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Okay, so my question isn't exactly on how to paint Orks, or ork skin, but rather on the idea behind priming.

Now, color primers: I've heard that these are awesome, and such, and I'm definitely debating picking some up. Not looking forward to brush-basecoating an entire group of Orks. I get annoyed after a small SM squad.

Question is: I want to make Red-skinned orks. I've red about strength/quantity of pigmentation in Red Paints, and well... I'm not sure how to go about things. If I just do black prime, it would work as a base for the armor, especially if I just want to leave the leather black. But that means I would then have to build up to the red due to the low pigmentation in it, or slap on a foundation red first. Not to mention I have a low painting skill, and just basically think it's a bit too hard of a job for my current abilities.

But I'm thinking it'd be a better idea to just use a red primer, and then the skin is a cakewalk from there. But the leather... Black or brown should cover red nicely, I would think. And so should the metallics on the guns (though I should really pick up a rust color to do highlights on those, methinks)

So, To skin prime, or to leather prime, that is the question, I believe.

Thoughts, beloved dakka?

If you can cover them in a Dark Angels-esque green, that would be perfect, it's really dark. Then just drybrush a lighter green (it used to be called Goblin Green, don't know now).

If you stick with red skin, you want a Red Gore or Blood Red base coat, then Black Wash (highlight if you can be bothered by drybrushing base coat over it!). With this option, do your base coat all over, then leather/armour etc, then black wash the lot, should be easy, quick and a great result!

Good hunting!

I use two color primers depending on what color armor I am going for.

I use grey primer for vehicles or things that are going to be painted mostly black and white. The middle of the road color makes it not too difficult to do dark or light, and makes me feel that the brighter colors aren't too dark. This also compliments the other color I prime with so that the models are not too different in colors.

I usually prime everything a rust color. Then I usually drybrush an offwhite over the model in every area except where metalics are going to be (that I paint black). For infantry, the rust followed by the offwhite hilights really defines the skin and sets the shadows (I use thick paints and water them down, so a mix between a wash and standard paint). I feel like it saves me a hassle of having to use an extra coat of paint or two because the brown/red primer gives me a nicer base to work off of for orks.

With black covering rather well and Mechrite Red (the foundation red) doing likewise, it's really just a matter of which covers more surface area, if you're going purely for simplicity. I might lean towards priming black, for two reasons:

First, the wide availability (in generally acceptable quality) of black spraypaints/primers. Depending on what you have available, this may not be that much of an issue, but it certainly is for some.

Second, orks have rippling muscles, but skin is generally easier to hit with a brush than their clothes and gear, which tend to have straps, buckles, rivets, etc. strewn about. Unless the clothes will also be red, leaving you to pick out only the details, it'll be easier to lay the other basecoat color down on the flesh.

You want red Orks with leather clothes? Get some brown primer. You can get brown primer from some hardware stores; Krylon sells it. Red goes over brown fairly easily, and it will serve as a base for your leather. Paint the skin Red Gore then wash the whole model with Devlan Mud after picking out metallics and such. Don't drybrush skin, it looks crappy. Either layer it, or if you're not quite as skilled a painter wash it. Or a combination of the two!

I have flirted with Red Orks, and though the project has been on the back burner, i will return to it. here's my thread http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/340325.page