Hive Armada Narhay

Looks really good actually!

Interesting choice of mismatched wings too, gives you a bit more movement and variety in the poses.

You may want to invest in some varnish to stop them getting scratched or chipped in transit too.

Very nice for a first model. There are a few things I'll give constructive input on, so if you don't want it (it may read harsher than I intend), stop now. mostly it's colour-theory based and not about technique.

1. I'm not a fan of mismatched wings. Stuff just doesn't fly like that. if there are any left to assemble, I'd definitely try to match the wings.

2. The weapon symbiont (Fleshborer) is a semi-separate creature in the fluff, so I like to see them in different colours. A tan like on the wings or a brown would remain complimentary, or you could go for a blue to provide contrast.

3. I would (and this is far more preference than technique) take the blending on the carapace just a little lighter on the last 1/10th of a segment. I don't know GW colours, so I don't know if there is a lighter shade available or if you'd have to mix to get one.

4. The tongue seems off. probably because it is the same shade as the carapace, my ind is telling me that it's hard and chitinous, instead of fleshy. If you take my advice on the weapon, matching the tongue to it would help to harmonize the model.

Aside from those few things, it's an excellent start.

for a first model that looks really good! I personally like the weapons to blend in with the rest of the model even though it technically another creature, IMO the queen wants all her bugs to look good and match:)

Thanks for the comments everyone. Rath, I would like to see what you do with them as well. I may paint a bit more tonight, we will see if I have the time. I watched "how to paint tyranids" on youtube which is where i learned about feathering and drybrushing. I chose my paints right at the store based on 3 colours of increasing lightness for each portion of the body, a wash for the wings and white, because white is useful. I would have also purchased black but there was not any to be had.

Tonight I painted all the flesh borers and the off arms. Was quite a bit of tedious work as there are a lot of details but they are done now and a couple more evenings of painting should complete the box. I will post updated photos soon.

So, like I said yesterday I have finished the fleshborers and the off-arms.



I have also given the wing flesh a coat of a little watery bleached bone. I took care to avoid the fingers so that they will come out in contrasting colours. I will then drybrush fortress grey, skull white onto everything, including the fingers, and then wash just the wing flesh in sepia.



I have completed doing this to 5 of the 9 remaining gargoyles. Man, this takes forever!

Finished off the gargoyles. May have to put some matte varnish at some point, but for now they are completed. I think they turned out pretty well for my first miniatures.






How I painted them:

Cut away from plastic sprue
Cleaned up mold lines and sprue attachment
Glued together minus arms and guns (painted separately)
Primed with Krylon Grey Primer (spray can)
Painted wing flesh with watered down bleached bone
Dry brush arms and body with codex grey, then fortress grey
Put down a coat of sepia wash on the wings
Dry brush skull white
Another layer of sepia wash on wing flesh
Dry brush codex grey on wings flesh a little bit
Carapace and guns have a base coat of scab red
Then feather with blood red
Tongue is blood red
Feather again with blazing orange
Pick out details with blazing orange