Layering
Build up smooth color transitions by applying progressively lighter colors to smaller areas.
Layering creates smooth gradients between shadow and highlight by applying increasingly lighter paints to progressively smaller areas. Starting from your basecoat, each successive layer is lighter in color and applied to a smaller area, concentrating on the parts that would catch the most light. The result is a smooth color transition that adds volume and depth to the miniature.
Best For
Recommended Paint Types
Step-by-Step
Start with your basecoat fully applied and dry.
Choose 2-3 progressively lighter shades of the same hue.
Thin each paint to a slightly translucent consistency.
Apply the first highlight to the upper 60-70% of each surface, leaving shadows in the deepest areas.
Apply the second highlight to the upper 40-50% of each surface.
Apply the brightest highlight only to the very top edges and most exposed points.
Each layer should blend into the one below it through the translucency of the thinned paint.
Pro Tips
Work from dark to light — it's much easier to control.
The transitions between layers should be gradual, not hard lines.
If you see hard lines, apply a glaze of the midtone color over the transition.
Citadel's paint system is designed for layering — Base > Layer > Layer is the intended workflow.
Common Mistakes
Jumping too far between shades — use small color steps.
Applying each layer to the same area — each successive layer should be smaller.
Not thinning enough — thick layers create visible ridges.
Rushing — let each layer dry before applying the next.