Generation RED Tetra Miniature Painting Guide

Quick Answer

Paint your Generation RED Tetra miniature by focusing on high-contrast neon accents and weathered urban textures. This guide walks you through each step for a tabletop-ready finish.

Step-by-Step Painting Process

1. Clean and prime the miniature: Wash the Tetra miniature in warm soapy water using a soft toothbrush to remove any resin dust or release agent. Rinse and let dry completely. Apply a light coat of gray or black primer from about 12 inches away. A common mistake is over-priming, which fills in fine details. Check for missed spots under bright light before the primer dries.
2. Basecoat the armor and skin: Use a medium gray or dark blue for the armored sections and a pale flesh tone for any exposed skin. Apply two thin coats, letting each dry fully. Thin your paint with a drop of water until it has the consistency of skim milk. A common mistake is using paint straight from the pot, which leaves visible brush strokes. If the basecoat looks streaky, the paint is too thick; add more water.
3. Paint the neon accents: Choose one or two bright colors (like magenta or electric blue) for the cybernetic cables, visor, and weapon energy cells. Apply carefully with a fine detail brush. Keep the paint opaque by using a light gray undercoat on those areas first. A common mistake is using neon paint over dark primer without a white base, making it look dull. Test the neon color on a spare bit of sprue to see how it covers.
4. Apply a wash for depth: Mix a dark wash (black or brown ink with water and a drop of dish soap) and brush it into the recesses of the armor, joints, and weapon. Wipe away excess from raised areas with a clean damp brush. A common mistake is letting the wash pool on flat surfaces, creating blotches. Work on one section at a time so the wash doesn't dry before you can remove puddles.
5. Highlight edges and drybrush: Use a lighter shade of your base color to edge highlight the armor panels with the side of your brush. For the base, drybrush a lighter gray or brown over a dark brown base coat to bring out texture. A common mistake is using too much paint on the drybrush, which leaves streaks instead of a dusty highlight. Wipe the brush almost dry on a paper towel before touching the miniature.
6. Finish with a matte varnish: Spray or brush on a matte varnish to protect the paint and reduce shine. Apply two thin coats, allowing 15 minutes between them. A common mistake is using a gloss varnish, which makes the miniature look like plastic and ruins the cyberpunk aesthetic. Shake the varnish can for a full minute to avoid a frosted finish.

About the Miniature

• Generation RED - Tetra: This is a finely detailed Resin Printed Miniature from the remastered Cyberpunk RED: Combat Zone line, complete with its character backstory. The crisp detail lets you paint small elements like cyberware and weapon attachments without losing definition, but resin needs thorough washing to remove mold release residue.