Skeletons: Painting Guide

Painting Skeletons really couldn't be easier.  There is little needed to do to get a really good look for the figurines and, aside from maybe doing a batch of them, shouldn't take too long to do.  Note that the majority of paints specified were from the Citadel line of paints.  Prior to commencing the actual painting, the models were cleaned and primed using Acryic Gesso.  These models were from the Reaper line of Bones miniatures.

The very first step once you are ready to start the actual painting process is actually paint these white.  I did a batch of twelve of these and I simplified my life by using an airbrush to provide my base coat.  'Ceramite White' or even 'Titanium White' from the Liquitex or equivalent lines will be perfect for the task.  You want a nice even coat to provide coverage.

The next step involves using a wash to shade the entire model.  I used 'Seraphim Sepia' to give a yellowish tone.  Others may prefer a browner tone like what's provided by Agrex Earthshade' but I prefer Seraphim Sepia.  This shading will bring out all the details of the model, in particular the ribs, eye sockets, teeth... etc.

Alone though, the wash may be too pronounced so scaling back this harshness isn't hard to do.  I drybrushed the skeletons with 'Longbeard Grey' which is one of the dry compounds from the citadel line.  This is an 'off-white' and will catch raised surfaced and edges of the model but keeping the shading for all the recesses the model has that the wash went into.

At this juncture the models are mostly done.  All that's really left to concern yourself with is the gear and bases.  All the wood and leather (polearms, bows, quivers) was done in 'XV-88' which is a light brown.  'Agrax Earthshade' was applied to these afterwards leaving a good color for the wood and leather.  The based were painted in 'Zamesi Desert' and also got a generous wash application of the same 'Agrax Earthshade'.

The metal was done using 'Ironbreaker' so all shields, swords, and polearm tips were done up in this paint.  'Agrax Earthshade' was used again to give an aged look to the metal but the definitive touch was the new technical from Citadel called 'Typhus Corrosion'.  It is a gritty paint which was applied along the edges and recesses of the metallic objects.  Once applied along the edges, I also 'smeared' some of this 'paint' (for lack of a better word) across the surface of the shields.  Very easy to do but they really look well done with a minimum amount of fuss.

M