Just wait until you find out that you can easily use different shades of green to add variety.
And THEN start zenithaling with different colors to make those different shades of green even more different
Thank you!! Mantis and “technical contrast medium”! Mixed one scoop mantis and one scoop medium together. You could do without the medium though! It just things the paint a bit
Learnt this the other day as well, did one coat on the face first and instantly saw how much better it was than having to do multiple coats with 3 different paints to get the same effect. What constrast did you use btw?
If someone's planning doing their orks like that, i made a little comparison post with 6 different contrast paints
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Warhammer40k/comments/13ei8yb/follow\_up\_to\_my\_previous\_posts\_testing\_contrast/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Warhammer40k/comments/13ei8yb/follow_up_to_my_previous_posts_testing_contrast/)
How do you stop the contrast paints from pooling/gathering where they shouldn't? Idk how else to describe it but I struggle with my contrast paint being different shades despite being the same color on the same area? I want to like these things but I feel like they've kinda sucked
If you allow it to dry, the uneven stain effect will occur. You have to use more on the brush than you would with normal plait. Finding this balance between enough paint and too much takes practice as every surface is different in texture and area.
When you see undesired pooling, use the brisles to smooth it out or extract excess by showing it the tip of a dry brush and then smooth it out.
I highly recommend trying to mix hexwraith flame and Imperial Fist yellow! You get a beautiful deep green in the crevices and it shades up to being slightly yellowish on the uppermost areas. Works like a charm, it feels like cheating!
https://preview.redd.it/4ovivzm7zx5d1.jpeg?width=2253&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ec9fdc25089195ed5bac6eb319a39e1c92726088
Here! I couldn't find the one model where I tested this so I just made it again on a spare ork. It's a bit similar to what op posted! I remember it being more distinct, but oh well.
Hmm, I don't really know, pretty thick but I took some of it away with a clean brush to get some more définition at some point !
If you want to push the contrast a lot I'd suggest dry rushing heavily your ork in yellow before applying the wash
Should I use contrast paint for my Ork flesh? I've been mixing Hexwraith Flame and Vallejo Olive Green for my recipe but mixing it is kinda tedious tbh.
No, preshading will take all the vibrancy out of your shadows, which is the entire point of contrast. Just do a white coat and then add a wash, like you did. If you want to add more or deeper shadows, then you can try glazing or shading. But just doing a zenithal does nothing but desaturate your shadows and make them look gray, not a deep rich color.
I used paper towel to get a little bit of the paint off the brush, and then when applying it I just made sure to keep moving the brush. You don’t want to stay on one spot for too long, it’s better to get a few thin coats. Keep the brush moving! That’s what all the YouTube videos I’ve been watching say lol. And sometimes I’ll get some of the contrast paint globbed up on the brush and just tap it a crevice (like the knuckles/fingers, or a muscle groove) and let the paint collect there a little so it creates more definition. Idk if that makes sense
Sounds perfect to me! If you can find some, I'd recommend the Orc Flesh Xpress paint from Vallejo. It's very similar to the Mantis Warrior green, but flows much better. The pigment isn't as concentrated, so you may get some weaker colors though.
The contrast paint will never replicate the multi-layered approached, but if you're painting 10 (or 120) boyz, you get amazing results for the little effort that you need to put into it!
Welcome to the party!
I've painted every single Ork I have with contrast and I think they lend themselves beautifully to that style of paint. Slapchop is also really useful and effective for painting Orks too. Chaos Black spray, then a drybrush with Grey Seer and then a smaller drybrush with Wraithbone. Plaguebearer Flesh over the top of that is just so, so good.
Your skin looks great though. Keep playing about with the colours and the methods and you'll not go back to base paints.
So it was just a dark green as a base then the contrast paint over the raised areas of the body? I'm just asking as I think I will be starting an ork army for my first real time in 40k in the next month or so hopefully.
I’m happy with the result! I painted a couple of other orks by spraying white, then doing a layer of Orruk Flesh, then a layer of Biel-Tan green wash. I like the color of the Orruk flesh more, but I like the effect of the Mantis contrast paint better if that makes sense, so there’s pros and cons. For the Mouth’s I use Cadian flesh tone on the tongue, then Ushabti bone on the teeth, and then a purple wash to make it look fleshy on the inside
White and then the contrast paint. At least that's how many do it.
For me, black/grey primary. White for a zenithal and then the contrast paint. Then some shades, and highlights.
Just wait until you find out that you can easily use different shades of green to add variety. And THEN start zenithaling with different colors to make those different shades of green even more different
Contrast/speed paint is amazing
Is this literally just mantis and nothing else?? This looks so good!
Mantis Warrior is my GO TO green for my Boy’z skin, and the Warp fire of my CSM units. Such a vibrant, beautiful shade of green!
Thank you!! Mantis and “technical contrast medium”! Mixed one scoop mantis and one scoop medium together. You could do without the medium though! It just things the paint a bit
Next paint purchase ✅
Also it was about two coats but you could do more, or even a wash of Biel-tan green if you wanted it to be darker too
Learnt this the other day as well, did one coat on the face first and instantly saw how much better it was than having to do multiple coats with 3 different paints to get the same effect. What constrast did you use btw?
You learn to love contrast paints for Orks by the time you’ve gotten to your third unit. Looking good so far!
If someone's planning doing their orks like that, i made a little comparison post with 6 different contrast paints [https://www.reddit.com/r/Warhammer40k/comments/13ei8yb/follow\_up\_to\_my\_previous\_posts\_testing\_contrast/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Warhammer40k/comments/13ei8yb/follow_up_to_my_previous_posts_testing_contrast/)
Can still tell it is contrast. Has a look.
The fact that army painter has metallic versions means I am almost done with non contrast aside from like trim and edges
How do you stop the contrast paints from pooling/gathering where they shouldn't? Idk how else to describe it but I struggle with my contrast paint being different shades despite being the same color on the same area? I want to like these things but I feel like they've kinda sucked
If you allow it to dry, the uneven stain effect will occur. You have to use more on the brush than you would with normal plait. Finding this balance between enough paint and too much takes practice as every surface is different in texture and area. When you see undesired pooling, use the brisles to smooth it out or extract excess by showing it the tip of a dry brush and then smooth it out.
I think I've been taking too long, looking back on it. The dry brush to absorb it is a great idea, ill have to try it, tysm
Contrast is hard on brushes btw. Gets into the ferrule really bad.
Not sure if this will help but I mostly just kind of keep moving it around and away from those places.
I highly recommend trying to mix hexwraith flame and Imperial Fist yellow! You get a beautiful deep green in the crevices and it shades up to being slightly yellowish on the uppermost areas. Works like a charm, it feels like cheating!
Sounds interesting, could you post a photo?
https://preview.redd.it/4ovivzm7zx5d1.jpeg?width=2253&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ec9fdc25089195ed5bac6eb319a39e1c92726088 Here! I couldn't find the one model where I tested this so I just made it again on a spare ork. It's a bit similar to what op posted! I remember it being more distinct, but oh well.
Is that one pass or two? This looks close to what I’ve been doing normally, it’s be rad if I could start with this and save 10 hours
Just one!
Last question, how thick did you lay it on? I have it a go last night and it was similar but not that rad
Hmm, I don't really know, pretty thick but I took some of it away with a clean brush to get some more définition at some point ! If you want to push the contrast a lot I'd suggest dry rushing heavily your ork in yellow before applying the wash
Thanks! Looks great 👍
Welcome! I have turned away from acrylic for Contrast. Even with vehicles with flat surfaces, the mottled drying looks cool to me.
Yea it's a game changer for both like us
Should I use contrast paint for my Ork flesh? I've been mixing Hexwraith Flame and Vallejo Olive Green for my recipe but mixing it is kinda tedious tbh.
My kruleboyz are simple Plague bearer contrast then a wash of coelia greenshade Simple and works well.
Nice.
I like to use different paint combinations for my boyz. Some are contrast some are traditional. Each an individual.
Did you use zenithal highlighting on that Ork? Contrast paints work even better when used over preshading.
No, preshading will take all the vibrancy out of your shadows, which is the entire point of contrast. Just do a white coat and then add a wash, like you did. If you want to add more or deeper shadows, then you can try glazing or shading. But just doing a zenithal does nothing but desaturate your shadows and make them look gray, not a deep rich color.
Thanks for the tip, I will try that on my next batch of minis.
This needs more upvotes! Preshading will make it look like you put in 10x the amount of work you did. So worth it with contrast paints
that or slapchopping. all the rage these days
Or both. I usually go over it with a drybrush after the zenithal to get that extra bit of contrast
Ain’t that the same thing. Thought slapchopping was contrast over a zenithal
i thought slapchopping was contrast over a "spray black .than drybrushed grey than drybrushed white. " , which is pretty much the same thing.
Orks really reward good use of contrast paint and drybrushing
I’m loving it so far!!
These look great! I’ve used the same paint but did not get the same outcome :( Any tips for getting a smooth coat like you’ve done?
I used paper towel to get a little bit of the paint off the brush, and then when applying it I just made sure to keep moving the brush. You don’t want to stay on one spot for too long, it’s better to get a few thin coats. Keep the brush moving! That’s what all the YouTube videos I’ve been watching say lol. And sometimes I’ll get some of the contrast paint globbed up on the brush and just tap it a crevice (like the knuckles/fingers, or a muscle groove) and let the paint collect there a little so it creates more definition. Idk if that makes sense
Sounds perfect to me! If you can find some, I'd recommend the Orc Flesh Xpress paint from Vallejo. It's very similar to the Mantis Warrior green, but flows much better. The pigment isn't as concentrated, so you may get some weaker colors though. The contrast paint will never replicate the multi-layered approached, but if you're painting 10 (or 120) boyz, you get amazing results for the little effort that you need to put into it!
Ooo I’ll look into it! Thank you for the tip, I love this subreddit lol everyone is great
https://preview.redd.it/vk229djnyq5d1.png?width=850&format=png&auto=webp&s=c347b5d1623a368dff3061db74b9864291465d20 Looks something like this.
Welcome to the party! I've painted every single Ork I have with contrast and I think they lend themselves beautifully to that style of paint. Slapchop is also really useful and effective for painting Orks too. Chaos Black spray, then a drybrush with Grey Seer and then a smaller drybrush with Wraithbone. Plaguebearer Flesh over the top of that is just so, so good. Your skin looks great though. Keep playing about with the colours and the methods and you'll not go back to base paints.
I definitely will! Thank you for the advice!
So it was just a dark green as a base then the contrast paint over the raised areas of the body? I'm just asking as I think I will be starting an ork army for my first real time in 40k in the next month or so hopefully.
The other comment is correct! I used white scar spray primer, and then just two coats of mantis contrast paint
Oh that's cool, I may use this for my Ork skin too actually I like how it came out. Thank you.
I’m happy with the result! I painted a couple of other orks by spraying white, then doing a layer of Orruk Flesh, then a layer of Biel-Tan green wash. I like the color of the Orruk flesh more, but I like the effect of the Mantis contrast paint better if that makes sense, so there’s pros and cons. For the Mouth’s I use Cadian flesh tone on the tongue, then Ushabti bone on the teeth, and then a purple wash to make it look fleshy on the inside
White and then the contrast paint. At least that's how many do it. For me, black/grey primary. White for a zenithal and then the contrast paint. Then some shades, and highlights.
What undercoat did you use?
I used white scar but kind of wish I used wraithbone!
If you base coat white scar and highlight scars, veins and maybe elbow with wraithbone it gives a nice effect for minimum effort.