Cockroach Coloured Tyranids, a Blackadder Work in Progress

[wargamesculptor]

Great execution ! Do something similar when making big creature skeletons but using green stuff over paperclips

 

[Demihuman]

Ribcage looks great!

 

[Blackadder]

Thanks,

Dry Brushing:

Dry brushed bases with grey primer. Time to call it a night.......

http://i.imgur.com/6kCHeCC.jpg

G'night

 

[Blackadder]

Mistakes were made:

Well my first attempt at wash was a wash out. Either I did not dilute it enough or I used the wrong wash but the Hive Tyrant has a bad case of Yellow Jaundice. Fortunately it is my experiment model so worst case scenario I strip and repaint it but since it's metal I'm not going to bother.


The Tyrgon will have to wait until I get the wash right.


Meanwhile the bases seem to have turned out okay:


http://i.imgur.com/TXpY8x3.jpg

In order of application:


A Black overall Prime


Grey Prime dry brushed


VA Game Color Cold Grey dry brush


" " " Bone White Highlight dry brush


VA Model Air Earth Brown Airbrushed fissures


VA Game Color Bone White dry brush rock high lights.


http://i.imgur.com/lyNfwyp.jpg

Still have the Trygon mandibles to install but painting wise it's done except for the wash.


http://i.imgur.com/ry6fS2k.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/9QQ46jM.jpg

 

[wargamesculptor]

The bases turned out great and very fitting for a tyranid incursion where all genetic material is collected and used by the collective.

 

[Blackadder]

Thanks for the accolades.............

BTW it was only by accident that I went for the sterile base; I just new to the concept and went simple....... (No jokes please)

You're Taking Recycling Too Far Blackadder:

No, it's not what it looks like!


Looking for all the world like a dried meadow muffin but in point of fact a wall plaque with cork sheeting and detritus from the end of my driveway.


http://i.imgur.com/qetsBCC.jpg

Close up shows the fine sand, coarse sand and pea gravel used to add texture to the fissures


http://i.imgur.com/ODmGEUa.jpg

The Hierophant posed on all fours in this instance shows that even a base 12 inches in diameter is inadequate to display this sprawling Arthropod.


http://i.imgur.com/o3qLhrv.jpg

So the Hierophant is capable of assuming it's intended pose as well as the more dynamic one I prefer.


http://i.imgur.com/BbXSRGX.jpg

And the 'cow pie' in black prime.


http://i.imgur.com/Vh7nADb.jpg

 

[Zab]

This has kind of been awesome to watch. I don't comment on a lot of your titan builds because i have no great skill in those areas but damn if you aren't a top notch painter too!!! :brushlick:

 

[Blackadder]

Thanks,

Trygon and Carnifax bases:

First the bases for the two smaller tyranids:


http://i.imgur.com/gqhO5RY.jpg

These ar pretty much done except for grasses and carnage.


http://i.imgur.com/68b2rwd.jpg

I was thinking a small toxic waste puddle in the center but the dry basin seems enough. I do need to make more skeletons....

 

[Kretcher]

Bases are looking nice, some time since I last was in too your thread, Nice to see your progress

 

[Blackadder]

Lost in the Shuffle:

I took these images a week ago but forgot to post them:


http://i.imgur.com/XJMSB7y.jpg

A closeup of the base with assorted remains and a few Gargoyles:


http://i.imgur.com/VfrTOFQ.jpg

A few tufts of vegetation would not be amiss:


http://i.imgur.com/OUar94H.jpg

I greatly prefer this pose to the standard submissive one advocated by FW:


http://i.imgur.com/EVaYgAJ.jpg

Of course this type of lunging pose could not be maintained statically any more than a runner can sustain a full trot stance at any split second of his step cycle. It is an instant frozen in time:


http://i.imgur.com/y8nr30j.jpg

 

[wargamesculptor]

Really nice base BA ,do you haver any spare gaunts to permanently fix to the base giving the impression of swarming masses ?

 

[Blackadder]

I've neglected this thread for over half a year; a belated thanks for the reply........


Helpful Harridan Hints:


So you bought yourself a Harridan, probably one of the easiest FW models to build but also one of the most easily broken.


Why, because of its size and the delicate nature of it's parts. The thinly constructed head and sinuous tail stuck out front and back. The talons hanging down ready to snag on a shirt sleeve and that ridiculous stand is an accident waiting to happen coupled with the thick humongous wings; it's totally top heavy.


Well today we are going to address these issues to save you a lot of grief later on when you use it in a game.


First the head:


http://i.imgur.com/03eV8Ws.jpg

I'm going to magnetize the head fastenings with two rare earth magnets one 2 MM thick for the head and one 3 MM thick for the neck. I used my Dremel and a drum cutter to cut a shallow well on the head about 2 MM deep. The head material is very thin so I dare not cut deeper than 2 MM. i cut a well 3 MM deep in the neck because the neck material is very thick. This will give a strong attachment but also allow the head to be removed for easy transport of this fragile Tyranid titan.


I put a spot of cyanoacrylate glue to temporarily affix the magnet to the head and neck because I want to see how the head is positioned and that the magnets meet flush before I permanently attach the magnets with epoxy.


http://i.imgur.com/9fr3ljk.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/MmHAORR.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/FQVP1xi.jpg

Well that's just about perfect;


next the tail.

 

[Meph]

Somehow I got the mental picture of that thing scraping an apple with its top teeth.

 

[Blackadder]

Yeah it does have a pronounced overbite without the lower jaw; I can't attach that until I finish painting the mouth.

 

[Blackadder]

Really nice base BA ,do you haver any spare gaunts to permanently fix to the base giving the impression of swarming masses ?

Sorry for the late reply; yeah I'm going to populate the base with all kinds of critters and victims because it's the display stand. When and if it's ever used in a game it'll just stand on it's feet er ah talons.

 

[Blackadder]

Lemme See Ya Shake Your Tail Feather:

The tail is much too long to attach with a magnet but fortunately there's a nice deep socket that it plugs into. It's supposed to be glued into that socket but I have a better way to mount it.


I drilled holes into the tail and the base and with a piece of ordinary coat hanger wire fashioned an internal clamp. Glue the wire into the base and plug in the tail. so it lines up but it's still loose in the socket.


http://i.imgur.com/QgQrmgz.jpg

Bend the wire slightly up so the tail plug is pressing on the top of the socket and there it is, a tight connection.



http://i.imgur.com/XyOVtIO.jpg

That can be easily removed for transport.


Next the wings.

 

[Blackadder]

The Harridan Née Thunderhawk:


I call it that because as with the Thunderhawk the aerodynamics are suspect. In short it would be impossible for the Harridan to fly as it has neither shoulders nor sternum keel to anchor the flight muscles and the wings are kind of just stuck on through holes in the chitin.


But it's still a cool model.


So here's the completed model sans the brood gargoyles (I've yet to paint them) in natural light..........


http://i.imgur.com/Va4zAxp.jpg

and flash........


http://i.imgur.com/Gjhjq3t.jpg

I still have a lot of painting to do but I assembled it mainly with rods and plug ins to show the construction is stable without gluing together the pieces.


Now I can disassemble the components for the final painting.

 

[wargamesculptor]

Looking good BA, to disguise that big lump of resin that is the stand, you could make it into a spore chimney. Just a thought

 

[Blackadder]

By accident I mounted the model on the stand backward and in that position it looks like a steaming cloud of Harridan flatulence.


http://i.imgur.com/ck4AAbQ.jpg

 

[moetle]

Good looking 'nids BA! You can always remount the Harridan right?