Warhammer 40,000 · Tyranids

Hive Fleet Leviathan (Tyranids) Paint List for Warhammer 40,000

intermediate Tyranids

Bone-white flesh with deep purple carapace and pink undertones. This is the classic Games Workshop Leviathan look: striking on the table, but the clean white finish rewards patience.

Use a white primer from the start. Paint the flesh first while the model is still easy to handle, then block in the carapace panels and finish with the claws and details.

Recommended undercoat white — Several priority paints in this army converge on white.

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Paint list

Sorted by priority

🔴 Must-Have

White bone, purple and flesh

Corax White (Citadel) — Flesh/bone (base) · Primer + 2 coats
Naggaroth Night (Citadel) — Carapace (base) · 2 opaque coats
Screamer Pink (Citadel) — Flesh (layer) · Over white flesh, thinned down
Druchii Violet (Citadel) — Carapace (shade) · Wash into recesses
Leadbelcher (Citadel) — Biological blades · 1–2 coats

🟠 Core

Highlights and details

Pallid Wych Flesh (Citadel) — Flesh (highlight) · Flesh edges
Calgar Blue (Citadel) — Carapace (layer 1) · Over carapace raised areas
Reikland Fleshshade (Citadel) — Flesh (shade) · Wash into flesh recesses

🟡 Recommended

Biological details and eyes

Screaming Skull (Citadel) — Bone and claws (layer) · Layer on the claw edges
Mephiston Red (Citadel) — Eyes (base) · 1 coat
Agrax Earthshade (Citadel) — Claws (shade) · Wash over claws

🟢 Optional

Veins and biological effects

Druchii Violet (Citadel) — Veins under flesh · Very fine brush (size 0)

Painting order

Recommended steps

1 Step 1: Prime the model white

2 Step 2: Glaze Screamer Pink over the flesh

3 Step 3: Basecoat every carapace panel with Naggaroth Night

4 Step 4: Paint the claws and blades with Leadbelcher

5 Step 5: Shade the flesh recesses with Reikland Fleshshade

6 Step 6: Wash the carapace with Druchii Violet

7 Step 7: Highlight the flesh with Pallid Wych Flesh

8 Step 8: Highlight the carapace ridges with Calgar Blue

9 Step 9: Finish the claws with Screaming Skull and Agrax Earthshade

Tips

Hints for this army

1 A white undercoat is non-negotiable for Leviathan. Trying to force this scheme over black primer usually wastes time and kills the soft flesh tones.

2 Thin Screamer Pink heavily over the pale flesh instead of painting it opaquely. The translucent glaze keeps the skin looking organic rather than flat.

3 A simple carapace recipe works well here: Naggaroth Night base, Druchii Violet in the recesses, then Calgar Blue on the raised ridges.