mamikon

How to paint a NMM Sword, Deluxe Edition

Added 2022-12-02 16:24:37 +0000 UTC

Hi fellow Wizards and Necromancers! 🧙‍♀️

Happy Friday!

Today I’d like to go back to the topic of painting NMM swords. This time I want to get into the detail of every step as much as possible, explain every small thing and make sure that you all can enjoy this tutorial to the fullest extent.

Let’s go!

1. Over a black basecoat, start glazing in highlights with Thunderhawk Blue. We will only be highlighting one of the sides of the blade for now. This is a high contrast technique, so we will approach the surroundings as almost real life - with just one light source - the sun. So, one of the sides will be super bright, and one almost entirely black. Back to the actual painting: You want to add two small highlights, one at the top and one on the bottom, and one big one in the middle. Try adding it with very small, fine, thin lines. This will create a polished steel effect in the future.

2. Do the same but on a smaller surface, using Fenrisian Grey. So basically add a highlight, making it smaller (so that the previous step is still visible) than the last step.

3. Glaze over the bottom highlight using Skarsnik Green. This will add some more life and color to the whole thing. This has to be very subtle, so make sure to add this step sparingly.

4. Start adding some brighter highlights, using the same consistency and technique as in the first two steps, using Pallid Wych Flesh.

5. Next, add a coat of Ivory from AK Interactive. Again, same technique, same consistency, just smaller surface.

6. Now add a glaze of Ivory, dragging the paint from the darker side, towards the middle of the particular highlight, making the ends meet in the middle.

7. In this step, we want to start painting on a optical effect - a light glare in the sword. This would appear on real life metal swords (and other highly reflective things). To do that, draw a half circle on the darker side of the blade, next to the middle of the brightest highlight. In theory, it’s best to add just one of those half orbs, but I like to add a few, so I’ve drawn one more on the bottom highlight. Use layer consistency Fenrisian Grey paint to do it.

8. Highlight the orb towards the middle, using Ivory.

9. Now we will add to the realism of the glare, by adding a glaze with Mephiston Red around it. This will create a natural, warm feeling about it. If you have a look at real shining points on things - they have this red/yellow halo around them. Don’t worry, next step will be about adding yellow!

10. Glaze around the the half circle with Yriel Yellow mixed 1:1 with Mephiston Red. As you can see, we are starting to sell the effect of the glare.

11. Edge highlight the whole blade using any white. In this case I used the AK Interactive White. Also add a single small dot in the middle of the glare. This will tie the whole thing together.

12. I’ve decided to also add a power sword lightning effect on the sword as after all, it is indeed a power sword! Let’s start by outlining the power cable and drawing a few small lightnings with Temple Guard Blue, layer constency. To have a good chance at drawing good looking, thin, realistic lightnings - have a very fine tip to your brush and remove all of the excess paint from your brush. If you have too much paint loaded into your brush - you are likely to end up with very thick lines, and you don’t want that. To make the lightnings real-looking, don’t draw straight lines - make them chaotic. I’d say, that if you have a tremor in your hands - now is your time to shine!

13. Finish adding the lightning effect by painting more lines. Don’t add too many, as it won’t look that great. The more you practice - the more comfortable you get with it. Also, I wouldn’t recommend adding it on the entirety of the blade as it will end up looking messy. Edge highlight the top of the power cable and highlight the cable itself with ivory, making the middle of it the brightest. Use glaze consistency paint to highlight the cable.