Learn how to paint Abaddon Skull and Leather in this tutorial and guide! Abaddon’s skull, dangling around between his legs (!), serves as a grim reminder of his connection to death and destruction. Painting it required careful layering of XV-88, Morghast Bone, and Screaming Skull to create the right mix of texture and realism. The leather loincloth, on the other hand, allowed for a more rugged, worn appearance. By using Rhinox Hide as the base, and carefully layering Cadian Fleshtone and Morghast Bone for highlights, I aimed to give the leather a weathered, battle-scarred look.
Video – How to Paint Abaddon Skull and Leather
Paints needed
- Paints:
- Games Workshop: XV-88, Morghast Bone, Screaming Skull, Rhinox Hide, Cadian Fleshtone, Mournfang Brown
- Vallejo: Neutral Grey
- P3: Morrow White
Painting the Skull
- Base Coat:
- Start by applying a base coat of XV-88 to the skull. Use a rough, stippling technique to create texture. Thin the paint slightly (1.5 parts water to 1 part paint) to allow the black primer to show through, providing natural shading.
- First Highlight:
- Apply Morghast Bone using a similar stippling technique. Focus on smaller areas than the base coat, building up highlights gradually. Ensure the paint is thin and applied delicately to avoid overpowering the base coat.
- Second Highlight:
- Use Screaming Skull for the next layer of highlights. Apply smaller stipples, concentrating on the areas that would catch the most light from the top left. This creates a sense of depth and realism.
- Final Highlight:
- Add the final highlights with P3 Morrow White. Use a fine brush to apply very small, controlled stipples. This step emphasizes the brightest points on the skull, giving it a natural bone appearance.
- Detailing the Studs:
- Paint the service studs on the forehead with Vallejo Pale Grey Blue and add a small dot of P3 Morrow White for the final highlight, creating a shiny metallic effect.
Painting the Leather Loincloth
- Base Coat:
- Apply a rough base coat of Rhinox Hide to the leather loincloth. The coverage doesn’t need to be perfect; a patchy application adds to the texture and realism.
- Initial Highlights:
- Mix Rhinox Hide and Cadian Fleshtone in a 50/50 ratio. Apply this mix to the highlight areas, using a rough, textured technique. Highlight both convex and concave areas, reflecting where the light hits.
- Further Highlights:
- Use pure Cadian Fleshtone to add more delicate highlights. Focus on the most raised or prominent areas, using fine, controlled strokes to create the appearance of worn leather.
- Final Highlights:
- Carefully apply Morghast Bone to the highest points of the leather. Use thin, controlled lines to simulate creases and cracks in the leather, adding depth and realism.
- Adding Wear and Tear:
- Apply Vallejo Neutral Grey to the torn edges of the leather. This step is optional but adds an interesting worn effect. Be sparing with this colour to avoid overpowering the brown tones.
- Glazing:
- Glaze the entire loincloth with Rhinox Hide to unify the colours and add depth. Thin the paint to a wash consistency and apply it carefully, focusing more on the shadowed areas to enhance contrast.
- Final Touches:
- For additional warmth and contrast, apply very light glazes of Mournfang Brown to selected areas. Be cautious with this step to avoid lightening the shadows too much.
There are lots more tutorials for painting Abaddon! Follow the link below to watch them all, or scroll town to explore them by model part.
Abaddon the Despoiler
A series of videos on how to paint Abbadon the Despoiler to competition standard – (new step-by-step guides included!)
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