• Soft Tone (AP) - Cit alternative Seraphim Sepia
  
• Abaddon Black (Cit)
• Morghast Bone (Cit)
• Ushabti Bone (Cit)
• Eshin Grey (Cit)
• Dawnstone (Cit)
• Corax White (Cit)
• Mephiston Red (Cit)
• Aethermatic Blue (Cit)
• Skavenblight Dinge (Cit)
• Athonian Camoshade (Cit)
• Agrax Earthshade (Cit)
• Grey Seer (Cit)
• Karak Stone (Cit)
• Screaming Skull (Cit)
• Caliban Green (Cit)
• Nuln Oil Gloss (Cit)
• Moot Green (Cit) 

The metallic paints for this guide are from Army Painter Metallic Paints Set (Amazon Associate link)

Preparation and Priming

When assembling the miniature, I did not glue it to the base.

The model was first undercoated with Chaos Black spray, followed by a light zenithal spray from above using Mechanicum Standard Grey. This helps define the volumes of the model and provides a better base for metallic paints.

Step 1 – Base Metallics

Using a medium brush, I applied Gun Metal across all metal areas. I worked carefully to ensure full coverage, but did not worry if paint overlapped onto other areas, as these are cleaned up later.

Once dry, the metal was washed with Dark Tone, mixed with a small amount of Lahmian Medium to improve flow. This was left to dry fully before continuing.

The metal was then lightly drybrushed with Plate Mail Metal, picking out raised edges and surfaces.

Step 2 – Gold Details

I began picking out selected areas with Greedy Gold, including the beard and parts of the weapon. Other sections, such as the face mask, chest icon, sword guard, and backpack coils, were painted with Balthasar Gold.

The Greedy Gold areas were washed with Reikland Fleshshade, while the Balthasar Gold was washed with Strong Tone.

Once dry, the Greedy Gold was highlighted with Bright Gold, followed by a more limited highlight of Bright Gold mixed with Shining Silver. The Balthasar Gold was highlighted with Weapon Bronze.

The Gun Metal areas were given selective edge highlights with Shining Silver, focusing on the sword and upper armour edges.

Step 3 – Painting the Clothing

The overalls were basecoated with Barak-Nar Burgundy, taking care to keep the application neat. These were then shaded with Dark Tone.

Highlights were built up using Barak-Nar Burgundy, followed by a 1:1 mix of Barak-Nar Burgundy and Genestealer Purple, and finished with a sparing highlight of Genestealer Purple on the highest points.

Step 4 – Leather and Equipment

Straps, gloves, and pouches were basecoated with Zandri Dust, then shaded with Soft Tone mixed with Lahmian Medium. The rope was washed with Strong Tone.

The boots were painted with Abaddon Black.

The leather details were highlighted with Morghast Bone, followed by Ushabti Bone.

The rope was given a second wash with Dark Tone, before being painted with bands of Karak Stone and then Screaming Skull to create the rope texture.

The boots were highlighted with Eshin Grey, followed by a 1:1 mix of Eshin Grey and Dawnstone.

Step 5 – Details

The gauges were painted by first placing clean water into the recess, then adding small amounts of thinned Corax White, allowing it to flow naturally into the detail. This was repeated until a solid finish was achieved.

A small dot of Mephiston Red was added to the indicator, and the needle was painted with Abaddon Black.

The eye lens was painted with Corax White, then glazed with Aethermatic Blue.

Step 6 – The Base

The base was painted with Skavenblight Dinge, then washed with a 2:1 mix of Athonian Camoshade and Agrax Earthshade.

Once dry, the base was drybrushed with Dawnstone, followed by Administratum Grey and Grey Seer.

The soil areas were painted with Agrax Earthshade, then drybrushed with Karak Stone and Screaming Skull.

The crystals were painted with Caliban Green, washed with Nuln Oil Gloss, then edge highlighted with a 1:2 mix of Caliban Green and Moot Green.

Step 7 – Final Assembly

Once complete, the miniature was attached to the base. The rim of the base was painted with Abaddon Black.

Final Thoughts

The Army Painter metallics performed very well, particularly in terms of coverage. However, I supplemented them with Citadel paints to achieve a wider range of metallic tones and finishes.

This method is ideal for Kharadron Overlords, where metallic surfaces dominate the miniature and benefit from strong contrast and controlled highlights.

Related Articles

• How to Paint Blades of Khorne
• How to Paint Nighthaunts
• How to Paint Skaven

For more painting guides → Start here

Discussion

How do you approach painting metallic-heavy miniatures?

Do you prefer quick drybrushing methods or more controlled layering?

Let me know in the comments. I would be interested to hear what has worked for you.

Happy hobbying!

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