Hive Fleet Volos - updating a bland scheme

[trashcan01]

Some time ago I've decided to update the colors of my modest poorhammer army.
The main reasons were the fact that I've gotten enough painting mileage/confidence to make the change and I felt that my army just doesn't pop out on the tabletop. It was just a mass of dark colors, with no contrast. It didn't do justice to the models.

The initial color selection was inspired by monkeychuka nids - green, red and black. Without the yellow details because I'm just not good enough. I didn't want to watch grey plastic on the tabletop, and I wanted to have a uniform color as many models came from opportunistic Ebay rescues.

I feel there is no need to go too deep into paint details.
I started with Green Waagh green over black prime, changed to Ogryn Cammo at some point, the latest version being Ogryn Cammo (green) + Flash Gitz Yellow combo.
Initial Mephiston Red got updated with Wild Rider Red (vibrant red/orange).   






Left model is old version. Middle is just updated green. Right model is the updated scheme.
Photos are with no filters and poor light, on bright surface, so that you have an honest look on how does it look on the tabletop. They kind of pop out more against a dark surface. The photo quality is, as you can witness, superb.

I'm still thinking how to paint the ranged weapons. My impression is that if they are painted with separate colors they start to look like rifles (..bleh), despite being organisms from the same Fleet. Maybe I'm just too reserved to try something radical at this point. Any suggestions?

I'm also a bit worried the scheme is too "orky". Is it? Any constructive comment is appreciated.
Also, huge thanks to monkeychuka and everyone else posting paint on the forum. It's a great source of inspiration and motivation to improve. 

[bolk]

Regarding how to paint the "guns" I agree that having them in different colours than the rest of the model makes Tyranids look less alien, which ruins the entire point with Tyranids in general.

And no, they don't look Orky to me. Green Nids can look awesome, and your updated scheme looks really great👍

[trashcan01]

In order to stop myself from getting too much into details at this point, I've decided to call it "kind of done" when I finish the work with my #2 brush. The last details using the smallest #1 brush - precise washing/ eyes / teeth etc. will be done when all of the army is done with #2 brush.

So, I've managed to finish the Warrior Squad (6 Warriors + Prime)


and the Genestealer Squad (10 Genestealers + Broodlord).


Also, I've decided to redo the basing, going for the simple cracked earth (cheap acrylic + used coffee grounds). Like, the planet is almost sucked out and the Hive Fleet is ready to move on.  Before that, the basing was a bright sawdust surface that didn't go well with vibrant colors of the models.

Hopefully I'll find more time to get some proper photos done.

[trashcan01]

Finally, I've managed to do some painting done. It's been almost three months and I haven't invested myself into painting at all.
My newly painted Venomthropes, a project that took me 3 months to finish, because I'm a lazy:



The only thing left on my pile of shame were 5 Neurothropes (one of the being Zhoantrope) and some Ripper Swarms. Was I disciplined and painted it before purchasing more models?
Hell no.
But I have good excuse. I've managed to snipe and win online auction for 2002 Tyranid Battleforce box, containing the following:
1x Carnifex
3x Tyranid Warriors
8x Genestealers
8x Hormagaunts
8x Termagants
4x Ripper Swarms (12 Rippers)

The winning bid was something like 15$, which climbed to 40$ with shipping and delivery.



What's great about it is that, although used, it came with almost all of the bits, missing just some Warrior upgrade options. The Hive fleet grows in number.

[tyranique]

Nice scheme ma dud!
I would've done the chimneys in chitin color but it's you're choice.
I can only recommend to do a transition at the base of them, you could have fun painting that.
Maybe transition from yellow to black? or red to yellow? (probably easier to do)
If you want to brainstorm on your scheme feel free to message me.

[trashcan01]

Mar 3, 2022 10:05:56 GMT tyranique said:

Nice scheme ma dud!
I would've done the chimneys in chitin color but it's you're choice.
I can only recommend to do a transition at the base of them, you could have fun painting that.
Maybe transition from yellow to black? or red to yellow? (probably easier to do)
If you want to brainstorm on your scheme feel free to message me.

Yeah I agree about the vents, the "flesh vents" do look a bit distracting on smaller models; especially on Venomthropes because I've given the sacks on top much more yellow hue and you can't even see it properly.
At this point I'm calling the Venomthropes done, at least until I re-paint all of my army and paint the new models as well to this standard. And then there is the basing.



On monsters the "flesh vents" look much more natural, as if they grow between the chitin plates. Can you provide an photo example of transitions you've mentioned?  

[tyranique]

Painting is all about knowing when to stop. If you say it's finished don't touch it again.
I dont have pictures however I did see some people have different color vents. There is not right or wrong way to go about it.
First I think I would go with black on the lower third (or less) of the vent and not red to bring out the sack more.

For the transition maybe hard black dots and a few red dots inside the black dots in the yellow area. Kind of like >> that << but with your color scheme.

You could also transition like you did with your red or maybe you could do some feathering like >> this <<.

Glazing black on yellow? Not buying that one too much thought.

Have fun, mix around colors, invert some colors, in warhammer, money is the limit.

Can't wait to see your first big bug painted in the new scheme.

[trashcan01]

Wow, those yellow vents are a thing of beauty... yeah, I might try something like that. Thank you!
I'll keep posting as I tackle this project.

[trashcan01]

Mar 3, 2022 20:06:47 GMT tyranique said:

You could also transition like you did with your red or maybe you could do some feathering like >> this <<.

At first I've made the vents on my Neurothrope green, same way as I did on my Venomthropes. It didn't look good. I was considering not using the vents at all, but that didn't sit too well, because I think even conversions should keep the same general dimensions (shape, height, length) as the originals.

So, I took your advice and gave the vents the same transition as the carapace. It looked so much better, so thank you for the advice!
I've added the Warrior rending claws to the Neuro, as I wanted him set apart from normal Zhoantropes even more (also for my opponents to have easier time differentiating Neuro from Zhoan).

Zhoan and 2 Neuros are made mostly with green stuff / blue stuff, as the most of the original parts went into 3 Venomthropes; the vents were molded off the original vents, torso was molded off the Warriors torso, and the tail molded after older Zhoantrope version. The lack of quality is visible if you look close enough, but I don't mind it all that much. It would bothered me more to have unassembled Zhoan/Neuro.



Now to finish the 4 Zhoans (2x new and 2x old versions), and then going for the Carnifex!

[tyranique]

Nice man !
I was confused at first beacause I recognised the metal/resin zoanthrope but the carapace was the plastic one. I like the arms.
If you really want to make him stand out try doing some FX for him like some warp lighting.

Mine isn't very eye catching but here's an example:

Not sponsored but >> here is a better example <<

You can do it yourself with some wire framing and a bit of greenstuff.

On mine I used 0,5 mm tin wire from greenstuff world, but it's pretty sh!t as it snaps when you handle it too much