Principles

I love the idea of leaning into the insectoid overtones of the Tyranids. So looking at reference images of the way some Beatles have wildly iridescent carapaces, I went looking for paint solutions. I found Green Stuff World's Chameleon colour-shift line.

Prime

1. Chaos Black

Colours

1. CARAPACE BLUE: Base Kantor Blue , shade Druchii Violet and Targor Rageshade , edge highlight Alaitoc Blue and Hoeth Blue . Once highlights are finished, layer all limbs, plates, and outer bands of the rib-cage with Psychotic Illusions
2. SOFT-PART PURPLE: Base Daemonette Hide , shade Druchii Violet , layer and edge highlight Warpfiend Grey and Slaanesh Grey , glaze with 50/50 Warpfiend Grey / Kislev Flesh . Around mouth parts, glaze with Barak-Nar Burgundy and Screamer Pink
3. TONGUES: Base Barak-Nar Burgundy , shade Targor Rageshade , layer and edge highlight Screamer Pink , mixing in Cadian Fleshtone toward the tip.
4. CLAWS AND TEETH: Base Abaddon Black , layer a progressive mix of Abaddon Black with Leadbelcher , working up to Leadbelcher at the tips.
5. EYES: Shade recesses Targor Rageshade , layer Cadian Fleshtone
6. WHITE ARMOUR: Base Grey Seer or jump straight to Ulthuan Grey if airbrushing, shade Agrax Earthshade , highlight Ulthuan Grey and White Scar
7. RED CLOTH: Base Khorne Red , shade Carroburg Crimson , highlight Wazdakka Red and Wild Rider Red
8. LEATHER: Base Dryad Bark , shade Agrax Earthshade , highlight Gorthor Brown and Baneblade Brown
9. GUNMETAL: Base Leadbelcher , shade Agrax Earthshade , highlight Ironbreaker
10. BRONZE: Base Warplock Bronze , shade Agrax Earthshade , highlight Brass Scorpion and Runelord Brass
11. LAMPS: Base Averland Sunset , shade Agrax Earthshade
12. BLACK RUBBER: Base Abaddon Black , shade Agrax Earthshade , highlight Skavenblight Dinge and Stormvermin Fur
13. BRIGHT RED DETAILS: Mephiston Red , highlight Evil Sunz Scarlet
14. PUSTULES: After shading, mix tones from the bases ( Kantor Blue and Warpfiend Grey ), through Screamer Pink , up to a mix of Screamer Pink and Cadian Fleshtone
15. WHIP GREEN: Base Dark Reaper for the whip itself and Waaagh! Flesh for the gem, shade Coelia Greenshade , airbrush Skarsnik Green toward the end of the whip, highlight Warboss Green and Skarsnik Green .
16. BLADE GREEN: Base Dark Reaper , Shade Coelia Greenshade , highlight Sybarite Green and Sybarite Green / Ulthuan Grey