Hive Fleet Valken Color Test

[mavezina]

I just got my Hive Fleet out of storage (www.vectorsphere.com/weblog/archives/005821.html), now that I have a room to work in again. After reading many articles on The Dip, I figured that I would only need to invest time on assembly and customizing, and let the polyurethane stain take care of the rest.

So here's my first test. The colors (tan body, reddish chitin) match the previous edition's Tyranids (Kraken?), and a lot of people are tired of red bugs, but I like them. Green is too "orkish," blue reminds me too much of space marines, white doesn't respond well to the dip, purple is too "old school" (first edition)...



The colors and shading came out nice, but I'd like to add some sort of "markings" to the carapace to make them stand out more on the tabletop. Something similar to what exotic insects have. I'm not 100% happy with the following Photoshop tests -- if anyone has something better to suggest, I'd like to get additional input.



I'm looking for something effective but very simple, especially since I intend to field a lot of Spinegaunts (almost no Termagants -- why pay good points for something that's going to get shot to pieces anyway?).

Maybe I should leave the troops pretty bare, tan and red, and just give special markings to the more unique troops -- Carnifex, Lictor, etc. Though that means I still need to find a proper pattern for the big guys...

[Scizor]

indeed its kraken.

out of those tests i like the one to the right best, but if the markings started from the edges like the left one, but being black

[afterimagedan]

I agree exactly with Scizor.

[mavezina]

afterimagedan said:

I agree exactly with Scizor.

So, something like this, then?



I don't think I would do all the line troops like that, but it would look good on my 'Fex...

[Scizor]

yeh, that was exactly what i meant

[afterimagedan]

Totally. That would look awesome. One question for you. Was the dipping process easy? I am thinking about doing so models with the dip. Did you dip or paint on the stuff?

[mavezina]

afterimagedan said:

Totally. That would look awesome.

It does have a malevolent insectoid look that I like...

One question for you. Was the dipping process easy? I am thinking about doing so models with the dip. Did you dip or paint on the stuff?

I bought the smallest can they had; couldn't find the near-black Tudor stain, had to settle for Royal Walnut. I also bought a ten-pack of cheap brushes at the dollar store. I used the latter to paint the stain on the model, paying special attention to the joints.

It works much better than actually dipping, since you control the amount and locations. Be warned that though it takes 24 hours to dry completely, you only have a couple of minutes to place the stain where you want it to go before it gets sticky. I had to remove a loose brush hair with tweezers, and there are twin puddles of unremoved stain under the Hormagaunt's knees.

The stain mutes the colors somewhat, but it does create awesomely smooth blended shadows.

[bigpig]

Beautiful stuff. I agree with Scizor as well. The black is best. White looks too.... clean.... structured... something along those lines.

Something you might try that I have had success with. Before dipping I do a quick highlight on the raised edges of carapace. Nothing detailed or fancy or you start defeating the purpose of a "flat color and dip" job. I find that it really gives a good contrast on the high edges of carapace since the dip pretty much runs off of itgives shade to the flat parts and even more in the recesses.

Do you have any bigger pics?

[mavezina]

bigpig said:

Beautiful stuff. I agree with Scizor as well. The black is best. White looks too.... clean.... structured... something along those lines.

I checked a few other fleets with patterns and it does seem to work. Now to get the courage to do it on all Gaunts...

Something you might try that I have had success with. Before dipping I do a quick highlight on the raised edges of carapace.

Oh, absolutely. This Gaunt is just a test shot to check out how the colors come out with the Dip.

Things to do:

- Get a darker red as a base color. The tomato red I'm using right now will be good to make some proper carapace streaks.

- Add streaks to the carapace edges. Tests on sprues tell me that they will show through the Dip.

- Add dark brown dots to the flesh near the joints and carapace.

- Add a little pinkinsh tone to the tan in a few spots such as the mouth and ammo sacks. Again, tests tell me this will show through.

Do you have any bigger pics?

Not yet but final models will get the full photo treatment.

UPDATE: Here's a quick Photoshop to summarize:

[speiread]

Very nice! Looks like an offshot of Kraken. I really like the back markings...

[mavezina]

speiread said:

Very nice! Looks like an offshot of Kraken. I really like the back markings...

Thanks! Valken is indeed a Kraken splinter fleet. I need to find the time to write down its background, but right now it's more important to get the non-Gaunt creatures finished (you'll see why soon) and ready for painting.