Top 5 Yellow Paints for Miniatures: A Comparison and Guide

Painting yellow is a love-hate relationship for miniature painters. It’s vibrant, eye-catching, and iconic for armies like the Imperial Fists, but its poor coverage can make even seasoned painters grit their teeth. If you’re like me, you paint to relax, escape, and experiment with different colors to keep things fresh.

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In this article, I’ll compare five yellows I use for my Imperial Fist Space Marines and explain why they’ve become my go-to choices. This comparison complements my YouTube video on the same topic, where you can watch the entire process in action.

Feature image with the text "5 Best Yellow Paints Compared for Miniatures," showcasing yellow paint bottles and a painted Dreadnought.

Summary (TL;DR):

Struggling to get smooth, vibrant yellow on your miniatures? This guide compares the top five yellow paints for miniatures, focusing on coverage, tone, and ease of use.

Comparison of five yellow paints in bottles for miniature painting, including Green Stuff World Cyber Yellow, Army Painter Daemonic Yellow, and Citadel colors. — Painting minis with yellow can be challenging because of poor coverage, limited margin for error, and the patience required to layer multiple coats to achieve even finishes.

Discover practical layering tips and why Citadel Averland Sunset and Green Stuff World Cyber Yellow stand out as must-haves for Imperial Fist Space Marines. Watch the process in action on my YouTube channel!

Summary Table: Yellow Paint Performance

Paint Name	Coverage	Tone	Best Use
Green S tuff World Cyber Yellow	Excellent (1 coat)	Bright, vibrant	Speed painting, bold highlights
Army Painter Demonic Yellow	Tricky, inconsistent	Sharp yellow	Experimentation
Pro Acryl Golden Yellow	Decent (needs layers)	Warm, rich	Versatile layering
Citadel Averland Sunset	Exceptional	Warm, mid-tone	Foundation/base layers
Citadel Yriel Yellow	Smooth, consistent	Classic Imperial Fist	Finishing and vibrancy

This table provides a quick reference to help you choose the right yellow paint for your project. I hope it helps!!! Try combining a strong foundation paints like Averland Sunset with the bold finish of Cyber Yellow for the best results with less effort!

The Challenge of Painting Yellow

Painting with yellow often feels like a battle. Its transparency makes achieving smooth, even coverage tricky, especially over darker primers. I’ve spent countless hours layering yellows, experimenting with workflows, and finding solutions to minimize streaks and patchiness.

Close-up of a Warhammer 40k Dreadnought model painted in vibrant yellow with weathering effects. — I painted this Imperial Fist Space Marine Primaris Dreadnought using two yellow paints, a basecoat foundation Averland Sunset, followed by a dry brush of Yriel Yellow.

Preparation is the key: choosing the right primer, starting with a solid foundation, and layering carefully. For more insights, check out How to Paint Yellow Space Marines (Easy and Fast).

Group of Warhammer 40k Space Marines painted in yellow, arranged on a textured gaming surface. — When it comes to painting multiple miniatures with the same color, I gravitate to using an airbrush. With a bit of thinning medium, e.g., water, you can airbrush with any hobby yellow paint in your collection.

The Yellow Paints Tested

To simplify this struggle, I tested five popular yellow paints:

Green Stuff World Cyber Yellow
Army Painter Demonic Yellow
Pro Acryl Golden Yellow
Citadel Averland Sunset
Citadel Yriel Yellow

These paints were chosen for their reputation in the miniature painting community. To evaluate them, I applied each to black and white primed surfaces, focusing on coverage, tone, and ease of use.

Personal Experience with Each Yellow Paint

Green Stuff World Cyber Yellow

Coverage: Excellent, even on black primer. This paint stands out for its single-coat performance.
Tone: Bright and vibrant, perfect for a striking finish.
Experience: I love how quickly it covers, making it ideal for speed painting projects.

Army Painter Demonic Yellow

Army Painter Daemonic Yellow paint bottle with dynamic yellow paint splashes surrounding it.

Coverage: Tricky and inconsistent; requires patience.
Tone: A sharp yellow, but hard to control.
Experience: This paint feels like a gamble. When it works, it’s great, but often it needs extra layers to perform.

Pro Acryl Golden Yellow

Coverage: Decent, though streaky on darker primers.
Tone: Warm and rich, adding depth to brighter tones.
Experience: While not perfect, it’s versatile and layers well for more intricate work.

Citadel Averland Sunset

Citadel Base Averland Sunset paint pot displayed on a white background.

Coverage: Exceptional as a foundation paint. Its high-pigment formula delivers smooth, even coats.
Tone: A warm, mid-tone yellow that primes surfaces beautifully.
Experience: This is my go-to starting point for nearly every yellow project, creating a solid base that simplifies layering.

Citadel Yriel Yellow

Citadel Layer Yriel Yellow paint pot with a clear label and white background.

Coverage: Smooth and consistent, especially over a solid base.
Tone: A classic Imperial Fist yellow with a bold finish.
Experience: This paint ties everything together, making it the final layer that adds vibrancy and polish.

Layering and Workflow Tips

Building a good workflow is essential for painting with yellow. I always start with a foundation like Averland Sunset to create a mid-tone base. From there, I layer brighter yellows like Cyber Yellow or Yriel Yellow, allowing each coat to dry fully before applying the next.

I’ve broken down one of my favorite techniques in this step-by-step guide on how to paint fire—it’s surprisingly easy with the right layering.

Top-down view of a demonstration comparing five yellow paints applied on a black-and-white gradient card. — In this test, I painted a layer of each yellow paint over black or white primer base coats. You can see that the coverage is fairly inconsistent when yellow is painted over the darker base color. But over a brighter tone, e.g., white, you can avoid the appearance of streaks even with a 1 or 2 layers. For best results, of course, I would apply multiple layers—even better is to start with a basecoat of a foundation, highly pigmented yellow paint like Averland Sunset. It’s a lovely warm yellow that provides the groundwork for a fantastic top layer of brighter yellows of any hue.

Practical Tips

Use a damp brush to smooth out paint layers.
Avoid overworking the paint, which can create streaks.
Let each coat dry completely to prevent smudging.

For additional guidance, explore How to Blend Paint on Miniatures (Simple Tips for Layering Color).

Here I tilted the card so you can see the yellows in a different light. The perspective amplifies the appearance of brush strokes so you can visually gauge which yellows provide the most even, smooth layers. The Green Stuff World Cyber Yellow excelled in this test, followed by Yriel Yellow. Multiple thin coats would create an even smoother layer of yellow. Remember: Painting with yellow paint takes patience because you have to allow each coat to dry before applying another on top. And each paint should be thinned with a dab of water, or a damp brush, to ensure your coats flow properly off your brush-bristles.

Comparison Results

Here’s how each paint performed:

Best Coverage: Green Stuff World Cyber Yellow.
Best Foundation: Citadel Averland Sunset.
Most Versatile: Pro Acryl Golden Yellow.

On black primer, most yellows needed multiple coats, but Averland Sunset’s thickness made it the clear winner for a base layer. Cyber Yellow’s one-coat performance also stood out, saving time without sacrificing vibrancy.

Five yellow paint bottles and pots displayed side by side, including Green Stuff World Cyber Yellow, Army Painter Daemonic Yellow, and Citadel paints. — …Well, here they are, the most popular yellow hobby paints in my collection. These are the brands and yellow colors I use most in my work, both as a commissioned painter and hobbyist.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

Each of these paints has a place in my toolkit:

For speed and impact: Green Stuff World Cyber Yellow.
For a reliable base: Citadel Averland Sunset.
For layering versatility: Pro Acryl Golden Yellow.

Experimentation is key to finding what works best for your style and projects. For me, Averland Sunset and Cyber Yellow make an unbeatable duo. For more tips on shading yellow, see Painting and Shading Yellow Miniatures (Cthulhu Wars).

What are your favorite yellow paints and techniques? Share your tips in the comments! Don’t forget to watch my YouTube video for a step-by-step demonstration of these paints in action.