How to make Uruk-Hai warriors more visually interesting?

Halin · **Joined:** Tue Oct 18, 2016 5:41 pm **Posts:** 19

I'm currently tinkering with a dirt cheap Uruk army I got. Admittedly there are a lot of things to do, but it's basically an 800 point army for almost nothing.

Right now this problem still lies far ahead in the future but I really don't like the style of most Uruk armies I see.

Dark red skin, dark metallic armor, if someone got creative a tint of brown on the cloth. And always quite dark, where details seem to get obstructed almost.

First off, I'm not a huge fan of reds, yellows and oranges. Therefore I wanted to pain their skin Mournfang brown. It's a pretty natural looking skin tone for Uruk-Hais/Orks I imagine. The armor was supposed to be Lead Belcher but I'm worried that it's just too dark again.

I was even playing with the idea to go with a completely different skin tone, like Goblin Green or a sickly tone of yellow but I think that might just look stupid in the end.

Do you have any ideas on how to get a bit more creative on Uruk-Hais? Or any interesting pictures of painted armies?

(This post was not approved by :merry:

and

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jdizzy001 · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2016 12:35 pm

You can keep the original colour scheme just utilize highlights

TheEggman · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2016 1:49 pm

Add some complexity to the steel armour. Basecoating the entire Uruk with a dark brown before highlighting the skin with red brown and drybrushing the armour with a medium silver makes for a unified colour scheme with plenty of depth and variation on the model. If you like them darker, you can do a wash or filter on the armour afterwards with a brown or black shade. You can also add several different shades to the brown leather straps and loincloths - a proposition made much more efficient if you are batch-painting.

Some people - ie those with loads of patience - will also paint white hands on their Uruks' armour in different locations for some variety. This adds loads of visual interest, but of course the time investment is commensurate.

Happy painting!

Coenus Scaldingus · **Joined:** Sat Aug 17, 2013 9:14 am **Posts:** 1121

Some or perhaps all of the plate armour pieces could be painted as if they were leather, although I wouldn't dare make it too light a colour. The main metal alternative (bronze) would certainly look different, but no doubt fairly odd too. There is nothing stopping you from giving them brighter armour than typically seen of course. Adding variation using rust or indeed painted on white hands could also do the trick.

As they have some relatively large amounts of flesh showing, any very bright colours are risky - reddish browns or maybe dark blues/blue-greys look fine however.

The pieces of cloth could of course be done in any colour; I reckon a beige/off-white could work nicely (ties in with the white hand and Saruman's robes too).

Halin · **Joined:** Tue Oct 18, 2016 5:41 pm **Posts:** 19

First of all, thank you for your answers.

I'm afraid tho that only Coenus caught the essence of my question.

Any variation of red/brown with any tone of silver/metal with the usual white hands is a very standard way of painting Uruk-Hais to me. I might eventually go with this (non risky, tried and tested and thematic to the movies), but I wanted to think about some more unusual ways of painting them.

For example using Balthasar Gold for the armour and Goblin Green for skin (I basically picked two random GW colours here... this combination looks horrendous in my imagination.).

But it's rather hard to picture how this might look so I was hoping to find someone who went a bit crazy with his Uruks and see how they turned out. Good or bad, it would have been something tangible to work with.

I didn't want to go that crazy with my scheme tho. Lilac, blue or orange would look rather unnatural even for orcs I guess.

Reading the last comment I had the idea of going the "Azog-route" maybe. Make their skin a light gray (Ulthuan Gray for example) and then take something like Lead Belcher to create a strong contrast.

What would be your thoughts on that?

Dead Marsh Spectre · **Posted:** Sat Oct 22, 2016 10:09 am

The thing with Orcs and Uruks is there is no right way or wrong way to paint them and what you will often find is the craziest colours actually work ok.

Nothing wrong with Lilac , blue and orange orcs lol

GreatKhanArtist · **Posted:** Sat Oct 22, 2016 2:55 pm

I really like blue-grey skin tones, especially with brown to contrast. DMS's last photo illustrates what this looks like, but the old Mordor Uruk-hai are traditionally this color. I'm toying with doing a unit or two in this color.

Mine aren't red-skinned, they're quite tan. They could probably pass for humans, actually. Their armour is based off the old tin bitz, which has no real GW equivalent in the new line, but is available as a knock-off from other manufacturers. I thinned white paint and painted troll-sized hands on their shields. Somehow, it makes the armour lighter in colour.

Dead Marsh Spectre · **Posted:** Sat Oct 22, 2016 3:44 pm

I've just written a quick guide to the weird and wonderful world of orc skin tones if thats of any use. S&F ORC SKIN TONES

Halin · **Joined:** Tue Oct 18, 2016 5:41 pm **Posts:** 19

Thanks a bunch for posting this pictures and your guide. It really helps a lot to get some ideas on how it might look.

I agree with you on the lilac and orange tones, they really do come out nice.

Tho I'm honestly still not sold on the blueish-grey. The one with the bow (pretty far down in he list) who's more grey than blueish is more to my liking. I guess that's very much down to my personal preference tho.

Dead Marsh Spectre · **Posted:** Sat Oct 22, 2016 7:04 pm

@Halin - thats exactly right buddy. Its all down to personal preference and there is literally no right or wrong way to paint them.

P.s - i like the blue bowman to :-)

Nevinsrip · **Posted:** Sun Oct 23, 2016 8:10 am

Kev, All of those are ridiculous. How did you get so good at this?
Do you have art training or did you just pick it up.
I may be mistaken, but I seem to recall that the LOTR figures were you first painting attempts. Is that true?
Your skill in blending colors is amazing. Everything just flows.
Can you tell that I'm a big fan?

Dead Marsh Spectre · **Posted:** Sun Oct 23, 2016 1:13 pm

Haha I'm not that good but thanks for the kind words.
Yes I started painting in 2001 with the release of the Lord of the rings range. I have never been good at art lol, in fact I'd say my drawing etc is surpassed by my 6 year old daughter.
Practice seems to work well. Love of the lotr is what motivates me to improve.
Really nice to hear that you like my work

generalripphook · **Joined:** Sat Apr 02, 2011 2:02 am **Posts:** 127

Maybe go for lots of weathering? Really rusty, really blood splattered or something? You could model lots of armor damage, dents, arrows in shields and wounded Uraks

How to make Uruk-Hai warriors more visually interesting?

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