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Hi all

I am starting to paint up a large 30k and 40k Iron warriors army. Several units have flesh on them which really I don't know how to paint, but particularly the obliterators. Does anyone have a technique they can share please, my technical ability is limited and I have no air brush. I wanted the pale, dead look so thought perhaps a Pallid wych flesh base with nuln oil wash? I would normally try but can't Dettol these if and when I mess up.

Thanks in advance.

Flesh always seems very intimidating at first, but it’s actually the easiest part of a model to make presentable, especially compared to marine armor and its million edge highlights.

Pallid wych is fine. Highlight something a little lighter over it, especially around areas where ligaments or bones would be present like elbows or facial features. Then apply a light wash. I’d stick to something like sepia or brown first just to give it some organic shading. Then go over it in areas close to the metal bits with nuln oil to show where the virus is ‘infecting’ nore strongly:

Going a light base is always the easiest way to start. Something that is either pale or fleshy colored. I've used a greenish grey before that I built upon to make it look old and kinda dead.

My biggest advice with flesh is that it all really comes down to what kinda or color wash you use. The sepia and brown tones are super easy to use and quick at making things look natural. You could try, as I've done, by using some bolder washes that are blue or purple. It gives it more of an outlandish feel to them, However we are talking about Chaos afterall.

I've found the secret sauce for chaos fleash to be multicolor washes. Thin down a red wash or glaze, cover about 60% of the flesh. Thin down a blue wash or glaze, cover about 60% of the flesh. Now you have lightly tinted red flesh, lightly tinted blue flesh and in the areas doubled up, tinted purple flesh. Gives a variation on tone. Wash all the flesh one last time with a brown (I dig Ogre flesh) to bring it together. Brown blends the reds/blues together.

Thanks all some great ideas. Been applying these principles to a practise Helbrute, so will see how it goes. Looking quite good so far!