'nids part 379 - Leviathan Tyranids - Washes and bone 1

Afternoon #Warhammer Community I've been #PaintingWarhammer  on the remains of my Leviathan box set Tyranids. Here are the shade washes. You could probably achieve this with a Contrast nowadays, without the previous base colour. That would have saved me 16 minutes per Termagant (5 hours and 20 minutes). But I am compelled by the process.

The Vallejo dipping washes I use occasionally leave a similar dusty residue that Seraphim Sepia does. So I mixed in some water and Army Painter Quickshade Wash Medium.

I think this solved the issue and actually created a nice finish, particularly on the blue areas.

It's less of an issue at this stage as a lot of these areas are painted over anyway.

But it's good to have solved an issue that can occur when I'd prefer it not to.

Now the hard yards. It was around 9 minutes each to do the bone highlights on the Termagants.

3 hours to get these done and once again my skill with the brush is being called into question. I do wish I had better control, or showed any signs of improvement.

But I think subconsciously I've just become more comfortable with 'good enough'.

That said the Neurogaunts only take about 5 minutes each (55 mins for the 11 figures)

Back to the Barbgaunts and we already know this is a 15 minute job. 

In fact according to my records I know that it'll take me 6 hours and 20 minutes to get the bone and turquoise highlights done.

 I still have the reds, black, any details like teeth, eyes, glow FX, bases and then varnishes on top

It's helpful, but also daunting. Despite the time estimate, which is clearly doable before the end of the hobby season, I have 68 elements to do to get all of the Tyranids done.

But I only have 36 days to do it [not including nights when I can't paint] and I can't imagine ticking off nearly 2 elements a session.

So what seemed like a shoe-in - remember when I thought I'd be able to paint the Kill Team Typhon box as well?

I'm now beginning to doubt I'll get them done in time. Particularly as I have some other non-hobby projects to do before the end of the month.

Well, we'll just have to have our fingers crossed 🤞, hope for the best 🙏 and crack on where we can 🖌

Von Ryan's Leapers have got 4 hours 12 on the clock to go too! 😫

'nids part 378 - Leviathan Tyranids - Basecoats

Afternoon #Warhammer Community I've been #PaintingWarhammer on the remains of my Leviathan box set Tyranids. That is 20 Termagants, something I am convinced will break me. I'm certain I recall just how hard this many can be to paint.

And yet I somehow believe adding 11 Neurogaunts into the mix will make it somehow more achievable... I mean it is not. But I guarantee I will feel a damn sight worse if I finished the Termagants and then throw in another 11 gribblies.

So if I'm all in with 31 models then I might as well the extra 3 Von Ryan's Leapers from Combat Patrol.

AND, 5 Barbgaunts too. You may recall these almost broke me as well.

But I have timings for these and I'll soon have timings for the Termagants and Neurogaunts which should provide me with a timescale. Once I have that it makes the whole process that much more manageable. 

Initially getting these basecoats done felt like such a retrograde step - like it was so far from completion. Yet each step, bone, blue and red has been achievable with some concerted effort and focus. The Soft Tone and Strong Tone wash will be relatively straightforward and then it's the highlights that will be the true test. A test of patience and repetition that hopefully I can overcome.

And just as I acknowledge the value in painting all of these concurrently, however overwhelming such large batches to paint present we get this:

Kill Team Typhon from Warhammer Community

Granted we knew it was coming. But I thought it was a few pieces of terrain and 5 Raveners. But there are multiple copies of each and the big tower. Not to mention 10 Hormagaunts and a base of Rippers! So it would appear I now have to get this and paint them all for AoP too! If I'm focused it just might be possible, so much for 'What's on my palette?'

'nids part 348 - Tyranid Leviathan - BIG BUILD BASE TO DONE!

Afternoon #WarHamFam and #WarhammerCommunity I've been #PaintingWarhammer on my #New40k Leviathan box set. As usual, just getting the Red Planet BASE! 🔴 TO DONE!

First up the Psychophage.

NeuroTyrant and Neuroloids.

Screamer Killer

and Screamer Killer 2.0. Everything else hadn't been based so hadn't been primed and if I'm honest I rushed these and the red primer was a bit chalky in places, as you can just make out.

Despite this, I get the Great Big RUSTY Big Build Base Stamp of Approval for the basing!

And with a bit of concerted effort during a week's leave off work - I went on to base the Termagants

All 20 of them.

The Neurogaunts too.

And the Barbgaunts,

Von Ryan's Leapers, and

The Winged Tyranid Prime...

Oh, and an old Lictor I'd reposed years ago, thought I might as well throw it in the mix.

Great Big Big Build RUSTY Stamp of Approval for the build.

'nids 299 - Devgaunts - TO DONE! #NidVember #NomVember

Afternoon #warmongers and #warhammercommunity I've been #paintingwarhammer, I know it's a little late now but the Devgaunts got finished and I'm only just getting round to blogging about them.

It was quite the little challenge in the end.

It doesn't seem it but getting my head round painting some of the elements required a force of will just to get me over the finish line.

I was then hit with the crappy matt varnish, that started to peel off like a thin veneer of rubber on the base edges.

That setback, so close to the end and alongside the Tyrannofex just made it so hard to pick up a brush and re-varnish them with Army Painter Anti-shine.

Also, I randomly decided not to gloss the Adrenal Glands... I dunno. Despite all other Termagant glands being glossed I just didn't do it.

There's no rush, I can always gloss them some other time.

I think the addition of that black around the edge of the Devourer really helps set it off.

The highlight is helpful also in defining the weapon.

On my original Devgaunts I just covered them with Tamiya Clear Red X-27 so it was nice to have a little more definition in their weaponry.

Obviously the 3 Hormagaunt bodies are nice in adding a little variety to the profile of this brood.

Obviously they're known for tipping over [even more so with the big Devourer gun] so hopefully the slate ont he base and the more upright poses will help them balance.

They look good from above.

And make a really nice little brood.

And so I gets me my Great Big Granite Stamp of Approval - TO DONE!'