How I Paint - Ossiarch Bone Reapers - Mortis Reaper
How to Paint Ossiarch Bonereapers - Mortis Reaper
New to painting Warhammer Miniatures → Start here: Warhammer Painting Made Simple
For other miniature painting guides → Faction Painting Hubs
The bone recipe in this method is a version of one I first used back in 1991, when I painted my first Undead army.
Paints Required:
Primers
- Desert Sand Spray
- Matt Black Spray
Base Paints
- Morghast Bone
- Abaddon Black
- Night Lords Blue
- Naggaroth Night
- Rhinox Hide
- Administratum Grey
- Iron Hands Steel
Washes
- Agrax Earthshade
- Cassandora Yellow
- Nuln Oil
- Coelia Greenshade
- Athonian Camoshade
- Druchii Violet
Layer Paints
- Karak Stone
- Tallarn Sand
- Screaming Skull
- Pallid Wych Flesh
- Kantor Blue
- Alaitoc Blue
- Xereus Purple
- Genestealer Purple
- Warpfiend Grey
- Ironbreaker
- Stormhost Silver
- Mournfang Brown
- Gorthor Brown
- Ulthuan Grey
- Dawnstone
- Warpstone Glow
- Moot Green
Technical
- Lahmian Medium
- Volupus Pink
Easily find the tools, paints and materials used in this guide →
Priming
The miniature was first primed with Desert Sand spray. This provides a warm base which works particularly well for building up bone tones.
Step 1 - Painting the Bone
All areas of bone were basecoated with two thin coats of Morghast Bone to achieve a smooth finish. The bone was then washed with a 3:2 mix of Agrax Earthshade and Cassandora Yellow, which adds warmth and depth to the recesses.
Once dry, the bone was drybrushed with Karak Stone to begin picking out the texture. On larger, flatter areas, I carefully applied thinned Karak Stone using Lahmian Medium to maintain a smooth finish and avoid chalkiness.
The highlights were then built up in stages. First, a 1:1 mix of Karak Stone and Screaming Skull was applied to the raised areas. This was followed by more refined highlights of Screaming Skull, and finally a 1:1 mix of Screaming Skull and Pallid Wych Flesh for the sharpest edges and details.
For a more step by step approach to bone, see my guide → Skeletons, Skulls and Bone
Step 2 -The Cloak
The cloak was given a basecoat of a 1:1 mix of Abaddon Black and Night Lords Blue. Two thin coats were applied to achieve a smooth, even finish.
Once dry, the cloak was highlighted with Night Lords Blue, leaving the basecoat only in the recesses. Further highlights were applied with Kantor Blue, followed by final highlights with Alaitoc Blue on the most raised areas.
Step 3 - The Armour
The armour was basecoated with a 1:1 mix of Naggaroth Night and Abaddon Black, creating a deep, rich purple tone. This was then washed with Nuln Oil to deepen the shadows.
The armour was edge highlighted with a 1:1 mix of Naggaroth Night and Xereus Purple, followed by more focused highlights of Xereus Purple on edges and corners. Final spot highlights were applied with a 1:1 mix of Xereus Purple and Warpfiend Grey to add definition to the sharpest points.
Step 4 - The Tabard
The tabard was basecoated with Naggaroth Night before being shaded with a 1:1 mix of Naggaroth Night and Abaddon Black, applied into the recesses.
Once dry, the base colour was reapplied to tidy the raised areas. Highlights were then built up using Xereus Purple, followed by final highlights of Genestealer Purple on the most prominent folds.
Step 5 - Armour Trim, Weapons and Leather
The weapon blades were basecoated with Abaddon Black, followed by Iron Hands Steel.
The leather was basecoated with Rhinox Hide, while the armour trim and weapon guards were painted with Administratum Grey.
These areas were washed with Nuln Oil, and the blade received a second wash of Coelia Greenshade to add colour variation. Once dry, the blade was highlighted with Ironbreaker, with final edge highlights of Stormhost Silver.
The armour trim was highlighted with Administratum Grey, followed by more selective highlights using a 1:1 mix of Administratum Grey and Ulthuan Grey.
The leather was highlighted with Mournfang Brown, then a 1:1 mix of Mournfang Brown and Gorthor Brown. The stitching was picked out with Karak Stone.
The soultrap gems were painted Abaddon Black, then edge highlighted with a simple star effect using Dawnstone.
The wrappings on the weapon handles were painted with Administratum Grey, then glazed with Volupus Pink, and finally shaded with a 1:1 mix of Druchii Violet and Lahmian Medium.
Step 6 - Final Details
The eyes were painted with Warpstone Glow, thinned with water, and lightly glazed into the surrounding bone to create a subtle glow. A final dot of Moot Green was added to the centre of the eyes.
Step 7 - The Base
The base was sprayed with Matt Black, then drybrushed with Mechanicus Standard Grey, followed by a lighter drybrush of Dawnstone.
The stone areas were washed with Athonian Camoshade, then drybrushed again with Dawnstone and finally Administratum Grey.
The dirt was painted with Steel Legion Drab, washed with Agrax Earthshade, and drybrushed with Tallarn Sand and Karak Stone.
Final Thoughts
This method focuses on creating strong contrast between bone, cloth, and armour, while keeping the overall palette cohesive. The combination of warm bone, rich purple armour, and deep blue cloth helps the miniature stand out while still fitting within the Ossiarch Bonereapers aesthetic.
Related Articles
For more painting guides → Start hereDiscussion
How do you paint your Ossiarch Bonereapers?
Do you prefer warmer bone tones or something more neutral?
Let me know in the comments.
Happy Hobbying!
Return to my home page.
Comments
Post a Comment