Thrall Painting Guide

Phase 1: Preparation & Base Coating

  1. Prime: Apply a smooth, thin coat of Black Primer. This is essential for the deep shadows in the muscle crevices and the dark gaps in the armor.
  2. Skin Base: Apply a solid coat of Dark Green to all exposed skin. Don’t worry about the recesses; let the black primer stay deep in the cracks.
  3. Armor Base: Paint the large plates with Dark Sea Blue.
  4. Metals & Leather: * Base the Doomhammer with Steel.
    • Base the leather straps and braids with Cam. Black Brown.
    • Base the boots and hammer handle with Chocolate Brown.

Phase 2: Fleshing out the Warchief (The Skin)

The skin is the focal point. We want to emphasize Thrall’s massive physique.

  1. Mid-tone: Apply Camouflage Green over the raised muscle groups, leaving the Dark Green visible in the deep shadows.
  2. Highlight: Mix a tiny amount of Ivory into your Camouflage Green. Apply this to the highest points—the tops of the shoulders, the ridges of the abs, and the brow of the face.
  3. Details: Use Ivory for the tusks and teeth. Use a tiny dot of Flat Red for the eyes to give him that “blood haze” look.

Phase 3: The Armor of Doomhammer

The goal here is a “cold” dark metal look.

  1. Trim: Carefully paint all the raised borders and rivets of the armor with Brass.
  2. Armor Depth: Use Black Grey to create a transition between the Dark Sea Blue plates and the black recesses.
  3. Weathering: Take Silver RLM 01 and “edge highlight” the sharpest corners of the armor and the hammer. Use a sponge or a fine brush to add tiny scratches to the Steel areas of the hammer to show it’s been through battle.

Phase 4: Textures & Effects (Fur, Leather, Glow)

  1. The Fur: Since you have Black Grey and Ivory, mix them to create a mid-grey. Drybrush this over the fur mantle, then do a final light drybrush of pure Ivory on the tips.
  2. Leathers: Highlight the Chocolate Brown boots and Black Brown straps with Flat Earth. Focus on the edges where the leather would rub and wear down.
  3. The Hammer Glow: * Paint the runes inside the hammer with Ivory first (this makes the blue “pop”).
    • Thin down Electric Blue with a lot of water (a glaze) and let it flow into the runes.
    • Wipe away any excess that gets on the surface of the hammer.

Phase 5: The Base

  1. The Horde Banner: Paint the banners draped on the base with Flat Red. Highlight the edges with a mix of Flat Red and Flat Earth for a weathered, fabric look.
  2. Rock & Dirt: Use Black Grey for the rocks, drybrushing up with Ivory. Use Flat Earth for the dirt patches between the rocks.

Pro-Tip: The “Wicked” Finish

To get that professional “satin” look seen in the photo, once you are finished painting, you can apply a matte varnish to the skin and cloth, but a gloss or satin varnish specifically to the Dark Sea Blue armor plates and the Steel hammer head. This contrast in finishes makes the materials look real!