Forever in Blue Genestealers

Well, you shouldn't mess with the classics.

Darvon VI - original and best

It's a two-part commission for General Leofa, and this is the first chunk of it. Some time back, I swore a solemn oath that I would never, no matter how desperate I got, paint my old and substantial clutch of first edition Space Hulk 'stealers. Obviously I have no problem if they belong to someone else, then.

A couple of heat-damaged 'stealers in this brood, with some disturbingly distressed plastic. There is a one-in-six chance of surviving a heavy flamer strike, I suppose. This guy's face was a smooth plastic blob, so I painted a lamprey mouth on instead.

Not much to say about a well-established scheme. Purple and dark blue, the perfect way to take a break from all those Dark Elves. Or something.

Painting Guide:

• Carapace - not sure what colour they were based in, some kind of mid-blue. Heavy Nightshade wash over that, then Shadow Grey and Space Wolf Blue drybrush over that
• Musculature - Xereus Purple washed with Druchii Violet, drybrushed Lucius Lilac
• Claws - XV88 washed with Agrax, then layered with Pallid Wychflesh and drybrushed White Scare
• Eyes - A wee dot (or sometimes splodge) of Blood Red
• Tongue - Kabalite Green with 'Ardcoat gloss
• Bases - well, I wondered about deserty sand or grass or something. But I didn't have the energy to scratch build pipework or hulk-like stuff, so they're just painted plain old Bolt Gun Metal, sorry!

1st ed Genestealers tessellate surprisingly well. So you could make bathroom tiles out of them. 

More 'stealers next week. I was hoping to get them done to keep in line with the current wave of GW releases. The rumour mill suggests we'll be all elven soon, though, in time for the Christmas spirit. Good - I won't struggle there, then.