[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"faction-/factions/genestealer-cults":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"date":272,"description":273,"extension":274,"faction":275,"heroImage":276,"hex":277,"intro":278,"lastUpdated":272,"meta":279,"navigation":280,"path":281,"seo":282,"stem":283,"system":284,"__hash__":285},"factions/factions/genestealer-cults.md","How to Paint Genestealer Cults",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":263},"minimark",[9,13,16,21,24,28,31,68,96,123,127,144,175,186,190,193,233,237],[10,11,12],"p",{},"Genestealer Cults are two armies wearing one uniform. Half of every model is human - overalls, boots, tools, respirators - and half is alien, all purple carapace and chitin claws. The trick to painting them quickly is to accept that and split the work: block the drab half fast with washes and contrast, then spend your time on the skin, which is what people actually look at.",[10,14,15],{},"They are a mid-speed army. Not a Necron drybrush job, but nowhere near a clean marine chapter either, because the industrial half is meant to be filthy.",[17,18,20],"h2",{"id":19},"the-signature-look","The signature look",[10,22,23],{},"Purple-blue hybrid flesh and hard chitin plates set against yellow, ochre or drab work clothing, everything covered in the dust of an underground world. The contrast between an alien claw and a mining helmet is the joke the whole faction is built on, so make sure both halves are readable.",[17,25,27],{"id":26},"hybrid-skin-and-chitin","Hybrid skin and chitin",[10,29,30],{},"The skin should sit between human and purestrain.",[32,33,34,43,50,61],"ol",{},[35,36,37,38,42],"li",{},"Base ",[39,40,41],"strong",{},"Naggaroth Night"," over a black undercoat.",[35,44,45,46,49],{},"Shade the recesses with ",[39,47,48],{},"Druchii Violet",".",[35,51,52,53,56,57,60],{},"Layer ",[39,54,55],{},"Xereus Purple"," over the muscle, then ",[39,58,59],{},"Genestealer Purple"," on the raised areas.",[35,62,63,64,67],{},"Highlight ",[39,65,66],{},"Dechala Lilac"," on knuckles, brow ridges and the tops of the chitin plates.",[10,69,70,71,74,75,78,79,81,82,85,86,85,89,85,92,95],{},"For the fast version, ",[39,72,73],{},"Leviathan Purple"," contrast straight over ",[39,76,77],{},"Wraithbone"," gives you a usable hybrid in one coat, and a single ",[39,80,59],{}," drybrush lifts it back up. For hybrids further from the patriarch, mix the transition: paint the human half in a normal flesh ramp - ",[39,83,84],{},"Bugman's Glow",", ",[39,87,88],{},"Reikland Fleshshade",[39,90,91],{},"Cadian Fleshtone",[39,93,94],{},"Kislev Flesh"," - and let it blend into the purple at the shoulder.",[10,97,98,99,85,102,85,105,85,108,111,112,115,116,118,119,122],{},"Purestrain Genestealers get the same purple with a bone carapace: ",[39,100,101],{},"Zandri Dust",[39,103,104],{},"Agrax Earthshade",[39,106,107],{},"Ushabti Bone",[39,109,110],{},"Screaming Skull",". Claws in ",[39,113,114],{},"Rhinox Hide"," into ",[39,117,110],{}," with a ",[39,120,121],{},"Nuln Oil"," wash at the base.",[17,124,126],{"id":125},"overalls-tools-and-grime","Overalls, tools and grime",[10,128,129,130,133,134,136,137,139,140,143],{},"The industrial half is where you save time. Base the overalls ",[39,131,132],{},"Steel Legion Drab"," or ",[39,135,101],{},", wash the lot with ",[39,138,104],{}," and highlight ",[39,141,142],{},"Karak Stone",". That is a complete pair of overalls in three steps.",[10,145,146,147,150,151,153,154,157,158,115,160,163,164,167,168,170,171,174],{},"Respirators, mining lamps and rebreather hoses in ",[39,148,149],{},"Mechanicus Standard Grey"," shaded ",[39,152,121],{}," and edged ",[39,155,156],{},"Dawnstone",". Boots and belts ",[39,159,114],{},[39,161,162],{},"Gorthor Brown",". Weapons in ",[39,165,166],{},"Leadbelcher"," with ",[39,169,121],{}," and a ",[39,172,173],{},"Ryza Rust"," stipple - these are stolen and maintained badly.",[10,176,177,178,181,182,185],{},"Finish with a dusting of ",[39,179,180],{},"Terminatus Stone"," drybrushed up the legs and across the boots, and ",[39,183,184],{},"Stirland Mud"," on the base blending onto the feet. Cult models should look like they came out of a tunnel.",[17,187,189],{"id":188},"cult-colour-schemes","Cult colour schemes",[10,191,192],{},"The purple skin stays; the workwear changes to fit the world.",[194,195,196,205,211,221,227],"ul",{},[35,197,198,201,202,204],{},[39,199,200],{},"Cult of the Four-Armed Emperor"," - ochre and ",[39,203,101],{}," overalls, the studio look.",[35,206,207,210],{},[39,208,209],{},"Bladed Cog"," - dark red workwear with brass fittings, borrowed from a forge world.",[35,212,213,216,217,220],{},[39,214,215],{},"Rusted Claw"," - ",[39,218,219],{},"Averland Sunset"," overalls, everything heavily rusted.",[35,222,223,226],{},[39,224,225],{},"Twisted Helix"," - lab whites and pale grey, cleaner and much faster to paint.",[35,228,229,232],{},[39,230,231],{},"Pauper Princes"," - deep blue and bone with far more religious ornament.",[17,234,236],{"id":235},"tips-and-common-mistakes","Tips and common mistakes",[194,238,239,245,251,257],{},[35,240,241,244],{},[39,242,243],{},"Keep the two halves distinct."," If the skin and the overalls are similar in value, the model turns to mush at arm's length.",[35,246,247,250],{},[39,248,249],{},"Wash the workwear, layer the skin."," Spend your effort where it shows.",[35,252,253,256],{},[39,254,255],{},"Do not clean them up."," Dust and grime are part of the identity.",[35,258,259,262],{},[39,260,261],{},"Batch aggressively."," Neophyte squads are large and the overall recipe is three steps - do twenty at once.",{"title":264,"searchDepth":265,"depth":265,"links":266},"",2,[267,268,269,270,271],{"id":19,"depth":265,"text":20},{"id":26,"depth":265,"text":27},{"id":125,"depth":265,"text":126},{"id":188,"depth":265,"text":189},{"id":235,"depth":265,"text":236},"2026-08-19","How to paint Genestealer Cults - purple alien skin against drab mining overalls, the four-armed hybrids, industrial grime, and cult colour schemes for different worlds.","md","Genestealer Cults",null,"#4a2f6e","Purple hybrid skin against dirty mining overalls",{},true,"/factions/genestealer-cults",{"title":5,"description":273},"factions/genestealer-cults","40k","dnNwHJYJ__5les3GNb6qWaA8ohGiRkQiUXcVk6Wsm0o"]