🎨 2026 Guide: How to Paint Space Marines Ultramarines Step by Step

Getting your Ultramarines Space Marines to look truly legendary is easier than you might think. The key, as with almost everything in this hobby, comes down to three things: solid preparation, applying the armour blue with confidence, and adding the details with patience. With the right techniques and materials, you'll watch a simple resin-printed miniature transform into a genuine hero of Macragge. 💪

Prepare your arsenal for painting legendary Ultramarines 🛡️

Before a single drop of paint touches your miniature, preparation is everything. Trust me from experience: skipping this step is the fastest way to ruin hours of work. 😅 This initial process is what ensures the paint adheres properly and that every detail on the Marine, no matter how small, stands out the way it should. Think of it like the foundations of a building: get the base right, and everything else will hold.

Speaking of bases, your starting point is, without question, the quality of your print. Using a high-quality resin for 3D printing is essential, as it directly determines the sharpness and definition of every detail — from the Imperial eagle on the chest to the joints of the power armour. A clean, crisp print will save you a lot of headaches further down the line.

Cleaning and curing your miniature

Once you've pulled the figure off the printer, post-processing is non-negotiable. Cleaning removes any uncured liquid resin left on the surface — something critical for primer adhesion. If you want to simplify this step, water-washable resin is a fantastic option, letting you clean your prints without needing isopropyl alcohol, which isn't always easy to get hold of.

After cleaning, it's time to cure. This process hardens the resin and gives it its final strength. Make sure your miniature is fully cured, but don't overdo it — over-curing can make the resin brittle and prone to snapping.

Veteran tip: 🧑‍🎨 Never skip the cleaning step! No matter how clean the figure looks, traces of uncured liquid resin — even the ones you can't see — are your number one enemy. They'll cause primer and paint to lift, and you'll be starting from scratch.

Your essential painting kit

With your Marine cleaned, cured, and ready for action, it's time to set up your painting station. You don't need an endless collection of pots and brushes, but there are a few key tools you'll want to get started on the right foot.

Here's a rundown of the essentials for painting your Ultramarines:

• Quality primer: A good primer, whether spray or airbrush, creates the perfect surface for paint to adhere to. A neutral grey or even a blue are excellent choices for this colour scheme.
• Acrylic paints: You'll need the core colours for the Ultramarine scheme. A deep blue (such as Ultramarines Blue), metallic gold, black, white, and a steel tone will cover your initial palette.
• Brushes in various sizes: To get started, a medium brush for basecoats, a fine detail brush, and an old brush you don't mind using for techniques like drybrushing is more than enough. If you want to go deeper, take a look at our guide to the best brushes for painting miniatures.
• Palette and water: A wet palette is ideal for keeping your paints from drying out, but any non-porous surface will do when you're starting out — an old tile works perfectly. And of course, water to thin your paint and clean your brushes. Keep your tools clean!

How to achieve the perfect Ultramarine blue with basecoats 🔵

Let's get into it. The iconic Ultramarines blue starts with a flawless basecoat. This is the step that sets the tone for the entire armour, so it's worth taking your time and getting it right. Trust me — a good primer and well-applied basecoats are the difference between a miniature that looks like a toy and a true hero of Macragge with a professional finish. 🤩

Primer is your best friend, genuinely. Its job is to create a matte, slightly porous surface for the acrylic paint to grip onto. You can apply it with a spray can or, my personal favourite method, an airbrush. The airbrush gives you total control, letting you lay down ultra-thin coats that preserve every last detail on your resin-printed miniature.

This simple diagram visualises the process we follow — don't skip any step if you want a great result.

As you can see, the logical sequence of cleaning, priming, and painting is essential. No shortcuts!

The ideal primer for your Space Marines

For Ultramarines, a grey primer is a safe and reliable choice. It provides a neutral base that won't throw off the blue of your basecoat, and it also makes it much easier to read the volume and details of the figure as you paint.

The Warhammer 40k community in the UK keeps growing, and the Ultramarines are without question the most popular chapter. At Mr Resin, when painting these blue warriors, we typically start with primers like Vallejo Surface Primer in grey. Applied with an airbrush, you get smooth, even coverage — ideal for 3D resin prints from machines like Anycubic or Elegoo.

Time to add colour! Applying the basecoats

With the primer fully dry, the moment you've been waiting for finally arrives — bringing that armour to life! This is where your Space Marine starts to look like a real Ultramarine.

The secret to a perfect basecoat is working in two thin coats rather than one thick one. Loading the brush with too much paint will obscure fine details and leave a rough, textured finish. To avoid this, always thin your paint with a little water or thinner on your palette. You're aiming for a consistency like skimmed milk — it should flow smoothly off the brush without being watery.

Watch your dilution! 👀 If the paint is too thin, it will flood into the recesses and behave like a wash, leaving the centre panels almost colourless. If it's too thick, it will leave brushstrokes and obscure detail. Finding that sweet spot is everything!

To give you a starting point, here's a basic recipe for Ultramarine blue that works brilliantly.

Ultramarine armour colour recipe with Vallejo

This table is a quick reference guide covering the essential Vallejo colours you need to achieve the classic Ultramarines colour scheme, from base coat through to your first highlights.

With just these three colours you already have a fantastic foundation to keep building up highlights and details.

For the base coat, as mentioned, the standard approach is Vallejo Game Color Ultramarines Blue. I thin it roughly 1:1 with water or thinner to get translucent layers that, when built up, replicate the depth of ceramic power armour. Apply the first coat, let it dry completely (patience is a virtue in miniature painting!), then follow up with a second. You'll see the colour become solid and vibrant without losing a single detail.

If you want to master the full range from this brand, check out our guide to Vallejo model paints and ranges.

Add depth and volume with shading and edge highlighting 🖌️

This is where the real magic happens. 🎨 With your blue base coat down, your Space Marine has the right colour — but it still looks a bit flat. Now we're going to bring it to life, create volume, and define each armour panel so it reads as a three-dimensional warrior rather than a plain figure.

Time to get your hands dirty!

Shading with inks or washes (shades)

The first step to creating depth is shading. The easiest and most effective way to do it is with inks or washes (shades). These are very fluid paints that, thanks to their low surface tension, flow naturally into recesses, panel lines, and any crevice in the armour.

As they dry, they darken exactly those areas, simulating shadows and making the raised panels pop — almost like magic. It's basically cheating! 😉

For an Ultramarine, a dark blue ink like Vallejo Game Wash Blue Shade (73.207) or even a black one like Black Wash (73.201) work beautifully. The blue gives you subtler, more integrated shadows, while the black creates a much stronger, more dramatic contrast.

There are two ways to apply these washes:

• All-over wash: This involves applying the ink generously across the entire miniature. It's quick and very effective for beginners, but there's a catch: it can stain or muddy flat surfaces if you're not careful, leaving a less clean finish.
• Pin wash: This technique requires more precision. Using a fine brush, you apply the ink only to panel lines, rivets, and recesses. The result is infinitely cleaner and more controlled. For me, it's the ideal method for power armour.

My personal tip: ✨ For maximum control with pin washing, first apply a thin coat of satin varnish over the base blue. This creates a super-smooth surface that lets the ink flow like water straight into the recesses. That way, you can clean up any excess from flat areas with a damp brush — completely effortlessly.

The art of panel lining to define the armour

Once the wash is dry, your marine will have shadows — but we can take it a step further to really define the model. Panel lining is the technique of tracing the joints between armour plates with a dark colour.

You can use a mix of your base blue with a touch of black, or go straight for a very dark blue like Vallejo Game Color Night Blue (72.019). With the tip of a fine brush and a steady hand, draw a thin line along the join between, for example, the shoulder pad and the torso, or between the thigh and the shin guard.

This simple step creates a crisp visual separation between each component, making the overall model far more readable and professional-looking. If your pin wash has already done most of the heavy lifting, panel lining is the finishing touch to ensure every line is perfectly defined.

Glazes for smooth colour transitions

This is a more advanced technique, but one that completely transforms the result. A glaze is an extremely thinned-down layer of paint — almost tinted water. Glazes are used to modulate tones, smooth colour transitions, or subtly correct small mistakes.

Did a highlight come out too harsh? Is a shadow too dark? You can apply a glaze of the base blue colour over the top to blend everything together. The process is slow, as you need to build up very thin layers and let each one dry before applying the next — but the level of control it gives you over the final colour is absolute.

It's the technique that separates a well-painted miniature from a true masterpiece. 💯

Bring your marine to life: highlights and golden details ✨

Once the shadows have defined the volume of the armour, we reach my favourite part: making the miniature pop and giving it real character. Now it's time to apply highlights and paint all those details that turn an anonymous marine into a hero with a story to tell.

The key technique: edge highlighting

Edge highlighting is the signature technique for achieving that crisp, striking finish that power armour is known for. The concept is straightforward: paint a very fine line with a lighter colour along every edge and raised surface where light would naturally catch.

Start by mixing your base blue (such as Ultramarines Blue) with a slightly lighter blue, like Vallejo Game Color Magic Blue (72.021). Load a fine brush with a tiny amount of paint, wipe off the excess, and carefully drag the side of the bristles along the edges. Patience and a steady hand are everything here.

To take it even further, you can add a second, even thinner highlight — applied only to corners and the most prominent high points. Just mix a touch of white or bone colour into your previous mix. That final pinpoint of brightness is guaranteed to draw the eye.

The Imperial gold of the Ultramarines ⚜️

Gold details are the hallmark of the Ultramarines. Think shoulder pads, the chest aquila, or the ornamental trim on a sergeant or veteran. A well-executed metallic gold brings that sense of nobility and power the Chapter is defined by.

My personal recipe for a gold that never fails to impress:

• Base: I always start with a dark metallic, such as Vallejo Metal Color Gold (77.725). This builds a rich, deep foundation.
• Shade: I apply a targeted wash using an ink like Reikland Fleshshade or Vallejo Game Wash Sepia Shade (73.200). This adds warmth and brings out all the recesses.
• Highlight: I reapply the base colour to the raised areas, keeping out of the recesses, then edge highlight with a brighter gold. Liberator Gold or Vallejo Game Color Polished Gold (72.055) both work brilliantly here.

Tournament tip 🏆: At competitive events where every detail matters, your metallics can make or break your score. A well-painted gold doesn't just look great in a display cabinet — it impresses judges and makes your army stand out on the table. Strong metallics are often the deciding factor.

Small details that make all the difference

With the blue and gold done, it's time for the finishing touches. These final details are what complete the miniature and give it real character.

• Eyes: A bright red or green dot with a tiny white highlight in one corner will create a lens effect that brings incredible life to the miniature.
• Purity seals: Paint the parchment in bone and the wax in red. A sepia wash over the parchment and some very fine black lines to simulate text are all you need for a great result.
• Pouches and leather: Start with a dark brown base, add a black or dark brown wash, and finish with a soft highlight on the edges. Nothing more needed.
• Weapons: Paint the bolter casing in black or dark red, and the metallic parts with a steel color like Vallejo Model Color Gunmetal Grey (70.863). A black wash over the metal will tie everything together and add depth.

One extra tip: if you're printing custom parts like special weapons or heads, I'd recommend using an ABS-like resin. Its durability makes it ideal for keeping those fine details intact through the wear and tear of gaming sessions.

Protect your work and build a base worthy of your miniature 🏆

You're almost there! After all the hard work you've put in, the last thing you want is for the paint to chip at the first sign of handling. Protecting your miniature is just as important as painting it, and for that, varnish is your best friend.

A good varnish doesn't just protect against dust and wear from handling during games — it also unifies the finish and can enhance certain effects. There are three main finishes to choose from:

• Matte Varnish: My go-to choice for power armour. It eliminates any unwanted shine and gives a realistic, battle-worn look.
• Satin Varnish: A great middle ground. It adds a subtle sheen, perfect for areas like leather, cloth, or even the armour itself if you're going for a freshly-forged finish.
• Gloss Varnish: I save this one for very specific details. It's perfect for gems, visors, eye lenses, or creating wet or fresh blood effects.

A technique I use often is to first apply a general coat of satin varnish with an airbrush (which tends to be more durable) and, once dry, apply a coat of matte varnish to knock back the shine on the armour, while leaving the metallic details and lenses with their original gloss.

The base: the frame for your masterpiece

A stunning miniature deserves an equally impressive base. The base isn't just a support — it contextualizes your figure and tells a story. Please don't leave it plain black! 🙏 Creating a themed base is much easier than it looks and makes an enormous difference.

For a classic battlefield base, you can use texture pastes like those from Vallejo. They're absolutely brilliant!

My process for a quick and effective base: apply the texture paste, let it dry thoroughly, then paint it with earthy tones. A good dark wash and a drybrush with a light shade to pick out the texture work wonders. The results are stunning!

To finish things off, add some details like a bit of static grass, a tuft from Army Painter, or a small rock. These elements will bring the whole piece to life and make it feel more realistic. If you're looking for inspiration, I'd recommend checking out our tutorial on how to create a desert terrain base using Vallejo products.

Conclusion:

Congratulations, Commander! You've made it through the guide and now have everything you need to paint Ultramarines to a professional standard. We've covered how to prep your miniature, apply that iconic blue, shade it properly, and highlight the edges for a clean, striking result. Your minis will never look the same again!

Ready to put it all into practice? Head over to the Mr. Resin store and find the best resins, paints, and tools to take your army to the next level.

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✨ Happy Printing! 🚀

FAQs: Common questions when painting Ultramarines 🤔

Let's clear up those questions that always come up along the way. These are things we've all wondered at some point, so here are straight answers drawn from real experience — so you can paint with the confidence of a seasoned veteran.

Does this guide work for plastic miniatures too?

Absolutely! 👍 While this blog is all about the world of 3D resin printing, every painting technique we've covered is 100% universal. They work just as well on a printed piece as they do on traditional plastic minis.

The only real difference is in the prep work. Instead of removing print supports, you'll need to deal with the typical mould lines that come with plastic. Other than that, the priming, base coats, shading, and highlighting process is exactly the same.

What do I do if I make a mistake on a highlight or edge line?

Don't panic! 😱 It's the most common mistake in the hobby, and it's happened to all of us countless times. The simplest and cleanest fix is this:

Grab your base blue — the Ultramarines Blue we used at the start. Thin it down slightly with water and carefully paint over the mistake to "erase" it.

Once that correction layer is dry, you can try again with a steadier hand. This is exactly why we always stress working with thin coats — these small corrections blend in seamlessly and the fix becomes practically invisible.

A veteran's tip: If you catch the mistake while the paint is still wet, sometimes all it takes is a clean, slightly damp brush to lift it off. Just be quicker than an assault marine!

Do I need an airbrush for this colour scheme?

Not at all. You can achieve stunning results and even win painting competitions using nothing but brushes. That said, if you ever decide to take the plunge, an airbrush is a tool that will genuinely change the way you paint.

It's especially useful for priming and base coats. It saves you a huge amount of time and delivers a smooth, even finish that's hard to replicate with a brush. Smooth gradients and blends also become much easier, whereas achieving the same effect by brush requires a lot more skill and patience.

Think of it as an investment in levelling up your hobby. It's not essential — but it makes a world of difference. 🚀