The last time I dipped a model was back in 2010, and I could’ve sworn I was “done” with my Tyranids at that time. Sadly, I was mistaken, because GW released a Tervigon model in March of last year that made sure that I failed in that promise to myself. In order to do it right, I’ve been painting up a bunch of miscellaneous bugs I’ve acrued over the past year, and finally got around to dipping them over the Christmas holiday. In total, I vatted up the following models:
- 3x Tervigon/Tyrannofex models (magnetized, of course)
- 2x Malenthropes (cute models, not very effective in game)
- 2x (metal) gargoyles – to complete a squad of 10
- 2x Termagants – to complete a squad of 22
- 9x Termagants – to complete a squad of 22
- 20x Termagants – to complete a squad of 22
- 2x Biovores – to complete a squad of 3
- 1x Zoanthrope – to complete a squad of 3 / act as my Doom of Malan’tai (newer style model)
- 1-2x Aegis Defense Lines (depending upon how you look at it), complete with one quad gun
- A bunch of spare little arms/bits/gubbins
I thought I had more put together, but really I’m not sure what else I could possibly want. I don’t have any pyrovores, but I can’t see paying anywhere near GW prices on that, and despite the fact that it’s a weird looking model and has horrible rules, the prices of those things on Ebay are still too rich for my blood.
But I digress.
This post is just to say that I’m finally done dipping the lot, so I can now say that my Tyranids are completely painted. The above models all still need to be based, but that will come in time.
The two things different about this time and my previous dipping experiences are firstly that I no longer have my giant treadmill box that I used to use to keep paint splatter at bay. As a result, I had to go buy some plastic tarps to hang around the garage to ensure I didn’t get stain everywhere.
Secondly, I was dipping malenthropes, which had no easy way to hang, so I had to construct a ramshackle support out of 2×4’s and hung them from the support using fishing string. I must say that they came out surprisingly well.
Anywho, I’ll post pictures of the completed models after I get them based… another milestone down!
Warhammer 39,9999 
Done? hah! As long as you play 40K you’re never done painting.
Man, that just looks like a hell of a mess to deal with. All those pinned and hanging models from your support system just has this cool morbid look to it; especially with all the splattering about.
I totally got that vibe. It really felt like something out of the movie SAW when you walked into the garage–what with the fleshy bits hanging from meat-hooks, and the visquine hanging everywhere. To be honest, I think I creeped my wife out a little bit.
As for “finished,” I’m really expecting that to be the case with my Tyranids–well, until they come out with a new codex and release all new models, that is. I have entire too many of them, and have no foreseeable purchases in that department. My Imperials/Chaos though, those are completely different stories…
well done Rob! Look great as usual.
Thanks. I really liked how the bigger bugs turned out this time–except that almost all of the Tervigons had weird bubbles show up on their clavicles. I wound up throwing a little more dip on them after they dried and it at least hides the color superficially, but I keep seeing these dots on them where the bubbles were. Kinda weird…
wierd, being fully painted prior to dipping im not sure what it would be. It’s not a place that it was allowed to pool was it? I know if the dip pools for even a short time it can sometimes leave a circle shape as the outside of the pool dries more quickly then the center so when you deal with the pool you end up with a circle.
They were quite literally bubbles. You know the piece of back carapace right behind the head? The two little extensions that come down by the face are what I’m calling the “collar bones.” They do have a “flat” area (though neither was parallel to the ground, so I would’ve assumed anything that would congeal there would drip off). Still, of the 6 total “collar bones,” spread across three tervigons, four of them had bubbles appear right in the center of that piece.
Once it dried, it left a rather dark carapace with a bright bone-white colored dot right in the middle. I know it was a bubble because on at least one of them, I actually saw the bubble starting to harden. I wiped it away gingerly, and just dapped a little more stain on all of them. Now you can’t see the bright spot because it too is dark, but there is an indentation there because the new stain didn’t build up as much as the previous coats, so it’s at a different level.
Looks great as always! I’m excited to see what’s next on the painting agenda.
Fortifications!
Congratulations! I can’t wait to seem them all based and in a big group picture – just prior to being featured in a ‘use everything I own’ battle report…
Also love the gory mad scientist lab look you have going on there…
I’m not sure that I’ll ever get to play in an “everything I own” battle, but it would be interesting. Last time I posted an army shot of all of my (then) painted Tyranids, there was some interest from a couple of local players in throwing down for a massive game, so maybe one day…
In order to avoid the bubbling and pooling issues cited here I’ve taken to using the cheap (4 for 1$ from a dollar store) 1″ wide brushes you’d use for trim painting on your house and dip then brush the excess off rather than dipping it and letting it drip. Once I’m done I just toss the brush rather than try and clean it with turpentine or something.
Sounds like a good tip. I always buy the brush because big models (like the Tervs) don’t fit in the can, so I have to brush it on anyway. I’ve just never had a problem with bubbles in the past. Sure, I get issues with pools, but I wind up resolving those by going in for the following 2-3 hours every 15 minutes and dabbing the drippy parts with a paper towel.
If I ever wind up dipping again, I’ll be sure to use your method. If this post is accurate though, I’ve dipped my last bug… 🙂