A SIMPLE PAINTING GUIDE AND GALLERY OF CRYPT GHOULS
Crypt Ghouls are fun to paint because they can exhibit so many different skin tones and necrotic colourings. Since the majority of the model is in fact swathes of bare skin, you can apply a very painterly touch to these models and achieve great results. Shown below is a simple step-by-step guide for a pale, purple-blue skin tone that you can try out yourself. Once you pick up on the techniques used here, you can apply new colours to the formula and create something unique.
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tep One. Once the model is undercoated Chaos Black, painting can begin. Water down some Astronomican Grey and apply it to the Ghoul's skin. Cover the entire model but don't lay on a very thick coat of paint. Basecoat the wrappings around its body and any bones at this point with Khemri Brown and Calthan Brown, respectively.
tep Two. Mix up a 1:4 wash of water and Hormagaunt Purple. Apply this over the entire model in a few separate passes. You'll see how this transforms the previously Astronmican-Grey areas to a disgusting, blotchy skin tone. Once this wash dries completely, go over the cloth wrappings with Kommando Khaki. Go over any bones with a coat of Bleached Bone.
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tep Three. Time to finish up the majority of the skin. Using some watered-down Space Wolves Grey, go over the musculature of the ghoul. Highlight raised areas and create muscle striations over areas of smooth limbs. With some practice, you'll get the hang of it. Apply the final highlights to the cloth wrappings and bone using Bleached Bone and Skull White, respectively.
tep Four. Add some detail to the skin by applying a watery mix of Red Gore to the boils, cuts, and scars that populate the Ghoul's skin. Carefully fill in any overpainted areas of the mouth, eyes, and nostrils with Chaos Black. Once this is done, pick out the teeth with Dessert Yellow and the eyes with Vomit Brown. Paint the rock in the Ghoul's hand Adeptus Battlegrey and any hair tufts on the Ghoul's body Scorched Brown.
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tep Five. Just a few more details and your Ghoul is all set to go. Go back over the reddened areas where you may have slipped up a little with Space Wolves Grey to finish the skin. Highlight the rock edges with Shadow Grey and add some Vermin Brown highlights to the hair tufts. Finally, add a tiny drop of Sunburst Yellow to each eye and pick out the teeth with some Bleached Bone.
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rypt Ghouls come in so many colour varieties. Experiment with different washes and inks over blues, greens, purples, and pale flesh tones to develop your own unit of uniquely painted models. To help you choose some colours, here is a selection of Ghouls painted by the 'Eavy Metal team. Don't be afraid to try something new -- you just may pick up a new technique!
Related Articles:
Assembling Crypt Ghouls
Online Store:
Vampire Counts | Crypt Ghouls
