Bloody Zombies

[archangel1]

Is it just me?

I have absolutely no problem with the concept of Zombies in movies (love the Resident Evil trilogy) and gaming, but the depiction of blood on minis bothers me somewhat.  The majority of painters seem to go for copious quantities of bright red gore splashed over their figures.  I could understand it on a few who (which?) have just torn apart a victim but it seems to be almost standard for every piece.

Zombies are dead, or, at least undead, right? So, where does all the bright red come from? Red blood is oxygenated.  Oxygen implies breathing.  Zombies don't breathe so any blood they shed should be very dark red or almost black.  No circulation means coagulated blood, which isn't bright red.  Look at a scab.  Am I wrong?

There are many excellent sculpts of zombies available out there, some of which even tempt me to buy them, and there are many well-painted examples shown on this forum, except for the depiction, in most cases, of the blood.  Again, is it just me?

[Doc Twilight]

No. not just you, Archangel. I feel the same way.

When I do Zombies, they tend to be somewhat gore free. I don't mind unusual or eerie colors, but I'm just not a big fan of excessive gore. Someone on the forum, I can't remember who (Akula, maybe?) did an amazing thing with his plastic Wargames Factory Zombies which I really liked. He primed them all white, and then varnished them black. This gave them an eerie, undead look, which was particularly effective in mobs, and was not far removed from the way they're described in "World War Z" and the Zombie Survival Guide. Very good effect, overall.

Of course, I'm weird about zombies, period. I prefer pulp style Zombies, which were typically more than just shambling, brainless corpses. They were animated corpses, definitely twisted, but capable of using tools, and of thought  on some level. I find that much more terrifying (guess it's the Lovecraft fan in me.)

-Doc

[bc99]

Can't say it really bothers me, by making me squeamish or anything. I'm not really keen on super-bloody models though as I think it hides some of the details of the miniature.

[Unforgiven]

I've noticed it too, but as it has been said, I am also confused about zombies.

Since nowadays theres "infected" and "undead zombies, i kinda preffered undead zombies because...they rise from their graves! But infected are in a way scarier...since they are less...fictional 

[bc99]

Well, I guess red blood is okay on freshly killed zombies?

Yes "infected" zombies a la 28-days later are scarier than the slow, shambling zombies. I think the beginning of 28-weeks later was one of the most intense zombie movies I've ever seen.

[Dr. The Viking]

Gorefree zombies are BORING!

Why not give it all the b-movie feel you got and litter some fresh blood all over the place..

Who are you to know whether zombie blood congeals the same way as human?! Or if the buggers have just eaten off of someone..

Cheers,

(I seriously regret painting mine without blood these days - it's much flashier)

[NurgleHH]

In one way I can understand your problem. But when zombies eat humans, there will be blood. And after dinner no zombie cleans himself/herself. So some blood is ok, but not all over the zombie. Right?

[archangel1]

In one way I can understand your problem. But when zombies eat humans, there will be blood. And after dinner no zombie cleans himself/herself. So some blood is ok, but not all over the zombie. Right?

Agreed.  It's not the amount of gore that bothers me (after all, I work in a hospital and part of my time is spent in the Cardiac Cath Labs), it's the fact that most minis are depicted with almost every one of them drenched in blood.  Surely, there has to be at least one Zombie-Come-Lately who misses the Braaiiinnsss and only gets a lonely finger to munch on.  If the figure is modeled carrying a severed arm or leg, though, then by all means, feel free to paint it as bloody as you like.

All I'm saying is that, in my opinion, things are starting to go over the top with the red.  Tone things down a bit and I think things will look more realistic.  (Think of the one zombie in Michael Jackson's Thriller video that opens its mouth and this black goo dribbles out.  That's the effect that I think one should strive for.)

[Pil]

Lots of blood also have a practical value in hiding sloppy parts and mistakes. Usually zombvies are painted quite quickly and in larger quantities so you can just touch them up all at the same time with just a single colour. It also helps to identify them as zombies on the table. I'm not a big fan of bright red on my zombies either though so I mix it about 50/50 with Tamiya Smoke for a more brown look.

[bandit86]

I don't like lots of blood on my figures with the exception of Zombies.  When I paint them I try to see what has just happen if they have bites they get blood not tons but some and I use fresh to dried blood.  Fresh kills get a brighter shade and I used Tamyia clear red to brighten things up
http://bandit86.blogspot.com/search/label/Zombies

[Weird WWII]

The bright red is from their last meal and since zeds don't use utensils I could see them covered in it after a fresh snack. 

[Prof.Witchheimer]

Zombies are dead, or, at least undead, right? So, where does all the bright red come from? Red blood is oxygenated.  Oxygen implies breathing.  Zombies don't breathe so any blood they shed should be very dark red or almost black.  No circulation means coagulated blood, which isn't bright red.  Look at a scab.  Am I wrong?

Certainly not but that's not the point. Actually zombies aren't possible too. All the blood thing is just a symbol and matter of taste. For my Atomic Cafe project I've decided to take lots of bright colors, for clothes, for cars and for zombies too. I just don't want decayed zombies with black blood, I want them fresh another color scheme would not fit into my colourful vision of 50th's. So the bright red blood.

[Darkoath]

For me it depends on the miniature... if the zombie sculpt looks like it is a fresh zombie that was just a survivor a few hours ago or has just snacked on a fresh human then there should be quite a bit of blood... after all the human body has something like 5 or 6 quarts of blood in it!  If the zombie sculpt looks like its been dead a while and is more decayed looking then it should have more dried or much darker blood.  Also agree with what was said about the sculpt holding a severed limb ect... fresh blood!

Darkoath

[Gluteus Maximus]

Pappa Midnight has got the zombie blood thing to perfection:


http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=10689.0

I think you need a certain amount of blood, given the subject matter and the way zombies are always portrayed in films. There's enough blood on PM's figures to represent Zs perfectly, without it being excessive and the colour looks just right for old "dead" blood.

No silly bright scarlet ponds of the stuff on those minis! 

[Commander Vyper]

Is it just me?

I have absolutely no problem with the concept of Zombies in movies (love the Resident Evil trilogy) and gaming, but the depiction of blood on minis bothers me somewhat.  The majority of painters seem to go for copious quantities of bright red gore splashed over their figures.  I could understand it on a few who (which?) have just torn apart a victim but it seems to be almost standard for every piece.

Zombies are dead, or, at least undead, right? So, where does all the bright red come from? Red blood is oxygenated.  Oxygen implies breathing.  Zombies don't breathe so any blood they shed should be very dark red or almost black.  No circulation means coagulated blood, which isn't bright red.  Look at a scab.  Am I wrong?

There are many excellent sculpts of zombies available out there, some of which even tempt me to buy them, and there are many well-painted examples shown on this forum, except for the depiction, in most cases, of the blood.  Again, is it just me?

Totally agree:



You've not had a good look at mine then as I don't hold with fresh blood unless a) freshly turned or b) recentyl fed. Take a look at the urban zombie gaming thread, you'll see.

The Commander