This article is part of a larger series on How to Paint Tyranids. To return to that series, click here. 
Why waste time layer lot paint when few drybrush do trick?
This is going to be a fast, rapid-fire painting guide – perfect for batch painting a million little bugs. It’s also easy to tweak, and hard to screw up. Good stuff. I also don’t have any in-progress pictures because I have forgotten the face of my father.
Prime
- Black – Rattlecan, airbrush, whatever.
Tan/Green Areas
First off you need to figure out which areas will be tan/green, and which areas will be red. For myself, I paint the claws and swords to be red, but it’s up to you. For all the non-red area (i.e. the tan and green parts) do this:
- Drybrush Stormvermin Fur – Drybrush this relatively heavy all over the model.
- Drybrush Steel Legion Drab – Go a little bit lighter with this drybrush, but it’s still all over the model.
- Drybrush Karak Stone – Drybrush all over, but really hold back on this paint, and don’t get a ton on the model.
- Drybrush Ushabti Bone – A very light drybrush, even lighter than before, focusing on sharp edges and corners. You still want to hit the rest of the model, but be very, very gentle with it.
Red Areas
I like to paint claws and swords to be red. At this point, they should still be black. If you got any drybrush flecks of paint on them, do a quick cleanup with some black paint. Once that’s taken care of do the same lighter-and-lighter-drybrushing technique as before, but this timewith the following colors:
- Korne Red
- Mephiston Red
- Evil Sunz Scarlet
- Wild Rider Red
Once again, by the last color you want to be doing the faintest and lightest drybrushing you can. If you really want to make it pop, finish it off with either a razor-thin edge-drybrush of Fire Dragon Bright.
Cleanup and Tan Areas
Going back to the tan areas, if there are any red flecks of paint, do your best to cover them up now. Once that’s taken care of, give the tan areas a wash with Agrax Earthshade.
Green Areas
For me, I like painting the armor plates (including the head, back, and wherever else they appear on the model) green. For those was them with Biel-tan Green. Do a test spot first. If you find the color too bright, then try putting a bit of Agrax Earthshade on it before and/or after. This part is really a matter of preference, so adjust until you’re happy.
Fleshy Bits
Areas you want to be flesh colored, like sacs, goiters, or flesh tubes, give them a drybrush of Kislev Flesh and a wash with Reikland Fleshshade.
Eyes and Tongues
Same way of painting both of these: Mephiston Red followed up with some light highlights of Evil Sunz Scarlet. That does it! And while there are a good number of steps, most are just drybrushing with different colors. One technique to rule them all!
This article is part of a larger series on How to Paint Tyranids. To return to that series, click here.
