Quick & Easy Aeldari Painting Recipe (No Brushes Required!)

Painting an army doesn’t have to be a slog. This project started with a long‑ignored collection of Aeldari models — metal, Finecast, and plastic — spanning about 15 years. Some were half‑painted, some primed, some still on sprues.

The goal was simple:

Get a bold, tabletop‑ready army fast… without using a traditional paintbrush.

The Finished Army

These shots show the final result: bright orange armour, sharp purple and lime accents, and vibrant alien bases that make the army pop on the table.

Why This Method Works

This recipe is ideal if you want:

• A visually striking army
• Fast, repeatable steps
• Minimal equipment
• Zero traditional brushwork

Core tools used:

• Montana Black spray paints
• AK Playmarker paint pens
• Army Painter Dark Tone Quickshade
• AK textured basing paste + Gamers Grass tufts

Colour Scheme: Bold & Table‑Ready

I wanted the army to stand out from across the room — not just up close. The colour triad:

• Halloween / Fire Orange (basecoat)
• Universe Purple (contrast)
• Wild Lime Green (weapons & accents)

These colours work beautifully together and highlight easily with the AK markers.

Montana Black Sprays: Pros & Cons

The Good

• Massive colour range
• Only ~$12 at Officeworks
• Excellent coverage
• Customisable nozzles
• Sticks to almost anything

The Not‑So‑Good

• Texture varies between colours
• Can obscure fine detail on delicate models

For this army, the sprays were perfect — fast, vibrant, and durable.

AK Playmarker Pens: Painting Without Brushes

These pens were the MVP of the project. They’re bright, sci‑fi‑friendly, and surprisingly precise once you get used to them.

You can easily do:

• Blocking
• Edge highlights
• Straight lines
• Gem details
• Weapon glow effects

Just remember to shake them well so the pigment mixes properly.

Quickshade: The Secret Weapon

After the marker work, the models looked good — but Quickshade made them great.

Dark Tone Quickshade adds:

• Instant shading
• Depth
• Durability
• A unified finish

After drying for 24 hours, a matte varnish removes the gloss and reveals the shading underneath.

Basing: Making the Army Pop

The bases use:

• AK Turquoise textured paste
• Gamers Grass Alien tufts (green & purple)

The turquoise is the complementary colour to orange, making the models visually explode off the base.

Project Timeline

• Total time: ~5 weeks
• Method: A few evenings + some weekend sessions
• Result: ~3000 points of Aeldari ready for the table

Final Thoughts

If you want to take an army from sprue to tabletop quickly — and still have it look fantastic — this recipe is absolutely worth trying. It’s fast, affordable, and produces a bold, cohesive force without the usual painting grind.