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Hey everybody, just wanted to share a couple preliminary test models for the paint scheme on my upcoming tyranid army and get some feedback from a broader audience. I'll post a link to the full post where I go over the techniques and paints I used and other details and in this thread I will just post the pictures and the specific areas that I am interested in getting feedback on. I was not worried about being neat or precise with these models so they are a bit sloppy and I am aware of that. The non-test models will obviously be much neater.

Full post: Tyranid painting: test models completed

Now, I have a couple different shades of the base coat. The first model has a lighter base coat/skin color and the other was given a darker color initially and used zenithal highlighting to build up highlights. I am leaning toward the darker color except with stronger highlighting but I am open to suggestions.

Side by side comparison pics:




A better look at the contrast/highlights on the second model.



The other major area that I am looking for feedback on is the eye/misc detail color. The first model is painted with the equivalent of Hawk Turquoise with a very light coat of Bleached Bone equivalent to tie it in with the skin color and give a smoother transition. The second model was painted with Folk Art Metallic Ice Blue which is much simpler since it is only one step, but I think the Hawk Turquoise/Bleached Bone looks better. I tried a darker blue but it was just too overpowering and drew attention away from the other parts of the model. Here is a close up of the eyes for comparison.



Any and all opinions are welcome. I am especially looking for suggestions on the eye color; which you prefer or any other colors you think would look better but any comments or suggestions at all are more than welcome. Thanks for the feedback and I'll be sure to update the post with the final test model when I get it all painted up. So long and thanks for all the fish.

I'm leaning towards the one on the right, the darker, cream-colored skin tone looks much more natural. Personally, I'd switch to a different shade of blue, as the one you've got on your models kind of makes the bug look like a bowling ball. I'd also apply the purple wash I think you're using along the armor plates and where the armor meets the flesh of the model, help to ease the transition from blue to white-ish. I would just wash the eyes in the same purple you're using for the rest of the model. Otherwise, trying to pick out that many eyes in the 'nid army runs a big risk of driving you nuts.

Have you tried washing the whole model in purple or are you sticking with the spot wash?

The one on the right has a more organic look, but I prefer the one on the left. Maybe try the lighter colored one with a purple wash like Jordan suggested.

I think red would be a nice contrasting color for the eyes.

edit: I can not spell tonight

Thanks for the feedback Jordan and Grass4Hopper.

I am pretty much hell-bent on using the blue, but I love the idea of the purple wash between the plates and the skin and I think it will look great. I considered a blue wash for that but never even thought of using the purple so thanks for the suggestion.

For the skin color, I really like the lighter color but it does look less natural and may be a little too close to the 'official' Hive Fleet Leviathan paint scheme. I was considering trying a flesh colored wash to darken the first model a bit and add some subtle shadow and definition where the limbs and such meet, but I will also have to try out the purple wash over the whole body to see how it works out. I'm thinking it might be a bit too much purple for my tastes but it won't hurt to try so I'll give it a shot. Lining the creases with a micron pen might also work but I'm not so sure about that method. I think the wash will be better than lining.

I personally think the red will be too close to the purple and too much of a distraction like the darker blue I also tried but I do like that you're throwing out ideas like that. I did consider a different color for the details but was leaning more towards the yellow/green end of the spectrum. For reference, I have been using the color wheel and information in Sandwyrm's Color Theory Archive from the blog The Back 40k.

The color I was testing out on the eyes will also be used for other misc. details on the models like the gun 'eyes' on fleshborers, Hive Guard guns, deathspitters, etc. so the eyes on these 2 models are mostly just to try different colors. The washed eyes could be a really nice touch and would be much easier than painting those tiny little eyes. I'm really digging the wash idea for the little buggers. I could also try a contrasting color wash or paint for both the eyes and misc. details like the yellow/green to contrast with the purple and blue. I use Les' Wash Recipe from Awesome Paint Job (there is also a thread somewhere on dakkadakka that you could probably dig up) so I can mix up just about any color wash my heart desires. I could also mix some inks with matte or other medium to get a specific color paint or use the Citadel Color Mixing Chart that I featured in a blog post on paint equivalents. Add that to my fairly decent range of paints that I already have and the options are endless. I will just have to try out a bunch of different colors.

All in all, excellent feedback and some great ideas that I will have to try out. Thanks a lot, I appreciate the help! Any other comments, feedback, suggestions, etc. are more than welcome and I'm always interested in hearing more. Thanks again and thanks in advance for those yet to post.