In this post, I’ll show you how to paint a Goliath Forge-Born Ganger from Necromunda in 45 easy to follow steps. You’ll learn how to save time painting metallics thanks to Leadbelcher primer and Contrast paints, how to paint tanned skin, black worn leather, and much more. Find out more in this tutorial.

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How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, featured image

This tutorial assumes you have a good understanding of how to paint Warhammer miniatures. Underneath each picture is the corresponding instruction. Each step shows the paint(s) I used. I have a rather eclectic paint collection, so when I use a paint that’s not from Games Workshop or out of production, I’ll try to provide you with suitable alternatives from the current Citadel paint range [in brackets]. However, if you want to achieve the exact same result as shown, you might want to expand your paint collection with the specific colour. You’ll find a list of all the paints used in this tutorial at the end of the post.

How to paint a Goliath Forge-born

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Prime with Leadbelcher Spray. For an even finish, use Vallejo Mecha Color Dark Steel [Leadbelcher] and apply a thin coat over all the metallic areas and all areas the spray primer didn’t reach.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Basecoat the texture of the base with Mechanicus Standard Grey.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Pick out the small rocks with Administratum Grey. You might need to apply about three thin coats for even coverage. You could also use Ash Grey from The Army Painter’s Warpaints range, which is almost the same colour, but with much better opacity.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Wash the base with a 1:1:1 mix of Contrast Medium, Strong Tone Wash [Agrax Earthshade], and Dark Tone Wash [Nuln Oil] from The Army Painter.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Drybrush only the texture with Dawnstone.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Gently drybrush only the rocks with Corax White.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Wash all the metal areas with a 1:1 mix of The Army Painter Dark Tone Wash [Nuln Oil] and Nuln Oil Gloss.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Give the metal another wash of Agrax Earthshade Gloss for an oily steen.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Basecoat the darker metal areas on the armour with a 1:1 mix of Warpaints Matt Black [Abaddon Black] and Iron Warriors.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Wash the dark metal with a 1:1 mix of The Army Painter Dark Tone Wash [Nuln Oil] and Nuln Oil Gloss.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Highlight the dark metal with Vallejo Mecha Color Dark Steel [Leadbelcher].

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Basecoat the trousers with Mephiston Red.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Give the trousers an all-over wash with Carroburg Crimson.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Highlight any creases with Mephiston Red.


How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Give only the sharpest and most prominent creases a highlight of Evil Sunz Scarlet.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Basecoat the skin with a 2:1 mix of Knight-Questor Flesh and Tallarn Flesh [OOP, use Cadian Fleshtone but make the mix more like 1:2 or 1:3 as Cadian Fleshtone has a much weaker pigmentation].

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Wash the skin with a 1:1 mix of Lahmian Medium and Darkoath Flesh.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Wash the skin a second time, this time with a 1:1 mix of Contrast Medium and Agrax Earthshade. This mix will have more of a glaze-like consistency.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Bring out the basecoat colour from step 17 and layer over the muscles and facial features while leaving the recesses dark.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Use pure Knight-Questor Flesh to smooth the transitions from the base skin colour to the darker recesses.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Highlight the facial features and elbows with thinned Tallarn Flesh [OOP, use Cadian Fleshtone instead].

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Apply a second highlight of a 1:1 mix of Tallarn Flesh [Cadian Fleshtone] and Reaper Master Series Tanned Highlights [Kislev Flesh] to the most prominent features on the face such as the nose, lips, ears and chin.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Basecoat the leather with Matt Black from The Army Painter [Abaddon Black].

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Highlight the leather with Skavenblight Dinge. Keep the highlight slightly irregular and scratchy to build up a worn texture.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Apply a second highlight of Dawnstone, keep it irregular and add little scratches to add to the worn leather effect.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Wash Gore-grunta Fur over any metallic areas you want to be copper. Just apply it directly over the washed and drybrushed silver, the Contrast paint will do its trick.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Highlight the copper details with Steampunk Copper from Green Stuff World [or mix Hashut Copper with Stormhost Silver]

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Basecoat any armour panels and details you want to be red with Mephiston Red.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Recess shade the red panels with Cygor Brown Contrast paint. Clean up with Mephiston Red afterwards if needed.


How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Edge highlight the red panels with Evil Sunz Scarlet.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Apply a second, even thinner edge highlight of Jokaero Orange.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Pick out the green lenses on the goggles with Orkhide Shade [an OOP paint, use Caliban Green instead].

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Layer the lenses with Grung Green from The Army Painter’s Dungeons & Dragons range. This is an almost neon light green with excellent coverage, if you don’t have it, [mix Gauss Blaster Green with Moot Green].

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Basecoat the orange cables with Macharius Solar Orange [mix Trollslayer Orange and Jokaero Orange about 2:1].

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Shade the cables with Gore-grunta Fur.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Basecoat the Mohawk with two thin coats of Corax White.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Pick out the red stripes of the mohawk with two layers of Blood Angels Red.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Then, pick out the orange stripes with two coats of Gryph-Hound Orange.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Highlight the orange hair and cables with Jokaero Orange.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Highlight the red hair with Wild Rider Red.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Wash the metal cables with two layers of Vallejo Game Color Black Ink [about three layers of Basilicanum Grey or Nuln Oil].

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

By now there will probably be a few spots where you spilled paint over the metal areas painted in steps 7 to 9. Don’t worry, just clean the steel with Vallejo Mecha Color Dark Steel [Leadbelcher] with a tiny bit of Matt Black [Abaddon Black] mixed in. Use Vallejo Mecha Color Steel [Iron Hands Steel] to restore drybrushed highlights from step 9.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Optionally you can add some freehand markings to the gun shield with the same recipe as the black leather from steps 24 to 26, just keep your edge highlights straight this time.

How to paint a Goliath-Forgeborn for Necromunda, step by step picture

Finally, I painted the trim of the base with Warpaints Matt Black [Abaddon Black] and added one of my custom-designed name transfers.


And there we have a Goliath Forge-Born, painted in an inverted paint scheme with red trousers and black armour. This technique can be applied to all Goliath models, and probably wouldn’t look off on Blades of Khorne either. Check out a group shot of my whole Goliath Gang here.

Paints you will need for this tutorial:

If you need to expand your paint collection to follow the tutorial, check out our partner stores Wayland Games and Element Games, which offer an amazing range of paints at a discount.

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial. If so, leave a comment or reaction below, and if you got any questions, leave them here so I can answer them for you.

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