Not Imperial Fists — general starterOrks · 12 models · 4 kits
1× Space Marines Lieutenant · 5× Intercessors · 1× Ork Nob · 5× Ork Boyz
How to Paint Imperial Fists
Bright yellow armour done right, plus black and red detailing
Prices in £ for the UK
Before you commit
Painting ratings are our judgement, with the reasoning on the comparison page; prices are live and dated.
Start Imperial Fists — boxes & paint sets
We can't price a box for Imperial Fists in your market today, so here are boxes to start from — and the paint sets that cover most of the recipe below.
Not Imperial Fists — general starter
Not Imperial Fists — general starterDeath Guard · 14 models
7× Angels of Death Kill Team operatives · 7× Plague Marine Kill Team operatives
Not Imperial Fists — general starterOrks · 33 models · 5 kits
£114.80 of contents → £87.20 (save approx £27.60)
Not Imperial Fists — general starterUltramarines · 13 models · 4 kits
1× Captain with Relic Shield · 1× Librarian · 5× Intercessors · 5× Vanguard Veterans · 1× Land Speeder
Not Imperial Fists — general starterOrks · 46 models · 10 kits
1× Captain with Relic Shield · 1× Librarian · 5× Intercessors · 5× Vanguard Veterans with Jump Packs · 1× Land Speeder · 1× Warboss · 1× Weirdboy · 20× Ork Boyz · 10× Gretchin · 1× Wartrakk · 4× Large Manufactorum Ruins · 4× Small Manufactorum Ruins · 1× Shock Array · 1× Capacitor Stack · 2× Rockcrete Barricades · 1× Generator Shrine · 2× Galvanic Pylons
Not Imperial Fists — general starterDrukhari · 13 models · 4 kits
1× Haemonculus · 1× Cronos (which can alternatively be built as a Talos) · 1× Talos (which can alternatively be built as a Cronos) · 10× Wracks
Covers 9 of 11 colours in this scheme
Covers 8 of 11 colours in this scheme
Vallejo Model Color - American Colonial Set
16 paints
£38.39
£47.99-20%
+4
· compare 3 shops· priced 3 JulCovers 8 of 11 colours in this scheme
Covers 7 of 11 colours in this scheme
Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Mega Paint Set
50 paints
£136.00
£160.15-15%
+38
· compare 4 shops· priced 1 OctCovers 7 of 11 colours in this scheme
Covers 7 of 11 colours in this scheme
Recommended recipe
How the scheme reads on a model
Armour — base to highlight
Base coat
Shade
Layer
Highlight
Edge highlight
- Base coatNaples YellowScale75 · Artist RangeView paint
- ShadeNazdreg YellowCitadel (Warhammer Paints) · Contrast 99189960215View paint
- LayerAverland SunsetCitadel (Warhammer Paints) · Base 99189950265View paint
- HighlightInner LightArmy Painter · Warpaints Fanatic WP3102PView paint
- Edge highlightInner LightArmy Painter · Warpaints Fanatic WP3102PView paint
Additional details
Trim
Weapons
Leather
Skin
Lenses
Basing
- TrimBright GoldArmy Painter · WarpaintsView paint
- WeaponsJohn Blanche Masterclass: Heavy MetalArmy Painter · Warpaints FanaticView paint
- LeatherBeasty BrownVallejo · Game Color 72.043View paint
- SkinBestigor FleshCitadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951243View paint
- LensesUltramarineVallejo · Model ColorView paint
- BasingEnglish UniformVallejo · Model Color 70.921View paint
1
Base coat
Lay the foundation colour down over primer, slightly darker than the final tone.
Very Close
Close
Close
2
Shade
Wash the recesses to add depth and separate the details.
Nazdreg Yellow
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Contrast 99189960215
from£4.03· compare 5 shops· priced 1 Oct
★ Our pick for shade
Close
Close
Hoplite Gold
Army Painter · Speedpaint Set 2.0 WP2028P
Close
3
Layer
Rebuild the main colour on the raised areas, leaving the shade in the cracks.
Averland Sunset
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Base 99189950265
★ Our pick for layer
Exact Match
Very Close
Very Close
4
Highlight
Pick out the upper edges and surfaces that catch the light.
★ Our pick for highlight
Very Close
Close
Close
Close
5
Edge highlight
Sharpen only the sharpest edges for a crisp, finished look.
★ Our pick for edge highlight
Very Close
Close
Close
Rogue Hobbies Bismuth Yellow
Monument · Monument Pro Signature Series
£4.29at Loaded Dice· priced 13 Sep
Close
Details & accent colours
Everything else on the model - metals, skin, leather, lenses, basing and this faction's signature accents.
Metal — trim
Aquilas, rims and ornament. Basecoat gold, wash with a brown shade, then edge a brighter gold.
Bright Gold
Army Painter · Warpaints
No shop price tracked yet — the paint’s page has every seller we find.
★ Our pick for metal — trim
Very Close
Very Close
Close
Close
Metal — weapons
Bolters, blades and casings. Dark gunmetal, washed black, edged with bright steel.
★ Our pick for metal — weapons
Very Close
Close
Close
Adepticon Magnesium
Monument · Monument Pro Signature Series MPA-S42
£4.29at Loaded Dice· priced 13 Sep
Similar
Leather & pouches
Straps, holsters and bare wood. Mid brown, shaded, then drybrushed a lighter tan.
★ Our pick for leather & pouches
Exact Match
Very Close
Flameon Dark Green Brown
Monument · Monument Pro Signature Series MPA-S25
£4.29at Loaded Dice· priced 13 Sep
CloseDiscontinued
Skin & flesh
Faces and hands. Basecoat, a flesh wash into the recesses, then build the highlights back up.
Bestigor Flesh
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951243
from£2.33· compare 5 shops· priced 1 Oct
★ Our pick for skin & flesh
Very Close
Barbarian Flesh
Army Painter · Warpaints
No shop price tracked yet — the paint’s page has every seller we find.
Very Close
Very Close
CloseDiscontinued
Eyes & lenses
Lenses, eyes and energy. A bright spot colour that pops against the armour - dot it on and add a white glint.
★ Our pick for eyes & lenses
Very Close
Rogue Hobbies Ultramarine
Monument · Monument Pro Signature Series MPA-S35
from£4.50· compare 2 shops· priced 25 Sep
Close
Close
Close
Basing — earth
Groundwork. Earth basecoat, drybrushed bone, finished with your choice of grass, sand or snow.
★ Our pick for basing — earth
Very Close
Very Close
Very CloseDiscontinued
Close
Buy It as a Box
Paint sets that cover this recipe - a set is usually cheaper than buying pots one by one.
Covers 9 of 11 paints in this scheme (82%) — base coat, shade, layer, highlight and more.
Or cover 100% of the recipe with 2 boxes (£216.05 total):
Your paints
Tick off what's already on your shelf — whatever's left is your shopping list.
10 paints in this scheme
Price this recipe
10 paintsfree UK delivery over £20
- not stocked: Naples Yellow, Nazdreg Yellow, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal
free UK delivery over £75, £3.99 below that
- not stocked: Naples Yellow, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, English Uniform
postage per seller
- not stocked: Naples Yellow, Averland Sunset, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Bestigor Flesh
£4.99 UK delivery, 1-2 working days, free over £65
- not stocked: Naples Yellow, Nazdreg Yellow, Bright Gold, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Ultramarine
- not stocked: Naples Yellow, Nazdreg Yellow, Averland Sunset, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Bestigor Flesh, Ultramarine
free UK delivery over £75, from £2.66 below that
- not stocked: Naples Yellow, Nazdreg Yellow, Averland Sunset, Inner Light, Bright Gold, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Bestigor Flesh
- not stocked: Naples Yellow, Inner Light, Bright Gold, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Beasty Brown, Ultramarine, English Uniform
prices shown on Amazon at checkout
- not stocked: Naples Yellow, Nazdreg Yellow, Inner Light, Bright Gold, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Ultramarine, English Uniform
totals excl. delivery · affiliate links
Naples Yellow
Scale75
No price tracked yetNazdreg Yellow
Citadel (Warhammer Paints)
at Merlin's Miniatures· priced 1 OctAverland Sunset
Citadel (Warhammer Paints)
at Merlin's MiniaturesInner Light
Army Painter
at Merlin's Miniatures· priced 1 OctBright Gold
Army Painter
at Merlin's Miniatures· priced 1 OctJohn Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal
Army Painter
No price tracked yetBeasty Brown
Vallejo
at SnM Stuff· priced 24 SepBestigor Flesh
Citadel (Warhammer Paints)
at Merlin's Miniatures· priced 1 OctUltramarine
Vallejo
at Merlin's Miniatures· priced 1 OctEnglish Uniform
Vallejo
at SnM Stuff· priced 24 Sep
Every Imperial Fists kit and box, priced
Prices compared across the shops that stock them — boxes ranked by cost per model.
Imperial Fists are defined by bright yellow armour, which is the single hardest colour to paint well. Yellow has poor pigment coverage, so painting it straight over a dark undercoat gives a streaky, greenish mess. Get the underpainting right and the rest is easy.
The signature look
Clean, bright yellow armour with black and red detailing, gold trim and lots of Imperial iconography. The yellow should be saturated and even - patchiness shows badly on such a bright colour.
Getting yellow to cover
Never basecoat yellow over black. Two methods that work:
- Build up. Undercoat white or bone, basecoat with a brown or orange-tinted yellow for coverage, then layer a clean yellow on top and glaze to even it out.
- Contrast. A yellow contrast paint over a white or bone undercoat gives smooth yellow in one or two passes - by far the fastest route for a yellow army.
Shade only in the deep recesses with a thin brown - black washes turn yellow dirty.
Successors
- Crimson Fists - blue armour with red gauntlets (a much easier scheme).
- Black Templars - black armour with white, for painters who want the opposite of yellow.
Tips and common mistakes
- Light undercoat, always. Yellow over dark = streaks.
- Shade with brown, not black. Black muddies yellow instantly.
- Thin your coats. Thick yellow dries chalky and uneven.
Recipes are generated by perceptual colour matching against our cross-brand paint database. Use them as a strong starting point and test paints in person when precision matters.