painting skulls

[mistamick]

what is the best way to paint a skull, to make it look all old

 

[Ritual]

I use a mix of mid brown and mid grey as base coat. Shade it a little bit (not too much) with a darker brown. Then I add more and more VMC Ivory (like GW Bleached Bone, but lighter) to the base coat and layer up to pure Ivory. A couple of glazes with the base coat here and there help keep the blendings smooth.

 

[mistamick]

thanks ritual

 

[Dragonsreach]

Mistamick:
try GW Graveyard Earth as a basecoat and work up using Bleached Bone mixed in, then ending with Skull White.

That can give a nice subtle aged appearance.

 

[Wolf Fang]

Originally posted by Dragonsreach
Mistamick:
try GW Graveyard Earth as a basecoat and work up using Bleached Bone mixed in, then ending with Skull White.

That can give a nice subtle aged appearance.

thats how i did this one only i stoped around bleached bone

 

[funnymouth]

i start with skull white and wash snakebite (very thin), then wash black, then blend in bleached bone.
this is my basic mix then i vary it quite a bit from here - greys for older brittle type bones - browns for more fresh icky bones. it really depends on what you are going for. depending on where the bone was burried (or whatever) it will have a slightly different tone. anthropology photos are superb research material.

 

[Godlikebuthumble]

The way I usually do this: Bestial Brown, Snakebite leather, Bubonic Brown, Bleached Bone (, Skull White according to gusto).
Sometimes I use Bronzed Flesh instead of the Bubonic Brown. Gives a less \"yellow\" appearance to the bone (see Bone Giant in my gallery).
Otherwise, like funnymouth said, look around. There are really many many ways of painting skulls... blue, grey, almost black, up to almost pure white and everything in betwwen... experiment!

 

[mistamick]

Ok thanks for all your replies guys, much appreciated:]

 

[funnymouth]

i just remembered that i have an old mini with many types of skulls on it. i have a recipe for each...pick out the type of dead you like best....it might be good for inspiration if nothing else.

link-a-dink

 

[Trevor]

Also try experimenting with washes, use yellow and brown inks, for a really grungy look, add a TINY amount of green ink to the mix.

You\'ll need to pracice on mixes and dilutions to get the effect you want, but itcan really make those skulls look old and dirty.

 

[DaN]

It all depends on how you want your skull to look...

For example, a skull left in the burning desert of Tallarn will likely be bleached almost white and with the sand blowing over it will be smooth and flawless, whereas a skull left in the jungle of Catachan will be stripped bare of flesh, but probably covered in fungus and green goop (It\'s a scientific word)

Depends on the circumstances in all

 

[mistamick]

dan, what would a skull that a gnoblar would carry be like do you think?

 

[Swordwind]

Well it depends where he found the skull


If its from a human they killed recently they would have probably boiled the flesh off leaving it shiney.

If they found it lying arround somewhere then it would probably be slightyly green and mouldy.

If it had been looted from a \"modern\" tomb it would be as described above.

A more \"barbaric\" tomb it would be slightly redened from the ocre they scattered over bodies.

 

[mistamick]

i\'ll try to posta pic of my one so far. I use mostly skull white, snakebite leather and scorched brown. Bit too many layers now so i\'ll probably strip it off and try again with a different technique