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Before I start, I want to link this Speed Painting Article for further tips on how to paint assembly line style. I'll go over my own techniques in detail, but this article is worth a look as well.

Chrispy's Guide to Table Ready Ork Boyz
Since I've posted pictures of my Ork Boyz I've had questions on my speed painting technique. I hope to show you here how I achieved the look. Using this techniques, I've painted over 75 Boyz so far, and I'm working on my next batch of 36. Each individual boy has only taken me about 10-15 minutes. The whole point of my technique is that one will rarely scrutinize a single boys from 6" away. More likely, each one will be seen at arms length in the middle of a table with 150 other boys to gather your attention. As such, effect is more important than perfect painting. The effect of 150 models all painted up is better than an army of grey plastic with one unit, even if that one unit looks awesome.

Tools/Paints
White Primer
Large Brush (I use size 3)
Paints (GW or Vallejo equivalent):
- Devlan Mud Wash
- Thraka Green Wash
- Goblin Green
- Bubonic Brown
- Ultra Marine Blue
- Codex Grey
- Scorched Brown
Finally, a unit of Ork Boys, assembled.

1. Prime

I personally prime my boyz White to start. For some reason, though, most people are fanatical about their black primers, and refuse to switch to white for any reason. Let me try and change your mind. For my technique, the process is pretty simple. It's basically lay a base color down, and use GW Washes to darken the color and shade everything. If you start with a black prime, you will have to work up your colors from dark to light. If you start with a white prime, all your colors can be applied evenly with a light, watered down layer of light paint.

2. Base Coats


Paint your skin with the Goblin Green, the pants with Ultramarine Blue, the shirts with Bubonic Brown, the shoes in the Scorched Brown, and finally pick out all the metal parts with the Codex Grey. I usually wash my skin right after painting it, to limit the mess. Also, this way I can cover any splotches with the next colors I paint the base boats in. I know that your orks will look a little silly and bright. Trust me. Mine definitely do in my pictures. Leave all the fiddly straps white. They'll be colored nicely in the next step, which is...

3. Washes

In this step, use a loaded brush to slather your entire model with the Devlan Mud. This does many things. First, the Devlan Mud will fill in all the crevasses, giving you your shadows. The properties of the wash will also allow the peaks on the model to really show through. Since we used such bright colors as the base, it makes it look like a simple highlight. Next, the wash mutes all your colors, so they aren't so bright overall. The wash will also color in all your white straps, which were left to save time and energy. Now, instead of white, the Ork straps are all a light brown color. Finally, any mistakes you made will be blended into the model.

This is really my entire process. Prime, Skin, Base Coats, and Wash. The total time for each individual boy model, from prime to done, is 10-15 minutes plus basing time and waiting for the washes to dry. I can get through a unit of 18 boys in about 3 hours.

4. Details, then Dull Cote
After picking out the teeth and eyes, you are pretty much done. The orks are now table ready. The final step is to Dull Cote. I really can't recommend this enough. Dull Cote protects like a varnish, but it also takes paint like a primer, so if you want to go back and, say, add more highlights later, you can do that at any time in the future. In fact, after this Dull Cote step, I play with my army, with the plan to return later and add details such as Skin Paint and Clan Glyphs. Dull Cote. Trust me.

This technique also carries to other boys. Here are examples of my Lootaz, done using the exact same process.





Finally, I want to add a few general Speed Painting Techniques.
+ White Primer. It saves you the trouble of adding multiple layers just so you can get a light enough layer on top. Stop wasting time going from a black primer to a dark blue to a lighter blue to your final blue. Just prime white, and start with your light blue.
+ Washes. Quick and easy.
+ Biggest Brush Possible. Just load it, up, and apply your paint without having to reload your brush. It's a waste of movement, and even if you make mistakes, no one is going to notice it under the wash.
+Assembly Line. This saves me tons of time. I do all my Ork skin first. Then all my pants. Then all my shirts. Then all the metal bits. Each time, you'll get faster and faster at applying the same color to the same area. Save yourself some wasted movements.
+ Water Down your Paint. Paint at a milky consistency will cover well, without leaving lumps and bumps. Water it down a bit, until you get what works for you.



I hope this will help you paint your mobs and mobs of boys faster, so you can have time to really focus on the big stuff. Good luck, and feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

Thank god, a way to not have to paint the straps by hand... damn now i have to strip my black primer off my models oh heck theres only five.

You can also trying mixing up Liquitex Raw Umber with some water and glaze medium. It's cheaper than using Devlan Mud and also gives a very nice effect.

@Chrispy: very effective / time efficient with great results.

love washes
i allways speedpaint boyz using washes and inks.
just seems to get rid of all the annoying parts and you rarely miss small areas that are usually hard to get to


also, the dull coat is a must!
i allways use it on any models i ink or wash as it makes them look a little more realistic and less shiny (allthough it works well for nids)

Wow, it looks so easy when you work it out like that! Thanks for sharing this

When I start Orks, I am SO doing this. Thank you

Excellent article, been looking for a way to get my boyz painted quick whilst keeping them looking good, I'll be changing the blue for some Blood Axe camo but tis all good. thanks Chrispy

I would so do this... If I hadn't primered all of my 20+ remaining Orks black... next batch then.

Good tutorial, nice easy and if you have the paints on hand, instantly do-able.

Just reprimer the black orks white.
If you haven't coated them heavily, you won't lose any detail.


Eric

the only problom is if some one is going for a speed freek army than they have to use difrent paints

Thank you very much for this tutorial! I just got into 40k about a month ago, and was really stressin paintin my new ork army. I found Dakka a while back, and found this tutorial, and you have saved me so much time and hassle. A horrible painter like me, can get really good results following this tutorial!

Thanks for the guide, I been delaying painting my orks because of the time involved but this makes it really fast. Will post some pics when I find my camera.

I like this guide - I think I'll use it on the stock pile of Black Reach Orks I've got lying around.

One question - you say to cover the whole model in Devlan Mud. Does this include the skin?

Good question.

I personally paint my Ork skin using Thraka Green wash, and use the Devlan Mud on anything NOT skin, however, I have tried it without the Thraka Green and just the Devlan Mud EVERYWHERE, and it looks good, too. I personally use an extra step, but I would do what looks good in your opinion. Of course, the effect will be a little different, but you never know, you may like how it looks.

Nice tutorial man,quick,clean method that gives you a nice looking model.

hey, thanks for the guide, wouldnt have thought of a white primer otherwise.

im loving your models bases! can you give me a basic rundown of what you did, because i never seem to make it that effective! thanks in advance!

There are some inherent advantages with painting Orks in black. I layer on 3 shades of green starting with Orkhide shade, then wash the skin with Thraka green wash. You get a blended, and shaded Ork that is hand done. The results take longer than your technique, but they allowed for a darker look that allows slightly more detail. It's all just preference I guess.

What color did you use to pick out the eyes and teeth? Also, did you need multiple colors since this step comes after the wash?

RiTides Nids wrote:What color did you use to pick out the eyes and teeth? Also, did you need multiple colors since this step comes after the wash?

Give us all details please.

I'm just about to start up a ork army and white primer sure sounds intresting.

Nice painting. That is easily 1 of the best ork painting guides that i've seen. The wash works great, it adds good shadow and darkens the model giving it a very rough orky feel.

I really didn't think white primer would work on orks, but your boyz prove otherwise. Good Job

Thank you chippy. I followed your method pretty closely and i now have a full skwad of yellow boys and I don't even flinch when I pull out the paint pot any more. You rock bro.

Great tutorial!I personally prefer a darker skin look,so i used a black primer until now:can't wait to see how it turns out with a white primer!
(btw here is how i do my skin usually:black primer,orkhide,drybrushed gretchin,devlan mud wash)

Good an easier way to paints orks. I use white primer on my models.

Awesome quick and easy guide to painting "da Boyz".
I've been dreading to paint my large number of Boyz (120) but this makes it look so much simpler. ive only primed about 40 of my Boyz black so it will be alright.

Do you know any other colour to use instead of blue for the pants as everyone im my area uses blue, (ultramarines, sa'cea, dire avengers, etc) so i want to be different.

thanks for the inspiration to get started.

Old Sledgeaxe

Yaay!

Maybe my 140+ Orks will finally see more than just a primer coat and chaos black airbrush..

Chrispy has the winning formula. This is almost identical to how I speed painted my boyz. If I find my camera I'll post a picture. Just remember to base coat bright colors and let the washes bring the model back down. I only wash 2 colors. Green on skin and black (or brown depending on the color scheme) on clothes. I prime black when I also make their shirts black. That way I can just go over the shirts quickly. Though I do feel like I'm cheating when I do that.

starting with a white coat really creates and entirely different effect on the models.

WAAAAY brighter.

Good tutorial, cheers Chrispy

Wait chrispy i have something i dont udnerstand.

how does the dark angel green coating turn into a bright green after devlan mud wash?

( did i misread a sentence? )