This video and step-by-step guide for Cado Ezechiar from Games Workshop shows how to paint a vampire head in detail.
Video: How to Paint a Vampire Head
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Materials List
Paints:
- Games Workshop: Cadian Fleshtone, Mephiston Red, Evil Sunz Scarlet
- Vallejo: Neutral Grey, German Grey
- P3: Morrow White (or any white paint)
Brushes:
- Size 2 Round Brush (for broad applications)
- Size 00 Round Brush (for detailed work)
Other Materials:
- Wet Palette (to keep paints moist and workable)
- Water Pot (for cleaning brushes)
- Mixing Palette (for mixing custom paint shades)
- Blue Tack (for temporarily attaching components)
- Metal Rod (for holding the model while painting)
- Super Glue (for assembly adjustments)
How to Paint a Vampire Head Painting Guide
Preparation
- Modify and Assemble: Modify the hair of the model to prevent it from touching the face, allowing for easier access when painting. This involves careful cutting, reattaching, and positioning of the hair components.
- Priming: Prime the model with a neutral primer to ensure paint adhesion and colour accuracy.
Base Coating
- Apply Base Colours: Begin with a base coat of Cadian Fleshtone for the skin, applying it thinly (around a 1.5:1 ratio of water to paint) using a size 2 brush for a smooth layer. For the hair, use Neutral Grey as the base.
Layering and Detailing
- Layering: Employ both a size 2 brush for general work and a 00 brush for fine details. Gradually build up the skin tones, focusing on creating dramatic lighting by highlighting facial features and leaving recesses darker. Mix Cadian Fleshtone with white for various highlight shades.
- Eyes and Teeth Detailing: For the eyes, utilise Mephiston Red and Evil Sunz Scarlet for a glowing effect. For the teeth, mix Cadian Fleshtone with white to achieve a natural bone colour, steering clear of pure white to maintain realism.
- Hair: Paint the hair in layers, starting with Neutral Grey, then adding white for highlights. Adjust shading and highlighting to reflect texture and colour accurately.
- Shadows and Highlights: Use German Grey for deep shadows to add depth, especially around the eyes and under facial features. Use mixtures of Cadian Fleshtone with white and grey to refine the face’s appearance, enhancing the transition from light to shadow.
- Final Touches: Add fine highlights with a mix of the lightest skin tone and a bit of white, focusing on areas where light naturally hits. Use a fine brush for precision, ensuring smooth transitions between light and dark areas.
Additional Tips
- Brush Care: Always wet your brush before starting to paint, even if it appears clean, to ensure smooth paint flow.
- Lighting Effects: When painting, consider how light interacts with the model’s features. This helps in achieving a more natural and realistic appearance, even with dramatic lighting.
- Colour Mixing: Don’t be limited by paint names. Understand that all paints are just colours, and creative mixing can achieve the desired effect, such as using skin tone mixes for teeth to avoid too stark a contrast.
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Cado Ezechiar
Golden Demon Entry – These videos show how to paint the vampire model, Cado Ezechiar, from Games Workshop.
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