Last updated October 23, 2026. By Andrew M. Tan.
I’ve recently begun a new project painting an army of Tyranids, the swarming, all-consuming alien race of the Warhammer 40k Universe. Unlike my other projects, which have been vehicular or armored machinations, these Tyranid models are all organic, fleshy, scaly creatures of various shapes and sizes.
The whole approach is pretty simple: I start with a feeling, build the colors in thin acrylic layers, then add an oil wash and matte varnish.
In this article, I take a philosophical approach to describing how I paint organic models. I use the Games Workshop Tyranid model line as an example.
“How do you paint so many models?” someone asked me. It’s a fairly large Warhammer army that I’m painting—more than 11,000 army points by my estimate. So, in total, I have the painting to work out and the logistics of getting the entire army completed for the client in a timely fashion.
A Perspective on Painting Tyranids and Other Organic Models
When I approach painting skin, muscle, and bone, I think about the overall concept. The best way I’ve found to conceptualize a color scheme and overall “look” is through word association.
What comes to mind when you think Tyranids?
- Dark
- Bloody
- Inhumane
- Savage
- Primal
From these free-associated words, the idea of how to paint the models as a whole comes to me.
What colors evoke these “words”?
All of art is about expression, evoking a feeling or a story, and so this process of using grammar seems like a natural approach to start.
Color Choice to Evoke Ideas
Without getting too itty-gritty, I felt black, blue, and purple, the same colors found in a bad bruise would be a great place to start.
Really, looking for colors that seem to go together in the real environment is a nice way to find great color combinations, e.g., a skin bruise or laceration.
I also put together nine Tyranid paint schemes based on Hive Fleets, insects, and patterns from nature.
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Then, with the power of the internet, using a search of Google Images (that sometimes gives you way more than you want or dare to see, even) you’re able to gather the useful reference images for beginning a project.
No Plan, Just Roll With It!
In general, I paint without a strict outline or solid plan. I slap paint into the general vicinity of where I think each color should go, using reference images and my own imagination as a guide.
Roll with it…
After a while, it looks like crap.
And most of the time, it takes a lot of work to figure out how to turn the mess I made into something less messy.
Build the Skin With Thin Layers
Working in thin layers is a key technique for painting with this unplanned approach. Finding your style of painting takes time. Thin layers of paint slowly reveal the colors and let you make small adjustments as you go.
Thin layers let you make mistakes without losing details on the sculpt. I use water as my primary thinning medium and a bit of glazing medium (Golden Brand) to keep the paint from drying too quickly. For living creatures that I want to look more realistic, I’ll varnish with a matte coat and then use an oil wash consisting of black, red, and purple.
Use an Oil Wash
This oil-based technique is fun and easy, though a bit messy (see another project where I used oil washes). Oils let you work at your own pace and control where the paint goes. They are generally transparent, so the underpainting still shows through.
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Importantly, because oil paint is viscous, it’s great for doing splatter effects and adding texture, such as blood or gore.
After applying the oil wash (my favorite black color), I let it sit for several days. Oil paint dries by oxidation, and the surface can feel dry before it is fully cured.
READ MORE: HOW TO PAINT MINIATURES WITH OIL COLORS
Varnish the Model
When the oil is essentially dry—that is, when I can touch the model without feeling anything sticky—I varnish the entire piece with Testors Dullcote. You can read more in my guide to varnishing miniatures.
Two or three layers of this varnish will keep everything sealed, keep the contrast high, and protect the model from minor dings.
Take a Different Perspective
Of course, I step back when I’m done and examine the piece from every angle to make sure it looks the way I expect.
If I’m missing a detail or think some part could use more paint or another effect, I go back to work.
For a model that sits on a 120 mm diameter base, I have been known to spend anywhere from 5–80 hours before I am happy with the job.
In the end, it’s an organic process that could go on and on.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed the way I think about painting organic models. The steps I used here are a broad-brush way to paint creatures. Some of these approaches apply to many different figures, and the general idea is the same.
I like to start by identifying an experience or feeling, then choose colors that help express those ideas. A messy paint job can still succeed when it evokes a unique feeling in the viewer. I consider that a success.
Painting miniatures is an art after all. Just go for it and have fun!
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By Andrew M. Tan
Andrew is a commissioned miniature painter with more than 20 years of hands-on experience painting tabletop miniatures, photographing models, and testing hobby tools in real-world use. Read his full bio.