How To Wash And Shade Miniatures

Learning how to wash or shade miniatures is one of the simplest ways to instantly improve the look of your models. A well-applied wash can take a flat base coat and turn it into a miniature full of depth, contrast, and character – with minimal effort.

This guide walks you through everything you need to know how to wash and shade miniatures effectively to quickly and easily add a whole new layer of depth to your paint schemes.

What Is a Wash or Shade?

A wash (or shade) is a thin, heavily pigmented paint formulated to flow into the recesses of your model. Rather than sitting on raised areas like regular paint, a wash pools in the darker spaces, instantly adding shadows and depth.

Citadel’s Shade paints (like Nuln Oil or Agrax Earthshade) are the most well-known, but other brands (Army Painter, Vallejo, etc.) also offer some excellent alternatives.

When and Why to Use a Wash

• After base coating: It’s the next step in building up layers of detail.
• To enhance contrast: Makes details stand out by darkening the recesses.
• To add realism: Creates natural shadows and weathering effects.
• To unify colours: A subtle wash can bring multiple tones together.

Choosing the Right Wash

Different washes achieve different effects. Here are some common Citadel ones, and what they suit best:

• Nuln Oil – Black wash, great for metals, greys, and adding general shadow.
• Agrax Earthshade – Brown wash, perfect for golds, browns, bone, or leather.
• Reikland Fleshshade – Reddish-brown, ideal for skin tones and warm golds.
• Drakenhof Nightshade – Blue wash, great for cool tones like blues and silvers.
• Seraphim Sepia – Yellow-brown, for aged parchment, ivory, or warm tones.
  

Top tip: Try different washes over metallics to instantly improve them – even a quick Nuln Oil pass over silver transforms it.

How to Apply a Wash

1. Thin your wash (optional): For more control and lighter coverage, mix with a little medium or water. Washes are already very thin, so this isn’t an essential step.
2. Use a medium-size brush: Don’t use your finest brush – you’ll be covering large areas.
3. Apply generously: Let it flow into recesses but avoid pooling in flat areas.
4. Watch for pooling: If too much collects in one spot, you can use a clean brush to wick it away.
5. Let it dry fully: Usually 30–60 minutes. It can look glossy or patchy when wet – don’t panic!

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Using too much wash: Leads to tide marks or sticky-looking models. Use a dabbing motion to remove excess if required.

Washing over unsealed paint: If your base coat isn’t dry, the wash may pull it up. Be patient!

Choosing the wrong wash colour: The various colours of wash will all offer a different effect on your base colour, so experiment to find out what gives the effect you want. As a rule browns work better for warm colours (like gold) while blacks and blues work better for cool colours (like silver).

Advanced Tip: Pin Washing

Washes can be great for subtly brining multiple colours together and add cohesiveness to your model. But that might not fit with every scheme. Instead of applying a wash over the whole model, you can use pin washing to pick and choose where you’re increasing contrast. You may want to just focus on adding shadows while keeping everything else unshaded, so you can use a fine brush to target only the recesses on the model. This gives cleaner results, especially on flat surfaces or lighter colours like white or yellow, while maintaining contrast between the colours. 

Learning how to wash miniatures is one of the best returns-on-investment in the entire painting process. It feels like some kind of painting wizardry. In just a few minutes, your models gain definition, shadow, and character. Whether you’re batch painting a horde of Orks or giving your Space Marine Captain a dramatic finish, mastering washes is a game-changer.

Got any tips for how to wash or shade miniatures? Any advice for new painters wanting to up their game? Let us know in the comments below!

Did you enjoy this article? You could always tip the author with a coffee (or something stronger). If you want to try out some shading on some new models, or get yourself some new paint to play with, then check out Element Games. They have great deals on a wide range of Warhammer and accessories. Finally, make sure you’re following us on Instagram to stay up to date and get involved in our community!