Fur turns up everywhere: wolf-pelt cloaks on warriors, mounts and beasts, trophy hides and barbarian gear. Sculpted fur is deeply textured, which makes it one of the most rewarding surfaces to paint. A few simple techniques bring out the detail, and some colour variation makes it look like real animal hair rather than painted plastic.
Look at real fur first
Real animal fur is rarely one flat colour. It's usually darker at the roots and lighter at the tips. Many animals are darker along the spine and paler on the belly and chest. Keep those two ideas in mind, root-to-tip and back-to-belly, and your fur will look natural.
Method 1: Wash and drybrush (quick)
Ideal for cloaks, rank-and-file models and big beasts.
- Base: a mid brown, grey or tan in two thin coats.
- Wash: a dark brown or black wash all over. It sinks into the grooves between the strands.
- Drybrush 1: the base colour again, catching the raised strands.
- Drybrush 2: a lighter tone, very lightly, mostly on the tips and upper areas.
The key is to drybrush across the direction of the sculpted strands, not along them. That way the brush catches the ridges instead of sliding into the grooves.
Method 2: Layered fur (refined)
For characters and centrepieces where you want more control.
- Basecoat in a dark version of the fur colour.
- Paint fine strokes of a mid tone following the direction of the fur, leaving the dark showing in the deepest grooves.
- Repeat with a lighter tone towards the tips of each clump.
- Add a final very light tone to the most prominent tips only.
- Glaze a thin wash over everything to unify the layers.
Short, flicked strokes that follow the sculpted direction look far more natural than solid patches of colour.
White and grey fur
White fur that's actually white looks flat. Instead:
- Basecoat in a light grey.
- Wash with a soft grey or a blue-grey for cold, wintry fur, or with a sepia wash for warm, creamy fur.
- Drybrush or layer pure white only on the tips.
The subtle shading underneath is what makes the white read as fur.
Black fur
Pure black loses all detail. Start with a very dark grey or dark brown base, wash black into the recesses, and drybrush a mid grey or blue-grey onto the raised strands. A final light touch of pale grey on the tips gives definition without making the fur look grey overall.
Brown, red and tawny fur
Warm furs benefit from colour shifts. Try a dark brown base, an orange-brown mid tone and a sandy or ochre highlight. A thin orange or red glaze over the mid tones adds richness, especially for foxes or big cats.
Patterns: stripes and spots
- Stripes: paint them over the finished fur with a thin dark paint, following the curve of the body. Keep the edges slightly broken by flicking the brush along the direction of the hair.
- Spots and rosettes: apply small, irregular dots of dark paint. Vary the size, and make them smaller and tighter on the legs and head.
- Back-to-belly gradient: glaze a darker tone along the spine and a lighter one on the chest and belly for an instantly more natural look.
Fur cloaks on armoured warriors
Power-armoured warriors often wear pelts over their armour, and the contrast between smooth plate and shaggy fur is very effective. Paint the armour first, then the fur, so stray drybrush marks don't land on finished panels. Our beginner's guide to Space Marines covers the armour side.
Finishing touches
A few small details make fur look alive. Where a pelt meets skin, armour or leather, glaze a thin dark line to separate the materials. On beasts, paint the inside of the ears and the nose a warm pinkish or dark grey tone, and give the eyes and nose a dot of gloss varnish so they look wet. Finally, a matt varnish over the fur keeps it looking soft. Shiny fur instantly looks like plastic.
Fixing common problems
- Chalky fur: too much paint on the drybrush. Glaze a thin wash over the top to knock it back.
- No definition: the wash wasn't dark enough or the drybrush was too heavy. Re-wash, then drybrush more lightly.
- Looks like a single colour: add a lighter tip highlight and a darker root glaze.
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