How to Paint Your Aetosauroides Miniature — A Beginner-Friendly Guide

Difficulty: Beginner | Estimated time: 2–3 hours

1. Intro Section

The Aetosauroides is a fantastic miniature for painters of all skill levels—its bold osteoderm plates, textured hide, and striking prehistoric silhouette make it both approachable and rewarding. With just a few simple techniques, you can achieve a vibrant, tabletop‑ready finish that looks far more advanced than the effort required.
It is also useable in a Sci-fi environment so you can go wild with the colours if you want just swap out the primary colour for something from the Vallejo Game Color Fluorescent Range to add a more appropriate alien spin.

This miniature is available now in the Disain Studio store, ready to paint, and bring to life on your gaming table or display shelf. If you’re looking for a satisfying project with fast, impressive results, this is the perfect choice.

Before You Begin: Preparing Your 3D Printed Resin Model

My 3D printed resin models are fully cleaned and have the supports removed so require little prep before priming. I try to restrict supports to the less obvious areas but unfortunately they are unavoidable, lightly sand any support bumps with fine-grit sandpaper (400–800 grit), removing any small bumps will enhance the final painted miniature.

2. Required Equipment List

• Brushes:

  • Size 2 round (basecoating)

  • Size 0 detail brush

  • Medium drybrush

• Primer: Grey or black spray primer

• Palette: Wet palette recommended

• Water pot & paper towel

• Varnish: Matte varnish (brush‑on or spray)

• Optional: Flow improver, superglue for basing materials

3. Full Paint List (Vallejo‑Primary)

Vallejo Colours

• Reddish Brown (Osteoderms base):

  • Gory Red (72.011) / Flat Red (70.957)

• Orange (Plate highlights):

  • Orange Fire (72.008) / Bright Orange (70.851)

• Grey (Body base):

  • Neutral Grey (70.992) / German Grey (70.995)

• Cream (Underbelly & claws):

  • Ivory (70.918) / Pale Sand (70.837)

• Yellow (Eye ring & accents):

  • Sun Yellow (72.006) / Deep Yellow (70.915)

• Black (Claws & shadows):

  • Black (70.950) / Black Grey (70.862)

4. Step‑by‑Step Painting Guide

Priming

Start with a grey or black primer. Grey gives you a balanced mid‑tone, while black helps deepen the shadows between the osteoderms.

Basecoating

• Body: Apply Neutral Grey (70.992) across the entire body. Add German Grey (70.995) into the recesses for natural shading.

• Osteoderms & Plates: Basecoat with Gory Red (72.011). This gives the plates a warm, earthy tone.

• Underbelly & Claws: Use Ivory (70.918) for a clean, bright foundation.

• Eyes: A dot of Black (70.950) with a thin ring of Sun Yellow (72.006).

Dry Brushing

• Lightly drybrush Pale Sand (70.837) over the osteoderms to bring out the sculpted texture.

• Use Ivory (70.918) to gently brighten claws and underbelly ridges.

Highlighting

• Use Orange Fire (72.008) sparingly along the edges of the plates and tail ridges.

• Add a touch of Bright Orange (70.851) for extra pop on the highest points.

Layering

• Build up the body with thin layers of Neutral Grey → Pale Sand mix for soft transitions.

• Add a thin glaze of Deep Yellow (70.915) around the eyes for a warm, reptilian glow.

Final Touches

• Deepen shadows with Black Grey (70.862) in crevices.

• Add tiny edge highlights to the plates using a 1:1 mix of Orange Fire + Pale Sand.

• Seal everything with a matte varnish to protect your work.
  

Share Your Work

Finished your Aetosauroides? We'd love to see it! Tag @DisainStudio in your photos or upload your painted model to our Facebook page — every version is unique and we celebrate them all.

Looking for your next project? Browse our full range of Beast Realms and Fantasy Realms miniatures and keep the brushes moving.