Painting Zombies / Ghouls

Hi I'm hoping to get started on my guys really soon and wanting a little advice before I start. I wanted a red/purple undertone to my ghouls with really pale skin ontop - as such I have a purple wash I was considering starting with on a cream spray undercoat. Should I go for black instead (undercoat) then build up a wash then highlight OR spray cream, do highlights/layers then wash?

I've got a brown wash for my zombies so the processes could be similar. Any advice would be really appreciated.

I'd go with the army painter purple or blue undercoat. then paint them as normal, washing with a watered down ogryn flesh.

hi guys,
my technique would be to start with a fairly pale colour and do the red, purple, whatever shades with very thin washes ; check out the last page of my thread "rascal's random miniatures"
I have never tried it, but starting undead flesh on a black undercoat seems difficult to me.
Why would you want a black undercoat if you want a rather pale fleshtone ?
Let us see your results, ok ? I'm interested in what you'll do.
happy painting !

how about this color scheme? These are my zombies
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mariomartino/7113312889/in/photostream

One technique I've used that looks pretty cool is to base the skin with a blue-grey such as GW Shadow Grey over a black-primed mini. Afterwards, give the skin a drybrush of a light flesh color, and a thin brown wash once you have finished. This gives the skin a pallid tone that looks pretty cool for a walking dead!