How to create SKIN TONES (for miniature painters)!

Today we talk about the very basic elements of a skin tone, how to use them to create your own personal colours and how to use this knowledge to handle and modify existing paints.
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#skintones #colortheory #skin

[@darkojovanovic5637]

This is a Criminally underrated channel.

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

It's just a matter of time 😉😉😉

[@mydemon]

Agreed

[@redbaronlast]

Yes it's so good, that my only "issue" is that I often can't decide WHICH video I want/need to rewatch the most!!!

[@that_one_guy117x]

Ya it’s because of this guy that I baught oil paints, my painting game went up a couple notches

[@Nortic111]

Man, you are a wizard when it comes to understanding colour!

[@TheMasterLynx]

in classic and baroque art, a lot of artist used to make flesh tone just with raw and burnt sienna + white, and lacca di garanza (dark magenta) to reinforce shadow in the end. And they built those flesh tone on muddy green (verdaccio) as a primer, precisily to emulate the green tone of green skin... ehm sorry, green tone of caucasian skin. Yes.

[@richardtabassi1947]

My new favorite: "You can make any skin tone from primaries => A tasty meal is made by ingredients" I needed a good chuckle today.

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

😂😂😂

[@notnubilous3804]

Me: "Man I really butchered that skin tone on my model I wonder if Marco has any vids to help me out..." - Marco, literally 20 minutes later: "I GOTCHU BROTHER"

[@Magicwillnz]

He will help you BAINT the SKIN-TONES

[@infinitesquarez]

Honestly same! I was feeling a bit bummed out about not knowing enough about skin tones last night after some faces went a bit awry when I tried some paint mixing and had no idea what I was doing and literally one day later the King provides.

[@lord1napalm]

Very interesting,thanks for this really useful content !

[@alfyb4512]

I appreciate your presentation and the way you bring up the various colors. I wanted to point out that in classical color theory, “basic” Caucasian skin tone is 1 vermillion, 3 yellow ochre and a bit of blue for desaturation, the quantities can then be varied to cover Asian and Mediterranean skin tones (but not darker skins). I know these are not primaries, but it’s pretty much the reason ochre and vermillion are found in most artist boxes.

[@m2cubalibre]

Teach on, maestro!

[@keithkraine475]

Thank you. Once again Marco, a superbly delivered informative piece.

[@Loafy23]

Thank you. I learned a lot.

[@jlruss9777]

You can follow recipes and instruction for everything you do and get great results ...of someone else’s work. But to truly be good at something and make it your own you need to UNDERSTAND why the recipes work and the reason instructions are in the order they are. There is a difference in having ability and knowledge. Thanks Marco for helping to increase the knowledge of the how and especially the WHY in miniature painting. I have definitely gained some knowledge with your videos. Looking forward to more 😁

[@saltedllama2759]

A lot of people do that in every arena of life nowadays: watch videos...endless videos. They obtain KNOWLEDGE, and then talk about it like experts, but rarely put it into practice themselves to develop the ABILITY. From miniature painting, to video games, to car repair; they watch countless hours of videos but then lack the motivation to actually try it, practice it, and make it a skill. All the while acting like critics to others.

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

😍😍😍 Thanks man!!! Really from the heart!!!

[@ryuuji991]

@@MarcoFrisoniNJM Hi Marco. Thank you for your work. I progressed quickly in miniature painting thanks to you. Your concepts and ideas helps a lot and push to try out them. How would you create cold skin tone? For Vampires, painting cursed city atm but my Crimson court is waiting as I am still trying out to solve that cold/dead bluish skin tone?

[@isaacmead4448]

It wasn't until this video, specifically when you made a comment about why you chose to explain this concept the way you did, that I realised why this channel is so good. This channel is fantastic even just based on the information in your videos, but what sets it apart is your ability to craft a "journey" for the viewer to go on, to give us the best possible chance of retaining these concepts. You're an excellent teacher, and I think that the thought and care you put into structuring the way the concepts are presented in these videos makes them a phenomenal resource. Thanks for making such quality content!

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

Thanks a million man!!! 😁😍😁 Really, from the heart 😍!

[@jamieott3832]

Love that you cover color theory in great detail and that you use large variety of tools outside of the Vallejo and Citadel ranges.

[@grantjones4038]

Fantastic information and demonstration.Thank you, I am just starting my journey with oils, this could not have come at a better time.

[@DrDeepspace]

Marco, thank you for the color blending and mixing tutorials. Noobs like me with no art background are soaking this up like a brand new brush.

[@michaelbeach4652]

Thanks Marco, video’s are always insightful 👍🏼

[@jean-sebastienmarty2425]

Thanks for this video. This will already aid me in painting my minis!

[@Zadster]

For anyone who prefers to use artists' colours: Yellow Ochre + Burnt Sienna (+white) This give you the basis of skin colours from pale Northern European down to quite dark Afro-Caribbean

[@TheBlackFrog79]

Uhm, I mix 2 parts ochre with 1 part vermillion red. Then add 1 part naple's yellow and 1 part white. Then add burnt sienna to make more darker tones.

[@spelling_ax]

One thing that stumps me is that I've read that highlights should be mixed from the next color "up" the color wheel plus white, and shadows should be mixed with the opposite color. I'd love to see a video on how to figure out what colors to add in what proportion to create highlights and shadows.

[@philgee486]

We need more instalments!

[@oldragnar2746]

Very usefull and complete guide! Grazie Marco🙏

[@scififreddie4504]

Look at that happy little beanie

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@darkhighwayman1757]

sunny skin paint...guess I gotta buy that one

[@blanchetstephane3812]

Excellent this vidéo, really interresting

[@nuccioman]

Fantasticooooo .... pazzesco ...

[@badgermost]

Hey Maestro how about a video with your approach for creating tones using Kimera base / expansion? It would be awesome / very useful and there is no video about that. Thank you for the great content!

[@rahotep789]

Such a fantastic video full of neceasary information. Love all your work, blessing us with knowledge. Ive been searching high and low for good videos on doing african brown skin tones, so wouls love to see you take that on.

[@Jianju69]

Marco, my man! You are the best! I'm going to start using an airbrush after seeing you work.

[@trevorharvey6928]

2 years late but thanks for this great resource!

[@jossypoo]

I've painted my minis using mixing 9 Tamiya and Vallejo colours (wht, ylw, desert tan, blu, blk, red, TMMsilver, neon green and ODgrn) and discovered i only really needed glaze medium and extender!

[@chaosmatic404]

Very interesting and useful, but i would have loved some insight in making dark skintones. Using just browns always look "off" so i guess something is missing.

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

Thanks! Dark skins will be probably the topic of the next episode of the series 😉

[@nicimi]

@@MarcoFrisoniNJM usual brown skinstones have not enough red in them and the start to look dusty. Brown skintones have a huge amount of red in them compared to more caucasians.

[@joek600]

well Im sitting here in Athens in my underwear, life support is on (aircondition) and here is Marco sporting a beanie in the middle of the summer!!! This is madness!!! I love the video and i would like to see more on the temperature zones of the face.

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

😂😂😂😂😂😂 Irish weather is really forgiving, these days the maximum temperature is around 18° 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@Ishpeck]

@2:44 , I always thought your parchment paper was badass, Marco. This new palette is so clean, it doesn't have the punk rock feel like your shreds of baking sheets did.

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

😂😂😂 thanks man! Parchment paper has more fans than expected 😂

[@bobongler]

Thank you for this video

[@charleyedwards2121]

Thanks Marco, your the best !

[@schaaf9637]

Great Video. I must say, you're a great teacher. I learned so much from your videos. Stay safe and be blessed.

[@jonathancoy1028]

Major game changer for me tytyty

[@unclemongrel-setsailforfai6147]

BRAIN MELTDOWN DETECTED!

[@cdavis4857]

I found this video very helpful! Thank you so much!

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

😁😊😁😘

[@jasongould405]

Invaluable tutorial, thank you!! Jas👍

[@droppod40]

Lovely lesson, Sir.

[@boyish_robot_giggles1020]

Great vid! Can't wait to see when you show us how to do NMM with oils.

[@evanurie9003]

I love the color control!

[@ger5956]

Awesome video dude! Thank you so much, this really helped me! If you’re ever in Waterford, I owe you a coffee/pint! 😁

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

😍 Thanks man! Second round on me 😉

[@DGP406]

love your videos!

[@kaeskawood9020]

One thing I've always had trouble with is painting UN-natural or uncommon skin tones, notably super deathly pale stuff for vampires or leucistic/albino colorations; it's a pain in the butt to get some of the color zones and subtleties of the face right in that sort of scheme, but mixing for the undertone instead of super thin washes/glazes to add in those colors is a useful trick I haven't fully considered or explored. This is useful, thank you Marco.

[@suprunaman944]

Amazing video, thanks for sharing 🥰!

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

🤩😁🤩😘

[@mkol1998]

Amazing video, this guide was exactly what I needed to paint my ogors! I had trouble following the guides that were included in the Scale 75 flesh paint set. Not knowing what the logic behind the color choices was and not knowing how to create the colors I wanted really hindered me, so I'm super grateful for this video. The only thing that I miss in this video is seeing these colors applied to a model. Seeing how and where you apply each color would help people understand how to paint each part of the body! Do you have plans on doing a video like that? (Or if I'm that much of a git; have you already made a video like that? XD)

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

Thanks! Oh yeah, as I said at the beginning of the video this is only the first episode of something that can only be a series because the topic is definitely too big for a single video. I want to talk about specific skintones natural and fantasy/sci-fi and how to handle them on various models!

[@mkol1998]

@@MarcoFrisoniNJM Awesome, that was exactly what I was hoping! Got super excited when you said that this would be a series, but had to know if this would be in it since it's what I struggle the most with. Looking forward to the rest of the series!

[@rnp497]

late to the party but I love your stuff and I use it as a go to library when needed clarification or advice on painting the miniatures. Keep up the good work sir

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

Awesome!!! This is exactly the reaction I was hoping to trigger ;) Thank you sooooo much!

[@johnsm3568]

Bring back your parchment paper!!

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

Lol! Parchment paper has more fans than expected 😂

[@danielyeh]

Man this is so fucking informative? learned more in 2 minutes than in 2 years lmao

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁

[@tiozebraminis6725]

Marco, you're a treasure! Don't stop making such quality content!!!

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

😍😍😍😍😍😘

[@Chimer24-qs5wo]

A fabulous video and really helpful, thank you )O( Subscribed

[@christiansegiet7644]

I love your videos Marco! 14 min and so much knowledge! Great!

[@Mostrino78]

Gli altri hanno già detto tutto, spettacolare come sempre. Questi video di teoria e creazione del colore sono spettacolari

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

😊😍😊 Grazie mille!!!

[@markhanson9508]

You have a way of making me feel both more artistic about my work and more confident when I experiment. Thanks Marco. From one Mark living abroad to another.

[@carldeutsch9222]

How did you know I am painting naked barbarian dudes today? Witchcraft

[@nairb1314]

3 views but four thumbs up?

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

One is mine 👍 I liked this one 👍

[@genesis5468]

Its thanks to videos like these that made me pick up and stick with the primaries and black and white, i love these vids and its so, so helpful for miniature painting. Now just to get the courage to try non metallic metals haha. Thank you for these vids!

[@johnaitken7430]

Brilliant. It’s complete little lesson that’s amongst best art lessons out there

[@simonrobins6569]

Are you also planning to discuss different racial skin tones as part of this series? Would be great to see how you approach African, Asian, Ork, Elf, Beast etc etc. Sure you've got that all planned for future episodes already :) Loved the vid as always, now just need to make some time to paint...

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

Oh yeah! It will be probably the next episode of the series 😁

[@simonrobins6569]

@@MarcoFrisoniNJM awesome! Thought you'd have that covered.

[@cankoral8417]

Thanks a lot Marco!!! Honestly speaking... after that video...I feel like my hobby became a lot more budget friendly!!!!

[@konstantinzaviruha6574]

Дякую Марко, дуже гідне відео, ввечері спробую собі так забавку.

[@MeepMeepZeep]

What would you recommend for a hardened leathery skin tone for some sea faring Vikings? Asides a possible base of a leather brown

[@garytillman6683]

Another outstanding video.👍👍👍👍.

[@Buckr0ger5]

Thanks Marco. Very informative especially as I'm new to the hobby. How can I use this technique for blue skin tones?

[@perjohanaxell9862]

Your cheating, letting the cyan maskerade as blue :)

[@Luke-mn6is]

Nice vid as always, become a regular part of my morning routine, coffee, marco vid and then start painting!!

[@riverbankjournal]

So pleased I found your channel! Thankyou!

[@EJTechandDIY]

Amazing video on doing skin tones thanks

[@grubazz4246]

Hey Marco! I love your work and content. I have a question.... How do you cope with dust on your workplace?

[@ThePudge1976]

The absolute best video tutorial anywhere on painting skin tone👌 Thank you

[@CleanSkunk13]

Thank you so mutch for this, im a digital artist coming to minitures and its soo refreshing to hear somone jump strait to advance color thory. Id ask well CYMK is grate, do you think you could discuss things in terms of HSV?

[@johnnypenso9574]

Great explanation even for me, a colour blind guy. I'm going to try this out w/o help (having someone nearby correcting my colour mistakes) and see what happens. I really don't want to buy $50-100 in paints to get all the various skin tones but will if I have to. With any luck, this will work for me. Thanks, buddy!

[@patricklinder4493]

Awesome video, thanks! I’ve just started taking my painting to the next level, mixing paints is a huge part of that. I’m lacking in color theory though and it’s really overwhelming to just google it. How did you learn and do you have any experts advice on learning color theory? Anyway, time go crazy with magenta on my Red cap from black smith miniatures!

[@Liopot68]

Ciao, Marco! Grazie per la video. Small question: a lot of the white acrylic paints are flaky and chalky. Could you recommend one brand that doesnt have this effect (or do they all have it)? Grazie!

[@briarstingwrf7284]

Great video. Very helpful as usual. Thank you so much!

[@kzelmer]

I was about to paint 10 Beastmen Gors when I realised that most of my browns and skin tones pots where dry (too much time without painting). This video is just perfect: good bye "add color to your cart"

[@sergeitishin9417]

Brilliant! Mille grazie, Marco, I'm going to have a ball mixing paints for my maid miniatures tonight yay :)

[@liruichen]

Your skill, knowledge, and generosity are simply remarkable

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

😍😍😍😘

[@tureliondurr]

I was wondering what is the purest red blue and yellow without too much amount of white or black in it, so you could practically mix every colour on the wheel

[@hybridzero]

I love watching you videos but I try to not do it often because I always feel so dumb and uneducated every time I watch one. XD

[@Gulaschiltis]

Nice, just saw it now. This is amazing, thank you so much for your work Marco! :)

[@pk-vk3oc]

This was incredibly insightful. Question: I’ve heard that generally we want to avoid lightening our colours with whites, since this produces pastel tones. Obviously this is okay in this scenario, but outside flesh tones do you often lighten through white mixing in?

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

Thanks! That's super interesting; in the miniature world white is often used in the wrong way so sometimes it's easier teaching to avoid it almost completely. In reality is a great tool to add light and regulate the opacity of other colours; it shouldn't be the only or main tone to bring light because it brings also a massive level of desaturation but as a component of a more complex mix can do miracles!

[@RichardSharkTitsBraun]

@@MarcoFrisoniNJM Man, one only watched 3 videos of yours so far, but I think I've learned (and more importantly, comprehended) so much more information than the past month of watching other channels I'm just getting into miniature painting with virtually 0 artistic background, so reading comments like this helps me understand so much! Thanks brother, I love the quality you put out

[@thacke6539]

I just startet out using Scale artist colours and love them. but i am running in a smal new problem for me when mixing i end up with less and less paint on my wet pallet an my brusch soaking up all the thick paint. Any tips or videos for a better tecnik?

[@fookitrc74]

hi are you on twitch ?

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

Not at the moment, but I'm planning to start a channel soon 😁

[@bots2beasts]

Yep, when I was a poor artist, all of my paintings were done with white, black and 5 other colors that I mixed for anything I needed.

[@slyane7320]

Marco, could you please do a guide on painting a mini in black and white...like an old movie? I have a mini set based on the Romero movie Night of the Living Dead, & want to paint them in b&w.

[@MarcoFrisoniNJM]

Cool idea!!!

[@viola0livido]

Ciao Marco! Pensi farai un video su come creare uno o più skintone utile per figure 1/12 come Marvel Legends/Mezco/S.h.Figuarts?

[@Chemclskinz]

I have been hoping you would go in depth on skin tones at some point! So excited for the other videos!!

[@tesarus8461]

Somehow you made a simple explanation of the topic I struggled with for quite some time, that's just amazing!

[@angelocivati33]

Ottimo video come sempre Marco!...il sunny skin tone...colore fantastico...uno dei colori che più utilizzo...quando lumeggio mi piace usare colori che contengano del giallo...per via della saturazione. Grazie mille per i tuoi video!

[@jorey4565]

Tim Gore's Lifeline & Bloodline at Createx colors ,airbrush used for better results. Look also the ultimate technique to create flestones ,because realistic flesh is translucent (there are also some translucent resin kit too..see ebay Andy Bertgholtz resin bust model kit)at artist friend Rafael Robledo jr. or at Sideshow channel,Harley and Superman paintjob heads.. I used to apply first cold tones,blue ,grey,green...and thin glazes /layers of pink ,ocre,brown,..etc(Cadian & Kislev flesh from GW are perfect for it).. Anyway you're right ,there are any kind of fleshtones they are any human beeing on earth,sex and ethnic origins or ages..Fascinating Mr Spock will tell us😉.. I notice the blue/green are more in flesh area when the skin is thin ,close to the bones.. Frazetta and N.C Wyeth ,kings of kings !❤❤😊 Bye Marco,take care !

[@simbobcrafts4843]

Do you always just use primary colours to paint?

[@JG.112]

Great video. Can’t wait for the rest of your series.

[@ChromeDrakeGaming]

Dude! This is some excellent knowledge. Thanks so much for dropping it on us. Brilliant resource.

[@TheRodonji]

Do you have a video or good tips on how to paint realistic looking dark skin tones?

[@cesaraparicio4602]

Man, I've been going about it all wrong. I've just been mixing them in equal parts lol

[@loadedgun28]

This is the best skin tone video I have ever watch, thank you.

[@MrFoxbane]

Have you though about doing a how to paint whites similar to how you did with black. Most guides I find for doing a white armor its not white it will be more like a very light blue/yellow/red(pink) and reads as that colour rather than white.