Painting advice for a Beardling

[Toddy]

Hi painters!

As a so-so painter about to dive in to a fresh new Dwarf army, I was hoping you more experienced chaps could give me some advice.

In particular, what is a good recipe for dwarf flesh? Any other tips for painting dwarves?

[Kramer]

I love me some: black undercoat, kislev flesh, (thin coat), Agrax wash, touch up with kislev, and a highlight of (i think it's) elf flesh. I'll try to add a picture tomorrow of Gotrek who is currently on my painting table and only needs the final highlight to finish the flesh. 

[Toddy]

Thanks! Could 'Elf Flesh' be 'Flayed One Flesh' or 'Pallid Wych Flesh'? Can't see Elf Flesh on GeeDubyah : https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Painting-Modelling?Nu=product.repositoryId&N=102299+1417281528&qty=12&sorting=rec&view=table&categoryId=cat440136a-flat

[Kramer]

6 hours ago, Toddy said:

Thanks! Could 'Elf Flesh' be 'Flayed One Flesh' or 'Pallid Wych Flesh'? Can't see Elf Flesh on GeeDubyah : https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Painting-Modelling?Nu=product.repositoryId&N=102299+1417281528&qty=12&sorting=rec&view=table&categoryId=cat440136a-flat

Eldar flesh! 

I still need to do a highlight on the flesh. And a lot besides that but I hope you can get an idea of what I was talking about. The flesh can easily be lighter by thickening the first layer of kislev but I like slayers a little bit darker. 

[Lucio]

Personally I do dwarves darker than humans, so start with Bugmans Glow, wash with Sepia and then drybrush Cadian Fleshtone over the top, this gives them a ruddy flesh colour rather than the paler skintones suggested here.

That said, I do wonder if the Fyreslayers are crying out for the use of the dark skin tones that have been trialed recently, which is best described in this paint splatter article - https://www.warhammer-community.com/2016/11/14/paint-splatter-excelsior-warpriest/

[Toddy]

Thanks, a 'ruddier' tone sounds appealing too. I don't suppose you have a photo of a model painted that way?

[Lucio]

1 hour ago, Toddy said:

Thanks, a 'ruddier' tone sounds appealing too. I don't suppose you have a photo of a model painted that way?

I'll use it on a model tonight and post the picture

[RuneBrush]

As a new painter I'd highly recommend watching some of the WarhammerTV YouTube videos.  Emma did a Fireslayer one a while back which would be a good starting point, however there are lots that give different flesh finishes:

 

[Toddy]

The video is great Thanks. Must admit I haven't really explored Warhammer TV, but clearly I should.

One question (if anyone knows)... in the video she applies a coat of 'base' orange, and then immediately applies a another layer of a slightly lighter 'layer' orange over the top (as in completely covering the base layer). Why bother with the base layer if it is going to be completely covered?

[fartsocks]

18 minutes ago, Toddy said:

The video is great Thanks. Must admit I haven't really explored Warhammer TV, but clearly I should.

One question (if anyone knows)... in the video she applies a coat of 'base' orange, and then immediately applies a another layer of a slightly lighter 'layer' orange over the top (as in completely covering the base layer). Why bother with the base layer if it is going to be completely covered?

Because if you just used the "layer", some of the undercoat would show through.

[Toddy]

So you wouldn't get the same effect by applying muliple layers of the 'layer' orange?

[Lucio]

2 hours ago, Toddy said:

So you wouldn't get the same effect by applying muliple layers of the 'layer' orange?

You won't get the same effect, the subtle colour difference between the base and layer paints helps build up an overall colour effect.

For example, try painting the same colour over black, grey and white undercoats, you'll see that the colours look slightly different.

[ZealousJ]

2 hours ago, Toddy said:

So you wouldn't get the same effect by applying muliple layers of the 'layer' orange?

I think you probably would for the most part, but it would take more effort.

Sometimes I think base coating like this is superfluous and done to sell base paints. Other times though it does have a purpose.

For example, I'm currently fiddling with flesh tones myself. My current recipe is mournfang brown, cadian flesh tone in all but the recesses, Ungor flesh over that, then highlight with flayed one flesh. The cadian flesh tone is almost entirely covered by the Ungor flesh but as I thin my paints it slightly changes the tone of the higher layer. In this case when I tried it without cadian flesh tone the scheme ended up too stark and yellow. With the cadian flesh tone the edge was just slightly taken off the Ungor flesh which made it look like a smoother transition between base and highlight.

[Lucio]

Not perfect images, that should give you an idea of how the layers of colour build up using Bugman's Glow, Reikland Fleshshade (better than Sepia it turned out), and then a drybrush of Cadian Fleshtone.

Quick and simple that works well for basic infantry.

[Toddy]

Thanks for the advice everyone!