It’s frickin’ RATS! Paint easy, awesome grimdark Skaven

Hail-hail the Great Horned Rat! Let me show you a fast, beginner-friendly, effective way of painting up your hordes of ratkin, just in time for some new Skaven releases!
Here are some links to things I mention in the video:
The Colour Forge spray paints: thecolourforge...
AK Streaking Grime: geni.us/streak...
Sharpie Twin Tip markers: geni.us/twintip
This army is on eBay right now: www.ebay.co.uk...
Intro script and ratkin voice-over by me, intro music by Sebastian Kling
Other music by Midwinter Minis and the KZbin Audio Library.
Support us on Patreon, get a shout-out, jump on the Midwinter Minis Discord, and take part in the Painty Points competition! / midwinterminis
Listen to our album: • Grimdark Music For Pla...
Buy our album: midwinterminis...
Limited edition Midwinter Minis merch! www.midwinterm...
Surprise your friend with a personal video from Guy! www.cameo.com/...
Guy on Instagram: / mwminis
Here are some useful links for stuff we use. Amazon gives us a few pennies if you buy using these, at no extra cost to you!
The wall-mounted paint rack I use: geni.us/nailpo...
The voiceover microphone I use: geni.us/Podcas...
The painting lamp I use: geni.us/Daylig...
The “hobby cam” I use for livestreams: geni.us/LogiBr...
My favourite headphones: geni.us/BeyerD...
The camera I used in 2020: geni.us/mwm50
The camera I use now: geni.us/SonyAl...
How I mount my camera to my desk: geni.us/Smallr...
My airbrush compressor: geni.us/Airbru...
My airbrush: geni.us/IwataA...
The airbrush set I started with: geni.us/Revell...
A great model paint starter set: geni.us/Vallej...
A great beginner paint brush set: geni.us/RLTaklon
Cheap brushes for detail work: geni.us/RLDeta...

[@darwynmeskanen7001]

I LOVE SKAVEN

[@Coolcat1411]

Yes yes yes

[@cryfasytighega5074]

Rats, rats, we're the rats.

[@Irishladd672]

YES

[@toogreytogame]

Guy's rat voice is giving his grimdark voice a run for it's money! Yes-yes!

[@MidwinterMinis]

Thanks bud!

[@fokin_skaven]

@@MidwinterMinis It was legitimately really good!

[@euansmith3699]

More, "a scamper for it's money". 😄

[@langezek]

@@MidwinterMinisI actually hadn't realised it wasn't an official trailer or something O_O

[@TauxFox]

WAIT, that was Guy? It sounded so official I assumed it was from some trailer.

[@ThrehaneMiniatures]

Best basing tip ever! I can't believe that I've passed up basing so many miniatures, when this simple flag stone method is an option. I'm forever grateful!

[@MidwinterMinis]

It's almost criminally easy!

[@Coolcat1411]

Completely agree 👍

[@ChopsTV]

If you want a slight variation, use cork board instead of card and rip it instead of cut it. A quick spray in primer and a quick dry brush of a base and then highlight color and viola! I get asked with stunning regularity where I bought my bases and/or are they 3D printed and people are shocked that theyre just cork and paint.

[@euansmith3699]

If you can get hold of thin craft foam, you can use it instead of card. That way, you can roll a ball of kitchen foil or a rock over the foam before cutting it in to tiles. This can give you a rough texture on the tiles.

[@AlreadyDead87]

Guy, that intro was excellent!

[@MidwinterMinis]

Thanks so much! It was a lot of fun

[@AlreadyDead87]

@@MidwinterMinis I can tell you enjoyed it haha. This is perfect timing also, I just built a screaming bell and saw the Sigmar Lied teaser trailer earlier today. Can't wait for more ratbois!

[@peaceanquiet4528]

That arcane 90's knowledge got you a like from me lmao.

[@thomasrobertson4213]

Slate digital?

[@siosilvar]

@@thomasrobertson4213 it's just the cool S, every Gen Xer and Millennial (and a lot of Gen Z) who went through public school in the US knows it

[@kjbyrd1113]

I was there when the ancient knowledge was loosed on the world

[@freddiescott2715]

That skaven with the super 's' made me laugh way more than it should have

[@Totema1]

Just need to find the giant rat who makes all of da rulez

[@dracometeors3010]

Just need to find that damn rat who train's all these Karate Reptiles...

[@SumsieBun]

And see what kind of mischief we can get ourselves up to!

[@DragonsHoardOfPlastic]

10:38 instructions unclear, dipped my AirPods in mineral spirits 😔

[@trash_bandit2479]

Oh shit your the guy who kitbashed a maurader from doom eternal with a slaughter priest

[@DragonsHoardOfPlastic]

@@trash_bandit2479 Yup, that's me 👌

[@dudeoftherock1183]

Wonderful video, I use vallejo beige red for my rat skin. Another couple cheats are using the brown primer washed with agrax for the fur on my clanrats, which saves tones of time, and also using a nice muddy base scheme (vallejo russian mud) so you dont have to spend too much time on the legs/feet of your rats. Would love to see more Skaven content in the future!

[@MidwinterMinis]

Nice! One for my shopping list :)

[@harrygifford6231]

Guy's painting Skaven!? OUR DAY HAS COME!!

[@MidwinterMinis]

DOOM DAY!

[@Oluabayo]

I never liked how "modern" Skaven have all their fur covered up. My early edition metal blood bowl skaven team have some lovely texture.

[@84jesterx]

How convenient...I just brought out all of my neglected Skaven horde to finally paint/finish painting to them. (Queue in John Stewart) "Do Gooo oon!"

[@Shadow-knight12]

in this video the man-thing gives good-great painting tips on rat-things for the great horned rat! yes yes very good video!

[@yyunko7764]

I dont paint anymore, but coming back here after ages to watch this video, it feels so good to exist in a world that does not require anything from me for a few minutes. It's really a holiday, just chill and watch some guy paint minis, thanks

[@ChaseDaOrk3767]

Got any spare bits?

[@frydiddy3431]

The dedication at the beginning made coffee come out of my nose. Thanks for that. 😂

[@Zach-xf5my]

The ratkin from kings of war make great proxies for these. They’re cheaper and look as good if not better

[@MidwinterMinis]

That's a really good shout!

[@ChaseDaOrk3767]

I also want to get a few Mantic games models, specifically their sci-fi range, namely some Mauraders and the Plague

[@hobbyton3575]

I do a mix of Khorne red and increasing amounts of wraithbone from GW to get pink skin. I think it was Byron on Artis Opus channel that drybrushed a Mega Gargant using those two that made me use it. Khorne red covers well and then just apply the blend on top! :)

[@patrickm6126]

Woah. KZbin’s tariffs for content creators are shamefully low. 😢 Love your painting tutorials, Guy. They were instrumental in getting me started. It’d be a tremendous pity to lose them.

[@TheMrFishnDucks]

These look fantastic. Thank you for doing more of these starter boxes. Nice video. Keep up the good work.

[@antonmunnik3315]

Great tutorial! Can’t wait for the range refresh so I can continue my Skaven army, yes-yes! Just a life-saving tip for anyone cautious that the streaking grime or spirits may reactivate or remove your paint: gloss varnish your mini before you cover it in grime!

[@surelylune]

i really wanna see guy play in a ttrpg with a ratman character now, that intro was so good!!!

[@watercolour_ninja1114]

Hi Guy, You could try Monument Hobbies Newsh. Acrylic based, mix with your normal acrylic paint to colour it. Paint stays workable for approx 20 minutes, fully dry in about an hour, depending on the ratio you use. You get a similar effect to Streaking Grime but without the need for special cleaners, toxic fumes or having to leave it for 24 hours. I love using it, Artis Opus did a great review of it recently.

[@sussy_6998]

Love the results on it for such low effort and how the green/ magic S symbol looks. Seeing as MWM discovered Streaking Grime, imagine if he starts doing Oil Wash tutorials 😍😍

[@Малиновыйимператор]

How long have I been waiting for the return of the old tube Midwinter minis. Guy, you are the best!❤

[@MidwinterMinis]

I mean... I didn't go anywhere? Haha

[@abefaerber7994]

​@@MidwinterMinisby my reckoning, the last "Here are some Warhammer units, here's how to paint them" video you did was 6 months ago (with the Salamanders)

[@MidwinterMinis]

@@abefaerber7994 Awwww, does HeroQuest not count? :(

[@Solaaris1]

Totally agree, feels back to MWM roots. Need more of this Guy!

[@frogjog8822]

Aye, that MWM upload schedule be a cruel mistress, but she does indeed deliver.

[@MidwinterMinis]

I've only ever put out videos when they're ready, I'd hate to rush it and make something I don't like :) I hope the wait was worth it

[@LemonKing1980]

If I ever start a second army, this will be it. That intro has convinced me.

[@drbundkrands9363]

so simple yet so dark and elegant for new and returning painters... thank u so much for making these videos keep up the great work

[@wanna877]

This is the exact opposite of how I painted my (very few) plaguemonks.... I decided to slow paint them, one at a time, doing my best with every single one..... I did it as sort of a learning experience, "I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times." kind of thing.

[@DeadFishTheKing]

Colour Forge has some amazing products, their Standard Grey is the only spray that actually matches Citadel's Mechanicus Standard Grey; I'll definitely be using your link when I need to restock

[@VicodinElmo]

Good timing for this with Skaven being announced as the big bad in the next AOS edition

[@t_hetty1758]

5:30 The flumph pink from the dnd army painter set looks pretty close to that. Might actually be a little to pink lol.

[@Avller]

Made me super nostalgic for your start collecting 40k series!

[@nikolaosstavrou5327]

that was a hell of a intro!

[@Half_a_bosco]

I LOVE SKAVEN SO MUCH. That intro was insane!

[@Apollo_Vanron]

The skaven look how I imagined the rats of Redwall would look.

[@x4ndro]

This was good to watch. Nice job

[@mangoprince6624]

As for pink-like skin a friend of mine uses a formula: 5 drops of flesh pink, 3 drops of off-white and 1 drop od rich red and one drop of water. It looks great on his minis.

[@anokosecret9963]

That intro was wonderful, it's a shame another friend in my playgroup has 'dibs-ed' the Rat Mech

[@MidwinterMinis]

Cheers matey!

[@DavidLarkin-r6n]

Loved the music in this one, also always been a big fan of streaking grime. Looks great on high detail miniatures.

[@cptspikehead]

I'm sure someone's mentioned it already but there is a citadel paint called Ratskin flesh! its a base colour and quite warm, almost orange so your supposed to layer on lighter skin tones

[@alamander4444]

​ @MidwinterMinis Thanks Guy! After years of being drawn to the little ratmen, I've finally decided to pick some up and jump in to AOS, so the timing here is perfect. (and yes, I'm aware they're getting a glow-up with AOS 4) Side note: I just learned about Pro Acrylic NEWSH and would love to see another video in this style using that instead of the oils as a comparison.

[@duardinranger1235]

More more, yes yes. More more want need!

[@nathanbrinson]

Perfect use of the cool S

[@golemprisme4779]

FINALLY ! I had boxes for years and i had no idea how to paint them. Thanks !

[@TrasherIV]

Absolute brilliance! This video is a beacon of creativity in a sea of content.💞

[@TrasherIV]

Loving the intro and the timing! I'm about to start painting a Kill Team of Skaven proxies for Blooded.

[@dumdumbubblegum5971]

Loved the "arcane knowledge from the mid-90's" bit! 😆You never fail to make me laugh after a long day. Cheers mate, keep it up!

[@Bigjoe789]

I met you at warhammer world for an anniversary a year or two ago. Still love the vids.

[@lngcast9811]

I recently learned you can make a gorgeous bronze by base coating silver or any gray metal, then using a sepia wash

[@MidwinterMinis]

Nice suggestion!

[@garysmith6218]

Heavy Warmgrey from the Vallejo Game Colour Extra Opaque range for the rat skin.

[@paulwalker5221]

Vallejo salmon rose might make a good rat skin colour. Great paint job too.

[@enzobambino]

Thanks for the video!

[@SM0RN124]

For the ray skin color there is this one company I think there meant for dnd but I use them for warhammer. The company is called prismatic paints and the color is pale flesh. Try it out and you can tell me if you like it or not!

[@eventhorizon492]

Love warhammer fantasy content!

[@CommissarMitch]

Gods that intro text really spooked me. 10/10

[@Starbladesarcane]

The Bronze Age was the 3rd best age in history

[@Bluecho4]

For those without an airbrush, you could attempt to bring out the green color in the warpstone by stippling instead.

[@damonatherstone9195]

That's an amazing skaven voice, guy should go into VA'ing

[@luckmyst3r986]

RATS, WE'RE RATS, WE ARE THE RATS

[@demondredge4983]

Loved the Skaven voice! Pale Flesh from Vallejo's Malefic Flesh set is my go to for ratty tails and pale squigs. The rest of the set is really nice too.

[@SerPounce23]

If you use an extractor fan/ airbrush booth be very careful with the thinner cleaning as the fumes have been known to combust when put through the fan.

[@butch1900]

Awesome ❤

[@bobbler42]

Guven it’s probably ghost’s best album opener, i wonder if a tobias forge skull makeup/cardinal drag skaven could be thematically encompassed.

[@luckmyst3r986]

My go to for rat skin is wraithbone and magos purple

[@MidwinterMinis]

OooO! That sounds like it would look amazing

[@Druuso]

For me, I was never been able to find good out of bottle colour for flesh, so ending up mixing any light purple with Vallejo skin tone. Then basically adding a bit more skin tone to the mix for highlights

[@WilliamChoochootrain]

I really wish Colour Forge expands outside the UK soon, their spray can primers are great but it's hard to get hold of them outside Europe.

[@KikiDaGoblin]

RATS RATS. WE ARE THE RATS! GONNA THROW ANOTHER BIRTHDAY BASH! *Michael* ITS YOUR BIRTHDAY TODAY AND *Michael* YOUVE BEEN SUCH A GOOD BOY THIS YEAR CAKE AND ICE-CREAM IS ON ITS WAY

[@zprettpolly]

I think this might be your best work yet, Guy! So happy the Old World is bringing back WFB!

[@Christian_from_Copenhagen]

I got really interested in space skaven (or Veer-myn, as they're called) when I saw the Deadzone starter set recently. The faction is even playable with One Page Rules, so my buddies could still play with their 40k armies against them. But the current hobby to-do list is long enough as it is...

[@garyknight3018]

Great video and painting tutorial, timely and great steps to get an army on the table.

[@alexsmith854]

That's awesome. I've been looking inspiration for my skaven. Think I've got it.

[@GingerSnapping]

"Hes not dead he just loves rats!" As a rat breeder I apricate that. mee too man.

[@fullfrontal2860]

thanks for the tips with the green flame

[@blakearius]

Been experimenting with Skaven recently. To get a really good ratty pink(especially on the tails). Start with a deep magenta/purple contrast paint(like warlord purple), then coat the unrecessed areas with brown-rose mixed with 1/4 bit pink. Then finally bright pink mixed with light grey as a highlight.

[@Jamgeoso]

Whoa, that intro was epic!

[@erikmuise2849]

I use Army Painter Barbarian Flesh as an out of the pot pinkish skin color. Works great!

[@MidwinterMinis]

OH! That IS quite a good one!

[@PexDoombringer]

YES-YES WE SKAVEN ENJOYERS UNITED FOR THE VERMINDOOM YES-YES P.S. Amazing intro Holy Horned One

[@SirLuquent]

Recently, I painted a skaven battleforce of 88 minis. This is pretty close to the paint scheme I used for the infantry, except I used homemade dip wash, and it was even faster! When you're painting 40 clanrats and 40 plague monks, speedpainting is the only option.

[@TheTygre]

The Skaven look fantastic, but honestly the thing that’s gonna stick with me is the popsicle stick palette. What an amazing and innovative idea!

[@mitoconpower8822]

@8:26 You were correct originally, Canoptek Alloy is a metallic paint and Cryptek Armorshade Gloss is what you used as a wash.

[@MidwinterMinis]

Ahaaa! I knew I wasn't crazy, haha

[@CptMonstruoso]

Maybe Vallejo Old Rose? I like to use it to give skin some healthy blush. I know noticed they have Salmon Rose too so there's options!

[@MrSJPowell]

9:15 Oil washes? 9:24 Ah, streaking grime is cool as well. I do like oil washes just because color variety is easy and usually cheap, and it scales really well. A small amount of oil paint is enough for an army or more. Streaking grime is great if you don't want to mix and figure out ratios.

[@TheDarkplace]

Nice to see the TT combat paints, i have been really impressed with them

[@Gobblener]

Finally a skaven video

[@groglife704]

There’s a citadel paint called Ratskin Flesh. I’ve never used it so I can’t speak to its quality, but thought I’d mention it.

[@neilandrews2995]

I had over 15k points of em in the old old world (b4 AoS) but now alas i have nothing. Anyhoo a trick i used on all mine was black noses and dwarf flesh tails. Nice work..

[@duardinranger1235]

Oh by the way, try make up applicators or sponges. They don’t leave any strands. An they’re not to expensive.

[@MidwinterMinis]

That's an awesome idea, thanks!

[@jamesperry9197]

GW actually makes a Ratskin Flesh layer paint, but its more of an orange than the pink you are looking for. Just a thought (Edit: its a base paint not a layer)

[@Frozenkoldfury]

Mmm, yes-yes, Streaking Grime is good-best shade for Skaven kind!

[@OrakelofDeath]

The old Vallejo Game Colour Range had a "Rosy Skintone". Perhaps that might have worked. (I'm just trying to get around with the new Game Colour Range bit after bit, while my old Bottles get empty. And I have to find out, if I can look for an entire new Solution for my Battlesisters, since Vallejo premiered a new line of Model Colours as well....)

[@grimbostink7607]

Pro Acryl Beige Red is a near perfect match for your rat skin color! They are my go-to for any mini painting I do

[@RecruitofApollo]

That settles it, I’m gonna need some TTCombat metallics and AK Streaking Grime.

[@thegrumpymanlikestopaint]

great video guys

[@Yoshis_Studio]

Nice tutorial! Would love colour forge to come to the US

[@aroncheek5092]

Yes prices are crazy and still going north , I'm really not sure about using cans of primer as a permanent solution to priming mini's, I stopped using cans a few years ago when I got my airbrush. Cans are good if you're traveling and taking mini's with you

[@ZoshBox40k]

Just eyeballing it, but I think the closest miniature paints to that rat skin tone would be either Army Painter’s Centaur Skin or Scar Tissue. They may be a bit darker though.

[@apocalypticmoth6040]

I use bugmans glow as the maximum shadow for my rat skin and then highlight with more and more white or creme. Works wonderfully. I use bugman’s glow as the max shadow for most realistic skin tones. For Caucasian flesh I mix in cadian flesh and then army painter corpse pale. For darker skin tones I glaze in different warm browns to a Caucasian skin tone.

[@javaslapnervedjosh1877]

i gotta say i love the artstyle and the idea of the skaven but man i just cant get past my of rats. lovely video :)

[@Bloodworia]

Streaking grime should be thinned with white spirit right away. You just put it on everywhere and take a sponge and brush it off after a couple of minutes. i dont think letting it sit makes any difference.

[@BecauseOfDragons]

A timely vid considering the coming of new Skaven this summer. A great grimdark finish and something to keep an eye on!

[@blackguardunlimeted]

love this style (colors) !