Painting Pickelhelm Heads: Step-by-Step Guide
By Victoria Miniatures by Victoria Lamb | Published: 2026-10-21
Category: How-to Guides
Learn how to paint Pickelhelm heads for your Grimdark Empire miniatures with this practical step-by-step guide covering cleaning, priming, and detail work.
Quick Answer
Paint your Pickelhelm heads by first cleaning and priming the metal, then applying a base coat, shading the recesses, and highlighting the spike and rim details.
Why the Pickelhelm Heads Need Special Prep
These are high-quality 3D prints designed for male Grimdark Empire torsos. Because they are metal, you need to remove any residual release agent with warm soapy water before priming. Skipping this step can cause paint to bead up or flake off later.
Choosing Your Paint Scheme
The Pickelhelm style is historically inspired by WW1 German helmets, but you are painting for a Grimdark Empire army. You can go with a classic field grey (like German feldgrau) or a darker metallic tone to match the grimdark aesthetic. Both work well; just ensure your base coat is opaque enough to cover the metal color.
Step-by-Step Painting Process
- Clean the Heads: Wash the metal heads in warm water with a drop of dish soap. Use an old toothbrush to scrub gently. Rinse and let dry completely. Common mistake: painting before cleaning leads to poor adhesion. Use primer immediately after drying.
- Apply Primer: Use a rattle-can or brush-on primer formulated for metal miniatures. Apply a thin, even coat. Let it cure for at least 24 hours for best durability.
- Base Coat: Paint the entire head with your chosen base color (e.g., field grey or dark steel). Two thin coats are better than one thick coat to preserve detail. Checkpoint: after first coat dries, check that the spike and visor details are still crisp.
- Shade the Recesses: Apply a wash of darker paint (black or dark brown heavily diluted with water or medium) into the eye sockets and under the visor. Wipe away excess from raised areas.
- Highlight the Spike and Rim: Dry-brush a lighter metallic color (e.g., gunmetal or silver) onto the spike and the rim of the helmet. This creates a worn, battle-ready look. Common mistake: over-dry-brushing can make the helmet look too shiny. Use a nearly dry brush and build up slowly.
- Seal the Paint: Spray or brush on a matte or satin varnish to protect the paint job. Let it dry for a few hours.
Product Used in This Guide
- Pickelhelm Heads (Male): This set includes 10 Pickelhelm heads designed for male Grimdark Empire torsos. Each head is a high quality 3D print. The set gives you multiple heads to practice on, so you can test your color scheme on one before committing to the rest.
Pickelhelm Heads (Male)
