I am refining the colors a bit more to get a feel for what mixes I should use. It would've been a great time to keep track of my mixing, but I got in a flow and forgot...

Regardless, I've got the red and "blue" zeroed in. The yellow-green carapace could be a bit more yellow to match the reference art. I also think the bone I'm going to push more toward white.

Left is old; right is new.

#warhammer #warhammer40k #tyranids #CustomHiveFleet #MiniaturePainting #HiveFleetLotan

After fussing around with random color schemes, I decided to try returning to my original prompt.

I want to use the same limited color palette - the Zorn palette - as John Blanche. I want the armies I collect to fit together into a narrative. I also want to explore the horrific aspects of the 40k universe.

Enter Hive Fleet Lotan.

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Curious about what I could do to add more drama to Bloody Tears, I did a couple of experiments with the underpainting.

For both, I did a zenithal prime. This replaces the first step with a base color (black or red, for left and right, respectively) that has Grey Seer sprayed or dry brushed from above.

I'm having a hard time picking a favorite.

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Moar Hive Fleets! Hive Fleet Adam's Fall.

Recipe in short:
1) Prime grey with Grey Seer xenithal,
2) Wash with Apothecary White,
3) Dry brush _heavily_ with White Scar,
4) Black-out eyes, claws, vents, and joints with Black Templar,
5) Paint guns, mouth(s), and lips with Flesh-Tearer's Red.

Letting go of my original vision is also letting me have more fun. Might use it for my LAoK Spires army...

#warhammer #warhammer40k #tyranids #CustomHiveFleet #MiniaturePainting #SpeedPainting

The last of last night's batch, inspired by the earlier Bloody Petals, is Hive Fleet Bloody Tears.

Recipe in short:
1) Prime with Grey Seer,
2) Wash with Dread Visage,
3) Drybrush with Deepkin Flesh,
4) Paint armor plates and claws with Black Templar,
5) Black-out eyes,
6) Paint tear streaks with Baal Red.

A zenithal would add a lot more drama to this scheme. Might drybrush with Pallid Witch Flesh instead.

#warhammer #warhammer40k #tyranids #CustomHiveFleet #MiniaturePainting #SpeedPainting

The last of last night's batch, inspired by the earlier Bloody Petals, is Hive Fleet Bloody Tears.

Recipe in short:
1) Prime with Grey Seer,
2) Wash with Dread Visage,
3) Drybrush with Deepkin Flesh,
4) Paint armor plates and claws with Black Templar,
5) Black-out eyes,
6) Paint tear streaks with Baal Red.

A zenithal would add a lot more drama to this scheme. Might drybrush with Pallid Witch Flesh instead.

#warhammer #warhammer40k #tyranids #CustomHiveFleet #MiniaturePainting #SpeedPainting

Another experiment from last night was Hive Fleet Yellow Sun.

Recipe in short:
1) Prime in Wraithbone,
2) Cover all carapaces in Iyanden Yellow (or Imperial Fist for pop),
3) Dry brush with Flash Gitz Yellow,
4) Paint armor plates and claws in Nazdreg Yellow,
5) Stipple/sponge Cygor brown on the armor plates

This is a really poppy scheme that is actually growing on me. Not 100% sold on it yet, but maybe...

#warhammer #warhammer40k #tyranids #CustomHiveFleet #MiniaturePainting #SpeedPainting

Experimenting with more schemes last night. Here's Hive Fleet Kerrigan's Fall.

Recipe in short:
1) Base coat in Xereus Purple,
2) Wash in Druchi Violet,
3) Dry brush in Genestealer Purple,
4) Paint carapaces with Mournfang Brown,
5) Wash carapaces in Agrax Earthshade,
6) Paint claws/teeth with Ushabti Bone,
7) Wash claws/teeth with Seraphim Sepia,
OPTIONAL:
8) Paint green with white base and Tesseract Glow

#warhammer #warhammer40k #tyranids #CustomHiveFleet #MiniaturePainting #SpeedPainting

OK, I lied. One more hive fleet scheme since I want to preserve it for posterity. It could be used as an interpretation of Hive Fleet Leviathan.

Recipe in short:
1) Prime black,
2) Cover totally in Khorne Red,
3) Dry brush Screaming Skull,
4) Wash with Seraphim Sepia,
5) Paint carapaces with Cygor Brown.

Replacing Cygor Brown with a black-purple mix would be more fitting of Leviathan.

#warhammer #warhammer40k #tyranids #CustomHiveFleet #MiniaturePainting #SpeedPainting

The last experiment I want to share today is Hive Fleet Leoparde. If you like leopard print, this might be for you.

Recipe in short:
1) Prime Wraithbone,
2) Dip wash in Fuegan Orange,
3) Drybrush with Wraithbone,
4) Sponge/stipple Nazdreg Yellow.

And that's it because I hate this scheme. It'd look better with Reikland rather than Fuegan, but even then, not my cup of tea.

#warhammer #warhammer40k #tyranids #CustomHiveFleet #MiniaturePainting #SpeedPainting

The next scheme I liked but won't be using I'm simply dubbing "Hive Fleet Alpha." Didn't keep good notes on color mixes, so YMMV.

Recipe in short:
1) Prime in Wraithbone,
2) Dip wash in Seraphim Sepia,
3) Drybrush with Wraithbone,
4) Sponge/stipple 2:1:1 mix Nazdreg Yellow, Baal Red, Black Templar,
5) Sponge/stipple Black Templar,
6) Paint claws in Black Templar,
7) Paint the tongue in Baal Red.

#warhammer #warhammer40k #tyranids #CustomHiveFleet #MiniaturePainting #SpeedPainting

First up on the experiments I did with a Tyranid scheme is what I'm dubbing Hive Fleet Bloody Petals.

Recipe in short:
1) Prime in Wraithbone,
2) Dip wash in Carroburg Crimson,
3) Drybrush with Wraithbone,
4) Sponge/stipple 1:1 mix of Nazdreg Yellow + Baal Red,
5) Sponge/stipple 1:1:1 mix of Nazdreg, Baal, and Black Templar,
6) Paint claws in Black Templar.

#warhammer #warhammer40k #tyranids #CustomHiveFleet #MiniaturePainting #SpeedPainting