PAINTERLY - a High Res Vanilla Warpaint Retexture
⚪ Last updated 2015⚠️ Install Order · 4 steps
Install in this order, then this mod last — most mods fail to load without their framework and dependencies in place.
Preview

🔍 Analysis
- 👍 0.9% endorsement rate
- 🏆 #21 of 101 Body, Face, and Hair mods in this game by downloads
📋 About This Mod
Version 1. 0 retextures the 10 default designs available to guys and girls of all non-beast races, as well as all specific (non-beast) racial designs. This is a 2k, high resolution retexture (2048x2048). I have also included several alternate textures for the default hand print design, on a varying scale of smeariness. Just rename whichever texture you prefer to "maleheadwarpaint_08.dds".
small caveat: RaceMenu's Makeup Texture selection shows several textures that I haven't currently retextured, namely Black Blood tattoos, Forsworn tattoos, and beast stripes/markings. See Future Plans for more details.
The main file replaces the default textures, so the main "Warpaint" slider will show the retextured designs. This also means that you will be able to select and layer designs in RaceMenu by default, with no need for an extra esp. (See images for RaceMenu location/details.) Please leave a comment if you're interested in a non-replacing, RaceMenu .esp version!
IMPORTANT:
This mod relies on SKSE's fix for high-quality tint masks, in order to display them at their full resolution. To enable this, add the following lines to your SKSE.ini file (Data\SKSE\SKSE.ini):
iTintTextureResolution=2048 Installation & Uninstallation If you're using MO or NMM, install and uninstall like any other mod! :)
If you're not using a mod manager, simply extract the contents to your Skyrim folder (Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim).
To uninstall manually, remove the following files:
Data\textures\actors\character\character assets\tintmasks\Any filename containing "female" and "warpaint".dds
Data\textures\actors\character\character assets\tintmasks\Any filename containing "male" and "warpaint".dds
Forsworn tattoos are not included in version 1, because they are almost too intricate for the painterly style. However, I might make them a potential update if I'm so inclined/you all want them.
I will not be retexturing the beast race stripes/markings at all, or the Black Blood tattoos.
PAINTERLY is a 2K high-resolution retexture of the vanilla warpaint designs in a painterly style, intended for use with RaceMenu. It's a popular cosmetic mod with over 6,900 endorsements and 745,000 downloads, last updated in 2015.
✨ Key Features
📊 Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Huge community trust (6,910 endorsements) — this is a proven cosmetic upgrade.
- Massive download count (745,100) shows it's a go-to for warpaint overhauls.
- 2K resolution keeps the vanilla look but with a crisp, artistic twist.
⚠️ Cons
- Last updated in 2015 — may not be fully compatible with the latest Skyrim Special Edition or Anniversary Edition without patches.
- Only affects warpaints — if you want body or face texture overhauls, this isn't it.
- Requires RaceMenu for the intended experience, which adds an extra dependency.
For Skyrim players who want to freshen up their character's warpaint without straying from the vanilla designs. Ideal for roleplayers and screenshot enthusiasts who use RaceMenu for detailed character creation. Skip if you're looking for new warpaint patterns or gameplay changes — this is purely a texture upgrade.
💡 Beginner Tips
- Install with a mod manager like Vortex or Mod Organizer 2 to keep your texture mods organized and easy to remove.
- If you're on Skyrim Special Edition, check for a compatible version or use a mod that ports Oldrim textures — this mod is from 2015 and may need conversion.
- Pair with a high-res body and face texture mod to get the full visual benefit — warpaints alone won't fix blurry skin.
📊 Mod Details
- Game
- Skyrim LE Mods
- Author
- gobbldygook
- Version
- 1.0
- Downloads
- 745,100
- Endorsements
- 6,910
- Category
- Body, Face, and Hair
- Created
- 6/23/2015
- Updated
- 6/23/2015
🔧 How to Install Skyrim LE Mods
Download from Nexus.
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Visit the official mod page for specific installation instructions for this mod.
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