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How to Paint a Warboss

In the Warhammer 40,000 universe, Orks live to fight and they do it well, charging gleefully into battle with weapons that work almost entirely because the Orks expect they will. Using brute strength, Ork armies overrun their enemies in huge numbers, standing up against more technologically and tactically advanced forces. In any Orkish army, one or two will have proven their mettle and risen to the top, achieving the title Warboss to leading the rest of the tribe on a Waaagh! -- a brutal, crusade-like invasion, overrunning other players' armies. When customizing your Warboss figure for gameplay, start with the basics: a good paint job.

Things You'll Need

Hobby knife
Black or dark brown spray primer
Glue
Sand
Model paint
Paintbrushes
Varnish

Instructions

- 1
  Remove any mold lines from the Warboss figure using a hobby knife. Be careful not to scratch the figure otherwise.
- 2
  Spray the figure with black or dark brown primer, which will serve as the undercoat. Make sure to coat the warboss figure evenly, then let it dry.
- 3
  Coat the base with a thin layer of glue and dust it with sand to create a textured ground. Add small pebbles or other bits of debris if you like.
- 4
  Paint the Ork Warboss's skin first, using a dark green.
- 5
  Use dark brown for most of the Warboss's clothing. Apply the paint smoothly and evenly, but don't worry too much about detail yet. Make sure to get full, even coverage. Paint weapons primarily brown, black and silver.
- 6
  Mix bright green with pale gray to get a dull green. Use this color as a wash over the base skin color. Leave the darker color visible in the recesses and shadows of the Warboss's skin. Mix an even lighter color to use for specific highlights if you like.
- 7
  Use a lighter brown to do a similar wash on the Warboss's clothes, again leaving the recesses the original, darker color.
- 8
  Add small details. Paint the teeth white and add color to the Warboss's garments. Use reds or greens for the lenses on his weapons, and highlight with white. Use whatever colors you like, depending on your army's clan, though red is always a good choice. Create a checkerboard pattern on the shoulder armor if you want your army to appear speedy. Think about the personality you want to give your Warboss and the general theme of your army while working on these details. Have fun with it.
- 9
  Distress your figure a little. Paint on scratches. Make short diagonal marks in dark colors. Create the appearance of dirt and scuff marks with splotches of gray. Remember, Orks tend to be a ragtag bunch, so even their leaders should look rough around the edges. Gouge into your Warboss' gun and and armor to create real scratches if you're feeling adventurous. Use muddled patches of reds and browns on metallic portions to make his weapons look rusty.
- 10
  Apply glossy varnish to any visibly metallic portions on your Warboss. Matte varnish will help seal the rest of the paint and give your figure a more finished look.

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