Tyranid color scheme help!

[White Tiger88]

I am trying to work out a tyranid army scheme similer to that of my first army which wax Necron Abyss with purple carapace. However I also want my nids to look like they are from a "dark world" full of purple crystals (would post pictures of an example but on my tablet atm) So at any rate I came up with a color scheme like this

http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums/q763/White_Tiger88/Tyanids/gaunt_zpsf27edafd.png (http://s1358.photobucket.com/user/White_Tiger88/media/Tyanids/gaunt_zpsf27edafd.png.html)
http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums/q763/White_Tiger88/Tyanids/warrior_zps4eec9a72.png (http://s1358.photobucket.com/user/White_Tiger88/media/Tyanids/warrior_zps4eec9a72.png.html)
http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums/q763/White_Tiger88/Tyanids/Fex_zps106db209.png (http://s1358.photobucket.com/user/White_Tiger88/media/Tyanids/Fex_zps106db209.png.html)
http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums/q763/White_Tiger88/Tyanids/Zonethrope_zps8bab9380.png (http://s1358.photobucket.com/user/White_Tiger88/media/Tyanids/Zonethrope_zps8bab9380.png.html)
http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums/q763/White_Tiger88/Tyanids/Tyrant_zps8e26cd9a.png (http://s1358.photobucket.com/user/White_Tiger88/media/Tyanids/Tyrant_zps8e26cd9a.png.html)

However I also want them to look like a Dark sinister Gem carpaced group of killing machines!

Anyone got suggestions on how I could paint something like above that would look awesome on the table top?

[White Tiger88]

Finally got the pictures to work! Any suggestions?

[daboarder]

Finally got the pictures to work! Any suggestions?

What do you mean "gem" like, do you mean a patterning on the carapace, or do you mean for the carapace with be shiney or pearlescent?

like the colour choice though, should look really good

[Lord Ezekial]

I think some bright green edging on the carapace would make them stand out.

[White Tiger88]

So trying to figure out what paints.......

Flesh
--------
Base: Kantor Blue
Wash: Druchi Violet?
Highlight:???
Edge: Teal???

Carpace
-------
Base: Daemonette Hide
Wash: Druchi Violet
Highlight: Xereus Purple
Edge Highlight: ???

[ElectricPaladin]

Hot damn, that's a gorgeous color scheme. I wish you lived in California so I could have the pleasure of blowing your 'Nids off the table with my brightly colored Knights of Blood!

Honestly, I think your best bet is to bring the pots of color you want to use over to your FLGS and do it by eye. Nothing beats holding that pot of Xereus Purple in your hand and eyeballing the various purples until you find the one you like. I don't have to do it like that, because the dudes who run my FLGS are veteran painters and they can usually interpret my vague color scheme meanderings... but if they ever fail me, that's how I do it.

[interrogator_chaplain]

For the Carapace, you could go one higher to Genestealer Purple and then go to the Citadel Edge line (You can get it on the GW website) and use Dechala Lilac. For the Flesh, you could go Kantor Blue, Druchii Violet, Altdorf Guard Blue, Teclis Blue for the extreme highlights and then finish with a glaze of Guilliman Blue. It would make for a very deep blue as depicted above.

[daboarder]

If you want the carapace to be shiney, throw a layer of ard coat over the top. Looks like this once its done

http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss2/daboarder/40k/20140903_074040_zpsjgxb3daz.jpg

the blue sections, gives a nice "shine" effect could look really sick on that pinkish

[ElectricPaladin]

I do a similar thing with my Shaltari for DZC, and there's a guy here in Oakland who does that for Eldar ghost-style helmets. Using gloss to create different textures can be a really cool effect.

[daboarder]

There is also these guys.

http://arcanepaintworks.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/pearl-and-color-shift.html

And these guys

http://www.hobbyrecreationproducts.com/spazstixpaints-s/1724.htm?searching=Y&sort=5&cat=1724&show=60&page=1&f-Aerosol=1707

who do airbrush and spray can pearlescent paints. pretty rocking way to do it.

[White Tiger88]

Would help if i owned an Airbrush....lol

[daboarder]

Would help if i owned an Airbrush....lol

I linked those guys because they also do spray cans with that paint in it (aerosol cans) so the airbrush is not so required

[DWest]

There's also a "quick and dirty" method to getting the iridescent/pearlescent look, although it won't truly change colors, and it goes like this:
-Step 1: choose your colors; this system works best if you're shooting for a green, purple, or orange-ish hue, although it could work for others, but I haven't tried those as of yet. For your colors, you need your top color, a pot of metallic paint (gold for yellow, copper for red, etc) that is 1 step to the left or the right of your final color on the color wheel (gold for green or orange, copper for orange or purple), and a basecoat that's opposite the metallic on the color wheel (purple under gold, green under copper).

-Step 2: basecoat the parts to be pearlized with the chosen base color. Nothing fancy, just a smooth, even coat.

-Step 3: here's where the magic should happen: mix 1-2 parts top color to 1 part metallic color. When evenly blended, it should give the look of the top color, but also be recognizable that you have a metallic in there as well. Now drybrush this mixture over the surface, and make sure to always brush in the same direction over the whole area; the reason for this is while it will eventually coat the whole surface, depending on the texture, some of the undercoat will remain untouched, which gives a slight color-changing effect as you view the piece from different angles.

-Step 4: if the final look is a bit too metallic, apply a thin wash of the desired top color to help bring it out.

It's not perfect by any means, and the technique definitely bears testing on a piece of scrap first until you get the right color mix, but I've used this in the past and it has worked well for me.

[White Tiger88]

I linked those guys because they also do spray cans with that paint in it (aerosol cans) so the airbrush is not so required

Oh cool thanks! I do like the pearl carapace idea.......Mixed with the evily dark skin they will be the new "Oh crap" the guard watch out for ;)

[daboarder]

yeah I've seen it done on another nid army (different paint, same idea) and it looks wonderfully, freakishly alien

- - - Updated - - -


There's also a "quick and dirty" method to getting the iridescent/pearlescent look, although it won't truly change colors, and it goes like this:
-Step 1: choose your colors; this system works best if you're shooting for a green, purple, or orange-ish hue, although it could work for others, but I haven't tried those as of yet. For your colors, you need your top color, a pot of metallic paint (gold for yellow, copper for red, etc) that is 1 step to the left or the right of your final color on the color wheel (gold for green or orange, copper for orange or purple), and a basecoat that's opposite the metallic on the color wheel (purple under gold, green under copper).

-Step 2: basecoat the parts to be pearlized with the chosen base color. Nothing fancy, just a smooth, even coat.

-Step 3: here's where the magic should happen: mix 1-2 parts top color to 1 part metallic color. When evenly blended, it should give the look of the top color, but also be recognizable that you have a metallic in there as well. Now drybrush this mixture over the surface, and make sure to always brush in the same direction over the whole area; the reason for this is while it will eventually coat the whole surface, depending on the texture, some of the undercoat will remain untouched, which gives a slight color-changing effect as you view the piece from different angles.

-Step 4: if the final look is a bit too metallic, apply a thin wash of the desired top color to help bring it out.

It's not perfect by any means, and the technique definitely bears testing on a piece of scrap first until you get the right color mix, but I've used this in the past and it has worked well for me.

Sounds cool, any chance of sharing some pitcures?

Another way to get a flatter metallic is to paint the carapace silver and then do 3 or 4 washes of the chosen colour over the top. they've got some marines done that way over on BnC

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/155396-viva-metallica/

Very Cool.

[White Tiger88]

yeah I've seen it done on another nid army (different paint, same idea) and it looks wonderfully, freakishly alien

- - - Updated - - -



Sounds cool, any chance of sharing some pitcures?

Another way to get a flatter metallic is to paint the carapace silver and then do 3 or 4 washes of the chosen colour over the top. they've got some marines done that way over on BnC

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/155396-viva-metallica/

Very Cool.

Hmmm that would make a pretty cool Carapace.......I wonder if it would work for non-metallic.......

[daboarder]

non metallic undercoat? its called staining and you do it with a white undercoat, can be pretty dark if you do enough layers, just make sure they aren't too thick so they dont pool

[Mystery.Shadow]

More Tyranid goodness than you could ever want!

http://album.warpshadow.com/main.php

[DWest]

Sounds cool, any chance of sharing some pitcures?
http://i899.photobucket.com/albums/ac191/disposableobject/20141104_194420_zps49849573.jpg (http://s899.photobucket.com/user/disposableobject/media/20141104_194420_zps49849573.jpg.html)
Here's an example of the effect on a Plague Drone carapace; purple base with green/gold drybrush, green wash.

I would have had an example on an actual Tyranid, but all I had on hand were Finecast models, and while I don't hate the material like some, the drybrushed metallic doesn't pop nearly as well as it does on plastic.

[daboarder]

Thats really cool man

[ElectricPaladin]

I just bought Space Hulk, so now I've got some 'Nids to paint. I may steal your color scheme. Just so you know. :D

[White Tiger88]

I just bought Space Hulk, so now I've got some 'Nids to paint. I may steal your color scheme. Just so you know. :D

I will find you and I will..........take your nids if you steal biteys scheme! (Yes my first Tyrant was named bitey)

[White Tiger88]

Alright some rough test of the scheme on old models, Nothing pretty but it gets the General colors across what do you guys think?

http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums/q763/White_Tiger88/Tyanids/nid1_zps61fbf7bc.jpg (http://s1358.photobucket.com/user/White_Tiger88/media/Tyanids/nid1_zps61fbf7bc.jpg.html)
http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums/q763/White_Tiger88/Tyanids/nid2_zpse1f58674.jpg (http://s1358.photobucket.com/user/White_Tiger88/media/Tyanids/nid2_zpse1f58674.jpg.html)

Flesh
--------
Base:Kantor Blue
Dry Brush: Caldor Blue
Wash: Drakenhof Nightshade
Highlight parts: Temple Guard Blue w\Coelia Greenshade
Teeth:Screaming Skull, Argax Earthshade
Eyes:Evil Sunz Sacarlet,Wild rider red,Bloodletter Glaze


Carpace
-------
Base:Naggaroth Night
Layer:Xereus Purple
Wash:Druchi Violet

[White Tiger88]

Really pally and boarder haven't mocked me yet?????

[daboarder]

I like it it!

May I suggest an idea? try throwing a red glaze/wash over the armoured carapace, should give you slightly better definition on the plates and blend into the highlights on the edge

edit: And it may not be your thing (fine if it isn't its damn tiem consuming and irritating on a 100+ gants) but run the edge of your hobby knife over the mold lines. generally I find it easiest to put gants together and doing that before I glue them to the base.

[White Tiger88]

I like it it!

May I suggest an idea? try throwing a red glaze/wash over the armoured carapace, should give you slightly better definition on the plates and blend into the highlights on the edge

edit: And it may not be your thing (fine if it isn't its damn tiem consuming and irritating on a 100+ gants) but run the edge of your hobby knife over the mold lines. generally I find it easiest to put gants together and doing that before I glue them to the base.

I normally do these are REALLY old back from when i first started playing, Also will give the glazing a shot. (I hate mold lines but on a few test models i figured..."Eh i am stripping em anyhow")

[daboarder]

I normally do these are REALLY old back from when i first started playing, Also will give the glazing a shot. (I hate mold lines but on a few test models i figured..."Eh i am stripping em anyhow")

hey all fair, just pointing it out is all

[White Tiger88]

hey all fair, just pointing it out is all


Oh i know :P

But now i am stuck trying to figure out what type of basing to do.........