Glazing
Apply very thin, translucent layers of color to tint surfaces and smooth transitions.
Glazing uses extremely thin, translucent paint (more water than paint) applied in smooth coats to gradually shift the color of a surface. Unlike a wash that flows into recesses, a glaze is applied deliberately to specific areas and coats evenly. Glazing is perfect for smoothing out rough layer transitions, tinting surfaces with a new hue, or creating subtle color shifts across a surface.
Best For
Recommended Paint Types
Step-by-Step
Thin your paint heavily — aim for about 1 part paint to 4-5 parts water. It should be barely tinted water.
Load your brush and wick off excess on a paper towel until it doesn't flood.
Apply in smooth, even strokes across the area you want to tint.
Let it dry completely between coats.
Apply multiple coats to build up color intensity — each coat adds a subtle shift.
Control the effect by varying how many coats you apply to different areas.
Pro Tips
Glaze medium (like Citadel's Lahmian Medium) gives better results than plain water.
Always pull the brush in one direction — don't scrub back and forth.
Glazing yellow or red over a metallic basecoat creates convincing gold or copper.
If the glaze pools or looks uneven, wick it immediately with a clean damp brush.
Common Mistakes
Paint too thick — it should be almost water. If you can see the color going on, it's too thick.
Not wiping excess off the brush — this causes pooling and tide marks.
Being impatient — each glaze coat adds very little color. It takes 4-5+ coats.
Scrubbing back and forth instead of smooth single-direction strokes.