Painting Help

[tangoalphatwo]

So, I got back into the hobby around january of 2019 after being out for 10 years. I had never painted a single model but with the advent of warhammer tv, I probably have over 200 painted now and love it! But that brings me to my dilema. 

 

I am starting my Tyranid army again as they have always been my favorite fraction (besides space wolves), but I am paralized but what color scheme to paint them. I have space wolves, ultramrines, deathguard, black legion, and others all painted in at least a slight variation of the box art, with maybe only minor changes. so I am kind of boring...

 

I fell in love with nids in second ed well before they had dedicated hive fleet colors. I watched the lore develope and like how its been done. So now I have to figure our how I want to paint mine... I saw some amazing HR Giger inspired nids that would love to do some sort of twist on that, at the same time, I love the pale look of leviathon. Which is the complete oposite direction! I also love the original genestealers from space hulk. They are totally from Hive Fleet Hydra. On that note, I have a few genestealer cultists and love how their box art is the same as Hydra so it would make the two armies kind of uniform. As you can see I am paralized! Which is why I havent painted any of my nids.

 

How did you guys decide how to paint yours? Any advice would be much appreciated!

[Imren]

I had /still have?) the same problem, deciding on how to paint nids. I have a bit of nids for kill team so far. My thoughts and self-debate boiled down to three options:

• Do a dark (blacks and greys) Alien like paint scheme with some glossy shiny parts and fluorescent green slimes as a nice contrast.
• Do an all out psychedelic "crazy" paint scheme were I blend purples, turquoise, pinks etc (a bit like a crossover between Tzeentch and Slaanesh paint schemes) with an airbrush.
• Do a "natural" paint scheme, being inspired from nature.

After some searching on the internet for inspiration, I'm leaning on the last option, mostly because of this:

 

 

 

The ends result I thinks is supercool, and weights up for the fact that it seems like a quite tedious paint scheme. So I'm going for the coconut crab paint scheme.

Also, check this one out too:

 

Edited June 5, 2020 by Imren

[tangoalphatwo]

Oh man, those are awesome. Now all you did was confuse me even more!

[The Pounder]

Ultimately it’s up to you.

 

Personally I think Dark schemes for Nids looks better. In my experience I find dark schemes easier to paint.

 

That said with the advent of Contrast paints you can do simple schemes quickly.

 

Like I said it depends on what you’re trying to achieve, a quick scheme for table top ASAP or a complicated project you can really do your best on that looks amazing.

 

Let us know how you get on.

[Arson Fire]

I started by looking at tutorials for various paint schemes, both official and custom, and trying them out.  Some schemes looked awesome, but I found they were beyond my skill level at the time (Nids were my first army, so I was new to painting).

 

Eventually I found a hive fleet Behemoth tutorial that was relatively easy to follow at my level of skill.  However I didn't like all aspects of that paint scheme, and also I didn't own all of the right paints to follow it exactly.  So I tweaked it, changing some colours, and mixing in aspects of previous schemes that I liked.  Finally ending up with my own unique Behemoth splinter scheme.

 

I evolved it further over the next couple of years as I improved at painting and learned new techniques, until I had something I was totally happy with.

[Spacecow]

I get the feeling. I had the same issue. And then I’ve decided I could do whatever I want :p (I don’t play competitively)

My main fleet is Leviathan colour scheme. But to differentiate between two similar units I’ve started painting those in a kraken scheme.

My Forgeworld models I wanted to have an ancient look to them, so those are in similar colours as gorgon.

 

It makes it easier for me to play. If anyone asks it’s multiple splinter fleets working together under one big leadership. It makes the painting of them still interesting after a couple of models.

 

I’d still like to do some more extra work in their carapace at some point though. :)

[Xenith]

Check out the first post in my Nid paint log:

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/334964-jabberwocky-rises-contrast/?p=4787566

 

I was struggling to decide on a scheme and did a few test models in easy to paint methods. I think youre really spoint for choice as a tyraind collector in 2020, with Contrast paints. Get a box of gants and test a few things out. Remember the scheme has to look cool so youre happy with it, but also be easy to paint across dozens of identical models. 

[tangoalphatwo]

So, wow. Longer than I was expecting. I think I’m ready to start. I’ve decided on a hybrid HR Giger theme mixed with Hive Fleet Leviathan. I’m thinking a mostly pale white color scheme like the Leviathan Genestealers. But then the paled monotone slime over that. So...

 

I’m thinking I want my base to be a pearlescent white. Then do a reddish brown over that. Then a gloss. (I can always make a few tests.) But anyway, I’m hung of on the pearlescent base. Does anyone know where I could find something like that?

 

P.S. I have an airbrush if that makes it easier. And I want to do my genestealers cult in the same scheme so I want to stay away from rattle cans, unless they also have matching pots. Sorry. I suck.

[WarriorFish]

That coconut scheme is great, though it probably takes a fair bit of painting - but such a scheme would never be quick I too suffer from colour scheme indecision, though my nids were probably the easiest and quickest of these ruminations. Part of this was accepting that it might take time and letting myself explore options but I also jump started it by researching various critters and having an idea of the colours I wanted to use already. Then it was just the "eureka" moment that put them all together (I think this was a frog pattern, but it's not that important in retrospect )

 

I think your white/red-brown idea is a good one and will work well on nids, just a matter of finalising it. Perhaps an off white base (Corax White?) with a thinned gloss wash on top could give you something you're after without too much work? An airbrush will help you mass produce your scheme once you've refined it. The Forge is the place to go for ideas and suggestions on painting tips, I'm sure someone has done a pearlescent paint job or knows of a glaze or something that might help

 

With washes and contrast paints nids have never been easier to paint, so when in doubt grab some cheap models and experiment - might be what you need to explore your ideas. Don't forget to update us on your progress whatever you do