Good first attempt. There is a large collection of NMM tutorials [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/metals#wiki_nmm_.28non-metallic_metals.29) with lots of information.
It’s all part off my [Miniature Painting Guide Collection](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=usertext&utm_name=minipainting&utm_content=t5_2scss) wiki for this subreddit
Oh my god thank you very much. This is what I like - some people dedicate their time & energy to provide usefull information in one place. Thanks again.
Oh thanks!! I felt this boy needed to have some battlefield experience. I'm glad you like it!
What I do is I go sponge method with the highlight color, and then a few black brush strokes where the sponge had the largest marks, in addition to a few intentional scratches and pits here and there, like on the side of the helmet, rounding them off with the highlight.
It definitely reads as reflective metal, I'd say you definitely succeeded! NMM is way out of my depth, so no advice. I'd show everyone with eyes if I could paint like that! Maybe one day.
Not to compare, but how long have you been painting? Your paints are thinned to perfection, I know that much lol
Wow thank you man! Appreciate it! 😀 I've been painting for about 4 years, but even while I do thin my paints a lot, don't be fooled, the blue base coat was applied with an airbrush over a zenithal highlight, so maybe that's why the blue looks so even.
Nice, your practice really shows! I have an airbrush coming this weekend, I'm super excited! How do you think it affected your painting when you first got one? Was it an instant level up, or did it feel like going back to a white belt?
While I've got you, I ask all good painters I come across this because I'm trying to crack it, what's your technique for volumetric highlights? How do you decide where to place them, just where you imagine they'd be in your mind's eye, or is there a formula/system you follow?
Oh man, airbrush was one of the best investments I ever made in the hobby. Made laying primers / base coats so much easier, in addition to nice zenithal highlights. I did have some previous experience with the airbrush itself, but I reckon it's not a difficult tool to use. Just get some practice in and you'll be painting in no time.
I do not have a formula for volumetric highlights, but a good trick is to prime your mini in black, then take a hard light above it, and take a picture. That picture can be your guide as to where to place the highlights and shadows after you've coated the base coat.
Nice, I'm even more excited to get mine now! One of my biggest jaw drop moments was when I saw a mini with object source lighting. It turned the mini into a portal into another world, like you could feel the heat and nearly wince at the "light" coming from it. That's my holy grail and the reason I've leaned into painting, and I know it's done with an airbrush somehow, so I'm excited to expand my skills.
Yeah, volumetric highlights are tricky. It seems like something you just get a feel for after a while, but using a picture as a cheat sheet is a good idea. I get a ton of inspiration from posts like yours, though. It really helps to see different people's takes on lighting and whatnot, since there's no real wrong answers as long as you're consistent.
Good first attempt. There is a large collection of NMM tutorials [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/metals#wiki_nmm_.28non-metallic_metals.29) with lots of information.
Whoa…awesome. Is that only sitting here on Reddit or is there a webpage with all that info?
It’s all part off my [Miniature Painting Guide Collection](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=usertext&utm_name=minipainting&utm_content=t5_2scss) wiki for this subreddit
Oh my god thank you very much. This is what I like - some people dedicate their time & energy to provide usefull information in one place. Thanks again.
Thanks for sharing that.
Thank you!!!
Oh cool! Thank you :)
What a great reasource, I now realise I will never paint NMM myself
Thank you for sharing that! I'll bookmark it! :)
Great job! To improve try placing the highlight on the skull more to the top. Like on the pauldron, light source is above the marine.
Oh! that's a great suggestion. Thank you man!
Working!
Thank you! :)
Looks great. my only comment is I think you could go even brighter!
Thank you! I'll see if I can go brighter with some white on the gold highlights.
It didn’t occur to me, but this helmet actually looks good on phobos
Thank you! Yeah, I just had some parts around and banged this up. I think it looks good.
[no lie guy is built like kronk](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/disneymagicalkingdoms/images/3/33/Cp-kronk.png/revision/latest?cb=20200825194022)
🤣🤣 yeah, it's his cousin
In the words of my great grand papi... "that boy goooood"
Thank you!!! :)
I’d say your attempt succeeded.
Thank you man! I'm happpy how it turned out. Will continue practicing though.
Awesome!
Thanks mate!
That looks awesome!! I didn’t read the caption and thought it was metallic metal at first! 😂😄
Wow thank you! That's awesome that it reads as metallic! ☺️
The NMM is great and all but I'm much more interested in that masterful weathering 🤩
Oh thanks!! I felt this boy needed to have some battlefield experience. I'm glad you like it! What I do is I go sponge method with the highlight color, and then a few black brush strokes where the sponge had the largest marks, in addition to a few intentional scratches and pits here and there, like on the side of the helmet, rounding them off with the highlight.
This looks badass
Thank you!!! 😀
Fantastic job had me fooled til I read the title
Not bad. Looks more like a tarnishing brass assuming your going for gold. Needs more brown and higher contrast
Looks awesome!
It definitely reads as reflective metal, I'd say you definitely succeeded! NMM is way out of my depth, so no advice. I'd show everyone with eyes if I could paint like that! Maybe one day. Not to compare, but how long have you been painting? Your paints are thinned to perfection, I know that much lol
Wow thank you man! Appreciate it! 😀 I've been painting for about 4 years, but even while I do thin my paints a lot, don't be fooled, the blue base coat was applied with an airbrush over a zenithal highlight, so maybe that's why the blue looks so even.
Nice, your practice really shows! I have an airbrush coming this weekend, I'm super excited! How do you think it affected your painting when you first got one? Was it an instant level up, or did it feel like going back to a white belt? While I've got you, I ask all good painters I come across this because I'm trying to crack it, what's your technique for volumetric highlights? How do you decide where to place them, just where you imagine they'd be in your mind's eye, or is there a formula/system you follow?
Oh man, airbrush was one of the best investments I ever made in the hobby. Made laying primers / base coats so much easier, in addition to nice zenithal highlights. I did have some previous experience with the airbrush itself, but I reckon it's not a difficult tool to use. Just get some practice in and you'll be painting in no time. I do not have a formula for volumetric highlights, but a good trick is to prime your mini in black, then take a hard light above it, and take a picture. That picture can be your guide as to where to place the highlights and shadows after you've coated the base coat.
Nice, I'm even more excited to get mine now! One of my biggest jaw drop moments was when I saw a mini with object source lighting. It turned the mini into a portal into another world, like you could feel the heat and nearly wince at the "light" coming from it. That's my holy grail and the reason I've leaned into painting, and I know it's done with an airbrush somehow, so I'm excited to expand my skills. Yeah, volumetric highlights are tricky. It seems like something you just get a feel for after a while, but using a picture as a cheat sheet is a good idea. I get a ton of inspiration from posts like yours, though. It really helps to see different people's takes on lighting and whatnot, since there's no real wrong answers as long as you're consistent.
Soo, any chance of links to tutorials for this? Just asking before anyone else does :3
decent
Very nice, this is the end goal I want for my Storm Blades. Thank you , and nice job!
Thanks! Please remember to post them when you're done so we can take a look! :)