How to paint Gnoblar flesh

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How to Paint Gnoblar Skin – Grey-Green Flesh Tutorial for Warhammer Gnoblars

I have always been a fan of classic paint schemes. When the Ogres Kingdoms were first released, way back in 2005, the Ogre's diminutive helpers, the Gnoblars had a distinctive grey-green flesh tone that set them apart from the more traditional Goblins. I knew I wanted to recreate this look when I painted Hrothgorn's Mantrappers for Season 3 of Warhammer Underworlds. I later used the same scheme for Blackpowder's Buccaneers.

More recently, I have been using this recipe for my Blood Bowl Gnoblars. It doesn't really matter what game they're part of, they're still Gnoblars.

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Paints required:

  • Matt Black Spray (Colour Forge)
  • Standard Grey Spray (Colour Forge)
  • Stormvermin Fur
  • Athonian Camoshade
  • Dawnstone
  • Adminstratum Grey
  • Lahmian Medium
  • Kislev Flesh
  • Cadian Fleshtone
  • Evil Suns Scarlet
  • Black Templar
  • Pallid Wych Flesh
  • Caliban Green
  • Screaming Skull
  • Xerus Purple

Undercoat

I started by undercoating the miniature with Matt Black spray and then I gave the a light spray basecoat of Standard Grey. If you prefer, this stage can be completed with a brush instead.

I now use Colour Forge spray paints rather than Warhammer/Citadel. Primarily, because the cans are larger but also, I found the coverage to be very good. If you would like to try them, click on the link below.

Easily find the tools, paints and materials used in this guide →

Painting the Grey-Green Flesh

The skin was first given a basecoat with Stormvermin Fur. I made sure to make this coat solid and smooth. To achieve this, I used the standard two thin coats may be required to achieve an even finish.


The flesh was then washed with Athonian Camoshade . This wash provides both shading and provides the green tint that gives the skin its distinctive appearance. However, be careful not to allow the wash to pool in unwanted areas and remove any excess with a damp brush.

Then the mouth and eye sockets were carefully painted with Black Templar.

Next, the flesh was layered with thinned Dawnstone , leaving the Athonian Camoshade visible only in the recesses. At this point the contrast between the green and the green can look a little stark, but don't worry as the later stages will bring everything together.

The raised areas were then highlighted with thinned Administratum Grey. Be careful to apply these highlights sparingly and focus on the most prominent areas of the miniature.

Why did I use Lahmain Medium rather than water to thin my paint?
I thinned both of these paints using Lahmian Medium rather than water. Lahmian Medium contains an acrylic binder that helps prevent the paint from becoming chalky or separating as it dries, which is something that can happen if too much water is used.


Once the highlights were complete, the flesh was given a thin, even coat of Kroak Green. Think of this as a thin paint rather than a shade. This ties the colours together and restores the green hue to the skin. As before, avoid allowing the shade paint to pool.



Adding Some Life to the Flesh

Gnoblar are quite comedic, if tragic little characters. Next, I used some warm colours to a add some character to their faces and give them a more organic appearance.

The nose and ears were highlighted with thinned Kislev Flesh , concentrating on the tips.

Cadian Fleshtone was then applied to the very ends of the nose and ears, leaving some of the Kislev Flesh visible beneath.

Finally, the extreme tips of the nose and ears were painted with a mix of Cadian Fleshtone and a small amount of Evil Suns Scarlet.

These small additions of red help bring the miniature to life and add a surprising amount of character to the face.

Finishing Details

The eyes themselves were painted with Pallid Wych Flesh, followed by a small dot of Caliban Green for the iris.

The tongue was painted with a 1:1 mix of Xereus Purple and Khorne Red.

The teeth were picked out using Screaming Skull.

Once the teeth were finished, the lower lip was given a glaze of heavily thinned Xereus Purple. I also apply this glaze lightly to the knuckles and toes, although it needs to be very thin so it doesn't obscure any details.

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Final Thoughts

This grey-green Gnoblar skin recipe is heavily inspired by the classic 2005 Ogre Kingdoms artwork and miniatures. It's a simple scheme, but one that produces distinctive-looking Gnoblars that stand apart from standard Goblins while still feeling right at home alongside an Ogre army.

Whether you're painting Blood Bowl Gnoblars, Warhammer Underworlds warbands or Ogor Mawtribes miniatures this recipe provides a characterful and nostalgic alternative to traditional green skin.

If you’re enjoying the content, feel free to follow the blog, it really helps and keeps you updated with new tutorials.

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