Last updated August 19, 2026. By Andrew M. Tan.
If you’re a miniature painter, odds are you’ve heard of zenithal priming. This unique method of priming minis provides a great foundation for painting, and can really help bring out the details in your figure.
In this article, I show you how I apply a zenithal prime, which paints and tools I use, and how I paint over it. You can follow the whole process or try it on one miniature and see if it fits the way you like to work.
Key Takeaways
- Start with a dark coat over the whole miniature, then spray white or light gray from above.
- An airbrush gives you more control, but spray cans and dry brushing can also work.
- Glazes, contrast paints, and other thin colors allow more of the light and shadow to show through.
- For me, the real value of zenithal priming is seeing the miniature more clearly before I start making color choices.
What is Zenithal Priming?
Zenithal priming starts with a dark coat over the whole miniature. Once it is dry, spray white or light gray from above. This makes the details much easier to see before you start adding color. I like this stage because it gives me a clear look at the model before I decide what to do next.
Here is a comprehensive look at different types of highly-recommended primers for all sorts of miniature painting approaches and methods.
Of course, there’s the question of what to do with your miniatures after you’ve applied your zenithal highlight. Well, there are two basic options to finish your miniature painting.
First, you can use pre-made “contrast” paints that act like translucent color filters over your high-contrast black-and-white underpainting. Citadel Contrast Colors or The Army Painter Speedpaints are products you can buy for this purpose. Second, you can use DIY glazes you make from regular hobby paints or inks (which is my preferred method).
Read on below to learn more about painting your models after zenithal priming.
Is Zenithal Priming Worth it?
If you are painting an army for an event or tournament, zenithal priming can help you see the shapes faster and make your first color choices easier. It adds another step at the beginning, so the time you save depends on how you paint over it.
The underpainting helps you add contrast quickly to your model, which helps you visualize where you should apply specific colors. The zenithal approach makes seeing certain forms and shapes on a model easier, allowing you to work efficiently and quickly without sacrificing overall appearance.
On the other hand, you do have to plan ahead with the zenithal prime and painting method. After you’ve strategically applied your highlight and shadows (often white and black primer colors), you need to understand how to layer on hobby paint color.
Most hobby paints are fairly opaque and will quickly obscure your zenithal highlighted model. 1-2 coats of a Citadel foundation paint, for example, will make all that hard work you did earlier moot. You won’t be able to see any of your zenithal effect.
This is where “contrast” paints or glazes come into play. These are specially formulated to allow some of the zenithal effect to show through while still providing good coverage.
If you’re not interested in buying a contrast paint, you can also make your own glazes from regular hobby paints or inks. I prefer this method as it gives me more control over the final result.
To make a glaze, you simply need to thin down your paint (I use about a 50/50 mix of water and paint) and apply it to your model in very thin layers. If you want more control over the priming stage, I also have a guide to applying zenithal highlights with an airbrush.
For me, zenithal priming is worth using when I want a clear starting point for light and shadow. It can speed up some projects, especially when I use glazes or contrast paints, but I do not use it for every miniature.
3D Printed Miniatures Primed and Painted with the Zenithal Method
Zenithal priming is useful on 3D-printed miniatures because the black-and-white coat makes small details easier to see before you add color.
It can also be useful when painting a batch because every model starts with the same light direction.
Of course, you can always prime your figures with a single color if you prefer. There’s no right or wrong way to do it. It’s all about what works best for you and your painting style.
Pros and Cons of Zenithal Priming Models
Pros
- Zenithal priming is a fast and efficient way to add both highlights and shadows to your models.
- Imitating a top-down light source adds interest to a model, quickly.
- Contrast paints or glazes can carry the black-and-white shading into the color layer, which may reduce some later highlighting.
- Zenithal priming is a great technique for new painters, as well as veterans looking to paint large numbers of models with a consistent, high-quality look.
- It’s fun and motivational to see the high-contrast miniatures emerge with only a few simple steps.
- Works great on 3D-printed miniatures and models.
- The basic process is easy to learn with compatible dark and light primers or paints.
Cons
- You need to have a good understanding of how to apply color over the zenithal underpainting. Otherwise, you run the risk of obscuring all your hard work.
- The three-step process takes a bit more time than simply painting the model one color.
- Zenithal highlighted and painted models often look overly simplistic, and much of the underlying primer will show through when a miniature is viewed from low angles.
How to Apply Zenithal Priming to Miniatures and Models
Now that we’ve gone over the pros and cons of zenithal priming, let’s take a look at how to do it.
Step 1 — Apply the Dark Base Color
Start with a dark-colored primer. In my example (using a Conquest miniature), I prime the bare plastic with Panzer Grey Vallejo Surface Primer.
To do this, I use my Reaper Vex airbrush with a 0.3 mm nozzle and the air pressure set at 30 PSI. Another good workhorse airbrush for spraying primer is the Badger Patriot 105 (which I review here).
The key to the first dark primer coat is to cover the entire model evenly. This color will become the “shadow” coat for the next steps.
Step 2 — Spray the Light Color from Above
The next step is to prime your figure with a coat from above. Any bright color will do. White is a popular choice, but other options include gray or even yellow. The important thing is that this coat is thin and evenly applied.
If the highlight coat is too thick, it will obscure the details on your figure; if it’s too thin, it won’t provide an adequate base for subsequent layers of paint. Spray at a distance of about 6-8 inches away from the figure to avoid potential pooling or runs.
Optional Shadow Correction
If the white spray went farther than you wanted, you can bring some of the shadows back. Turn the miniature upside down and spray a very thin coat of dark paint toward the lower surfaces and deepest recesses. Go lightly. This is a correction, not a new base coat. Let it dry before deciding whether you need another pass of white from above.
Step 3 — Add the Final Light Coat
The last step is to apply one final light layer of primer from above – once again, white or light gray works well here.
This coat should be just as thin and even as the first highlight layer; overspray onto raised areas is fine, but try not to let any pools or runs form on flatter surfaces. Let the figure dry thoroughly before moving on to painting the rest of the model.
When to Use Zenithal Priming in Miniature Painting
Now that we’ve gone over how to zenithal prime your figures, let’s take a look at how this method can be used when painting minis.
One of the great things about zenithal priming is that it provides both shadows and highlights right from the start. This can be very helpful when trying to decide where to place different colors on your figure.
For example, if you want to add some variation to a uniform color (like blue), simply look at where the darkest shadows are falling and add a darker shade of blue there; then look at where highlights are falling and add a lighter shade of blue there. This will give your mini more depth and make it more interesting to look at.
You can also use zenithal priming to create special effects like bloodstains or heat damage by applying washes or other shading techniques selectively over different parts of the figure.
Zenithal priming gives you a clear look at the light and shadow before you start adding color. If you don’t use an airbrush or spray can, my SlapChop guide shows how to build a similar effect with dry brushing.
A zenithal undercoat does not replace every later layer. I use it to see the model more clearly and decide where stronger shadows and highlights should go.
Best Paints to Use With the Zenithal Priming Technique
An airbrush gives me the most control over the spray. I usually use black and white Vallejo Surface Primer, although other compatible dark and light colors can work.
However, if you don’t have an airbrush (or if you’re not comfortable using one because it can be hard to learn), you can still get good results with aerosol spray primers such as Krylon or Rust-Oleum.
Primers in normal spray cans (e.g., rattle cans) can create great results when you can apply an even coat over the entire model. Make sure you start from the very top of the miniature, reproducing a light source directly from above.
The Army Painter line of white primers can produce good effects and is available in both normal spray cans and airbrush-ready bottles. Games Workshop’s Chaos Black primer or its white primer counterpart, White Scar, also works well, although it can be difficult to apply evenly with a rattle can.
As with any painting technique, remember to start with a dark-colored primer over the model first, followed by a brighter color, e.g., white paint.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What’s the best way to apply zenithal priming?
Many painters use an aerosol spray primer and start the zenithal process with the entire model black. Then, they spray a white primer with the 90-degree cone directed from above. I recommend using an airbrush for best results. This method provides a more even coverage and makes it easier to avoid pools or runs.
Q: What’s the best airbrush for zenithal priming?
Check out some of the most popular airbrushes for painting miniatures. Any of them would be a great choice for using the zenithal priming or highlighting technique. If you want to speed paint, an airbrush is a great tool to have once you learn how to use it.
Q: Can I use zenithal priming with other methods of painting?
Absolutely! In fact, many painters use zenithal priming as a first step with a base coat before moving on to other methods such as glazing, wet blending, or dry brushing. Glazes, washes, and contrast paints let more of the zenithal shading show through. Opaque paint can still work. I treat the undercoat as a guide and build the color in thinner layers when I want to keep the effect visible.
Q: What colors should I use for zenithal priming?
Black, gray, and white are the usual choices. Start with black or dark gray over the whole miniature, then spray white or light gray from above. You can use other colors, but keep the first coat darker than the color you spray over it.
Q: Do I need to let each layer of primer dry before moving on to the next one?
Yes, it’s important to let each layer of primer dry completely before moving on to the next one. If you don’t, the colors may blend together and you won’t get the desired effect.
Q: Can I use zenithal priming with other types of paint?
Most miniature paints can be used over a zenithal undercoat. Transparent and translucent paints show the effect most clearly. More opaque paints cover it faster, so I use thinner coats when I want to keep the light and shadow visible.
Q: What if I don’t have an airbrush? Can I still zenithal prime my figures?
Yes, you can still zenithal prime your figures without an airbrush. You can use a paintbrush or even just regular spray paint, but the coverage will be harder to control. You can even use a dry-brush approach, though it may take more time to create the zenithal highlighting effect.
Conclusion
For me, zenithal priming is useful because it makes me stop and look at the miniature before I start adding color. The dark colored base and light spray make the surface easier to see, which gives me a much clearer way to understand how to begin the paint job.
My suggestion is to try it on one miniature, something easy with blocky shapes like a 40k Space Marine, before using it across a full unit or army. Let each thin coat dry, then decide how much of the black-and-white underpainting you want to keep. Play around and see what works for you.
As always, I’m looking for feedback on articles and thoughts overall with things you’ve tried that work or don’t. Leave a comment, and happy painting!
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By Andrew M. Tan
Andrew is a commissioned miniature painter with more than 20 years of hands-on experience painting tabletop miniatures, photographing models, and testing hobby tools in real-world use. Read his full bio.