20% off RRPGrey Knights · 17 models · 3 kits
1× Castellan Crowe miniature · 10× Strike Squad miniatures · 5× Brotherhood Terminators miniatures · 1× Venerable Dreadnought miniature
How to Paint Grey Knights
Clean silver armour and glowing force weapons
Prices in $ for the US
Before you commit
How hard to paint
21of 116 easiest
One of the easiest
Model size4 out of 5Detail density3 out of 5Technique demanded4 out of 5
Compare all 116 factions →
What it costs to start
$144.50
$0.22 per point
Combat Patrol: Grey Knights, 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.
Grey Knights boxes to start with
Compare Grey Knights boxesThe Grey Knights boxes we can price in your market, cheapest first.
20% off RRPPaint sets that cover this scheme
All paint setsOne box of paints instead of 12 pots. Each card says how many of this scheme's colours it holds.
71 paints
Covers 9 of 12 colours in this scheme
50 paints
Covers 8 of 12 colours in this scheme
69 paints
Covers 8 of 12 colours in this scheme
29 paints
Covers 7 of 12 colours in this scheme
6 paints
Covers 5 of 12 colours in this scheme
16 paints
Covers 5 of 12 colours in this scheme
Or cover 92% of this scheme with 2 paint sets, $376.29 together: Vallejo Model Air - Basic Box Set + Signature Series Set 7 - AdeptiCon
Recommended recipe
How the scheme reads on a model
Armour — base to highlight
Tap a colour to change its paint.
Additional details
- TrimNecron CompoundCitadel (Warhammer Paints) · Dry 99189952048View paint
- WeaponsJohn Blanche Masterclass: Heavy MetalArmy Painter · Warpaints FanaticView paint
- LeatherBeasty BrownVallejo · Game Color 72.043View paint
- SkinBestigor FleshCitadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951243View paint
- LensesScarletVallejo · Model Color 70.817View paint
- BasingEnglish UniformVallejo · Model Color 70.921View paint
- Warding scriptZamesi DesertCitadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951342View paint
1
Base coat
Lay the foundation colour down over primer, slightly darker than the final tone.
Suggested
★ Our pick for base coat
Very Close
2
Shade
Wash the recesses to add depth and separate the details.
Suggested
Very Close
Gravelord Grey
Army Painter · Speedpaint Set
No shop price tracked yet — the paint’s page has every seller we find.
Very Close
Basilicanum Grey
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Contrast 99189960229
from$7.80· compare 4 shops· priced 5 Jul
Very Close
Close
3
Layer
Rebuild the main colour on the raised areas, leaving the shade in the cracks.
Suggested
Very Close
Very CloseDiscontinued
4
Highlight
Pick out the upper edges and surfaces that catch the light.
Suggested
★ Our pick for highlight
Very Close
Close
5
Edge highlight
Sharpen only the sharpest edges for a crisp, finished look.
Suggested
Very Close
Matt Cexwish Heavy Titanium White
Monument · Monument Pro Signature Series
from$4.50· compare 2 shops· priced 13 Sep
Close
Close
Details & accent colours
Everything else on the model - metals, skin, leather, lenses, basing and this faction's signature accents.
Metal — trim
Trim and bare plate. Basecoat steel, wash dark, then edge bright silver.
Suggested
Necron Compound
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Dry 99189952048
from$3.87· compare 7 shops· priced 13 Sep
★ Our pick for metal — trim
Very Close
Close
Shining Silver
Army Painter · Warpaints
No shop price tracked yet — the paint’s page has every seller we find.
Metal — weapons
Bolters, blades and casings. Dark gunmetal, washed black, edged with bright steel.
Suggested
John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal
Army Painter · Warpaints Fanatic
$4.55at War Games USA· priced 1 Sep
★ Our pick for metal — weapons
Very Close
Close
Close
Adepticon Magnesium
Monument · Monument Pro Signature Series MPA-S42
from$4.50· compare 2 shops· priced 13 Sep
Similar
Leather & pouches
Straps, holsters and bare wood. Mid brown, shaded, then drybrushed a lighter tan.
Suggested
★ Our pick for leather & pouches
Very Close
Flameon Dark Green Brown
Monument · Monument Pro Signature Series MPA-S25
from$4.50· compare 2 shops· priced 13 Sep
CloseDiscontinued
Skin & flesh
Faces and hands. Basecoat, a flesh wash into the recesses, then build the highlights back up.
Suggested
Bestigor Flesh
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951243
from$4.55· compare 5 shops· priced 5 Jul
★ 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.
Suggested
★ Our pick for eyes & lenses
Very Close
John Blanche Masterclass: Bloodmoon Red
Army Painter · Speedpaint 2.0
$4.75at War Games USA· priced 1 Sep
Very Close
Very Close
Wild Rider Red
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951304
from$4.55· compare 7 shops· priced 5 Jul
Basing — earth
Groundwork. Earth basecoat, drybrushed bone, finished with your choice of grass, sand or snow.
Suggested
★ Our pick for basing — earth
Very Close
Warding script
Gold nemesis-weapon hafts and inscribed wards over the silver armour.
Suggested
★ Our pick for warding script
Very Close
Daemonic Yellow
Army Painter · Warpaints
No shop price tracked yet — the paint’s page has every seller we find.
Very CloseDiscontinued
Close
Close
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 paintspostage per seller
- not stocked: Rotten White, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal
$6.99 US delivery, 3-5 business days
- not stocked: Grey Z, Blue Grey, Light Grey, Rotten White, Beasty Brown, Scarlet, English Uniform
prices shown on Amazon at checkout
- not stocked: Grey Z, Blue Grey, Light Grey, Rotten White, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Scarlet, English Uniform
$10 US delivery, 4-8 business days, free over $75
- not stocked: Grey Z, Blue Grey, Light Grey, Rotten White, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Beasty Brown, Bestigor Flesh, Scarlet, English Uniform
- not stocked: Grey Z, Blue Grey, Light Grey, Company Grey, Rotten White, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Beasty Brown, Bestigor Flesh, Scarlet, English Uniform
totals excl. delivery · affiliate links
Necron Compound
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Dry 99189952048
from$3.87· compare 7 shops· priced 13 Sep
John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal
Army Painter · Warpaints Fanatic
$4.55at War Games USA· priced 1 Sep
Bestigor Flesh
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951243
from$4.55· compare 5 shops· priced 5 Jul
Compare every Grey Knights box
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 Grey Knights kit and box, priced
Prices compared across the shops that stock them — boxes ranked by cost per model.
Grey Knights are silver power armour with gold and bone detailing - a fast army to basecoat thanks to the metallic armour, with plenty of scope for magical force-weapon effects on the characters.
The signature look
Bright but cool silver armour, gold trim, bone tabards and lots of ornate Nemesis weapons. The silver should look clean and noble rather than dirty or industrial.
Painting the silver armour
- Basecoat a bright silver (or a leadbelcher-type dark silver for a moodier look).
- Shade with a thin black or blue wash in the recesses only - don't drown the metal or it goes grimy.
- Edge highlight with a brighter silver. Metallics already catch the light, so highlights should be subtle.
A metallic basecoat plus a careful recess wash gets a Grey Knight tabletop-ready very quickly.
Force weapons and accents
The glowing Nemesis force weapons are the highlight: object-source lighting in blue or a cool white, with the glow glazed onto the surrounding hand and armour. Gold trim and red/blue books and seals finish the look.
Tips and common mistakes
- Don't over-wash the silver. A light recess wash keeps it noble; a heavy one makes it look like dirty steel.
- Subtle highlights. Metallics reflect light already - go gentle.
- Make the weapons glow. A consistent force-weapon colour ties the army together.
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.