Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hey Dakka,

I've just bought a sizeable amount of Mantics Elves to use in games of KoW and WHFB, just with mates, I have no intention of using them in GW or Tourneys for that matter!
My problem is this. I didn't want girly Elven colours, so decided to paint mine as Drow. They will still use the Elven lists for both games but will look darker and slightly more aggressive. That's the plan anyway! But I've stumbled on a problem, painting Drow skin.... On a few test minis I painted it just turned out muddy with a lack of detail, and the varnishing idea was a complete cock up....

So, if any of you guys and gals have some tips for painting Drow skin, I would be eternally grateful.

I have never painted drow style dark flesh before.
I would imagine may pallet would be purple, brown and white.

For dark brown skin why not try.
Dark brown base.
50/50 black/brown wash.
Medium brown to light brown highlights.

I would try to avoid drybrushing and use blending.

For varnish I always recommend Tamiya TS-80. It always works

Hope this helps but I think there will be others with more experience in painting dark brown skin.

Cheers Vim

I havnt tried Drow style skin either, hence the cry for help!

But thanks for the tip on the Tamiya varnish, I'll trek through the snow to my local hobby store, see if they have any there. On the test mini I tried to get a sort of 'shiny blue-black' effect on the face and it was a complete disaster! It looked like a Drow Mannequin....

Years ago I read the Icewind Dale books and became an instant fan of the Dark Elves. After reading your post I got all nostalgic and started to look at what artwork I could find online.
In the first image the skin is dark brown but I noticed in the second(By Brom I think) and many others that I can find. The skin has quite a purply tint.


Maybe this is more what you are going for. If so. Why not try...
BASE: 50/50 Dark grey and purple
WASH: Black. Maybe thin it.
FIRST HIGHLIGHT: Thinned 50/50 dark grey and purple.
SECOND HIGHLIGHT: Thinned purple. Maybe with a touch of grey still in it to stop it looking too bright.

Cheers Vim

For my old ad&d drow I just did black for the skin with purple highlights. I also did a few where the skin was primed white and then I applied a dark purple wash over it. Hope that helps. Good luck

Thanks guy's! This is all a big help... I'll try and pull my finger out and at least have 10 mini's done by the middle of next week. I have a job that keeps me extremely busy, but i'll post pictures on here as soon as the first 10 are done. oh, and Vim, I got the idea from reading the Drizzt novels!

I did it with Charadon Granite basecoat, highlighting with a mid-grey and using blacks and purples for shading. Not sure what the equivalents are in the new paint range, though, and I don't have pictures as I don't have those models any more.

Reaper Master series paints have a triad set called Dark Elf skintone, consisting of the base color, shadow and highlight color. It's very much your classic d&d Dark elf/drow skin colo. Its a kind of purple/dark grey. That might work for you. See below.