As an avid Warhammer 40K player, painting your own army is a significant part of the experience. However, the task of choosing the perfect colour scheme is often as challenging as it is exciting. A few of my recent armies and gangs have used Games Workshop box art colour schemes for their starting point. With my new Tyranid army I wanted something a bit different, but I’ve been stuck for inspiration. So I decided to try an unconventional method to aid in this process: using ChatGPT, an AI language model by OpenAI.

I approached this AI tool with a specific request: to generate images of Tyranid miniatures in various colour schemes. ChatGPT responded with an array of options, featuring Tyranids in dynamic poses and diverse colours, ranging from classic combinations like red and black to more unusual ones like blue and silver, green and purple, and yellow and brown. Each scheme emphasized different aspects of the Tyranids’ alien features and textures.

It’s worth noting that ChatGPT only created images of aliens that kinda looked like Tyranids – in no way did the images it created look like painted minis.

My quest for the ideal Tyranid colour scheme is ongoing. The intersection of AI technology and traditional methods like browsing Pinterest has provided a unique approach to this aspect of the hobby. It’s a reminder that in creative endeavours, there are always new avenues to explore, even if they lead you back to more familiar paths.