Tyranids painted the easy way

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This is a guide to painting Tyranids quickly to a good tabletop standard. I've been using this technique to get my army ready for the PCRC's Cold Feet on Frigia campaign. I'll be referencing some older paint names (as I still have lots of them) but working out the modern equivilents shouldn't be too hard (there's a link to the conversion guide here).

 

Undercoat

  • Army Painter Matt Red

 

Skin

  • Macharius Orange drybrush
  • Blazing Orange drybrush
  • Macharius Orange highlight on prominant veins
  • Agrax Earthshade wash

 

Bone Armour

  • Bubonic Brown
  • 50/50 Bubonic Brown / Bleached Bone
  • Bleached Bone
  • Agrax Earthshade wash

 

Deathspitters

  • Warlock Purple
  • 50/50 Warlock Purple / Tentacle Pink highlight
  • Tentacle Pink highlight
  • Mordian Blue on 'detail' areas
  • 50/50 Mordian Blue / Ultramarine Blue highlight on 'detail'
  • Ultramarine Blue highlight on 'detail'
  • Agrax Earthshade wash

 

Bonesword

  • Progressive highlights on the blade from Mordian Blue nearest the base of the blade, through Ultramarine Blue to Skull White on the tip. Progressive highlights applied to the hilt at the same time.

 

Lashwhip

  • Progressive highlights from Warlock Purle, through Tentacle Pink and Bleached Bone, followed by a Druchii Violet wash.

 

Base

  • Dawnstone
  • Skull White
  • GW Snow effect flock