Welcome to this detailed guide on how to paint the blood phials and syringes of Mephiston, Lord of Death. This tutorial will cover Non-Metallic Metal (NMM) and Object Source Lighting (OSL) techniques to bring your miniature to life.
Video: How to Paint Blood Phials on Mephiston
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Paints and Materials
- Paints: Sotek Green, Evil Sunz Scarlet, Mournfang Brown, Cadian Fleshtone, Rhinox Hide (Games Workshop); Neutral Grey, White, Pale Grey Blue (Vallejo)
- Fine paintbrushes – I use the Artist Opus range, but any high-quality paintbrush is recommended.
Step-by-Step Guide:
- Preparation:
- Start by blocking in the leather strip with Rhinox Hide. This step is crucial as it prevents messing up the details of the syringes and vials later.
- How to Paint the Blood Phials:
- Use Evil Sunz Scarlet to paint the blood. This brighter red contrasts well with the rest of the model and helps the blood stand out.
- Mimic the angle and motion of the vial in your painting. This adds realism to the blood’s appearance inside the vial.
- Mix Abaddon Black with Evil Sunz Scarlet for the top half of the vial to create a sense of translucency.
- Don’t worry about perfection here as the upcoming highlights will cover much of this area.
- Non-Metallic Steel Effect:
- Begin with Neutral Grey for a steel effect on the syringes. Paint rough, random shapes to replicate metallic reflections.
- Mix Neutral Grey, Pearl Grey Blue, and White for highlights, ensuring to match the style of the armour’s highlights.
- Highlight Consistency:
- Pay attention to the direction of light when applying highlights. Ensure they are consistent across the model. Use Model Color Black to tidy any overpainting.
- OSL Reflections:
- Use Sotek Green for OSL reflections on the left side of the vials, creating a blue-green effect.
- Start from the top right and move downwards, letting the paint naturally form a highlight at the bottom.
- Mix a bit of white with Sotek Green for increased brightness on the rounded bases.
- Detailing the Syringes:
- Syringes are easier due to their identifiable shapes. Use the same NMM technique as before, but pay extra attention to the direction of the light source.
- Add bounce highlights using Evil Sunz Scarlet to mimic the reflection from the surrounding environment.
- Needle Painting:
- The needles require precision. Use a very fine brush, like an Artist Opus size 00, to achieve sharp, thin highlights.
- Apply primary highlights and then add bounce highlights in red (for the cloth reflection) and Sotek Green (for OSL).
- Leather Strap Painting:
- Start with Mournfang Brown directly onto the wet palette. Apply the paint in varying intensities to create a weathered look.
- Add Cadian Fleshtone for brighter highlights, using scratchy marks for texture.
- Use Sotek Green for OSL effects on the leather strap, subtly altering the brown tones.
- Finishing Touches:
Watch all the Mephiston Tutorials
Mephiston, Lord of Death
Here are all of my tutorials so far on how to paint Mephiston, from basic assembly and removing mould lines and filling gaps, to detailed instruction on his painting itself with freehand, NMM and more.
Explore the Mephiston Tutorials by Technique
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