Very slow Tyranid project

[MrReznor]

The scheme Ive chosen for my Tyranid swarm is inspired by real life "bugs"
I Googled hoards of photos of cockroaches, beetles etc..
The scheme is not 100% accurate real life bugs they just served as an inspiration when i started.
So the miniatures themselves aren't very colorful.Kinda boring brownish reds,
orange and some yellows.
So i will add more different colours on the bases.
Bases are a mix of GS, bark, RL grass,straws and sand.
Im really happy with the scheme so far and i would really appreciate some c&c before i start painting some more miniatures.

I bought 50 "old style" plastic genestealers from Ebay and my plan for them is to stick with the classic blue purple scheme and the rest of the swarm the same as the Lictor on the photos.
The Lictor is almost complete need some more details on "arms" face, feet and varnish. (arms are just attached with blue tac on the photos)

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[New Cult King]

Ooh, nice scheme, and extremely well painted That base is beautiful too. I've always liked Nids, I'll be watching this plog!

[Pekel]

Love the model and the basing, especially the organic colors and the grass tufts! One thing I'd change is the base rim, as it's too much of the same brown. Have you tried a darker brown, black, or even Catachan Green?

[Tzarinchilla]

Superb painting and a nice scheme. I'm with Pekel as to the edge of the bases. Maybe a little too much brown. Could always go for a black edge, just to not over-power on the brown.

[Angelwing]

I like this colour scheme. Nice and subtle. Lovely bases, but I'd agree with the above posters, in that perhaps a darker brown rim will help.

[MrReznor]

Thanks for comments guys and i will definitely try a different color on the rim, I'm thinking another green.
I got some VERY early wip on my carnifex, its roughly 3-4 layers of paint applied with an airbrush.
I have also started to shade and highlight the claws which are magnetized.
Base has also been started but only some milliput and bark so not very interesting at the moment(not the actual base he is on now).
I will try to sculpt "higher" plants on this base to get some more details on it.

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sry about the blurry photos its kinda late here..

[MrReznor]

I must have been real tired last night didn't even realize the claws were all wrong.
Anyways i thought i just add some more WIP photos on the Carnifex.

This photo is the base and some plants that i started to sculpt earlier , i started 3 plants if they turn out alright i will do some more for future miniatures.
They will be a fairly high plant to give the base extra height and dimension.

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these are bases for my Genestealers , i will paint 15 at a time so here is the start for their bases

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just 1 photo of the Fex tonight.
All the scales on the claws have been shaded and highlighted , still one more highlight to go on them.
started on the "body" aswell , i love this miniature and it is a joy to paint it.
Cant wait to get my hands on a Hive Tyrant.

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[Kaos]

The Lictor looks really cool and the bases are even cooler! Great job on making them look more "jungley".

You should paint up some of them Stealers and place beside the more brownish nids, i can imagine that the contrast is pretty high. But that might work very well together too.

Cheers-Kaos

[MrReznor]

Managed to paint for a few hours tonight so i thought i put some new photos up.
Need a few more washes on back,legs and tail still and finishing highlights.
Started on ribcage as well and the "inside" bits of the tail.

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[Lord of Slaanesh]

Good colour on the carnifex backscales. Try to find areas to highlight the brown bodyparts. Dont overdo it though, I understand you are going for a subtle insectlike dark "dull" palette and thats good. Maybe you could go for some stronger colours on your bases to make some contrast. Keep it up.

[silverstu]

Really like this scheme- the carapace looks excellent- very bug-like and your bases are great!

[polomarko888]

Loving the natural look of your Nids mate, can't wait to see more!

[MrReznor]

thanks for the comments guys, much appreciated.
I have finished the base except the higher plants i sculpted,they had a mishap and snapped in half...
I might just attach the "flower" bits to the base instead , will see how it turns out.
I have also painted more on the fex but i have some deciding to do.
Im not sure what colors to pick on its teeth and eyes, I still want the model to look
kinda bland and i don't want to add to many different colors.
So if you guys have any ideas please let me know.
"Chimneys" will be finished tonight i hope and if so i will post some more photos.

[harlekin]

For the eyes I'd suggest maybe solid black, with a little lightspot?
The teeth could get a yellowish bone colour, maybe just a brown-yellow or even -white-transition.

You could use in general the whole graduates of brown on the pallette (mixes with red, violett or green maybe - it should blend well in eachother and should fit well in your concept).

Oh, and carnifexes are lovely to build, paint and look at, you're completely right.

[MrReznor]

Managed to finish his base, the purple flowers were my "taller" plants that snapped but i really think they work as they are now.
Started "chimneys" and the tip of tail should be able to finish that of tomorrow.. if my kids are tired and go to sleep early.
Im goin with black eyes and a lightspot as harlekin suggested.
The tusks will be same as other bone parts and teeth i might paint in a shiny black.
I have also started on my genestealers and hopefully the classic blue purple will fit in with my other brown, reddish scheme.

So here is the base
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and here is the fex
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[Disposable Hero]

Uhm, this must be the best painted nids I have ever seen. Very well done.


Just be carefull the Hive mind doesn't come to get you as their in-house designer.

[-BoBo-]

Hey!
Very nice nids you got going here! Love the natural colours and your bases! More please
/BoBo

[MrReznor]

First of all I want thank you guys for the nice comments, it keeps me motivated indeed.
And to you BoBo your Tyranids are a real delight so please keep em coming.

I think my Carnifex is about 99% done, some very small touch ups and then its complete.
Like i said before i love this model and i will get another one in near future which i will do some conversions on as well.
Im very happy with the result and i believe the "swarm" will look quite nice in this scheme.

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That leads to a worrying thing though , I'm sold on the old scheme for my genestealers when they are blue and purple.
It might look very weird indeed with a completely different scheme, oh well I guess i will find out soon enough.
Here is 14 of them started the 15th one is still drying on my desk :O.(i still have some mold lines to get rid of, they keep showing up after i put some paint on them..)

[harlekin]

I guess there is no problem with two different schemes - those are scouts afterall, a different force of your swarm.
You could gather the stealers and your "mainforce" with similar style of claws, eyes or anything else not carapace- or flesh-related spots.
With the cafnifex finished, i just get the overall look of your nids' colours - Great thing indeed! I love the backcarapace shown in the last shot of the fex and the base works perfect.
Just note, that every colour is somewhere to find in nature, so they're all natural somehow .


Finally I'm glad, I could help with suggestions .

[Lord of Slaanesh]

Try making a stealer prototype with the brown paintscheme and see how it feels. I think both would work.