20% off RRPThousand Sons · 15 models · 3 kits
£99.60 of contents → £87.20 (save at least £12.40)
How to Paint Thousand Sons
Blue-and-gold armour and warpfire magic effects
Prices in £ for the UK
Before you commit
How hard to paint
100of 116 easiest
Harder than most
Model size4 out of 5Detail density2 out of 5Technique demanded2 out of 5
Compare all 116 factions →
What it costs to start
£87.20
£0.18 per point
Combat Patrol: Thousand Sons, cheapest shop we track
Compare armies by value →
Painting ratings are our judgement, with the reasoning on the comparison page; prices are live and dated.
Start Thousand Sons — boxes & paint sets
The boxes we can price for this faction, cheapest first, and the paint sets that cover most of the recipe below.
20% off RRP
Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Mega Paint Set
50 paints
£136.00
£160.15-15%
+38
· compare 4 shops· priced 1 OctCovers 9 of 12 colours in this scheme
Covers 8 of 12 colours in this scheme
+40
at Loaded Dice· priced 13 SepCovers 5 of 12 colours in this scheme
Covers 4 of 12 colours in this scheme
Covers 4 of 12 colours in this scheme
+2
· compare 2 shops· priced 13 SepCovers 4 of 12 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 coatAzure MagicArmy Painter · Metallic Colours Paint SetView paint
- ShadeWagram BlueVallejo · Xpress Color 72.464View paint
- LayerAhriman BlueCitadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951372View paint
- HighlightLothern BlueCitadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951316≈ Closest paint we sellView paint
- Edge highlightSunrise BlueVallejo · Game Color 72.118≈ Closest paint we sellView paint
Additional details
Trim
Weapons
Leather
Skin
Lenses
Basing
Warpflame & discs
- 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
- LensesBright OrangeVallejo · Model Color 70.851View paint
- BasingEnglish UniformVallejo · Model Color 70.921View paint
- Warpflame & discsArctic GemArmy Painter · Warpaints Fanatic WP3029PView paint
1
Base coat
Lay the foundation colour down over primer, slightly darker than the final tone.
★ Our pick for base coat
Very Close
Very Close
Close
CloseDiscontinued
2
Shade
Wash the recesses to add depth and separate the details.
★ Our pick for shade
Close
Drakenhof Nightshade
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Shade 99189953053
from£4.03· compare 5 shops· priced 1 Oct
Close
Close
3
Layer
Rebuild the main colour on the raised areas, leaving the shade in the cracks.
★ Our pick for layer
Exact MatchDiscontinued
Very Close
Very Close
Close
4
Highlight
Pick out the upper edges and surfaces that catch the light.
Closest paint we sell — not an exact match for this colour
Lothern Blue
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951316
★ Our pick for highlight
Very Close
Close
Close
5
Edge highlight
Sharpen only the sharpest edges for a crisp, finished look.
Closest paint we sell — not an exact match for this colour
★ Our pick for edge highlight
Close
Close
Close
Similar
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
Troll Slayer Orange
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951301
from£2.33· compare 4 shops· priced 1 Oct
Very Close
Very Close
CloseDiscontinued
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
Warpflame & discs
Sorcerous fire and Tzeentch magic - bright cyan glow blended to white at the core.
★ Our pick for warpflame & discs
Very Close
Very Close
Very Close
Lothern Blue
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951316
Very Close
Buy It as a Box
Paint sets that cover this recipe - a set is usually cheaper than buying pots one by one.
Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Mega Paint Set
50 paints
£136.00
£160.15-15%
+38
· compare 4 shops· priced 1 OctCovers 9 of 12 paints in this scheme (75%) — base coat, layer, edge highlight, metal — trim and more.
Your paints
Tick off what's already on your shelf — whatever's left is your shopping list.
12 paints in this scheme
Price this recipe
12 paintsfree UK delivery over £20
- not stocked: Azure Magic, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal
£4.99 UK delivery, 1-2 working days, free over £65
- not stocked: Azure Magic, Bright Gold, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal
free UK delivery over £75, £3.99 below that
- not stocked: Azure Magic, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Bright Orange, English Uniform
postage per seller
- not stocked: Azure Magic, Ahriman Blue, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Bestigor Flesh
free UK delivery over £75, from £2.66 below that
- not stocked: Azure Magic, Ahriman Blue, Lothern Blue, Bright Gold, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Bestigor Flesh, Arctic Gem
- not stocked: Wagram Blue, Ahriman Blue, Lothern Blue, Sunrise Blue, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Bestigor Flesh, Bright Orange
prices shown on Amazon at checkout
- not stocked: Azure Magic, Wagram Blue, Bright Gold, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Bright Orange, English Uniform, Arctic Gem
- not stocked: Azure Magic, Wagram Blue, Ahriman Blue, Lothern Blue, Sunrise Blue, Bright Gold, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Beasty Brown, Bright Orange, English Uniform, Arctic Gem
totals excl. delivery · affiliate links
Azure Magic
Army Painter
at 3DJake UK· priced 30 SepWagram Blue
Vallejo
at SnM Stuff· priced 24 SepAhriman Blue
Citadel (Warhammer Paints)
at Merlin's Miniatures· priced 1 OctLothern Blue
Citadel (Warhammer Paints)
at Merlin's MiniaturesSunrise Blue
Vallejo
at SnM Stuff· priced 24 SepBright 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 OctBright Orange
Vallejo
at SnM Stuff· priced 24 SepEnglish Uniform
Vallejo
at SnM Stuff· priced 24 SepArctic Gem
Army Painter
at Merlin's Miniatures· priced 1 Oct
Recommended Box Set
Combat Patrol: Thousand Sons Affiliate links — how we make money What's inside this box
The fastest way to start a Thousand Sons army — a boxed force to paint with this scheme.
£99.60 of contents → £87.20 (save at least £12.40)
Best price
£87.20Wayland Games
in stock · priced 25 Sep · free UK delivery over £20
cheapest of 6 UK sellers · save £21.80 vs the most expensive · excl. delivery
Want the codex too? At Loaded Dice (UK):save £23.01 vs RRP(out of stock)
Shopping from the US?save $25.50 vs RRP
Every Thousand Sons kit and box, priced
Prices compared across the shops that stock them — boxes ranked by cost per model.
Thousand Sons are one of the most ornate and rewarding armies to paint - a rich blue-and-gold scheme covered in intricate trim, with plenty of opportunity for glowing warpfire and magical effects.
The signature look
Deep teal/blue armour with extensive gold trim, blue-and-gold tabards, and blue or pink warpfire on weapons and around the Rubric Marines' empty armour. The gold-to-blue ratio is high, so neat trim work pays off.
Painting the blue and gold
- Blue - use the ramp above for a saturated teal-blue. A blue contrast over gold-tinted or white undercoat speeds up the basecoat.
- Gold - this is half the model. Basecoat a bright gold, shade with a brown or sepia wash, and highlight the edges with a lighter gold or silver. Good gold trim is what makes Thousand Sons look premium.
Warpfire and magic
The blue or pink flame effects use object-source lighting: bright core fading to a glaze of the same colour on nearby surfaces. A bright blue technical/contrast paint in the eyes and weapon glows ties the army's magical theme together.
Tips and common mistakes
- Invest in the gold. Washed and edge-highlighted gold trim is the centrepiece - don't rush it.
- Keep the blue rich. A teal lean reads more "Tzeentch sorcery" than a plain royal blue.
- Add a magic accent. A consistent warpfire colour across the army looks deliberate and cohesive.
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.