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Alien Colors

JJR5900's picture

Just recently got my kickstarter and immediately set out to color the Aliens first...something that's surprisingly more intimidating then the Marines or Predators.

I guess its the fact that I want them to be dynamic and actually stand out as a well painted piece and not fall into the shadows by being predominantly black.

So, what's everyone painting their Aliens? What brand paints are you using and are you airbrushing or painting? I would also love to hear what your input is on the gloss coat...seems like it will be necessary for the classic look.

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Freefallrlc's picture

I painted mine with Citadel paints. But other brands will have similar colors too. I base painted them black. Then mixed moody blue and Kommando khaki for highlighting/dry brushing. And mixed in a bit more Kommando khaki for another, more brighter, highlight on some more "exposed areas."
Afterwards I gave them a wash with quite thin black again. Pay attention to not make them too dark!

JJR5900's picture

Oh yeah, making them too dark is a BIG NO. Before I actually got down to painting, I had been following DLC Studios on Facebook; the guy Dani had actually made up a tutorial video for his process, so I watched it to learn a few tricks. Its a great watch, though you'll need to enable CC to understand whats going on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkwwWW9lOfc&list=LLjtKHQWnmVCfEcB5QHXPxO...

Using his method of a "dominant light source", I did up one of my drones for a practice run, basing it in black and then drybrushed codex grey, gave it all a wash of black ink then did another drybrush round. I even stumbled upon a pretty good scheme for the Queen.

But, as an example of a list, here's what I did for my infant.
Basecoat in Tamiya Matte Black TS-2
Drybrush with Citadel Codex Grey
Inkwash with Badab Black
Drybrush light source with Codex Grey again
Paint dome Citadel Abaddon Black

http://ultimate-bebi.deviantart.com/art/FullSizeRender-606480928?ga_subm...

Still waiting on the gloss...whether I do the dome or the whole body

Freefallrlc's picture

Indeed. I accidentally black washed some of my infants a bit too much and they appear too dark black.
The minis in the video you posted look very good. Very clean paint job it seems. The blue sheme looks cool. But I think a bit too much and too bright. Matter of taste of course but these have a mit "comical look" like this.
And the actual movie aliens were never blue anyways. Just appeard shiny and blue becaise of the lights on the set. The real aliens were more black with a bit brown.
Thats why I tried some middle way with mine and a bit blue and a bit brown.
Here are a few pics from the old forum, in case you didn´t see them before
[URL=http://s6.photobucket.com/user/Freefallrlc/media/neu-3_zpswcfnmha9.jpg.h...IMAGE(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/Freefallrlc/neu-3_zpswcfnmha9.jpg)[/URL]
[URL=http://s6.photobucket.com/user/Freefallrlc/media/neu-2_zpscqs5ozyr.jpg.h...IMAGE(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/Freefallrlc/neu-2_zpscqs5ozyr.jpg)[/URL]
The gloss varnish is also a matter of taste. The aliens are not really always super slimy. The props also apper matte sometimes. So I also think the middle way is best. I gave mine a thin silk matte cover and only the drone heads glossy
After silk matte varnish:
[URL=http://s6.photobucket.com/user/Freefallrlc/media/alien_zpsazf95qta.jpg.h...IMAGE(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/Freefallrlc/alien_zpsazf95qta.jpg)[/URL]

JJR5900's picture

Those look really good! Did you mix the blue and brown together or just drybrush the colors at different times?

And I agree, his minis are a bit bright, but it made an impression to think about lighting in some way to make them pop a little more.

Freefallrlc's picture

Those look really good! Did you mix the blue and brown together or just drybrush the colors at different times?

And I agree, his minis are a bit bright, but it made an impression to think about lighting in some way to make them pop a little more.

Mixed them. 10% beastial brown, 40% moody blue, and 50% Kommando Khaki. Then, für the 2nd, more brighter layer highligts, I added more Khaki again. Afterwards the wash is 90% black and 10% brown

JJR5900's picture

What did you use for the Runners? The color scheme looks very close to what they've been represented with in the games.

Freefallrlc's picture

Those I base painted with beastial brown first. Then highlights with hobgoblin orange. And another highlight on the very exposures with bleached bone. After this paint the miniature looks quite weird first. But after a wash with beastial brown,black and terracotta mix looks good :)

Thunderjack88's picture

I have to admit I'm a fan of the black look, to me Xenomorphs are the things that lurk in the shadows.
The issue is how boring that would look on all the Aliens.
So bar Brown skinned Aliens like Stalkers I tried a scheme of base coated black with drybrushing of very dark grey and a few grey highlights. After this ink your colour on like Blue and your done with a simple scheme. I'll be using blue on infants and green on Warriors (A:R style look) to make it easier to distinguish between units.

JJR5900's picture

Has anyone attempted a K-series warrior yet? I'm trying to decide what color would really give the appropriate "sickly yellow".

Maybe just hit it with white or bleached bone and then a yellow wash?

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