How to paint Livor Mortis/Post-mortem skin discoloration? (Possibly disturbing picture)

[Werner von Urslingen]

Hi, guys!

While finishing my first unit of Skeletal Warriors, I have thought about how I wanted to paint their newly bought (and dead) zombie-colleagues. I want to take a step away from the typical shades of green and was first planning to use "normal" skin tones - giving the impression of being only recently diseased.

However, after some thought I figured that approach risked being somewhat dull. In order to give them more character I'm contemplating trying to paint them in a way that represents the onset of Livor Mortis - that is, the reddish-purple discoloration in a dead body as the bloody stops flowing.

Here's a picture from Wikipedia, for use as a reference:

What would you guys do to try and achieve this effect, or something similar? Washes? A purple base-color? Something different? Do you perhaps have any other idea for a good semi-realistic skin-coloration for zombies, is green still the way to go or do you have a different idea altogether?

All thoughts and ideas are more than welcome. Thanks in advance!

Cheers!

/Werner

 

[Adam_Barrow]

I'd definitely start with grape flavored base coat. That was the idea with my Zombo skin, though I did take mine up with green. It shows a little better on my Zombogres. Bigger surface area and all that.

 

[Duke Danse Macabre]

The issue is here do we start with a strong purple and build up with thin layers or start pale and build up with patchy washing.
Personally I think the latetr will be the better option, the effect won't be quite as good but it will be a damn sight quicker and as these are zombies you will need to paint hundreds of the bloody things.

 

[Abbysal]

Purple base and drybrush or layer (depending on the time you want to invest) the palid flesh on. It's actually a very nice idea as not only is it a more realistic colour scheme but you can change the position of the discolouration on the body telling a mini narrative with each zombie painted, pooling the discolouration to which ever part of the body the person was lying on before they were reanimated.