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Bio-Decomposition Pools - 'nids - Custom Terrain Contest

8K views 17 replies 5 participants last post by  Meph 
#1 · (Edited)
After having a panic attack because I saw Steve's post title (Tyranid Digestion Pools) and thinking I would not be able to get my idea into the competition (Bio-Decomposition Pools, which are very similar to digestion pools), I realised that he actually wished for that post to be deleted, for whatever reason. So now I've calmed down a little, here's how I'm going to do my entry:
  • Get the Moonscape Terrain set from GW. Find a small sized crater in the set and use that for a foundation.
  • Stick some card on the base so that it doesn't warp. I'll probably have to fill these joins between the crater and the card with sand or whatever.
  • Bend some florists wire through the cracks and crevices on the crater, so it looks like tendrils or whatever coming out from the centre.
  • Buy a whole bunch of different sized and textured beads. I'll then stick quite a few of them on (without going overboard).
  • Mix up some good ol' talc powder and PVA glue and then brush it over the beads and in between. This'll form my main basis of gunk - all the matter that's already been decomposed. I'll have to find a way to apply it so that I can get a certain texture...
  • I'll leave that overnight. Then I'll have to undercoat it, most likely black.
  • Painting it will be time consuming. For the crater, I'll use earthy tones as my battlefield is the Citadel Grass Mat on our dining table, so that would blend in the best. I might stick some grass on the outer edges of the crater just so that it blends in with the battlefield more.
  • For the gunk and the tendrils on the inside, I'll have to use organic tones. I was thinking of using a bright green with some OSL (source lighting), but then that would blend in with the battlefield too much, and besides, decomposing flesh isn't (always) green. I don't want to make my pool look like blood, as that's too chaotic for nids. So perhaps I'll settle for flesh tones. Sounds nice.
  • Then I'll get Water Effects or 'ardcoat or whatever GW makes these days to give the gunk a gloss finish so it looks super gooey and slimy.
Off to it then!

The Warlord
:terror:

Oh and of course, it can be used in the Short Story Competition.
 
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#2 ·
Alright I've got the tendrils stuck on to my crater. Here's how it looks:

Petal Electric blue Pattern Plant Metal


I still need to find some suitable card or my basing and I might put some sand around its base.

I'll keep the updates coming.

By the way sorry about the crap quality, I took the picture using a phone camera.
 
#7 ·
Two new updates today!

Firstly, I got all my gunk bubbles done. Turns out I didn't have any beads so I fashioned my own bubbles out of green stuff.

Natural material Marine invertebrates Art Fashion accessory Metal


Then I got some baby powder and PVA Glue mixed them up in a small pot, and applied it to the crater pool. Now I'm ready to undercoat (after it's dried) and get painting!

P.S. I also need to come back to it after half an hour so that I can stipple the semi-dry mix to create a more funky texture. I tried to do it now but unfortunately it just recollected and evened out.

Electric blue Close-up Marine invertebrates Geology Pattern
Blue Cuisine Recipe Wood Flooring


Stay tuned!
 
#10 ·
Alrighty, second last update!

I spent the better part of this morning painting and experimenting with my bio-decomposition pool, and here's how I did it.

Undercoat: Chaos Black

Crater: Graveyard Earth --> Zandri Dust --> Bleached Bone (all drybrushed)

Sand: Graveyard Earth --> Bleached Bone --> Screaming Skull (all drybrushed)

Pool, Tendrils and Bubbles: Dark Flesh --> Dwarf Flesh (dry brush or an over brush) --> Dark Flesh wash on pool only

Stains: Dark Flesh wash --> Dwarf Flesh dry brush

Creative arts Electric blue Pattern Woolen Art
Cap Textile Purple Creative arts Art
Doily Dishware Creative arts Art Natural material


Just one step to go, and that's to go buy some 'ardcoat (or Water Effects if they still have any) and coat the pool, tendrils and bubbles so they look slimy. Then it will be done!
 
#15 · (Edited)
CTC Bio-Decomposition Pools - 'nids - Custom Terrain Contest: FINAL ENTRY

This is my submission to the CTC (Custom Terrain Contest).

Tyranid Digestion/Bio-Decomposition Pool
Behold, the Tyranid Bio-Decomposition Pool (may also be referred to as the Digestion Pool). Many photos for you to see it in all its glory. I made them a quarter of the size so that they weren't so internet consuming.

Wood Plant Cuisine Twig Soil


Jaw Terrestrial plant Plant Pest Worm


Food Ingredient Baked goods Recipe Plant


Wood Cuisine Recipe Plant Ingredient


Wood Plant Close-up Metal Soil


Natural material Plant Art Jewellery Terrestrial plant


So they're the piccies out of the way. How did I actually make it?

Materials
The great thing about this is that I didn't have to go out and buy much at all. You will need:
  • Moonscape kit
  • Beads of different sizes and textures (or modeling putty)
  • PVA glue (I used PVA Wood Glue)
  • Talcum powder. Any baby powder will do.
  • Something stronger than PVA glue. I used this unbranded hobby glue that absolutely fails at putting together minis but is great for scenery.
  • Florist's wire (or electrical wire)
  • Sand, tiny bits of slate you get in Warhammer 40k basing kit, OR even kitty litter (yes I know, but I ran out of materials...)
  • Card
  • Matte black spray paint
  • Brushes, water pot, your paint station, etc.
  • Paints: Graveyard Earth (Steel Legion Drab), Kommando Khaki (Zandri Dust), Bleached Bone (Ushabti Bone), Screaming Skull, 'ardcoat, Dark Flesh (Doombull Brown), Dwarf Flesh (Ratskin Flesh)
Method
  1. Cut a base out of card one of the craters in the Moonscape kit, and stick it on using the stronger glue that you have.
  2. Disguise joins with any sandy material that you have. Don't go over the top, as you still need to see most of the crater.
  3. Bend some florist's or electrical wire out from the centre of the crater over the edges. Make a number of these, and glue these down onto the crater.
  4. Stick down your beads. If you don't have beads, then mould some balls out of modeling claw (as spherical as possible) and stick these down. Have as many as you want but I wouldn't advise you go over the top.
  5. Make a 1:1 or 2:3 mix of talcum powder and PVA glue in a cup (it's quite hard to clean by the way). Use this semi-solid mixture to create your pool. I wouldn't suggest you cover more than 2/3 of the bubbles in terms of how deep the pool is, but be aware that whatever amount you put in, some of it is going to evaporate (up to half if you get a really hot and dry day). Leave this to dry at least six hours, but preferably overnight.
  6. Undercoat the pool in matte black spray.
  7. When you paint it, it's really up to you. I experimented, and here's what I got.
  • Crater: Graveyard Earth (Steel Legion Drab) --> Kommando Khaki (Zandri Dust) --> Bleached Bone (Ushabti Bone) (all dry brushed)
  • Sand/Gravel: Kommando Khaki (Zandri Dust) --> Bleached Bone (Ushabti Bone) --> Screaming Skull (1:1 Skull White and Bleached Bone), or the Tyrant's Skull dry paint could work (all dry brushed)
  • Tendrils and Bubbles: Dark Flesh (Doombull Brown) --> Dwarf Flesh (Ratskin Flesh) dry brush
  • Stains: Dark Flesh (Doombull Brown) with Lahmian Medium or simply watered down --> Dwarf Flesh (Ratskin Flesh) dry brush
  • Pool: Dark Flesh (Doombull Brown) --> Dwarf Flesh (Ratskin Flesh) dry brush --> Dark Flesh (Doombull Brown) with Lahmian Medium or simply watered down
  • Pool, Tendrils and Bubbles (after everything else): two layers of 'ardcoat
And then you're finished! Now do that with all the craters in the kit and you get a Tyranid themed battlefield...

Difficulties
Well, I can't remember any extraordinary difficulties. Cleaning the talc powder/PVA glue pot after you mix it is a real pain. Modeling spheres can be annoying. And trying to get some texture into the pool is really quite tricky, but I gave it my best shot.

This may be used in the Short Story Competition (SCC).

Feel free to make this yourself. Feedback and comments are much appreciated.

The Warlord
:terror:
 
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