Quick answer
For rotting, undead skin (zombies, ghouls, plague victims) choose Necrotic Flesh. For healthy, exposed skin on barbarians, warriors, or civilians choose Barbarian Flesh. Both are colour primers that double as your base coat, saving a full painting step.
Why colour primers save time on skin tones
Both Necrotic Flesh and Barbarian Flesh are part of The Army Painter's Colour Primer line. Instead of priming grey or black then painting a base colour, you apply the skin tone directly. The fast-drying acrylic formula with a precision nozzle gives even coverage and preserves miniature detail.
The trade-off is that you commit to a specific skin palette from the start. If you later decide the flesh should be warmer or cooler, you'll need additional paint layers. For most fantasy miniatures, this is a net time win.
Coverage and matching paint
Both primers have a 100% matching Warpaint colour. This means any touch-ups or highlights you add with a brush will blend seamlessly with the primer coat. The precision nozzle and fast-drying formula are identical between the two - the difference is purely the colour.
Necrotic Flesh vs Barbarian Flesh: Trade-offs
- Undead vs living skin tone: Necrotic Flesh gives a sickly, rotting greenish flesh. Barbarian Flesh gives a warm, healthy skin tone. Choose based on your model's narrative.
- Versatility across model types: Barbarian Flesh works for any exposed human skin: warriors, civilians, wizards. Necrotic Flesh is specialized for undead, demons, and plague-themed miniatures. If you paint mostly undead armies, Necrotic Flesh is the better investment. If you paint a mix of living and undead, Barbarian Flesh is more flexible.
- Price difference: Necrotic Flesh is USD 12.72 (down from USD 18.99) and Barbarian Flesh is USD 13.67 (down from USD 18.99). The small price gap has no practical impact on your choice.
Product facts
-
Colour Primer: Necrotic Flesh: Ideal for the rotten skin of Ghouls, zombies, vampires, pestilence demons and plague warshipping ratmen. Saves time by priming and basecoating undead skin in one step, so you can focus on shading and highlights.
Colour Primer: Necrotic Flesh
-
Colour Primer: Barbarian Flesh: Great for spraying miniatures with exposed skin, saving you loads of time. Perfect for humanoid models where large areas of healthy skin are visible, like barbarians or adventurers.
Colour Primer: Barbarian Flesh
Which primer fits your project?
Best for
- Necrotic Flesh: Painting zombies, ghouls, vampires, and other undead or plague-ridden miniatures
- Barbarian Flesh: Painting miniatures with large areas of healthy exposed skin, such as barbarians, warriors, or civilians
Not for
- Necrotic Flesh: Healthy human skin tones or non-undead fantasy races
- Barbarian Flesh: Rotting, sickly, or undead skin effects
