Greenskins on Gray

[Cerridwyn1st]

I\'ve been painting quite a few greenskined characters lately - dragons, lizardmen, orks, and goblins. I\'ve noticed that green skin seems to work best on top of gray. White makes it look cartoony. Black is too dull. Gray seems just right. Anyone else experience this?

 

[Calavera]

Nope, \'cause I want dull colors on my Orcs. Catachan Green on top of black.

 

[vincegamer]

funny

Funny you should say this, because in the past I have exclusively used gray primer. Just recently I posted what are my first ever green-skins (HeroQuest Orks) and due to the circumstances in which I painted them, I primed with GW white \"smelly primer.\"
So, can\'t say as I have had the same experience but I will say they didn\'t come out the least bit cartoony.
That\'s probably because the plastic started out dark green, and then the primer is painted on so thin that it just makes it all look like a chalky, washed-out green before applying the (Vallejo Reflective) green base coat.

Just in case you are curious:
HeroQuest Orks

 

[Cerridwyn1st]

Could be, Vince. You might try painting the next batch of orcs using gray primer and see how you like it.

The orc I posted recenty on CMON was done using gray primer, then Tamiya green for a base coat and then Testors Acryl Flaque Green and Troll green on top of that.

The Tamiya green gives that nice dark green shadow, Flaque is the base skintone and Troll is the highlight.

I kind of stumbled on this. I started a dragon done with green primer the same time as I started some lizardmen done with white. I was using similar paints on all models.

When I saw the difference the that the primer made in the resulting colors, I stripped the lizards and re-primed them with gray.

 

[Nomadik]

I generally do the same thing. Ive noticed black primer makes some things just too dark. I preferabbly use a gray or black primer on undead stuff that will be of a darker/earth toned nature. Things that are humans, elves, etc, a gray. And anything that should be very pale or white, I use a white primer.

Last time I painted a Hero Quest Ork, I used a black primer and Reaper\'s hunter green colored paint.. For one it was too dark, and second the Reaper paint doesnt have enough pigment in the paint.

 

[Sturmhalo]

Can\'t say I\'ve ever noticed green to look too \'cartoony\' (christ I hate that phrase!) over a white undercoat! I always thought it was the choice of green and way it was painted that did that! Black, white, grey, pink, it all does the same job. I just find lighter colours make it easier for me to see the details.