How to paint Nurgle Chaos Cultists for Warhammer 40,000 | Duncan Rhodes

In this how-to-paint tutorial, we show you how to both paint & convert a Nurgle Chaos Cultist miniature for Warhammer 40,000. We start off by showing you how to easily sculpt some puss-filled boils and maggots to add individual character to your Nurgle Cultist. Then we get onto the painting phase where we demonstrate how to get a fantastic result easily as well as how to add some fun, gross effects too, perfect for your Nurgle or even zombie characters!
Duncan Rhodes
Duncan Rhodes Painting Academy
Warhammer Painting
If you enjoyed this video feel free to leave a Like and a Comment as well as Subscribe to the channel for more painting and hobby related videos. 😊
We have more exclusive full-length guides like this one over at the Academy (www.duncanrhodes.com/)
Instagram: duncanjrhod...
Facebook: / twothincoats
Paints Used:
Mechanicus Standard Grey Spray (Citadel)
Death Guard Green (Citadel)
Sir Coates Silver (TTC) or Leadbelcher (Citadel)
Balthazar Gold (Citadel)
Dryad Bark (Citadel)
Death Reaper (TTC) or Corvus Black (Citadel)
Dragon Fang (TTC) or Zandri Dust (Citadel)
Rakarth Flesh (Citadel)
Battle Mud Wash (TTC) or Agrax Earthshade (Citadel)
Reikland Fleshsade (Citadel)
Pallid Wych Flesh (Citadel)
Dark Sun Yellow (TTC) or Averland Sunset (Citadel)
Carroburg Crimson (Citadel)
Lahmian Medium (Citadel)
Druchii Violet (Citadel)
Ushabti Bone (Citadel)
Nurgling Green (Citadel)
Stormhost Silver (Citadel)
Sycorax Bronze (Citadel)
Mechanicus Standard Grey (Citadel)
Screaming Skull (Citadel)
Gorthor Brown (Citadel) 
White Star (TTC) or Matt White (AP)
Blood Angels Red (Citadel)
Seraphim Sepia (Citadel)
Skrag Brown (Citadel)
Nihilakh Oxide (Citadel)
Steel Legion Drab (Citadel)
Nurgle’s Rot (Citadel)
#paintingwarhammer
#nurgle
#chaosspacemarines

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

We really hope that you guys have enjoyed this video, we both had a blast making it for sure! If you did enjoy it, feel free to leave a Like or a Comment and don't forget to Subscribe for more content. Much appreciated 😊😊

[@Despius7]

Hey great video. I have a question for contrast paints, I’ve seen your videos on it, but I got one still. Could you use contrast paint “tearing” as an effect for dried/faded blood? On your skeleton mini example it almost looked like worn cloth I thought. Or is this a complicated way and there’s other techniques?

[@MangyForestCat]

Please show us how you would approach building, assembling, and painting a Gundam from Bandai. If you need recommendations on which one to try I have several which fulfill different criteria from beginner friendly to more complicated, from 1/144th to 1/100 to 1/60th scale.

[@DestructoCopter]

Would you apply the same horn scheme/technique on the great unclean one’s teeth and horns?

[@invader_guy1171]

Love how this one turned out! Would love to see ur take on cultists for all chaos gods

[@savagepatty]

Duncan I just wanna say thank you. For years you have inspired me to model and paint my minis to be something unique and far far far better looking then they would have been without your guidance, tips and tricks. So yeah.. thank you for everything you do.

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Thank you so much for the kind words and we are glad that we could help 😊

[@kaidenggsjsjjenf]

When Duncan is so good you hit the like button three hours before the video comes out.

[@RokuroCarisu]

When you can already see the outcome in the thumbnail, so you know it's going to be good.

[@kaidenggsjsjjenf]

Oh we know that, it’s more that it’s a guaranteed great guide. There’s plenty of amazing painters out there who can’t do painting guides worth a shit.

[@leemcalister4125]

PREACH

[@guleri]

Don't think I've seen a Duncan video yet that I haven't clicked like on from I first saw him painting for Games Workshop. He is a great inspiration.

[@jamesdroegemueller2152]

Duncan honestly needs more widespread attention, he's the best in the business and deserves to be noticed by more people.

[@jackmighty6889]

I love that Duncan couldn't stop giggling when he talked about all the boils lol, great vid! Always love seeing painters who are clearly having fun.

[@darrincummins9994]

Been wanting to add 20 to 30 cultis to my death guard! Can’t wait for this video!

[@SmolBloof]

Consider adding precisely 21 per unit, and taking 3 units of 'em.

[@pigmentpeddler5811]

@@SmolBloof but y

[@ChaldeaWarmaster]

@@pigmentpeddler5811 21 is a multple of 7

[@iskanderdatta3449]

It would be amazing to see a tzeentch cultists, I can’t find and good guides for how to paint them 👍

[@aytminis]

Duncan Rhodes is why I decided to start my own assembly and build channel. I've been using these guides to teach me everything I know. Thanks!

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

That is awesome!

[@garethcrawshaw9532]

Hey Duncan!! I've just started with my journey into the gifts of Nurgle and my friend shared this video to give me some help with painting upcoming Death Guard troops and its just SO amazing what you've shown us how to do such cool effects. Thank you so much for this video!!! Keep them coming, master!!

[@Black_Blow_Fly]

That lotion is great for snapping off too. 😃

[@inquisitor_snake]

I love the thumbnail

[@chaoticpainting1507]

The pro at work, looks so good man. Love how you worked everything up bit by bit to the finished product! Love your videos, you always lay it out in a way us noobs understand and can repeat. Keep on keepin on bro 🤘🏼

[@DashingSwordsman]

Love seeing the Two Thin Coats paints in action!

[@jodyfabre9298]

YOU ARE AND HAVE BEEN THE MAN FOR YEARS...THANK YOU FOR THE KNOWLEGE YOU HAVE SHARED

[@scoobydruid]

Brilliant as always. The attention to detail is great and I appreciate you showing the brush you’re using each time. Little things that make your content 5-star 🎉

[@johnbeaudoin7820]

That’s gotta be the prettiest cultist I’ve ever seen!

[@antoinecrucis3097]

A fantastic method indeed! Thanks so much, the sculting part too is really cool, can't wait to try it myself!

[@Aruxus]

I’ve yet to lay brush to mini for anything. Just trying to take in as much information as possible to make sure I want this for a hobby. This video here sir has gotten you a subscriber. So much useful information.

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Awesome. Its a fun hobby :-)

[@todsmith6591]

Duncan! No wonder you were so successful with GW--so clear and concise. There are two talents (at least that I see): 1. painting skill 2. ability to communicate that skill at a high level thanks for your work! T

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Wow, thank you for the kind words

[@todsmith6591]

@@DuncanRhodesDRPA it’s true. My gal is on vaca in England visiting her daughter stationed there. She wants to get over to a game store called The Hobbit Hole. Lol. Just cool she a lil part of me is out that way.

[@todsmith6591]

@@DuncanRhodesDRPA I do have one question for ya... I really used to love the old GW foundation paints--for their opacity and just ability to cover. I particularly missed the 'mechrite red' and the green and blue one (mordian blue?). These paints--Two Thin Coats really feel very similar to the old foundation paints. Any correlation? That is, was there an effort on your part to get back to this kind of line of paint? I really appreciate this line for its coverage ability and mileage it gives me. Thanks again! T

[@Zzrik]

Great tutorial as always and thank you for being a great inspiration to us all with your work. I always find myself looking at your videos to keep myself motivated when i struggle with my miniatures.

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

You are so welcome! And thank you for taking the time to comment 😊

[@j.bat.8235]

Not even coming close to this level of precision and detail (or speed while painting, tbh) but really enjoying the concept and the tips. Never stop being awesome, guys.

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@loupiscanis9449]

Thank you , DRPA . 🐺

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

It's our pleasure Loupis Canis 🐺

[@tobys1943]

Thankyou Sir Duncan you rock!

[@godark6673]

You are a genius!Love your tutorials!🔥🔥🔥thank you!

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

You are so welcome and thanks for the kind words 😊

[@gofanatico3495]

Very nice job!

[@Hello-1814]

This one is great! U showed all the basic techniques and so clearly! Thx!

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@eldraque4556]

nice one Duncan!

[@paulofreire7520]

Awesome job, Duncan! Beautifully painted model. 👍🏻

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@8heimdall8]

always perfect tutorial

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Thank you so much 😊

[@reeceskinner2776]

Damn, just damn. So good

[@clood0814]

I want to add the new cultists to my gsc army as a kitbash. They'll probably look awesome. That said. Would love to see you paint a neophyte or acolyte :)

[@Zionguard935]

Love your videos Duncan! Just recently used you blade techniques on a powersword.

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@MangoChocobo]

I'd love to see some drukhari painting

[@Trazynn]

Idea for some content that isn't entirely conventional; A review of display cabinets. It's notoriously hard to find proper ones that don't cost two armies while only containing one. Ikea has some but the shelves are high and the wood makes it a bit of a buzzkill. Things get a lot better when you instead look for acrylic material cabinets that are used to display model cars. Anyway, well worth the research and definitely something people are looking for (plus nice opportunity for affiliate linking).

[@autisticpainter4079]

What I'd like to see if a follow up video on how to sculpt exploded stomach with guts falling out for nurgle cultists

[@nuclearnitra194]

Great videos. You have, and continue to help become a better painter and have more fun painting, thanks! Ps: what wet pallet do you use?

[@nicolasgodines1129]

Please do more Battletech paint jobs, it's been too long! 😭😭😭 That being said, great job as always and I am always excited to see what you have planned for the future.

[@mrgrant9291]

Fantastic video

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Thanks! 😃

[@MaximeCHEVASSON]

I always had some troubles to go from rakarth to pallid, I'll give this a try. Thanks :D

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Anytime 😊

[@harrymanback3475]

With GW paint shrinking in size but retaining the same price, thinking it might be a really good time to look into the two thin coats paint range. Great tutorial as always Dunc ☺️👍

[@abenitez09]

hexbanes hunters tutorial please 👏🏻👏🏻😍

[@stefanosiclari]

"Or a tool like this one. This is a dentist tool" which of course you just have casually lying around 😂 I didn't even know these things were up for sale Great video, Duncan. You're the reason why I began painting in the first place. I saw your videos on Games Workshop's youtube channel before learning about Warhammer.

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Thank you so much for the kind words Stefano

[@shoggy3903]

You can also get a similar tool in a metal scribe, and various shapes in a set of automotive picks. both should be readily available wherever you are in the world at hardware or auto stores.

[@vincentduncan9092]

Ka pai Duncan!

[@kevinpotter7311]

This looks great 👍 Duncan been painting khorne demons myself now it’s cooler but gave me some ideas for my age of sigmar

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Awesome! Nurgle is always fun to paint...as is Khorne!

[@SuperweedmanGrows]

This guy could paint a masterpiece with a power fist on both hands

[@shoggy3903]

Duncan, are you using the new formula of Citadel washes in this video? I love your tutorials - clear techniques as well as colours and brands and brush sizes.

[@romeo.3472]

Love the burst boils. Perfect on a day GW confirm the Gellerpox infected will be coming back to Kill Team. 👍

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Got lucky there I guess

[@romeo.3472]

@@DuncanRhodesDRPA indeed, top quality painting as always. 🥰

[@dylanqueen7827]

This looks amazing I was wondering if you would consider doing a video on how to paint Red Corsairs need some help painting red

[@erebus9217]

I’m here for my daily chaos worship, don’t mind me.

[@joshconfer209]

Accidentally had the intro sped up by 1.75. it's sounded pretty amazing.

[@markcassidy1428]

Looks awesome. What about doing some khorne cultists

[@Jimothyjohns]

Will you do a how to paint of Raven Guard SM?

[@goinghamlet1154]

This is awesome, i was wondering how I could nurglify an Astra Militarum DkoK Force :D Thanks Duncan!

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Glad we could help! 😊

[@VoxFelis]

Papa Can you heaaaar me? As always, great stuff!

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Yes! Thank you!

[@yiningsu2576]

Mmmmmmm. Father Nurgle has made his way to Duncan

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Yessssss

[@mirage809]

Hey Duncan, have you had a chance to use those reformulated Citadel shades? I've heard opinions go from them being amazing to people not liking them. Mainly curious as to how they hold up against your own shades as they seem pretty close to the Citadel ones.

[@nathanMangion_Elyden]

great stuff! will you be doing aheresy death guard tutorial at any point? would love to see how you'd do them before I paint my hours heresy models

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Yes, we sure will be in the near future :-)

[@MelkorBauglir25]

Nice Video. Could you do a KZbin Video about freehand techniques and tips/tricks?

[@t.s.7166]

Hey Duncan? Could you teach us how to paint followers of Malice/Malal?

[@danilophilipp2405]

Would love to get my pledge from Kickstarter soon, to use my paints…

[@hairysticks74]

WIFE: You are running low on E45 darling... is your eczema bad again..? ME: 🤕 ... erm yeah, that's it... yeah *cough*

[@ka5141]

"I've sculpted two thin boils" :D

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

🤣

[@dreadgarr]

A question for ya, do you clean your brushes with a brush cleaner? or do you tend to grab new brushes over and over again?

[@hectormorales4090]

This is disgusting... Love it!

[@max16]

i love the fact that his preferd pallet... is still an old tile :P do you just wash the tile like you would a plate or get a new tile?

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Just wash it wish some warm water 😊

[@badbadgergaming2725]

Can you do a tyranid genestealer

[@DFloyd84]

Nurgle's followers don't have a battle cry like Khorne's do. I propose we use "Gurgle, gurgle, all praise Nurgle!"

[@tjv2446]

Really struggle to make Death Guard Green work for me. Turns out it’s because it only works when you make it nearly invisible. This is Information I needed a long time ago.

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Awesome, we're glad we could help 😊

[@jim85ps2]

Still waiting for your paints to become available

[@SWATDRUMMUH]

Are you planning on doing all 4 of the dark god cultists and an undivided cultist, or just this one?

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Maybe all four. It depends on how popular this video is I guess 😊

[@SWATDRUMMUH]

@@DuncanRhodesDRPA I have a feeling people wanna see more ;) (I know I do)

[@Brosephus]

Dude those boils are soooooo disgusting!! Lol Duncan is one nasty guy haha. I was almost gaging from that green nurgle rot coming from the boils on the final display that was showing off the model. 😅

[@UnholyTerra]

How and when can I get my hands on some TTC paints?

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Soon, once the final Kickstarter pledges have been sent, the team at TAG will start the process of getting them into stores and webstores around the world 😊

[@UnholyTerra]

@@DuncanRhodesDRPA awesome! I can’t wait to get some :) it looks top quality

[@ronaldramirez5601]

ugh! that was disgusting... It's perfect for Papa Nurgle!. Great tips using the rust effects, I'm using it on my goblins from Mantic.

[@Mr.Smerples]

I watch these videos with my son. Hes five and obsessed with my necrons(he calls them nimrods). My wife showed him an old bob ross video. He said he likes yours better since you paint the nimrods and bugs and dont have poofy hair.

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Amazing 😀

[@wesington88]

I Don't like Dunkin' donuts painting videos ........I fuckin love them.

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Yay!!!!

[@danf.712]

🤢I may paint this one to go with the Adaptus Soritas!

[@CopyCatCo]

Watching you sculpt the burst boils was intensely gross, so good job I guess?

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Yahoo!!!!

[@fin4314]

This thumbnail tho

[@ScytheNoire]

Ya, cause Nurgle Cultists weren't disgusting enough. Definitely need more boils and maggots.

[@donkey9265]

Is there anything this man can’t paint?

[@johnroy2567]

Sorry but I've tied my cultists & dark commune in with my Chaos Undivided "BLACK LEGION" army

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Pity... but we are all brothers and sisters of Chaos right? Right?

[@johnroy2567]

@@DuncanRhodesDRPA Death to the false emperor....lol....I'm a double....no treble agent, 1st & foremost Sir D, I'm a loyal ultramarine collector, 2nd army was DG (,the last model I bought was the lord of virulence) but now I think my Black Legion army will surpass both as it's ever increasing & I've only just saw the new possessed models.....ooooohhh they is goddamn gawjuz....lol

[@blarghblarghblargh]

Anybody else read that as nipple chaos?

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Lol

[@temur72]

Wrong chaos god

[@Kerath]

That video they uploaded on the official Warhammer Channel looks like a joke compared to your QUALITY.

[@DuncanRhodesDRPA]

Thank you, but Im sure there are severe time constraints they face to get them out 😊

[@user-fp8qt6ne2o]

glory to ukraine! i scream each time i see green stuff being mixed