When painting Zombicide miniatures, it’s natural to want to spend lots of time on the Survivors—they are the stars of the game, your main characters. However, this guide is all about the Zombies, the vast hordes that flood the game board. The good news is you don’t have to stress too much about fine details on these undead hordes. Think of Zombies more like part of the background or terrain in the game. This means you can keep the paint job simple yet effective, and still make your table look amazing.
By focusing your detail work on Survivors and treating Zombies with a more muted style, you create a clear focus during gameplay. This method saves you a lot of time and energy, and lets you enjoy painting without feeling overwhelmed by hundreds of miniatures.
Choosing a Simple but Effective Color Scheme
Zombies should look grimy, dirty, and worn out—after all, they are undead and have been through a lot. A good base color for their skin is a grey tone. You might also experiment with pale blues or greens, but grey tends to work best and is easiest to paint.
For their clothes, imagine what they were wearing when they turned,, and how dirty and faded those clothes would get. You don’t need bright, flashy colors here; muted tones like navy, khaki, dusty rose, or dull greens work well. Adding just a touch of color gives the miniatures life without distracting from the Survivors.
Preparing Your Miniatures: Priming
Priming is a crucial first step. It creates a good surface for paint to stick to and helps the colors look better on your models. For a big group of Zombies, I recommend priming them all at once. Attach them carefully to a piece of cardboard or strips of paper, so you can easily spray or airbrush them without handling each one individually.
Airbrushing is an excellent tool for priming, especially with large batches. It applies paint thinly and evenly and lets you work indoors without worrying about spray cans. If you don’t have an airbrush, spray primers still work fine. Just be sure to apply thin, even coats to avoid losing details.
Use a medium grey primer to give yourself a good neutral base. This helps later when you add washes and inks.
Using Acrylic Inks for Color and Texture
One of the best ways to add subtle color to Zombies is with acrylic inks. Unlike regular paints, inks are transparent, so when you apply them over the grey primer, the color looks muted and natural. This transparency means you don’t have to spend ages layering and shading—the base grey underneath tones down the brightness of the inks.
Dilute your inks with good-quality water and a flow improver to get a smooth, thin consistency. This helps the ink flow nicely over the miniature without clogging details. Avoid tap water if possible, as minerals can affect how the ink spreads and dries.
You can experiment by mixing colors or adding a drop of black ink to create realistic clothing shades like navy or dusty khaki. Remember, a little black ink goes a long way!
Applying the Inks
When you start applying your thinned inks, don’t worry if the color seems strong at first. It will look much more natural once dry, especially over the grey base. You don’t need to cover every inch; leaving some grey showing through adds to the weathered look.
Don’t aim for perfect lines here. The goal is to get a general sense of worn clothes and lifeless skin tones. If you make a mistake or get ink outside the lines, that’s fine—you will cover some of this later with washes and blood effects.
Adding Depth with Nuln Oil Wash
After the inks are dry, the next crucial step is to wash the Zombies with Nuln Oil. This product is essential. It darkens and tones down the entire model, removing any gloss from the inks and uniting all the colors. It also settles into the recesses and details, adding depth and grime that’s perfect for undead miniatures.
Apply the wash liberally, covering the whole model. You’ll be amazed how much it improves the look by bringing out the sculpted details and giving everything a gritty, grimy finish.
Light Dry-Brushing for Highlights
Once the wash is completely dry, you can lightly dry-brush the Zombies to bring out raised edges and textures. Be careful not to overdo it—you want to keep the overall look dark and dirty.
Choose a muted or darker dry-brush color, such as a dark grey or dull brown. This will add subtle highlights without making the models look too bright or clean.
Adding the Finishing Touch: Blood Effects
For a realistic and terrifying zombie finish, nothing beats blood effects. Instead of just using red paint, consider using a specialized product like Blood for the Blood God from Citadel’s technical paint line. It’s a thick, glossy paint that looks like real gore—oily, shiny, and fresh.
You can apply it thickly for gruesome wounds or thin it out for blood smears. Another fun technique is flicking the paint onto the miniatures with a brush to create realistic blood splatter. This adds dynamic and gruesome detail, perfect for the undead hordes.
Painting large Zombie armies can be a huge job, but it doesn’t have to be complicated or take forever. By priming grey, using transparent inks for muted clothing colors, washing with Nuln Oil, and finishing with subtle dry-brushing and blood effects, you can quickly get a visually striking result that makes your Survivors pop and your game table look great.
This simple yet effective painting method balances speed with quality, making it perfect for beginners or anyone who wants to get their Zombicide miniatures ready for gaming fast.
Before you start painting your Zombie miniatures, it’s important to set up a comfortable and organized workspace. Good lighting is essential so you can see the details on your models. Natural daylight bulbs or adjustable LED lamps work best for this purpose. Make sure you have all your brushes, paints, inks, and washes within easy reach to avoid interruptions while painting. It’s also helpful to have some paper towels and water containers ready for cleaning brushes between colors.
Using quality brushes can make a big difference in the ease and quality of your painting. A few small detail brushes and one or two medium-sized dry brushes are usually enough for Zombies. You don’t need expensive brushes when you’re starting, but try to avoid very cheap, stiff ones that can damage miniature surfaces or make smooth strokes difficult.
How to Handle Miniatures While Painting
Holding miniatures steadily is important to maintain control and avoid smudging paint. Some painters prefer to attach their miniatures to painting handles or corks with Blu Tack or double-sided tape. This makes it easier to rotate the figure while painting without touching the painted areas. For large groups of Zombies, it can be efficient to mount several on a piece of cardboard or foam to speed up batch painting.
Try to avoid gripping the miniature directly with your fingers once paint is applied, as the natural oils on skin can affect paint adhesion. If you don’t have a painting handle, just be mindful of where you hold your miniatures and keep your hands clean.
Building Up Layers with Thin Paints
A common mistake beginners make is applying paint that is too thick. Thick paint hides detail and can create clumps on the miniature’s surface. Instead, always thin your paints with a bit of water or acrylic medium before applying. Thin layers allow you to build up color gradually and keep all the sculpted textures sharp and visible.
When painting Zombies, start with thin base layers to lay down your main colors. Don’t worry if the first layer looks uneven; subsequent layers will even out the finish. This approach not only gives better results but also makes your paint last longer and reduces frustration.
Using Washes to Enhance Details
Washes are thin, highly pigmented paints that flow into the miniature’s crevices and bring out the sculpted shadows. They are perfect for Zombies because they add grime, dirt, and a weathered look without needing complicated techniques.
After your base colors have dried, apply a wash over the entire miniature or specific areas like skin, clothing, and weapons. Use a soft brush to guide the wash into folds and recesses, and avoid pooling large amounts that can obscure detail. For Zombies, dark brown or black washes work well to give that grimy undead feel.
Dry-Brushing for Texture and Highlights
Dry-brushing is a simple technique that helps to highlight raised textures on your miniatures, adding depth and visual interest. Once the washes are completely dry, take a dry brush with very little paint on it and gently sweep over the surface. This lightly deposits paint on the edges and raised parts, mimicking the way light would naturally hit these areas.
For Zombies, dry-brushing with grey or off-white tones works well to simulate dust, dirt, and wear. Keep your motions light and controlled; you can always add more, but it’s hard to remove excess paint once applied.
Creating Realistic Blood and Gore Effects
Adding blood and gore effects brings Zombie miniatures to life and fits the grim theme of the game. Instead of just using flat red paint, try using specialty blood effect paints that have a glossy and thick texture. This gives the illusion of fresh, wet blood.
Apply these effects sparingly to wounds, hands, and weapons for maximum impact. For splatter effects, you can flick paint from a stiff brush onto the miniature to create random spots and drips. Layering blood effects over dry-brushed and washed miniatures creates a believable and gruesome finish.
Quick Tips for Painting Large Zombie Hordes
When you have dozens or even hundreds of Zombies to paint, time management is key. Batch painting similar steps saves effort and keeps your painting consistent. For example, prime all the miniatures at once, then base coat all the skin, then base coat the clothes, and so on.
Keep your color palette limited to a few muted and natural tones. This reduces decision fatigue and speeds up the process. A small set of colors repeated across all Zombies still looks impressive as a mass.
Don’t stress about perfect details on each miniature. Zombies are background characters; their main job is to look grimy and creepy from a distance. Trust that the general shapes and shadows will sell the effect when you have a full horde on your table.
Storing and Protecting Your Painted Miniatures
Once your Zombies are painted and fully dry, it’s a good idea to protect them with a clear varnish. A matte varnish spray is perfect to remove any unwanted shine and seal the paint against handling, wear, and tear.
Store your miniatures in a foam-lined case or a sturdy box with dividers. This prevents damage during transport and keeps paint jobs safe. Avoid stacking miniatures directly on top of each other without padding, as this can cause chipping.
Painting Zombies doesn’t have to be intimidating or overly complex. By preparing your workspace, using thin layers of paint, applying washes and dry-brushing, and finishing with realistic blood effects, you can create a stunning horde that complements your Survivors perfectly.
The key is to focus on speed and simplicity without sacrificing the overall look. This approach makes painting fun and lets you get your game ready faster, so you can spend more time enjoying Zombicide with friends. With practice, your Zombies will gain more character and your skills will improve, making every gaming session visually exciting.
Preparing Your Miniatures and Workspace for Painting
Before you begin painting your Zombie miniatures, it’s important to set up a proper workspace that encourages focus and efficiency. Good lighting is one of the most essential factors to consider. Natural daylight bulbs or adjustable LED lamps provide the best visibility for small details and color accuracy. Having a comfortable chair and a clean surface helps prevent fatigue during long painting sessions. Organizing your paints, brushes, water containers, and paper towels within easy reach keeps the workflow smooth and uninterrupted. For beginners, it’s also a good idea to keep some spare brushes on hand, as cheap or worn-out brushes can make painting difficult and frustrating.
Handling miniatures carefully is another key point. Many painters use holders like corks or dedicated painting handles, which can be attached with reusable putty or tape. This lets you hold the miniature steadily without touching the painted areas, reducing the chance of smudging. For large groups of Zombies, you might mount several miniatures on a piece of cardboard or foam to speed up batch painting, allowing you to move through the process in stages and maintain a consistent style.
Priming and Base Coating: Setting the Foundation
Priming is the crucial first step to ensure paint adheres well and colors appear vibrant on your models. A medium grey primer is often the best choice for Zombies because it gives a neutral tone that works well with the muted colors of undead skin and clothing. Whether you use spray primers or airbrush priming, applying thin, even coats avoids clogging details. When priming multiple miniatures, doing it all at once saves time and helps maintain consistency.
Once primed, base coating lays down the main colors. For Zombie skin, pale grey shades or muted blue-greens work best to capture the undead look. When painting clothing, choose dull and faded tones such as dusty browns, khaki, navy, or muted greens. The goal is to make the Zombies look worn and grimy rather than fresh and clean. Use thin, watered-down paint to keep textures sharp and avoid obscuring detail. It’s normal if the first layer looks patchy; multiple thin layers help build up solid, even coverage.
Adding Realism with Washes and Inks
After the base coat is dry, applying washes or inks is one of the easiest ways to add depth and realism to your Zombies. These thin, highly pigmented liquids flow into the miniature’s crevices, enhancing shadows and sculpted details naturally. A dark wash, like a black or brown shade, works well to give a grimy, dirt-covered appearance that is perfect for undead figures.
Using acrylic inks over the base coat can also provide subtle variations in color and texture. Inks are transparent, allowing the primer and base colors underneath to show through, which results in a more natural and weathered effect. When diluted properly with clean water and flow improver, inks spread smoothly and avoid pooling. You can mix inks or add small amounts of black to darken colors, helping create realistic clothing shades like navy or khaki without the need for multiple paint layers.
Applying these washes and inks liberally but carefully is important. Cover the entire miniature to unify colors and tone down any overly bright spots from the base coat. Don’t worry about being too neat at this stage, as the washes add organic grime and dirt that enhances the overall undead feel.
Highlighting and Dry-Brushing for Texture
Once the washes and inks are fully dry, highlighting is the next step to bring out raised details and textures. Dry-brushing is a simple technique, especially effective for Zombies, since it can add subtle highlights without requiring complex blending. Using a dry brush with very little paint, gently sweep across the miniature’s raised areas, such as the edges of clothing, bones, and exposed skin.
Choose muted colors like light greys, off-whites, or dull browns for dry-brushing. The goal is not to brighten the miniature excessively but to emphasize texture and make the model pop visually. Overdoing it can make Zombies look too clean or artificial, so apply dry-brushing lightly and build up gradually if needed.
Dry-brushing also helps simulate dirt, dust, and wear on the Zombies’ clothes and skin, reinforcing their grimy and decayed appearance.
Adding Blood and Gore Effects for Impact
A finishing touch that makes Zombie miniatures stand out is realistic blood and gore effects. Instead of simply using flat red paint, special blood effect paints add a thick, glossy texture that mimics fresh, wet blood. These paints provide a rich, oily look that adds drama and horror to your figures.
Apply blood effects selectively to wounds, exposed flesh, hands, and weapons. Layer it thickly in some areas to simulate deep, gory injuries, or thin it out for smeared or dried blood. Another popular technique is to flick paint from a stiff brush onto the miniature to create random blood splatter, which adds dynamic detail and a sense of violent movement.
Combining blood effects with the grimy base layers and dark washes creates a convincing and terrifying zombie finish, perfect for the mood of the game.
Efficient Techniques for Large Zombie Armies
Painting an entire horde of Zombies can be overwhelming if you try to finish each miniature individually. Batch painting methods are essential to speed up the process and keep a uniform style across your army. By completing one stage on all miniatures before moving to the next, such as priming, base coating, washing, and highlighting, you minimize drying time and repetitive setup.
Limiting your color palette to a few earth tones and greys simplifies decision-making and maintains visual cohesion. Using transparent inks and washes over a grey base speeds up shading and adds realistic grime quickly without elaborate layering.
Remember, Zombies are meant to look grimy and rough, so minor imperfections or uneven paint coverage don’t detract from the overall effect. From a distance, the group will look like a terrifying, cohesive mass, and players will naturally focus more on the detailed Survivors.
Caring for Your Painted Miniatures
Once your miniatures are fully painted and dry, protecting your work with a clear varnish is highly recommended. A matte varnish removes any unwanted shine and seals the paint against chips and wear during gameplay or transport. Spray varnishes provide an even coat and are easy to apply if you use light layers and good ventilation.
When storing Zombies, use a foam-lined case or a sturdy box with compartments to prevent them from rubbing against each other. Avoid stacking miniatures directly or placing them loosely to protect delicate paintwork and sculpted details.
Final Thoughts on Painting Zombies
Painting Zombies is a fun and rewarding part of building your tabletop collection. With simple techniques like priming with grey, using thin layers of muted colors, adding washes for grime, dry-brushing highlights, and finishing with realistic blood effects, you can create impressive undead hordes without overwhelming effort.
This approach balances speed and quality, making it ideal for beginners or anyone looking to quickly get their models ready for gaming. The key is to embrace imperfection and focus on the overall visual impact rather than tiny details. As you gain experience, your skill and confidence will grow, and painting Zombies will become an enjoyable and satisfying part of your hobby.