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The palette

Every colour in this recipe, named for the brand you picked. Each name is an approximate visual match based on our testing; results may vary. Copy the list to your phone before the hobby shop.

Grey primerMechanicus Standard Grey (spray)
BoneUshabti Bone
Brown washAgrax Earthshade
Pale boneScreaming Skull
SteelLeadbelcher
Rust orangeRyza Rust (dry)
Deep redKhorne Red
RedMephiston Red
BrassBalthasar Gold
VerdigrisNihilakh Oxide (technical)
Glow greenMoot Green
Dark earthRhinox Hide
KhakiBaneblade Brown

Watch

See it painted

Her videos first, then tutorials by other painters, credited to their creators. Videos load from YouTube only when you press play.

The Pigmentum · Episode 05 How I Batch Painted 3 Warhammer Poxwalkers TogetherEpisode notes

How to Paint: SKELETON WARRIORSTutorial by Artis Opus · watch on YouTube

Painting a Skeleton Warrior!Tutorial by The Hobby Grotto · watch on YouTube

How Do You Drybrush Miniatures?How Do You Use a Wash on Miniatures?How Do You Paint Metallics on Miniatures?

Painted this one? We only ever show minis The Pigmentum painted herself, never official photos. Show her yours in the comments on her YouTube channel.

Step by step

The recipe

Area by area, in painting order: base, shade, layer, highlight. Thin every paint a little with water (how to thin paint).

Watch her paint itEpisode 05 · How I Batch Painted 3 Warhammer Poxwalkers TogetherHer real attempt, mistakes left in. Opens on YouTube.Watch on YouTube →

Bones

Base
BoneUshabti Bone

All bones. A bone spray primer does this in seconds.
Shade
Brown washAgrax Earthshade

Wash all the bones. Let it pool.
Highlight
Pale boneScreaming Skull

Drybrush the bones lightly. The skull and ribs get the most.

Armour and blades

Base
SteelLeadbelcher

Helmet, armour scraps and swords.
Shade
Brown washAgrax Earthshade

Brown, not black: it looks old.
Layer
Rust orangeRyza Rust (dry)

Stipple rust in the low parts.

Shield

Base
Deep redKhorne Red

Shield face. Faded colours suit undead.
Highlight
RedMephiston Red

Scratches and edge chips.

Brass trim

Base
BrassBalthasar Gold

Shield rims and buckles.
Shade
VerdigrisNihilakh Oxide (technical)

Optional: a little in the recesses.

Eye glow

Base
Glow greenMoot Green

A dot in each eye socket. Optional, but it makes them look alive... ish.

Base

Base
Dark earthRhinox Hide

Graveyard dirt.
Layer
KhakiBaneblade Brown

Drybrush.

Tips

Quick or display

Two ways to paint it, depending on how long you want to spend.

Tabletop, fast

Get it on the table tonight

Bone primer, brown wash on everything, steel on the metal. Tabletop ready in three steps.
A tone-style wash dipped over the whole model works brilliantly on skeletons.

Display level

When you want people to stop and look

Glaze thin green or sepia into the deepest bones for an aged, mouldy look.
Paint simple heraldry on the shields: one stripe of a second colour reads from across the table.

Other directions

Same model, your look

Your miniature, your rules. Two alternative schemes that use the same steps.

Fresh bleached bone

Prime white, sepia wash, white drybrush. Cleaner and brighter.

Ghostly

Drybrush pale blue-grey over the bones and use a teal glow in the eyes.

Can't find a paint?

Swap it or mix it

Our own colour notes from independent testing. Every brand name is an approximate visual match based on our testing; results may vary, never an official equivalent. For AK and Scale75 we describe what to look for. Mix ratios are starting points: test on your palette first.

Colour	Citadel	Vallejo	Army Painter	AK	Scale75	Mix it yourself
Grey primer	Mechanicus Standard Grey (spray)	Surface Primer Grey	Colour Primer Uniform Grey	look for: mid grey spray or brush-on primer	look for: mid grey spray or brush-on primer	No mixing: any grey primer made for plastic miniatures. Grey shows detail best when you are learning.
Bone	Ushabti Bone	Bonewhite	Skeleton Bone	look for: mid bone	look for: mid bone	White + a little yellow + a touch of brown (about 6:1:0.5).
Brown wash	Agrax Earthshade	Umber Wash	Strong Tone	look for: warm dark brown shade/wash	look for: warm dark brown shade/wash	Dark brown paint + lots of water (1:6 to 1:10) + a drop of flow improver.
Pale bone	Screaming Skull	Off-White (Model Color)	mix it	look for: pale warm off-white	look for: pale warm off-white	White + a small dot of your bone colour.
Steel	Leadbelcher	Gunmetal Metal	Gun Metal	look for: mid metallic steel	look for: mid metallic steel	Any silver + a little black (about 3:1). Mix metallics with metallics, not with normal paint, or they go chalky.
Rust orange	Ryza Rust (dry)	Hot Orange	Lava Orange	look for: orange-brown rust	look for: orange-brown rust	Orange + brown about 1:1, stippled on with an old brush.
Deep red	Khorne Red	Gory Red	Dragon Red	look for: dark crimson	look for: dark crimson	Your red + a touch of black or dark brown (about 4:1).
Red	Mephiston Red	Bloody Red	Pure Red	look for: strong mid red	look for: strong mid red	Red with a touch of brown so it is not too pink. Over grey primer it needs 2-3 thin coats.
Brass	Balthasar Gold	Brassy Brass	Weapon Bronze	look for: dull brassy gold	look for: dull brassy gold	Gold + a little steel + a brown wash over the top.
Verdigris	Nihilakh Oxide (technical)	mix it	mix it	look for: pale blue-green oxide effect	look for: pale blue-green oxide effect	White + a little teal + a touch of green, thinned like a wash and run into the recesses of bronze.
Glow green	Moot Green	Scorpy Green	Goblin Green	look for: bright vivid green	look for: bright vivid green	Bright green + a little yellow. For the hottest point, add white.
Dark earth	Rhinox Hide	Charred Brown	Oak Brown	look for: very dark brown	look for: very dark brown	Brown + black about 3:1.
Khaki	Baneblade Brown	Khaki	mix it	look for: light grey-brown khaki	look for: light grey-brown khaki	Your bone colour + dark earth about 2:1.

Grey primer

Citadel: Mechanicus Standard Grey (spray)
Vallejo: Surface Primer Grey
Army Painter: Colour Primer Uniform Grey
AK: look for: mid grey spray or brush-on primer
Scale75: look for: mid grey spray or brush-on primer
Mix: No mixing: any grey primer made for plastic miniatures. Grey shows detail best when you are learning.

Bone

Citadel: Ushabti Bone
Vallejo: Bonewhite
Army Painter: Skeleton Bone
AK: look for: mid bone
Scale75: look for: mid bone
Mix: White + a little yellow + a touch of brown (about 6:1:0.5).

Brown wash

Citadel: Agrax Earthshade
Vallejo: Umber Wash
Army Painter: Strong Tone
AK: look for: warm dark brown shade/wash
Scale75: look for: warm dark brown shade/wash
Mix: Dark brown paint + lots of water (1:6 to 1:10) + a drop of flow improver.

Pale bone

Citadel: Screaming Skull
Vallejo: Off-White (Model Color)
Army Painter: mix it
AK: look for: pale warm off-white
Scale75: look for: pale warm off-white
Mix: White + a small dot of your bone colour.

Steel

Citadel: Leadbelcher
Vallejo: Gunmetal Metal
Army Painter: Gun Metal
AK: look for: mid metallic steel
Scale75: look for: mid metallic steel
Mix: Any silver + a little black (about 3:1). Mix metallics with metallics, not with normal paint, or they go chalky.

Rust orange

Citadel: Ryza Rust (dry)
Vallejo: Hot Orange
Army Painter: Lava Orange
AK: look for: orange-brown rust
Scale75: look for: orange-brown rust
Mix: Orange + brown about 1:1, stippled on with an old brush.

Deep red

Citadel: Khorne Red
Vallejo: Gory Red
Army Painter: Dragon Red
AK: look for: dark crimson
Scale75: look for: dark crimson
Mix: Your red + a touch of black or dark brown (about 4:1).

Red

Citadel: Mephiston Red
Vallejo: Bloody Red
Army Painter: Pure Red
AK: look for: strong mid red
Scale75: look for: strong mid red
Mix: Red with a touch of brown so it is not too pink. Over grey primer it needs 2-3 thin coats.

Brass

Citadel: Balthasar Gold
Vallejo: Brassy Brass
Army Painter: Weapon Bronze
AK: look for: dull brassy gold
Scale75: look for: dull brassy gold
Mix: Gold + a little steel + a brown wash over the top.

Verdigris

Citadel: Nihilakh Oxide (technical)
Vallejo: mix it
Army Painter: mix it
AK: look for: pale blue-green oxide effect
Scale75: look for: pale blue-green oxide effect
Mix: White + a little teal + a touch of green, thinned like a wash and run into the recesses of bronze.

Glow green

Citadel: Moot Green
Vallejo: Scorpy Green
Army Painter: Goblin Green
AK: look for: bright vivid green
Scale75: look for: bright vivid green
Mix: Bright green + a little yellow. For the hottest point, add white.

Dark earth

Citadel: Rhinox Hide
Vallejo: Charred Brown
Army Painter: Oak Brown
AK: look for: very dark brown
Scale75: look for: very dark brown
Mix: Brown + black about 3:1.

Khaki

Citadel: Baneblade Brown
Vallejo: Khaki
Army Painter: mix it
AK: look for: light grey-brown khaki
Scale75: look for: light grey-brown khaki
Mix: Your bone colour + dark earth about 2:1.

Unofficial fan content. This is an unofficial painting guide created by independent hobbyists. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or connected to Games Workshop Limited, Warhammer, Citadel, or any of their trademarks, products, or subsidiaries in any way.

Warhammer, Warhammer 40,000, Age of Sigmar, Citadel, and all associated names, characters, factions, units, and imagery are trademarks and/or copyright of Games Workshop Limited. All rights reserved. Used here solely for identification and descriptive purposes.

Paint recipes, colour matches, mixing tips, and any 3D visualisations are original work based on independent research and testing. They are approximate only and not official recommendations.

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