Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I just started 40k with a few friends (one who quit playing before the 4th edition started).
I decided to start with Tyranid because Orks were taken and I liked the whole, in your face approach in demo games.

After collecting a moderately sized army to start small games with, I started to paint. I think they came out good but I would like a few opinions on how they are coming out.







Remember, this is the first time I'm doing it and I have no previous experience.

Very nice! The only problems I see are the teeth are a bit too white, maybe give them the same wash the body gets? And the carapace looks a bit plain. The skin looks great though! And I love the dark red claws/talons and such.


Keep it up and welcome to Dakka!

Hit them up with a hole mess of Devlan mud, then they will, I kid you not, be done quite well.

I really like the color scheme, nice work. The chest bone-colored tones are turning out nice. For the bright red, I might add a deep crimson wash followed up a light drybrush of pink.

I don't think nids should look very pink and pretty, so be sparing with it and it should come out looking like highlight (but sorry in advance if I make one of your stealers end up in the Hello Kitty category).

Give us a short write up about what colors you're using and the steps. A wash would definately help. The color scheme is very much like mine:

Personal preference, Scything Talons on top, Rending Claws on the bottom. Paint jobs are nice. If they really are your first, then they're really nice.

Looking good!! You might try some highlighting/drybrushing on the edges of the red and I think they will look great!

You can also try the thrakka green wash in the same areas that you're painting the green. It would tone it down a bit.

Basics of what I'm doing.

1. Primed with a Chaos Black.
2. Covered with Tallarn Flesh Foundation.
3. Drybrush Bleached Bone
4. Washed with Ogryn Flesh
5. Drybrush a 2nd layer of Bleached Bone
6. Scab Red for the Carapace.


Might I just add, This is an extremely high quality camera and I noticed that they actually look worse then they do in person. Kinda like 1080p. Adds stuff to faces that isn't really there lol.

I started dry brushing the carapace with Chaos Black and they're starting to look a little darker and animal-like.

Finished my Hive Tyrant.
Similar paint job, better job on the dry brushing with the Bleached Bone and there is some darker detail on the carapace.
Took this picture with my cell phone so it doesn't show as much.

Ack! Need focus!

Mattlov wrote:Ack! Need focus!

Gah, I'll update it with a higher quality camera later.

Actually, it needs light more than anything.

You totally nailed the skin color, but the carapice is a bit too red, and it needs some hilights. Overall though it's awesome. (This isn't coming from the mouth of an experienced painter, mind you, this is just my opinion.)

the White is kind of blinding try using a brown or black wash over it.

High Commissar Biffsmack wrote: You totally nailed the skin color, but the carapice is a bit too red, and it needs some hilights. Overall though it's awesome. (This isn't coming from the mouth of an experienced painter, mind you, this is just my opinion.)

The skin is what I was mainly concerned about, I just highlighted the carapace with black so it looks a little darker then what Ifurita posted.

Ifurita wrote:Give us a short write up about what colors you're using and the steps. A wash would definately help. The color scheme is very much like mine:

I would definetly try out some washes. The colors just aren't popping enough, if you know what I mean. You can always go back over most of the model with the base colors, but as they are, these nids are in serious need of some contrast.

Chrysaor686 wrote:I would definetly try out some washes. The colors just aren't popping enough, if you know what I mean. You can always go back over most of the model with the base colors, but as they are, these nids are in serious need of some contrast.

I'm using Ogryn Flesh as my wash and they are actually a lot darker then my camera makes them out to seem. If you think they'd look perfect that way, then that means they should be good now!

I was actually more concerned about the chitin plates and teeth.

Are you using washes on those? If not, I'd try a light black wash for the teeth and a dark red wash for the chitin.

Id have to voice my concern about the chitin plates. A wash is a good idea, and perhaps a followup drybrush as well. Red is a tricky color because if you go overboard with layering it can turn pink or orange quickly. Perhaps a wash of red (or Brown), a overcoat of mechrite, or red gore and a highlight/drybrush of blood red

to highlight red... add small amounts of orange. adding white gives you pink, where orange keeps you in the same color wheel area kinda...

i dig the colors. looks pretty good man keep it up

pretty cool, keep on going!

Thanks guys. But again... I am using a wash, they are a LOT DARKER, the camera has some super super super flash which takes a lot of the darker colors out.

Don't use flash for pictures as much as possible.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Photography:_It%27s_All_About_Light

http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Dakka_Modeling_FAQ:_Photographing_Models

A brown wash over red works very well. It will shade it without making it look dirty.

Nice! Add some depth to the red by adding some darkening tone to it by maybe giving it a Badab Black Wash and giving the flesh a very light Devlan Mud Wash as well. The teeth could also use a hint of darkening as well. Still, looks great so far!

Ifurita wrote:A brown wash over red works very well. It will shade it without making it look dirty.

So if I were to through brown wash over the carapace, specifically the under part of each shell, it should look good?

Fmofdeath wrote:

Ifurita wrote:A brown wash over red works very well. It will shade it without making it look dirty.

So if I were to through brown wash over the carapace, specifically the under part of each shell, it should look good?

Indeed it would.

Hah, the nids are on top of crysis which has nid like aliens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!HAH (That's the best manical laughter I can type.)