Khorne Paint Starter Set: Essential Paints for Bringing Khorne Daemons to Life

I’ll share my insights on the essential paints you’ll need from the Khorne Paint Starter Set and beyond, ensuring that your miniatures look their brutal best on the tabletop.

Essential Paints for Khorne Daemons

Before we dive into the details of painting specific parts of your Khorne Daemons, let’s take a look at the essential paints you’ll need to achieve the perfect color palette. I recommend having the following paints on hand:

Blood Angels Red (Contrast): For skin and tongues

Aethermatic Blue (Base): For swords

Wyldwood (Contrast): For horns and metallics/sword handles

Sycorax Bronze (Base): For metallics

Baharroth Blue (Layer): For drybrushing swords

Rakarth Flesh (Base): For drybrushing horns

Ushabti Bone (Layer): For drybrushing horns

Emperor’s Children (Base): For tongues

Bugman’s Glow (Base), Agrax Earthshade (Shade), Carroburg Crimson (Shade): For fleshy bits like the Skull Cannon

Astrogranite Debris (Technical)

Blood For The Blood God (Technical): Literally any blood

Jokero Orange (Base), Druchi Violet (Shade), Evil Sunz Scarlet (Layer), Wild Rider Red (Layer), and Cadian Fleshtone (Layer): For skin on larger projects like the Bloodthirster

Incubi Darkness (Base), Akhellion Green (Contrast), Thunderhawk Blue (Layer)  and Celestra Grey (Layer): For wings on larger projects like the Bloodthirster

Having these paints in your collection will give you the versatility needed to paint a wide range of Khorne Daemons, from the lowly Bloodletters to the mighty Bloodthirster. Don’t worry if you don’t have every single paint on this list; you can always expand your collection over time as you take on more ambitious projects.

Khorne Daemons are the embodiment of rage, violence, and bloodshed in the Warhammer universe. Whether you’re painting Bloodletters, Bloodcrushers, or the mighty Bloodthirster, you’ll want to capture their essence with the perfect color palette.

Looking to start your own Khorne army? Read our full guide on Khorne Starter Army For Warhammer

Painting Specific Parts of Khorne Daemons

Now that you have your essential paints, let’s take a closer look at how to use them on specific parts of your Khorne Daemons.

Skin and Tongues

For the skin and tongues of your Khorne Daemons, you’ll want a deep, vibrant red. The best paint for this is Blood Angels Red from the Contrast range. This paint will give you rich, shaded recesses and brighter raised areas in a single coat.

Swords and Blades

Khorne Daemon blades should stand out against their red skin. For this, I recommend using Aethermatic Blue, a Base paint. This striking blue will create a perfect contrast and can be easily drybrushed with Baharroth Blue (Layer) for added depth.

Horns and Metallics

For horns and metallic details like sword handles, Wyldwood Contrast paint is your go-to. This dark brown will create a natural horn look and provide a base for metallic details. For the metallics themselves, Sycorax Bronze (Base) is an excellent choice. To add depth and highlights to the horns, drybrush them with Rakarth Flesh (Base) followed by Ushabti Bone (Layer).

Fleshy Bits and Gore

When painting fleshy areas on models like the Skull Cannon, start with a base of Bugman’s Glow (Base).

Wash this with Agrax Earthshade (Shade) and Carroburg Crimson (Shade) for shading, then build up highlights with Bugman’s Glow and a 50/50 mix of Bugman’s Glow and Reaper Polished Bone (Model Color).

For gore and blood effects, Blood for the Blood God (Technical) paint is a must-have. This glossy, deep red paint is perfect for creating realistic blood splatters and pooling.

Larger Models and Armor

When tackling larger models like the Bloodthirster, you’ll need a more extensive palette. In addition to the paints mentioned above, you’ll want to incorporate colors like Jokero Orange, Druchi Violet, Evil Sunz Scarlet, Wild Rider Red, and Cadian Fleshtone for the skin.

For the wings, use Incubi Darkness, Akhellion Green Contrast (thinned with Lahmian Medium),  and Celestra Grey.

When painting armor on these larger models, refer to our Iron Golem tutorial on warhammeruniverse.com for a step-by-step guide using brass and glossy red tones.

Choosing the Right Brushes

Having the right paints is essential, but don’t forget about your brushes! To achieve the best results when painting your Khorne Daemons, you’ll want to invest in a set of high-quality brushes. Look for brushes with fine tips and good snap, as these will help you achieve precise details and smooth blends. Some brushes I recommend include:

• Citadel Small Layer Brush: Perfect for base coating and layering
• Citadel Small Shade Brush: Ideal for applying washes and shades
• Winsor & Newton Series 7 Brushes (Sizes 0, 1, and 2): Excellent for detail work and highlighting

Remember to take good care of your brushes by cleaning them regularly and storing them properly to ensure they last as long as possible.

Read our guide on The Best Brushes For Painting Miniatures

Painting Techniques to Elevate Your Khorne Daemons

While having the right paints and brushes is crucial, mastering a few key painting techniques will take your Khorne Daemons to the next level. Here are a couple of techniques I recommend practicing:

Layering

Layering involves applying thin coats of paint to gradually build up color and create smooth transitions. When layering, start with a base color and then add progressively lighter shades to the raised areas, leaving the darker colors in the recesses. This technique is perfect for creating depth and volume on your Khorne Daemons’ skin, armor, and weapons.

Follow our guide here for How To Layer Paints on Miniatures

Edge Highlighting

Edge highlighting is a technique used to emphasize the sharpest edges and details on your miniatures. To edge highlight, use a fine-tipped brush and a paint slightly lighter than the base color to trace along the edges of your Khorne Daemons’ armor, weapons, and horns. This technique will make your miniatures pop and look more three-dimensional.

Basing Your Khorne Daemons

To create a battle-worn, scorched earth base for your Khorne Daemons, use Astrogranite Debris (Technical) texture paint washed with Agrax Earthshade (Shade). For added detail, incorporate elements from our Warcry ruins tutorial.

Avoid basing mistakes with our article on what to avoid when Basing Miniatures and Common Mistakes

Expand Your Paint Collection

While the Khorne Paint Starter Set provides a solid foundation, don’t be afraid to expand your paint collection as your skills grow. Experiment with different shades and techniques to create unique looks for your Khorne Daemons.

Expand your paints with our Best Beginner Paints For Warhammer 40k

Conclusion

By understanding the essential paints needed for each part of your Khorne Daemons, you’ll be well on your way to creating a stunning army that strikes fear into your opponents. Remember to check out our YouTube channel and the rest of our content on warhammeruniverse.com for more painting tips, tutorials, and inspiration.

If you are looking fore more advice on how to paint Khorne Daemons, we recommend heading over to Goonhammer for a great tutorial.

Now, go forth and paint your Khorne Daemons with confidence, knowing that you have the right tools at your disposal. May the Blood God smile upon your creations!