"Favourite Flesh Recipes" Topic

Not much more than a month goes by and I find myself changing the colours I use. I'm not entirely sure why, I paint a lot and maybe it's just boredom?

Are you a chopper and changer? Or do you have a tried and tested set you've been using since the moon landings?

The latter.

For Caucasian flesh, I use a mixture of Unbleached titanium and burnt sienna. The specific ratio varies every time I mix it, so there is a fair variation in my figures, which I think is realistic.

I tend to use the same colors. For a long time I used GW's Elf Flesh as the basis for caucasian skintones, but the new range Kislev Flesh is even better (less "yellow"), and that is my go-to. The only times I don't use it is when I am painting non-caucasian flesh (I have Reaper Masters Series Asian Skintone Triad for that, or GW's Dark Flesh still mostly there), or if I have to match the old Elf Flesh (where I use the Vallejo Game Color equivalent).

Damon.

1st layer: Burnt Sienna
2nd layer: Americana Shading Flesh 2 drops, mixed with 1 drop of Americana Hi-lite Flesh.
3rd layer: 1 drop of Shading flesh and 3 of Hi-lite flesh.

To Serve Man

I mixed up a full 60ml bottle of skin colour about 20 years ago, and I've been using that ever since. It's still about 3/4 full.

Don't forget to salt, seasoning is a must.

Wrgmr1, I never thought to use Burnt Sienna as a base. I'm gonna have to try that.

lots of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice to cover the tobaccoey taste.

Fizzypickles, I have a color printout I made in 2008 that broke out how to make the then-current Games Workshop colors from the line's primary colors (Sunburst Yellow, Blood Red, and Enchanted Blue). The web site was French, creafigs.com , and it's offline now but here's a link from the Internet Archive; unfortunately the paint mix guides were all graphics which don't seem to be saved.
Main page: link
Flesh tones (Les nuances de peaux) – empty graphic:

Anyway it says for Tanned Flesh mix 1 part each Yellow, Red and White. For Dwarf Flesh increase Yellow to 3 parts. For Elf Flesh use 6 parts Yellow.

Using that as a guide, I've simplified and mix a Tanned Flesh using 2:1 Orange to White. Mix proportions actually vary depending on paint quality, but I've done this with both Liquitex fine art colors and Delta Ceramcoat craft colors. (I try to only mix with the same brand.) For 28mm this works well for me and I shade with the usual Red Brown wash (or sometimes Brown) and highlight back with the original color. If I want a lighter flesh I add some Yellow or more White, and for ladies or exotic fantasy figures I'll sometimes use a Red or Purple wash instead of the Red Brown.

Oh actually my usual flesh color is Liquitex Apricot, from their specialty colors line. It's a premixed pale yellow-red, e.g. orange with white.

Rich Bliss, I will try that Burnt Sienna with Unbleached Titanium.

Greylegion:

Here are some Calpe Prussians I've been working on.
I'm just an average painter.

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Looking very nice Thomas, nice figures to paint Calpe.

I'm pretty sure there are only so many colours one can use for flesh and it isn't that I am never happy with my results at all, I am. I guess that is what led to this thread, no matter how happy I am with a flesh combo I just cannot seem to help myself from trying new, old or forgotten recipes.
I think my last lot of Vikings were done with Vallejo Black Red, Light Brown, Beige Red & white and they turned out OK.

But then the chaps I did before these turned out OK and I used a completely different set of colours.

I can't even remember what paints I used on this one lol

I've obviously developed some peculiar obsessional habit and wanted to know if anyone else did the same.

@wgmr1

Huh. I wish I was an average painter

I must admit I was using Americana for some scenery and I can see how they could be used for miniatures

@all

This thread got me over-excited last night and researched what oil painters do, then I remembered a great article on cool mini or not on ethnic skin (why did I decide painting Samurai would be good fun ?) then I started mixing all the paints I had together to see what would happen. I even visited a buddy today who gave me some reaper triads to have a go with

I think I learned 2 things (no 3 things, no …)

- lots of different ways to get good looking flesh tones
- accurate placement of highlight and shading, lip colour, cheek colour and eyes/mouth details is more important than the exact skin tones used. Very little of the face ends up as the base colour (paintbrush accuracy, shaky hands and old eyesight are not good friends)
- I never liked the Vallejo basic flesh tone (VMC), but add a little bit of something else (brownish, reddish etc.) and it magically transforms into great flesh tones
- Getting consistency in tone between the highlights, base colours and shade colours is probably more important than the exact shade. This probably means more paint mixing rather than using colours straight

What I have been doing until now is some kind of a mix of

- base Reaper HD Caucasian flesh (love this paint – just the right colour for me and covers well)
- highlights pale flesh, Vallejo ivory, white or whatever I feel like
- Shade Caucasian flesh mixed with Vallejo VGC dark flesh tone (which also makes a great basic brown for lots of other stuff)
- wash Vallejo VGC flesh shade (which is similar in colour to the dark flesh) – I love washes, they hide mistakes and blend everything. I have been amazed to see skin suddenly come to life
- sometimes a second wash of VGC flesh shade with a touch of violet added
- rehighlight as necessary

Different scales need different approaches as to how bright the base colour is and how much to highlight

So I haven't really perfected the above, after reading this thread I am sure I will be forever stuck in the loop of changing flesh tones :)

John

Fizzypickles and jwebster: Thanks for your kind comments.

Excellent work Fizzypickles!

I paint for the table really. Up close they are not that great, but on the table…

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Jwebster, I think you make some worthy points. Back in the day, I often used Artist Oils for flesh for two reasons, the classical paint palette was familiar to me and flesh tones is drummed into you at Art school. Secondly, you just cannot beat the consistency and open time of oils for blending. If it wasn't for the smell and drying time I'd probably still go down that route.

That 'Ethnic skin tone' article is an old bookmark of mine

I too use all materials at my disposal, various inks, washes and mediums although I often find myself making my own washes….that's a whole other thread.

There are two almost indispensable tools of trade for me when it comes to painting faces. The type of brush! I paint all faces with a 'spotter'. That is to say a fairly large size ( no2 or no3) short bristled sable. I find it gives me the most control over where the paint goes and holds enough paint for flow and avoids 'dry-tip'.
The second tool is what I actually mount the figure on to paint. For years I use pretty much whatever came to hand, bottle tops, empty paint jars, corks, you name it. Now I have discovered the importance of a good 'mount' for details like faces. Let me introduce you to my 'secret' weapon.

It's an empty one of these
What I have found is that it's size and shape mean that I can hold it much more naturally and comfortably AND rest my brush hand against it whilst I paint details. It helps a lot with eyes and buttons and the like.

Lastly, I'm glad you got excited about the topic, enthusiasm is 9/10ths of the battle I reckon.