Thanks. I'm terrified to find out about bending the tail, although people assure me that when they've used essentially the same paints that it can still be re positioned, although perhaps not on a daily basis. I can confirm that the joints are all good though.
Method for painting was as follows, almost all Games Workshop paints except for the spray varnish:
- Spray Chaos Black
- Drybrush Boltgun Metal (now called Leadbelcher) with a large flat brush
- Drybrush Ryza Rust onto all the gills, cables, and selected other details with a small flat brush
- Apply a wash of Fuegan Orange to the previous details with a medium pointed brush
- Drybrush Boltgun Metal again, large flat brush again
- Detail the teeth with Chainmail (now called Ironbreaker) and a fine detailing brush
- Apply a black wash of Nuln Oil to the teeth
- Paint the cranial panels matte black (I like Army Painter matte black, but GW Abaddon Black is fine)
- Paint the shoulder rims and claws black
- Spray the entire figure with matte varnish (I use Army Painter Anti-Gloss Varnish)
- Apply two coats of 'Ardcoat (gloss varnish) to the cranial panels and other black areas
Took about two and a half hours for the whole figure, not including a bit of waiting for things to dry. On a hot dry day you could easily knock out a good number of them.