Paint blue armour with Macragge Blue basecoat, wash with Nuln Oil, layer with Calgar Blue, and highlight with Fenrisian Grey. This is the classic Ultramarines recipe and produces clean, vibrant blue armour that reads beautifully on the tabletop.
Blue armour is arguably the most recognisable colour in all of Warhammer. The Ultramarines have been the poster boys of Warhammer 40,000 for decades, and their striking blue armour is the first thing most people associate with the hobby. Beyond the Ultramarines, blue appears on Thousand Sons, Night Lords, Crimson Fists, and many Age of Sigmar factions.
The good news is that blue is one of the easier armour colours to paint well. Blue pigments are naturally opaque, meaning fewer coats are needed for coverage compared to red or yellow. This guide covers everything from the basic Ultramarines recipe to advanced techniques for different shades and finishes of blue armour.
What Paints Do You Need for Blue Armour?
The essential Citadel paints for blue armour are Macragge Blue (base), Nuln Oil (shade), Calgar Blue (layer), and Fenrisian Grey (layer). For a brighter, more vivid blue, you may also want Teclis Blue and Blue Horror for intermediate highlights.
- Macragge Blue (Base paint) — the iconic Ultramarines blue. Excellent coverage, smooth application, and the perfect mid-tone blue for Space Marine armour.
- Nuln Oil (Shade) — darkens the recesses and panel lines, creating depth and definition in the blue armour. The standard shade for most blue recipes.
- Drakenhof Nightshade (Shade) — a blue-toned alternative to Nuln Oil that preserves the colour warmth while still adding depth. Preferred by some painters for a smoother transition.
- Calgar Blue (Layer paint) — a lighter, brighter blue for highlighting. This creates the classic two-stage blue highlight seen on most Ultramarines.
- Fenrisian Grey (Layer paint) — a pale blue-grey used for edge highlighting. Despite the name, this is a blue paint, not a true grey.
- Blue Horror (Layer paint) — an even paler blue for the finest point highlights. Very subtle but adds definition to the brightest spots.
How Do You Basecoat Blue Armour?
Apply two thin coats of Macragge Blue over a black or dark blue primer. For Ultramarines armies, Macragge Blue spray provides the fastest, smoothest basecoat. Blue pigments have excellent coverage, so two thin coats should achieve full opacity.
Macragge Blue is one of the best base paints in the Citadel range in terms of coverage and application. It goes on smoothly, levels well, and covers dark primers efficiently. This makes blue armour one of the more enjoyable colours to basecoat.
Primer choice matters for blue armour:
- Black primer — the standard choice. Creates slightly darker blue tones in the recesses and provides a natural shadow effect. Requires two coats of Macragge Blue for full coverage.
- Grey primer — allows the blue to appear slightly brighter. Good for a cleaner, more vibrant look. Coverage in one to two coats.
- Macragge Blue spray — the ideal solution for Ultramarines. Provides a perfect blue basecoat directly. Just ensure complete coverage in any shadowed areas the spray might miss.
How Do You Shade Blue Armour?
Apply Nuln Oil into the recesses and panel lines of the blue armour. For a smoother, more harmonious look, use Drakenhof Nightshade instead. Avoid all-over washes on blue armour unless you want a deliberately darkened, weathered appearance.
The choice between Nuln Oil and Drakenhof Nightshade is primarily about the tone of your shadows:
- Nuln Oil — creates black shadows that provide strong contrast and definition. This is the Eavy Metal team’s standard approach and works extremely well for most blue armour. The black shadows make the blue panels appear brighter by contrast.
- Drakenhof Nightshade — creates dark blue shadows that blend more smoothly with the Macragge Blue basecoat. This produces a more harmonious, less stark appearance. Some painters find this looks more natural.
- Combination approach — use Drakenhof Nightshade in broad recesses and panel lines, then add a thin line of Nuln Oil in only the deepest, darkest crevices. This creates both smooth tonal transitions and strong definition.
As with other armour colours, recess shading produces a cleaner result than an all-over wash. Take your time guiding the wash into the panel lines with a fine brush, and wick away any excess that pools on flat surfaces.
How Do You Highlight Blue Armour?
Layer Calgar Blue on raised surfaces, the tops of armour plates, and areas facing upward. Then edge highlight with Fenrisian Grey on every sharp edge. For the finest points and corners, add tiny dots of Blue Horror or even pure white.
The Ultramarines highlight progression moves from dark blue through to a very pale blue-grey. This gradient is what gives the armour its three-dimensional appearance on the tabletop.
First highlight — Calgar Blue: Apply to all upward-facing surfaces and raised areas. This is the main visible blue tone on the model. Use a standard layer brush and apply in thin, even strokes. Calgar Blue should cover most of the visible surface, with Macragge Blue showing only in the areas between panel lines and on downward-facing surfaces.
Edge highlight — Fenrisian Grey: This pale blue-grey goes on every sharp edge of the armour. Hold the brush perpendicular to the edge and draw it along quickly to catch only the very edge. This step takes practice but transforms the model from good to great.
Point highlight — Blue Horror: Apply tiny dots at corners where edges meet, the tips of pointed details, and the highest point of curved surfaces. This creates focal points that draw the eye and add sparkle to the model.
A common mistake is making the edge highlights too thick. Fenrisian Grey is quite pale against Macragge Blue, so thick highlights look stark and unnatural. If your highlights are too thick, carefully glaze a thin coat of Calgar Blue alongside the highlight to narrow it.
What Factions Use Blue Armour?
Blue armour is one of the most common colour schemes in Warhammer. The Ultramarines are the most famous, but many other factions feature blue armour prominently, each with their own shade and recipe.
- Ultramarines — the definitive blue army. Clean, bright Macragge Blue with gold trim. The recipe in this guide is their official painting method.
- Thousand Sons — a darker, more turquoise blue combined with gold trim. Use Thousand Sons Blue spray or Ahriman Blue for their distinctive shade.
- Night Lords — very dark blue, almost midnight blue, with lightning bolt motifs. Basecoat with Night Lords Blue or Kantor Blue for their sinister appearance.
- Crimson Fists — similar to Ultramarines but slightly darker. Use the same recipe with a slightly heavier wash application.
- Alpha Legion — a blue-green metallic scheme that uses Akhelian Green Contrast over Leadbelcher for a unique effect.
- Hallowed Knights (Stormcast) — silver armour with blue details and heraldry. Blue plays a secondary but important role.
How Do You Paint Dark Blue or Navy Armour?
For dark blue armour (like Night Lords or Crimson Fists), start with Kantor Blue instead of Macragge Blue. Wash with Nuln Oil, layer with Macragge Blue on raised areas, and edge highlight with Calgar Blue. This creates a darker, more dramatic blue that suits grimmer factions.
Kantor Blue is a significantly darker blue than Macragge Blue, almost navy in tone. Starting from this darker base means your shadows are deeper and the overall effect is moodier. The highlight progression shifts down one step — Macragge Blue becomes the highlight rather than the base.
For Night Lords specifically, many painters add a satin or gloss varnish to the finished armour to give it a slightly wet, menacing appearance. Lightning bolt freehand designs in white or pale blue complete the look.
Can You Use Contrast Paint for Blue Armour?
Yes, Ultramarines Blue Contrast paint over Grey Seer or Wraithbone primer creates excellent blue armour in a single coat. The Contrast paint pools in recesses and leaves highlights on raised areas automatically. This is an excellent method for batch painting Ultramarines or any blue-armoured force.
The Contrast method produces a slightly different finish to the traditional approach — it is smoother and more graduated, without the crisp panel-line definition of a traditional recess shade. Some painters prefer this look, while others find it too smooth and add targeted Nuln Oil washes after the Contrast to sharpen the definition.
For the best of both worlds, apply Ultramarines Blue Contrast, let it dry, add Nuln Oil in the deepest recesses, then edge highlight with Fenrisian Grey. This three-step process produces results that rival the full traditional method in a fraction of the time.
How Do You Paint Blue Power Weapons or Force Weapons?
Blue power weapons use a gradient technique. Start with a dark blue (Kantor Blue) at the base of the blade and transition to a bright blue (Calgar Blue or Lothern Blue) at the tip. Add white lightning effects with thinned White Scar for a crackling energy appearance.
The key to convincing power weapons is smooth blending between the dark and light zones. Use wet blending (applying two colours while both are wet and mixing on the surface) or glazing (applying multiple thin transparent layers to build a gradient) to create the smooth transition.
For a quicker approach, basecoat the entire blade with Calgar Blue, wash heavily with Drakenhof Nightshade, then drybrush lightly with Fenrisian Grey and White Scar. This creates a quick, effective energy weapon appearance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Macragge Blue the same as Ultramarines Blue?
No. Macragge Blue is a traditional base paint, while Ultramarines Blue is a Contrast paint. They produce very different results. Macragge Blue is applied in thin layers over any primer. Ultramarines Blue Contrast is applied in one thick coat over a light primer and creates an automatic highlight-and-shade effect.
Can I use an airbrush for blue armour?
Absolutely. Airbrushing blue armour produces the smoothest possible finish. Basecoat with Macragge Blue, create a zenithal gradient by airbrushing Calgar Blue from above, and then add panel-line washes by hand. This is one of the best uses of an airbrush in miniature painting.
Why do my blue highlights look chalky?
Chalky highlights on blue are usually caused by paint that is too thick or not mixed well enough. Fenrisian Grey is a pastel blue-grey that can look chalky if over-applied. Thin it slightly more than usual and apply in very fine lines. If it is already on the model, gently glaze Calgar Blue over the chalky area to smooth the transition.
What colour should I use for blue armour trim?
Gold trim (Retributor Armour) is the classic choice for Ultramarines and looks fantastic against blue. Silver (Leadbelcher) also works well for a cleaner, more military look. For Thousand Sons, gold trim is essential to their identity. For Night Lords, silver or bronze trim with bone-coloured details creates their sinister aesthetic.
How do I make blue armour look battle-damaged?
Sponge on small spots of Rhinox Hide followed by Leadbelcher to simulate paint chips revealing bare metal underneath. Apply Typhus Corrosion around the damage for dirt and grime. Streaks of Agrax Earthshade simulating rain marks add further realism.
What colours go well with blue armour?
Gold, orange, red and bone are the strongest accents for blue armour. Orange and gold sit opposite blue on the colour wheel, so they make the armour look more vivid. Red works well for eye lenses, purity seals and cloth, and bone or off-white is good for scrolls, tabards and squad markings. Keep accents small so the blue stays dominant.
How do you paint metallic blue armour?
Basecoat the armour in a silver such as Leadbelcher, then glaze it with a blue Contrast paint or blue ink until you have the depth of colour you want. Shade the recesses with Drakenhof Nightshade and edge highlight with a bright silver such as Stormhost Silver. This gives a candy-coloured metallic finish that suits Alpha Legion, Thousand Sons and Stormcast heraldry.
What are the non-Citadel equivalents of Macragge Blue?
Close alternatives to Macragge Blue include Vallejo Game Color Ultramarine Blue and Army Painter Warpaints Ultramarine Blue. They differ slightly in hue and coverage, so test them on a spare model. The recipe works the same way with any brand: a mid blue base, a dark shade, a lighter blue layer and a pale blue-grey edge highlight.
What colour should Ultramarines eye lenses be?
Ultramarines eye lenses are traditionally red or green. For red lenses, paint a dark red such as Khorne Red, add a brighter red to the lower half, then dot a tiny spot of white in the upper corner to suggest a reflection. A gloss varnish over the lens adds a glassy finish that contrasts well with the matt blue armour.