Washes are the quickest upgrade in miniature painting. A basecoated model can look flat and toy-like; one wash later, every panel line, rivet and fold has depth.
What is a wash?
A wash is a thin, translucent paint that flows off raised areas and settles into recesses. That creates natural shadow and definition, and it helps tie neighbouring colours together.
Should I wash the whole model or just the recesses?
An all-over wash is fastest and gives a slightly grimy, unified look. Recess shading, where you run the wash only into panel lines and creases with a fine brush, keeps bright colours clean and suits vehicles and polished armour.
Which colour wash should I use?
Brown suits warm colours, skin, leather and gold. Black suits metals, greys and cold schemes. Coloured washes deepen matching basecoats, and a darker tone of the same colour usually beats black over bright reds and yellows, which can turn muddy.
How do I avoid tide marks?
Tide marks form when a wash dries in a ring at the edge of a puddle. Don't overload the brush, draw excess off flat surfaces with a clean damp brush, and leave the model alone while it dries. A drop of medium helps the wash flow evenly.
What if the wash pools or dries blotchy?
Re-apply your basecoat to the raised areas once the wash is dry, leaving the shading in the recesses. That's the classic base, wash, layer method, so a blotchy wash is easily rescued. Our guide to fixing painting mistakes covers pooled washes in more depth.
How long does a wash take to dry?
Give it at least 20 to 30 minutes, longer in cold or damp rooms. Washes look darker while wet, so judge the colour only once it's fully dry.
What's the difference between a wash and a one-coat paint?
A wash goes over an opaque basecoat to add shading. A one-coat paint replaces the basecoat, colouring and shading in a single layer. Our one-coat paints guide explains when to use each.
What should I do after washing?
Tidy the raised areas with your basecoat, then add edge highlights for crisp definition. The same brown wash works brilliantly on earth bases too (see our basing guide), and an even primer coat underneath helps the wash flow cleanly.
More painting guides
- One-Coat Paints for Warhammer 40,000: A Beginner's Guide to Painting Armies Fast
- How to Prime Warhammer 40,000 Miniatures Properly
- Drybrushing Warhammer 40,000 Miniatures: A Complete Beginner Guide
- How to Edge Highlight Warhammer 40,000 Miniatures
- How to Fix Painting Mistakes on Warhammer 40,000 Miniatures
- Warhammer 40,000 Hobby Guides & Free Tools
Warhammer 40,000® is a registered trade mark of Games Workshop Limited. This is an independent hobby guide and is not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by Games Workshop.