How to paint blonde hair?

[vodkafan]

I had a quick search but couldn't find anything about this. Looking for tips. I should say that I paint from a black undercoat and don't use washes, I am looking for a 3 colour solution going lighter every time. Anybody else paint that way who can help?

[StreetBushido]

I'd say that it depends on the kind of blond hair you're after.

Generally I'd go with a khaki-esque brown as a base, or possibly something darker if working from a black basecoat. After that I'd go with something like Bone White/a creamy off-white. As a final highlight I'd go with a hit of the cream colour mixed with a touch of white.

Depending on what you're after you may want to carefully add some yellow to the base mix, but I think it needs to be done with a gentle hand as it can easily turn a bit cartoonish.

It's been a while since I painted blonde hair myself, so I can't give you an exact recipe.

What paints are you using?

[vodkafan]

Thanks StreetBushido. I use a mixture of GW and Humbrol acrylics as that is what is locally available. After I posted this thread I belatedly remembered YouTube and found some tutorials on there with a range of techniques. I will have to have a practice and see what works best on some scrap minis first. I wanted quite a light platinum blonde for the mini I had in mind to paint.

[Dags]

Old GW Snakebite Leather and just slowly add white. Final highlight of pure white

[Orctrader]

Snakebite or similar.  I use sometimes "Beasty Brown" or whatever Vallejo call it.

Anyway, forget the names.  A light brown on a black undercoat works fine.  Then add "Bone" white, then keep adding, or as Dags says, white.

[ErikB]

I've had good results with this combination:
1) Snakebite Leather
2) Bleached Bone
3) White

and, for strawberry blonde (accidentally discovered):
1) Orange
2) Bleached Bone
3) Wash with sepia
4) Light drybrush with Bleached Bone, just enough so it looks like paint, not wash, is the top layer
5) Faint dusting with white if you want, but not necessary

[Keith]

sometimes I use Vallejo English Uniform as a base, mix with Iraqui Sand as a middle tone, and mix Iraqui Sand with Ivory or Pale Sand as a highlight. Gives a subdued straw colour.

[bandit86]

Reaper has a blonde hair triad that I found works well.

[vodkafan]

Wow all good replies thanks guys. And all much better than I found on YouTube.

[FramFramson]

I've added a tiny bit of an off-green to my base colour as well, for that extra bottle-platinum look, if that's what you want.

[Too Bo Coo]

I use the Reaper triad, works great

[Chairface]

Reaper has a blonde hair triad that I found works well.

 I second this!

[levied troop]

Foundry’s Straw trilogy works for me.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

It depends on the blonde you want.

I used Iraqui Sand and either the original Citadel Flesh Wash (also useful for rust stains), or Citadel Seriphim Sepia. Dry brush with Citadel Terminatus Stone.

For the Fearless Lawyer's sidekick (flesh wash) I should go back and redo the dry brush.


Walking Dead zombie
The Hair was Army painter Skeleton Bone.
The hair was shaded with Citadel Seriphim Sepia (which has a more orangey colour than Citadel Agrax Earthshade but not as orangey as the original Citadel Flesh wash).
A final highlight was dry brushed on the hair with Citadel Terminatus Stone and another shade wash with the Seraphim Sepia.