Let me ask you a question: what’s the most time-consuming part of painting an army? For me, it’s highlights. So in this first episode of painting my Eldar army for my 2025 Warhammer challenge, I decided to do something a bit unhinged: paint Fire Dragons with NO highlights at all. The goal is simple—maximum efficiency, minimum effort, and still getting a result that looks like you spent way more time than you actually did. I start from Wraithbone and build a fast, punchy foundation with a reverse zenithal through the airbrush: Gamer Warlord Purple in the lower areas, then Tamiya White (the best white for ever ever) on the upward-facing surfaces. Then I push depth with an oil “recess shade” using a magenta/violet tone, clean it back carefully with thinner, and get razor definition without doing any traditional layering. After that it’s all about smart cheats: a super light white drybrush to catch edges, then Express/Contrast paints to tint and unify—Chameleon Orange (yes, I designed it to be obnoxiously bright), a yellow mix for a consistent finish, Black Lotus to re-black the details, warm reds, and Runelord Brass for the metals. Finally, I go Aeldari Green on the gems and eyes because I just prefer that contrast over the box-art red.