🎨 Complete Guide on How to Paint Orks for a Brutal Waaagh!

Getting your orks to look absolutely savage is easier than you might think. And here's the secret: it's not just about the brush — it's about proper miniature preparation. Put the time in at this stage and you'll guarantee the paint adheres properly, making your models look stunning on the tabletop. To make every scar and rivet pop, you need to start with high-quality 3D printer resin that captures every last detail.

How to Prepare Your Orks for a Flawless Finish

A great paint job starts long before you crack open the first pot of paint. In fact, this preparation stage is the most important step for achieving a professional, long-lasting finish. If you're like me and print your own orks in 3D, this step is even more critical. The final result depends entirely on how you treat the miniature straight off the printer.

Print quality comes down to the resin. To make every scar, rivet, and detail on that gloriously rough armour really stand out, you need to start with a high-definition resin. This type of material is designed to pull out incredibly fine details with outstanding precision, giving you the perfect canvas to paint on.

Cleaning and Curing Your Miniature

Right, your ork is off the printer. First things first — give it a thorough clean to remove any uncured liquid resin. If you use a water-washable resin, you'll save yourself a lot of hassle and fumes.

• Remove the supports: Using a pair of fine flush cutters, carefully remove the supports. Pro tip: do this before the final cure. The resin is slightly softer at this point, so you'll avoid leaving those ugly marks you'd otherwise have to sand out.
• Give it a good wash: Submerge it in isopropyl alcohol (IPA) or water, depending on your resin, and use an old soft toothbrush to scrub into all the nooks and crannies.
• Final cure: Once dry, expose it to UV light. You can use a curing station or, if the weather's playing ball, leave it out in the sun. Just don't overdo it — too long and the miniature will become brittle and fragile.

The order matters: clean, assemble, and prime last. This is the foundation for proper paint adhesion and a truly clean final result.

Assembly and Fixing Imperfections

If your ork comes in pieces, now's the time to put it together. Cyanoacrylate glue (good old Super Glue) works brilliantly for a fast, strong bond. Sometimes, from support removal or the printing process itself, you'll end up with small marks or gaps. Don't worry — it's an easy fix.

Veteran's tip: To fill small gaps, I use liquid putty like Vallejo Plastic Putty. There's also a handy DIY trick: a mix of cyanoacrylate and baking soda. Apply it carefully, let it dry, then give it a light pass with fine-grit sandpaper until the surface is perfectly smooth.

If you want to nail the printing process and get perfect models every time, take a look at our guide on how to print 3D miniatures. Now that your miniature is clean, assembled, and blemish-free, you're ready for the next big step: priming.

The foundation for believable orc skin color

Now that your orc is clean and ready to go, it's time for the real deal: priming. Don't skip this step. It's the foundation everything else is built on — the anchor that ensures your paint bonds properly and won't chip off at the first sign of trouble. On top of that, the color you choose for priming will completely dictate the final tone of your miniature.

Which primer should I use?

There's no single right answer — it all depends on the look you're going for. Here are my three go-to primers and when I reach for each one:

• Black primer: The classic, never-fail option — especially if you're just starting out. Black seeps into every crevice and creates natural shadows almost automatically. It forgives a lot of mistakes, and those hard-to-reach areas come out pre-shaded right from the start. A total win.
• Grey primer: My personal favorite for just about everything. It's the perfect middle ground. It doesn't deaden colors the way black does, but it gives you a neutral base where any shade — from bright yellow to deep blue — will work beautifully.
• Zenithal priming: This is a pro-level trick that delivers stunning results. First, prime the whole miniature in black. Then, using a white or light grey spray, apply a pass from directly above, as if sunlight were hitting it straight on. This creates a light-and-shadow map before you even pick up a brush — an incredible visual guide.

A good primer spray, like those from Vallejo, leaves a matte, slightly porous finish that's ideal for acrylic paints to grip onto. Remember: apply it from around 20–30 cm away in short bursts so you don't flood the detail.

The iconic orc green — and how to nail it

Now we're getting to the fun part! Let's bring that skin to life. Achieving a green tone that feels believable and has real depth is what will take your orc from a lump of plastic to a truly menacing beast.

It's no secret that Vallejo Game Color is king for this kind of work. Start by applying your base color. The key is to build up two thin coats rather than one thick one. Thin the paint down with a small drop of water on your palette so it flows more easily and doesn't obscure the muscle detail and wrinkles on the figure. If you want to go deeper on the topic, we have a full guide on how to use Vallejo Game Color to paint resin prints 🎨.

To keep things simple, here's a handy cheat sheet with color schemes that work brilliantly for me.

Recommended color schemes for orc skin

This table is a practical guide to Vallejo paint combinations for achieving different finishes on your orc skin. Get experimenting!

Don't feel tied to these recipes. They're a great starting point, but the real fun is in mixing and experimenting until you find the perfect tone for your warband.

Once your base coat is fully dry, it's time to add depth with shading and highlights — we'll cover that in the next section.

Shading and highlighting techniques to bring your miniature to life

Right, your ork has its base colours down. The model is painted, sure — but it's missing something. Right now it looks flat and lifeless, like a plain coloured silhouette. This is where the real magic of miniature painting begins: we're going to add volume, depth, and make every muscle, every armour rivet, and every fold of clothing pop.

This is the step that separates a miniature that's simply "coloured in" from one that looks ready to leap off its base. To get there, we'll rely on two key techniques: washes to create shadows, and drybrushing or edge highlighting to bring out the lights.

Washes for shadows and depth

A wash is simply a very, very thinned-down paint — almost like an ink — applied generously over the surface. The magic lies in capillary action: the wash flows on its own and pools naturally into all the recesses and crevices of the model. This creates natural-looking shadows incredibly quickly and effectively, making it perfect for defining an ork's musculature or the creases in a piece of cloth.

Personally, I'm a big fan of Vallejo's Xpress Color inks for this. While they're designed as speed paints — meant to lay down a base coat and shade in a single pass over a light primer — they also work brilliantly as a traditional wash over colours you've already applied.

The process is straightforward:

• Load your brush with ink — well saturated but not dripping. A medium-sized brush usually works perfectly.
• Apply the ink to the area, such as skin or clothing. Don't drag the brush like you're painting; simply let the ink flow and settle into the recesses.
• Control excess ink. If you notice a large pool forming on a flat surface, clean your brush, dampen it slightly, and use it to wick away the excess. This will prevent ugly tide marks once it dries.

A tip for orc skin: over a green base coat, a dark green ink like Vallejo 72.089 works brilliantly. But if you're after a grimier, more realistic finish, try a dark brown ink like 72.092. It gives a earthy, gritty look that suits these creatures perfectly.

Now, patience. Let the wash dry completely — we're talking at least 30–40 minutes. If you try to paint over it too soon, you'll only disturb the ink and ruin the effect.

Dry brushing to bring out textures

Dry brushing is your best friend for highlighting rough textures. Think leather, wood, fur, or rusted metal. It's an incredibly intuitive technique — fast to execute and stunning in its results.

Grab an old brush, one with stiff, splayed bristles that you no longer use for detail work. The process is straightforward:

1. Dip the tip of the brush into a small amount of paint (a lighter colour than your base).
2. Wipe off almost all of the paint on a piece of kitchen paper. Keep rubbing until the brush barely leaves a trace of pigment.
3. Sweep the brush quickly and lightly across the surface of the miniature.

You'll see how that minimal amount of paint catches only the raised edges and highest points, instantly creating a striking light and texture effect. It's a rough-and-ready technique, but incredibly effective.

Edge highlighting for a crisp, clean finish

If dry brushing is the quick-and-dirty technique, edge highlighting is the complete opposite: precision, control, and a clean finish. It involves painting a very fine line of a lighter colour directly along the edges and raised ridges of the miniature.

It's the perfect technique for defining blade edges on weapons, the rims of armour plates, or any mechanical component that needs to look sharp and well-defined.

For this, you'll need a fine brush (a size 0 or size 1) with a good point. Thin your paint slightly so it flows more smoothly, and here's the key trick — try using the side of the bristles rather than the tip to draw your lines. Sliding the side of the brush along an edge gives you far greater control and a finer line than you can achieve with the tip alone.

By combining these techniques, you'll see your orcs transform from flat figures into models with incredible depth and realism. Give it a go — the difference will blow you away!

Bring your orc to life with battle damage and weathering effects

The details are what truly tell your orc's story. Now let's get into those realistic finishing touches that take a miniature from a painted figure to a battle-hardened warrior with countless campaigns behind it. I'll show you how to create convincing rust on armour and weapons, using both specialist paints and pigments.

Rust and chipping for a battle-hardened look

Let's be honest — no self-respecting ork walks around in spotless armour. Rust and paint chipping are relatively simple effects that can completely transform any metallic piece.

To simulate rust, you've got several tricks up your sleeve:

• Effect paints: Products like Dry Rust from the Vallejo Effects range are an absolute game-changer. It's a thick paint that, when dabbed with an old brush into recesses or around rivets, creates a convincingly natural corrosion effect.
• Washes: A simple wash in orange or reddish-brown tones over bare metal is already enough to suggest early-stage rust that looks totally believable. Don't worry about applying it perfectly — the irregularity is your friend.
• Pigments: If you're after rust with real texture, pigments are the way to go. Mix a little rust-coloured pigment with water or a dedicated pigment binder and apply it with a brush. Once dry, it leaves that dusty, realistic finish we all love.

Getting a chipping effect is almost child's play. Grab a small piece of blister foam with some tweezers, dab it into a dark brown or black, and offload almost all the paint onto a piece of paper. Then gently stipple it along the edges of the armour. Repeat the process with a metallic colour, but this time use even less paint and focus it directly over the dark marks. Voilà — the paint will look like it's been chipped away by battle damage.

Blood, mud and grime everywhere

No ork comes out of a good fight clean. Adding a bit of dirt or blood brings real drama and narrative to your miniature.

For blood, avoid pure, bright red — it looks far too artificial. Coagulated blood is much darker. Citadel's Blood for the Blood God is a classic for a reason: its glossy finish and tone are spot on. For splatter effects, take a stiff-bristled brush, pull the bristles back with a cocktail stick, and flick them sharply towards the mini.

A word of warning about blood! Here, less is definitely more. A few well-placed spatters on the edge of an axe or across a fist are infinitely more effective than drenching the entire model. The goal is to suggest violence, not recreate a massacre.

For mud, nothing beats texture pastes. Vallejo's range, including European Mud, is fantastic. You can apply it directly to boots, the lower legs, or a shield. It'll not only make your ork look like it's just stomped across a battlefield, but it'll also tie the model in perfectly with the basing we'll cover shortly. With these details in place, your ork painting skills will genuinely level up.

The finishing touches: thematic bases and varnishing

A spectacular miniature isn't truly complete until it has a base that roots it in its world. Think about it — the base isn't just a stand, it's a tiny scene that tells your ork's story. Is it trampling through a muddy battlefield, standing on the metal deck of a trukk, or striding through the ruins of an Imperial city? You write the script!

Creating Thematic Bases That Tell a Story

Building a base that looks amazing is much easier than you think. Vallejo texture pastes, for example, are fantastic for creating dirt, sand, or asphalt surfaces in just minutes. Simply apply the paste with a palette knife, let it dry, and work it up with a base coat, a good ink wash, and some drybrushing to make the details pop. Pure magic!

For an extra layer of realism, you can rely on some tried-and-true classics:

• Static Grass: Perfect for simulating grass. Dab on some PVA glue, sprinkle it over the top, and you're done.
• Cork: Break up pieces of cork to create rocks or rubble. A cheap trick with seriously impressive results.
• Plastic or Metal Scraps: Don't throw away your sprue leftovers. Those little bits of plastic or some wire are perfect for simulating scrap metal and nailing that authentic Orky look.

If you want to dive deeper into this, we have a complete guide on our blog about how to create a desert terrain base with Vallejo Diorama FX that's packed with ideas to keep you busy.

Varnish: The Protective Shield for Your Work

You've spent hours working on your miniature. Now comes the final step, and trust me, it's one of the most important: protecting it. Varnish is that invisible shield that defends your paintwork from fingerprints, knocks on the gaming table, and the simple passage of time. Skipping it is the classic beginner's mistake that always ends in regret.

Bear in mind that not all varnishes are the same. The finish you choose is crucial and can completely change the look of your mini:

• Matte Varnish: Your best friend for skin, clothing, and wood. It eliminates any shine and leaves a natural, highly realistic finish.
• Satin Varnish: The perfect middle ground. Great for leather armour or metals that you don't want looking either flat or like a mirror ball.
• Gloss Varnish: Save it for very specific details like gems, puddles, fresh blood, or wet-looking parts that need that glossy, wet effect.

The rise of 3D printing has driven huge interest in the hobby, and more and more people are valuing quality in their projects — from the resin they print with to that final varnish that protects everything. If you're interested in the topic, you can learn more about 3D printing market trends here.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Painting Orks

Even the most seasoned painter has questions in the middle of a project. That's completely normal! Here are the answers to those typical questions we all ask ourselves when painting Orks, drawn straight from real workshop experience. Straight to the point, so you can push through any stumbling block and keep your WAAAGH! going strong.

Do I Need Lots of Brushes to Get Started?

Not at all! Don't go overboard buying everything in sight. To get started, three brushes is all you need:

• A medium brush (size 2) for base coating — this will be your workhorse.
• A fine brush (size 0 or 1) for those details that really make a difference.
• An old, beat-up brush you don't mind ruining for drybrushing.

Brands like Artis Opus and Vallejo offer great ranges for every budget. The brand matters less than how well you look after them — clean your brushes thoroughly after every session.

I've made a mess! How do I fix paint where it shouldn't be?

Don't panic — it happens to everyone. If the paint is still wet, a clean, damp brush (not soaking!) is your best friend. Gently dab or sweep it over the mistake to lift it away.

If it's already dried, the simplest and cleanest fix is to paint over it with the original base colour. Let it dry fully, then redo that area from scratch. Trying to scrape off dried paint almost always ends badly — you risk stripping the layers underneath and creating a bigger problem than you started with.

How long should I wait between coats?

Patience is a painter's greatest virtue. Acrylic paints, like those from Vallejo, are typically dry to the touch in 5 to 15 minutes, depending on humidity and how thinned down the paint is.

That said, here's a golden rule: if you're applying a wash or ink over the top, give it longer. Wait at least 30 minutes. This ensures the layer underneath is fully cured and won't reactivate, blending with your wash and ruining the effect. If you're in a hurry, a hairdryer on a low heat setting held at a safe distance can speed things up — just be careful not to warp the plastic.

Airbrush or brush? Which is better for painting my Orks?

The right answer is: why choose? Combining both is what will give you the best results and save you the most time.

An airbrush is fantastic for priming and laying down base colours quickly and evenly, especially when you're painting a whole horde at once. It leaves a perfectly smooth finish to build on.

But a brush is irreplaceable. For details, edge highlights, deeper shadows, and ultimately giving your miniature real character and life, nothing beats a good brush. Most painters working at a high level use the airbrush for the heavy lifting and the brush for the fine art.

Conclusion

To sum it up, painting Orks is a rewarding process that goes far beyond slapping on a coat of green. From prep and priming, through base coats, shading and highlights, to weathering effects and a well-finished base, every step is a chance to improve your skills and tell a story.

Now it's your turn to pick up your brushes and put these techniques into practice. Remember — the key is to experiment and enjoy the process. If you need supplies for your next project, head over to the shop.

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✨ Happy Printing! 🚀