Cockroach Coloured Tyranids, a Blackadder Work in Progress

[Blackadder]

Tyranid Cockroaches, Ewhhhhhh!

Well here I am laid up with a immobile shoulder and my right arm in a sling and I tell you I am getting stir crazy. Books, TV, Internet surfing, No porn; right arm remember.............

Anyway visiting my 40K forums I stumble across this fantastic rendering of a Tyranid army by a certain 'DeadMuppet' his sobriquet. He has produced the most realistic Tyranids I have ever seen.

Basing his colouration on cockroaches he has produced the most intriguingly disgusting arthropods I have yet seen so I have set out to duplicate his technique.

From what I have seen on his thread he starts out with a light gray primer, I have gray primer, followed by a khaki base coat. I still can press a spray can button so here goes..............

[url]http://i.imgur.com/9IiFe5m.jpg[/url]


I'm starting with the only Tyranid in my possession; a Hive Tyrant recently purchased.

I have very limited experience with painting so this thread will be basically a trial and error excursion into the do's and don'ts of colourization.

It should prove fun..............

[wayne williams]

good luck .i cant wait to see how this comes out .



oh and get well soon i miss your other threads/ projects.

[Chadddada]

Link to DeadMuppet's nids?

[Dlatrex]

Ow. Feel better mate. In the mean time, I always love watching another nid army come together. Just remember to have fun! There is no wrong way to paint nids. =)

[Skullchewer]

Link to DeadMuppet's nids?

Aye, I'd like that too. Google renders hilarious results for "Deadmuppet".
Poor Kermit...

[Blackadder]

Thanks for the replies,

I was hoping to have a better showing of my work but I haven't gone to get my air brush set yet.

Meanwhile here is a sample of Deadmuppet's work just to whet your appetite:



This may be a bit ambitious for a painting tyro such as myself..............

[Blackadder]

Tyranid Basic Paint:

I know I am circumventing conventional wisdom with my painting and am taking too many steps to accomplish that which pro-painters can do with ease. Never let it be said that the Blackadder takes the easy path when the harder is available.

After a coat of gray primer and a coat of cardboard box cover coat (The only tan paint I had) I masked off the areas not needing further base painting and sprayed the chitin carapace areas with a coat of rust brown primer.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/kbwY47Q.jpg[/url]


After drying removing the tape reveals I missed a bit of leg chitin. Never mind I can touch that up with a brush.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/6ZwE9Jc.jpg[/url]


Well these photos came out disappointing; the flash kind of washed out the dark brown primer. The actual colour is more the cheesy simulated leather wood grain table pad hue in the photo.

I've gone about as far as I can go with spray cans, time to break out the airbrush.

[timwrightii]

I'm excited already. I can't imagine this being anything other than awesome.

Additionally, good working starting a Tyranid army before they are released. No one can accuse you of bandwagoning now =D

Speedy recovery on that arm my friend.

[Blackadder]

..................good working starting a Tyranid army before they are released. No one can accuse you of bandwagoning now =D

.............................

Ha I wasn't aware of the contoversy regarding Tyranids:

[url]http://www.3plusplus.net/2013/08/tyranids-the-rumors-and-where-they-are-now/[/url]

A short google search gave me the link to the above article. My sudden infatuation with Tyranids is purely a matter of expediency I can't do anything other than paint small items for at least a few more weeks.

Deadmuppet's work gave me a basis to attempt to emulate as I was never really thrilled abut the 'Carousel Pony' paint job featured on the GW box covers. Deadmuppet's original concept gave the 'Nids a real biological image. I also found suitable epoxy clay, armature and joint hinges that would support a 'Nid Titan on the order of 50 Centimeters bringing it to Warlord proportions, my Warlord anyway. Right now I am just toying with the concept.

One thing for sure, I won't be attempting an interior on this one. :P

[Blackadder]

Tyranid Base Coat Part Two:

Removing the masking revealed an acceptable contrast.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/ZKmX73Y.jpg[/url]


The flash show the paint as more red than it is but hey the entire base coat will be covered anyway, this will just give a depth to the final coat.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/4ZDiQRm.jpg[/url]


The rust undercoat will (I hope) supply a subliminal ruddy glow to the burnt umber carapace surface pigment.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/FUNmWNF.jpg[/url]


Now for the airbrushing: