Half-orcs advice

[Justin Buck]

I have some Mantic Orcs that I'm going to use as half-orcs.  I already have some orcs painted in non-green skin tones and I don't want to paint their skin in the same tone as my orcs. 


I was wondering what color people thinks half-orc skin should be.  Maybe like I paint my humans but with a greenish or some other color tint.  I'm planing on using them as a mercenary band offering their services to the highest bidder.   
Thanks,

Justin

[beefcake]

Well it would make sense to go half way between a human skin tone and the reddish hue you have.
If you are going for a complete other colour though I think grey works really well. A light grey could make them look sickly, kind of what you would expect from something running along side orcs.

[Hobgoblin]

I agree with what beefcake said - and of course that "half way" could go in various directions, depending on the skin tones of the local human population.

Tolkien's half-orcs were "sallow", if that helps.

One point I'd make about the Mantic orcs is that they're not especially human in their anatomy - hunched shoulders, jutting heads and hugely thick arms and legs. So I'd be tempted to paint them in a variety of completely human skin tones and let the orcish anatomy do the rest. Giving them more human eyes might also help distinguish them.

[Hobby Services]

I wonder if maybe giving them mottled skin with big, unsightly "birthmarks" here and there might work?

[Hobgoblin]

That's a great idea. Someone - I can't remember who - on this forum (I think) did some orcs with blotched skin (reddish and 'European', I think), and it looked great.

[beefcake]

If you went in that direction I'd be tempted to make some growths in GS on them and paint them the orcish colour.

[Justin Buck]

Some really great ideas here.  I like the idea of "human" skin with some blotches.  I'll get some pics up soon.

Thanks again,
Justin