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How to Paint Orks — Step by Step Guide

Introduction

Orks are one of the most rewarding armies to paint in Warhammer 40,000. Their rough, scrappy aesthetic means you do not need to worry about perfect brushwork — in fact, messy painting often looks better on these savage greenskins. This guide covers the classic Ork colour scheme step by step, from green skin to rusty armour to colourful clan markings.

Whether you need to batch paint 90 Boyz for a Green Tide list or carefully detail a Warboss, this tutorial has you covered. We include a full paint list, speed painting tips for large hordes, and advice on painting different clan colours.

If you are looking for ways to get through a large Ork army quickly, also check out our speed painting guide.

Paints You Will Need

Step 1 — Priming

For the classic Ork scheme, prime your models with Chaos Black spray. Black primer works well for Orks because it provides natural shadow in any recesses you miss during painting, which suits their grimy look.

Alternatively, if you plan to use Contrast paints for speed painting, prime with Wraithbone spray instead. Contrast paints need a light undercoat to work properly.

Spray in short, even bursts from about 20 cm away. Rotate the model to ensure all angles are covered, including the undersides of arms and between legs.

Step 2 — Painting Ork Skin

Ork skin is the signature feature of the army, and getting it right sets the tone for the whole model. Here is the process:

1. Basecoat: Apply Waaagh! Flesh over all exposed skin areas. This is a dark, muted green. Apply two thin coats for smooth, even coverage. On a black-primed model, you may need a third coat on raised areas.
2. Wash: Apply Biel-Tan Green shade over all skin. This green wash deepens the recesses while keeping the skin tone cohesive. Let it pool in muscle definition, knuckle creases, and around the face.
3. Layer: Once the wash is fully dry, apply Warpstone Glow to the raised areas of the skin — muscles, knuckles, brow ridges, cheekbones, and the tops of fingers. Leave Waaagh! Flesh and the wash visible in the recesses.
4. Highlight: Apply Skarsnik Green as a fine highlight on the most prominent points — the tip of the nose, tops of the ears, knuckle peaks, and the highest points of muscles. Keep these highlights thin and precise.

The result should be a vibrant green that reads clearly from tabletop distance while having enough depth to look good up close.

Step 3 — Armour and Metals

Ork armour is salvaged, dented, and rusty. This works in your favour because it should look rough:

1. Basecoat: Paint all metal areas with Leadbelcher. This includes armour plates, shootas, choppas, belt buckles, and any vehicle parts.
2. Wash: Apply Agrax Earthshade over the metals for a dirty, used look. For a darker, more industrial feel on weapons, use Nuln Oil instead.
3. Highlight: Drybrush or edge highlight with Ironbreaker on the sharpest edges and most prominent rivets.
4. Rust: Apply Typhus Corrosion in patches, focusing on joints, lower edges, and areas that would naturally corrode. Drybrush Ryza Rust over the top for a bright orange rust finish.

Step 4 — Leather and Cloth

Orks wear a lot of leather straps, loincloths, and rough fabric. Paint these to break up the green and metal:

• Leather straps: Base with Mournfang Brown, wash with Agrax Earthshade, layer with Skrag Brown.
• Dark leather (boots, gloves): Base with Rhinox Hide, wash with Nuln Oil, highlight with Mournfang Brown.
• Cloth: Use whatever clan colour you prefer (see clan section below), wash with the appropriate shade, and highlight by mixing the base colour with white.

Step 5 — Teeth, Bones, and Details

Orks have prominent teeth and often decorate themselves with bones and trophies:

• Teeth: Base with Zandri Dust, wash with Agrax Earthshade, highlight with Ushabti Bone. For a nastier look, only highlight the tips of the teeth.
• Eyes: A simple dot of Mephiston Red works well for Ork eyes. If you want to go further, add a tiny dot of Evil Sunz Scarlet as a highlight.
• Nails: Paint with Abaddon Black or Rhinox Hide for dirty, thick nails.

Step 6 — Clan Markings and Colours

Ork clans each have a signature colour. Choose one and apply it to armour plates, banners, and vehicle panels:

• Goffs: Black and white checks. Paint panels Abaddon Black with white checks using Corax White. The most ‘ard and killy of all clans.
• Evil Sunz: Bright red. Use Mephiston Red, wash with Nuln Oil, layer with Evil Sunz Scarlet. Red ones go faster.
• Bad Moons: Rich yellow. Base with Averland Sunset, wash with Casandora Yellow, layer with Flash Gitz Yellow. The richest clan.
• Deathskulls: Blue with lucky totems. Use Macragge Blue, wash with Drakenhof Nightshade, highlight with Calgar Blue. Known for looting everything.
• Blood Axes: Military green and camo patterns. Use Castellan Green with Loren Forest and Zandri Dust camo stripes. The most cunning clan.
• Snakebites: Brown and animal hides. Heavy use of Mournfang Brown and Steel Legion Drab. The most traditional Orks.

Speed Painting Orks — Batch Painting Tips

Ork armies are often large, and painting 60+ Boyz individually is a recipe for burnout. Here is how to speed paint them:

1. Batch paint in groups of 10. Assemble 10 Boyz, prime them, and work through each colour on all 10 before moving to the next step.
2. Use Contrast paints. Over a Wraithbone primer, Ork Flesh Contrast paint produces a solid green skin in a single coat. Pair with Wyldwood for leather and Black Templar for weapons.
3. Drybrush metals. Instead of carefully painting Leadbelcher on each bit of armour, drybrush it over the whole model after doing the skin. Clean up any overspill on the skin with Waaagh! Flesh.
4. Skip highlights on rank and file. A base coat and wash looks perfectly good at arm’s length. Save detailed highlighting for characters and bosses.
5. Assembly line basing. Texture paint all bases at once, wash them as a batch, then drybrush as a batch.

Using these methods, you can complete a squad of 10 Boyz in about two hours — a massive improvement over painting each one individually.

Basing Orks

Ork bases should reflect their scrappy, ramshackle nature:

• Desert waste: Agrellan Earth for cracked ground, drybrush with Tyrant Skull. Add tufts of dead grass.
• Muddy battlefield: Stirland Mud, wash with Agrax, drybrush with Karak Stone.
• Scrapyard: Add bits of sprue or plastic off-cuts to represent scrap metal. Paint Leadbelcher, wash, and rust them.

Alternative Ork Colour Schemes

• Feral Orks: Darker, more muted green skin with more bone and leather decoration. Use Castellan Green instead of Waaagh! Flesh for a primal look.
• Snow Orks: Standard painting with a winter basing scheme. Add snow flock and icicle effects to choppas. Give the Boyz fur cloaks painted in greys and whites.
• Freebooterz: Pirate-themed Orks with lots of bling. Extra gold (Retributor Armour), bright colours, and tricorne hats. Great for a characterful force.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the easiest way to paint Ork skin?

The fastest method is to prime with Wraithbone and apply a single coat of Ork Flesh Contrast paint. For a slightly better result, basecoat Waaagh! Flesh, wash with Biel-Tan Green, and layer with Warpstone Glow.

How do I paint a large Ork horde without burning out?

Batch paint in groups of 10, use the assembly line method (one colour at a time across all models), and set yourself a goal of one squad per week. Reward yourself with a character model after every 20 Boyz.

Should I paint Ork skin before or after assembly?

For standard Boyz, paint fully assembled. The only exception is models with arms directly in front of the face — consider leaving those arms off until the face is painted.

What primer colour is best for Orks?

Black primer is best for traditional painting because it provides natural shadow. Wraithbone is better if you plan to use Contrast paints. Grey works as a versatile middle ground.

How do I paint checks on Ork armour?

Start with a white panel. Draw horizontal lines with a fine brush and thinned black paint, then vertical lines to create a grid. Fill in alternate squares. Do not worry about perfection — wobbly checks look more Orky.

Do I need to highlight every Ork Boy?

No. For rank-and-file Boyz, a basecoat, wash, and single layer is plenty. Save detailed highlights for Nobz, characters, and anything that will be looked at closely.

Want to learn more about fielding Orks on the tabletop? Read our full Orks army guide for army rules, faction abilities, and competitive list building.

Are Orks hard to paint?

No. Orks are one of the most forgiving armies to paint because their scrappy, ramshackle look hides wobbly lines and rough brushwork. A basecoat, a wash and a single layer on the skin looks great on the tabletop, and rust, dirt and battle damage only add character. The main challenge is volume, which batch painting handles.

How long does it take to paint an Ork Boy?

About 12 minutes per model when batch painting. Using the speed methods in this guide (Contrast skin, drybrushed metals, no highlights on rank and file and assembly-line basing) you can finish a squad of 10 Boyz in roughly two hours. Characters and Nobz take longer if you give them full highlights and extra detail.

Can I use this guide to paint Black Orcs or Orruks?

Yes. The skin recipe of Waaagh! Flesh, Biel-Tan Green, Warpstone Glow and Skarsnik Green works on any greenskin, including Age of Sigmar Orruks and Old World Orcs. Black Orcs wear heavy black armour, so swap the bare Leadbelcher plates for Abaddon Black edged with a dark grey, or a dark metal washed with Nuln Oil.

Related Content

• Orks Army Guide — full army overview for Orks
• Warhammer Painting for Beginners — start painting with confidence
• Best Paints for Warhammer — our top paint recommendations

Ork Clan Colour Variations

Each Ork clan has its own distinctive colour scheme that reflects its culture and battlefield preferences. The Goffs favour black armour and dark leather, creating a menacing, no-nonsense appearance that reflects their reputation as the hardest and most brutal of all Ork clans. Painting Goff Orks is straightforward — a black basecoat with dark grey edge highlights, combined with metallic details and red spot colours for a striking contrast.

The Evil Sunz are obsessed with speed and paint their vehicles and armour bright red, believing firmly that red ones go faster. A bold red scheme with flame designs and yellow or black racing stripes captures their reckless energy perfectly. Bad Moons are the wealthiest clan, flaunting their riches with yellow armour, gold teeth, and ostentatious decorations — a challenging but rewarding scheme that stands out brilliantly on the tabletop. The Deathskulls are superstitious looters who favour blue as their lucky colour, painting their armour and skin with blue warpaint and adorning themselves with stolen trophies from every faction they defeat. A blue-heavy scheme with eclectic looted equipment details makes Deathskulls armies wonderfully characterful and gives painters an excuse to incorporate elements from across the entire Warhammer range.