How to Paint Sekhar Fang of Nulahmia

How to Paint Sekhar Fang of Nulahmia

I was lucky enough to be sent Sekhar, Fang of Nulahmia by Games Workshop as an early review copy and couldn’t wait to paint her up for you. I’ve gone for an aged bronze look for her. Read on for my tutorials so far on how to paint her, with paints and step-by-step guide.

Sekhar, Fang of Nulahmia, stands as a formidable agent of Neferata, wielding hypnotic powers to enthrall her foes. Accompanied by the serpent Ouboroth (although not in my version, sorry!) and leading packs of Dire Wolves and Fell Bats into battle, she embodies the deadly elegance of Nulahmia’s dark majesty. This set introduces Sekhar, her loyal Dire Wolves, and swooping Fell Bats, ready to bring terror to the Soulblight Gravelord armies!

First Video Tutorial: Sekhar, Fang of Nulahmia

Welcome to this step-by-step painting guide for Sekhar, a new vampire model from the Soulblight Gravelords range by Games Workshop. In this tutorial, we will focus on achieving a bronzed armour effect using a non-metallic metal (NMM) technique and subtly applying verdigris for an aged look.

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Materials Needed

  • Primer: Black
  • Base Paints: Mournfang Brown, Mephiston Red (for the cloak)
  • Main Paints: Mournfang Brown, Sybarite Green, Rhinox Hide, Dark Sun Yellow (or Balor Brown with a bit of yellow), Morrow White
  • Tools: Airbrush (optional), brushes (sizes 1 or 2 and a finer 00 for details), wet palette, super glue, and plastic glue.

Preparation

  1. Prime the Model: Begin with a black primer. If desired, airbrush the cloak with Mephiston Red. Allow the primer to fully cure to avoid rubbing off the paint.
  2. Assembly: Attach all parts with plastic glue, except for the head, which you should temporarily attach with a tiny bit of super glue for easy removal and precise painting.

Painting the Armour

  1. Base Layer: Apply a solid base layer of Mournfang Brown over the armour. The coverage doesn’t need to be perfect due to the textured look we’re aiming for.
  2. Highlight Preparation: Mix your highlights on a wet palette. Start with Mournfang Brown and progressively mix in Dark Sun Yellow and Morrow White to create a gradient of shades from dark brown to light yellow, finishing with white for the brightest highlights.
  3. Applying Highlights: Start with a mid-tone mix of Mournfang Brown and Dark Sun Yellow, then progressively lighten the highlights by adding more Dark Sun Yellow and eventually white. Map out the highlights, focusing on the armour’s raised areas and edges.
  4. Texture Effect: Use a scratchy technique to add texture to the highlights, simulating wear and tear. Combine this with stippling for denser highlights. Ensure the texture is consistent across the armour to maintain a cohesive look.
  5. Verdigris Effect: Thin down Sybarite Green with water (approximately 70:30 water to paint ratio) for a heavy glaze. Apply this to mid-tones and shadows, avoiding the highest highlights to maintain the metallic sheen. For a more subtle verdigris, mix a small amount of Rhinox Hide into Sybarite Green. Avoid using the mix of Sybarite Green and white, as this may look too bright and unnatural.

Additional Tips

  • Brush Selection: Use larger brushes for broad highlights and switch to a finer brush (like a 00) for detailed texture work and smaller areas.
  • Glazing: Use glazes to smooth transitions or adjust the intensity of colours. This is especially useful for blending the verdigris into the surrounding areas.
  • Reflections and Details: For areas like the silver collar necklace, consider how it will reflect its surroundings. This includes colours from the helmet, the sky, and possibly the red cloak. Use lighter, desaturated colours to simulate reflection.
  • Evaluating Your Work: Frequently step back and review your progress. Adjust highlights, shadows, and textures as needed to ensure a balanced and cohesive look.

Video Part Two: Red Satin Cloak and Bronze Helmet

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Paints

  • Mournfang Brown (Games Workshop)
  • Sybarite Green (Games Workshop)
  • Rhinox Hide (Games Workshop)
  • Mephiston Red (Games Workshop)
  • Morrow White (P3; any white will do)
  • Dark Sun Yellow (Two Thin Coats; Balor Brown can be substituted with added yellow)
  • White (Kimera Colours; any white optional)

Painting the Bronze Helmet

Base Layer: Start with a base layer of Mournfang Brown on the helmet. Ensure even coverage for a solid foundation.

Mixing for Bronze: Prepare a mix of Mournfang Brown and a small amount of Dark Sun Yellow (or Balor Brown with added yellow) to create the bronze shade. This mix should be applied in two thin coats to ensure smooth coverage without obscuring details.

Highlighting: Gradually add white to the bronze mix to create highlights. Focus these lighter shades on areas where light would naturally hit the helmet, enhancing the non-metallic metal effect. For very high highlights, use a mix predominantly of white with a touch of the bronze mixture.

Verdigris Effect: Mix Sybarite Green and Rhinox Hide to create the verdigris shade. Apply this sparingly in recesses and areas where weathering would naturally accumulate. This step is optional and can be adjusted based on personal preference for the weathered look.

Texture and Final Highlights: For added texture and to simulate wear, apply very fine dots and scratches using the lighter bronze mix. These should be concentrated around edges and high points where wear would be most apparent.

Painting the Satin Red Cloak

Base Layer: Apply a base coat of Mephiston Red over the cloak. Ensure smooth, even coverage as this will be the foundation for subsequent layers.

Shadows: Create a shadow mix by combining Mephiston Red with Rhinox Hide. Apply this mixture in areas that would naturally be in shadow, such as under folds or lower parts of the cloak.

Highlighting: Begin highlighting by adding white to Mephiston Red for a brighter red mix. Apply this to areas where light would naturally strike the cloak, such as the top of folds and raised areas. Gradually increase the amount of white in the mix for higher highlights, but avoid going up to pure white to maintain a satin finish.

Glazing for Smoothness: Use glazes (thin, transparent layers) of your red mixes to smooth out transitions between shadows, mid-tones, and highlights. This step is crucial for achieving the smooth, satin look of the cloak.

Final Adjustments: Revisit both the helmet and cloak for any final adjustments. Add more highlights or shadows as needed to enhance contrast and detail. Pay special attention to maintaining the balance between detailed texture on the helmet and the smooth finish of the cloak.

Video Part Three: Sekhar Fang of Nulahmia Face with Eyes, and Skin

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Paints Needed

  • Games Workshop: Bugman’s Glow, Sotek Green, Yriel Yellow, Evil Sunz Scarlet, Morghast Bone
  • Vallejo: Ice Yellow, Neutral Grey, Black
  • P3: Morrow White (or any white paint)

Step-by-Step Guide to her Face, Eyes and Skin

Preparing the Base Mixture for Skin: Mix a 50/50 blend of Sotek Green and Bugman’s Glow to create the base skin tone. This unique combination provides a natural, yet distinctly fantastical, skin colour for our vampire queen.

Adding Highlights to the Skin: Gradually incorporate Ice Yellow into the base mixture for highlights. Start with small quantities and increase the Ice Yellow for each successive highlight layer. This technique helps achieve a smooth gradient in the skin tone, offering a more lifelike appearance.

Advanced Skin Highlights: For a creamy and realistic skin tone, mix Bugman’s Glow with Ice Yellow, carefully adjusting the blend to prevent the colours from becoming overly vibrant. Add a tiny amount of white to this mixture for the lightest highlights, aiming for an off-white shade that retains a hint of the base tones.

Painting Contrast and Metallic Elements: Apply a grey base to the collar, preparing it for a metallic silver finish. This step is crucial for setting up the contrast between the metallic textures and the skin, ensuring that both elements stand out without competing for attention.

Achieving Skin Texture and Smooth Transitions: Use thin layers for the skin, starting with a mix of approximately 1.5 parts water to 1 part paint, and adjust as necessary for smoother finishes. Ensure each layer is completely dry before applying the next to avoid any unwanted textures.

Highlighting Techniques: Focus on painting towards the highlights, lifting the brush at the brightest points for precise application. This method ensures that the highlights are sharp and well-defined, enhancing the model’s dimensional details.

Painting Facial Features: Pay particular attention to the face, adjusting features like the nose with shading and highlighting to ensure it fits naturally under any headgear. Avoid relying solely on box art for colour references, as this can mislead your perception of how facial features should be represented.

Painting the Eyes: Start with a solid base colour for the eyes, using black or a deep brown. Paint the iris in a striking colour, adding a small dot of white to each eye to simulate light reflection. This detail adds life and intensity to the figure’s gaze.

Enhancing the Lips: Choose a vibrant red for the lips, applying it carefully to add depth and dimension. This colour choice should complement the vampire theme, adding an element of allure and danger to the figure.

Overall Facial Harmony: Revisit the entire face to ensure all elements work together harmoniously. Adjust shadows, highlights, and colour intensity to achieve a balanced and realistic facial expression that suits the character’s persona.

Video Part Four: Non Metallic Metal Texture Sword


Creating a Non-Metallic Metal (NMM) texture on a sword for a miniature model requires patience, precision, and a good understanding of light and shadow. This guide is designed to walk you through the process of painting the weapon blade of Sekhar The Vampire, focusing on achieving a weathered, high-contrast, NMM effect.

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Materials Required

  • Paints: Vallejo Neutral Grey, Ice Yellow; Games Workshop Mournfang Brown, Rhinox Hide; P3 Morrow White; Two Thin Coats Dark Sun Yellow.
  • Brushes: Fine detail brushes capable of making very thin lines.
  • Palette: A wet palette to ensure your paints remain workable.
  • Water or Thinner: For diluting your paints to the desired consistency.

Step-by-Step Guide to the Non Metallic Metal Texture Sword

Preparing the Blade: Begin with a clean, primed miniature. Ensure Sekhar’s blade is smooth and free from any debris or fingerprints.

Base Coating: Apply a base coat of Neutral Grey on the blade. This serves as your midpoint for building up highlights and deepening shadows.

Establishing Light Points: Identify the main light points on the blade using a lamp. Typically, the flat back section of the blade and the curved edges will catch the most light. Mark these areas mentally as points where the highest highlights will be placed.

Initial Highlights and Shadows: Create a gradient on your palette ranging from Neutral Grey to Ice Yellow, progressively adding Ice Yellow to lighten the mixture. Include a separate mix with Mournfang Brown and Neutral Grey for warmer tones, and pure white for the brightest highlights.

Begin adding these mixtures to the blade, focusing on the predetermined light points. Use a scratchy, controlled technique with the very tip of your brush for texture.

Refining the Texture: As the paint on your palette dries slightly, it will naturally become thicker. Use this to your advantage to add textured highlights and shadows, adjusting the water content as necessary for softer transitions or more pronounced scratches.

Correcting and Sharpening Details: Utilise black to correct any oversteps or to sharpen the divisions between different sections of the blade. This step is crucial for defining the shape and enhancing the contrast of your NMM effect.

Adding Depth with Glazes: Mix highly diluted glazes of Mournfang Brown (and variations with Neutral Grey) to apply to the lower sections of the blade. This creates a sense of depth and simulates a subtle reflection from the environment.

Final Highlights: Use the brightest mixtures, including pure white, to add the final highlights to the top light points. This step might require going back to reinforce the contrast between the brightest highlights and the adjacent shadows.

Weathering Effects: To add a weathered look, incorporate fine scratches across the blade’s surface with a very thin brush and lighter paint mixes. These should traverse both the light and dark areas to create a unified texture across the blade.

Bounce Light: For a more advanced NMM effect, paint a bounce light on the cutting edge of the blade. This is a subtle highlight that simulates light reflecting off the ground, adding to the realism of your metal effect.

Finishing Touches: Reassess the overall effect from multiple angles, ensuring that the blade looks good from all perspectives.

Additional Tips

  • Patience is Key: Achieving a convincing NMM effect is time-consuming. Work slowly and carefully.
  • Lighting: Understanding how light interacts with metal is crucial for NMM. Study real-life examples if possible.

Video Part Five: How to Paint a Skeleton with Glowing Eyes

This is another video looking at Sekhar the vampire, this time focusing on how to paint a skeleton with glowing eyes for the model on her base. This video looks at the skeleton, how to paint his glowing eyes, sword and bones etc. The whole model is covered!

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Materials needed:

Skeleton Model
Priming spray (I’ve used black!)

Brushes:
I use the Artist Opus range of brushes
Fine detail brush
Medium-sized brush
Large brush (optional, for basecoating larger areas)

Wet Palette (for mixing and thinning paints)
Varnish (to protect the finished paint job)

Paints:
All paints mentioned are from Games Workshop’s Citadel range.

  • Yriel Yellow
  • Moot Green
  • Balor Brown
  • Morghast Bone
  • Screaming Skull
  • Mournfang Brown
  • XV-88
  • Rhinox Hide

Other Materials:

Rocks or pebbles
Foliage (such as static grass or miniature leaves)
Sand or texture paste (for ground texture)
Super glue (for attaching basing materials)
Water (for thinning paints)
Paper towels or cloth to ensure your brushes are totally clean!

More Soulblight, Undead and Vampire Tutorials!

Vampires and Undead
April 17, 2024This is another video looking at Sekhar the vampire, this time focusing on how to paint a skeleton with glowing eyes for the model on her base. This video looks at the skeleton, how to paint his glowing eyes, sword and bones etc. The whole model is covered! Video: How to Paint a Skeleton with Glowing Eyes Materials needed: Skeleton ModelPriming spray (I’ve used black!) Brushes:I use the Artist Opus range of brushesFine detail brushMedium-sized brushLarge brush (optional, for basecoating larger areas) Wet Palette (for mixing and thinning paints)Varnish (to protect the finished paint job) Paints:All paints mentioned are from Games Workshop’s Citadel range. Yriel Yellow Moot Green Balor Brown Morghast Bone Screaming Skull Mournfang Brown XV-88 Rhinox Hide Other Materials: Rocks or pebblesFoliage (such as static grass or miniature leaves)Sand or texture paste (for ground texture)Super glue (for attaching basing materials)Water (for thinning paints)Paper towels or cloth to ensure your brushes are totally clean! How to Paint a Skeleton with Glowing Eyes – Step 1: Priming Prime your model with a suitable undercoat. Black is recommended as it provides a good base for both the glowing effects and the shadowed recesses of the skeleton. Step 2: Base Coating Skeleton: Apply a thin base coat of XV-88 over the entire skeleton. Ensure the paint is thinned with water to maintain detail. Eyes: Start by painting the eye sockets with Kimera White. Given the deep recesses, apply multiple thin layers to build up a solid white base. Patience is key here to avoid a textured look. Step 3: Adding Depth to Eyes Mix Yriel Yellow with Kimera White to create a pale yellow. Carefully fill in the eye sockets, leaving the deepest part still white to simulate glow. Gradually add more Yriel Yellow towards the front of the eye sockets, intensifying the colour as you move forwards. Define the edges of the sockets with Moot Green to enhance the glow effect, blending it slightly into the yellow for a smooth transition. Step 4: Skeletal Detailing General Bone Texture: Lightly dry brush the skeleton with a mixture of Mournfang Brown and XV-88 to bring out the texture. Enhanced Details: Use Morghast Bone to highlight edges and raised details across the bones. Deepening Shadows: Mix Rhinox Hide with a small amount of black to create shadows in the deeper recesses and under the bones for added depth. Step 5: Sword and Metallic Effects Base Coat: Apply Neutral Grey as a base for the sword and any metallic elements. Weathering: Add scratch effects using Troll Slayer Orange mixed with Mournfang Brown to simulate rust and age. Highlights: Use Screaming Skull to pick out edges and features, giving the impression of worn, yet still sharp, metal. Step 6: Final Touches Refining Glows: Go back to the eyes, adding pure Yriel Yellow to the centres and intensifying the green at the edges if necessary. Blending and Smoothing: Use glazes of the base colours to smooth out transitions and unify the appearance, particularly around the eye sockets and on the sword to blend the rust effects. Contrasting Details: For a final layer of detail, use Screaming Skull to highlight teeth, knuckles, and other small bone protrusions, adding a subtle layer of Rhinox Hide for ageing. Step 7: Sealing the Model Once fully satisfied with your painting, seal the model with a matte varnish to protect your work and reduce any unwanted shininess, ensuring the skeletal figure looks as haunting in the display case as it does on the battlefield. Explore more of my Golden Demon entry tutorials If you don’t have an account here on my website, please sign up here! I have over 350 video tutorials in addition to my How to Paint a Skeleton with Glowing Eyes, with steps and tips, plus a selection of PDFs. If you are not sure about joining, you can explore my free videos with a free membership, or take the plunge and become a full subscriber for full access. If you’d prefer to support me on Patreon, please visit: https://www.patreon.com/RichardGray [...] Read more...
April 11, 2024A small series on how to paint Rodney Roachbait, the new Blood Bowl star player for their Gnome team! In these videos we will explore lots of different textures and techniques a lot different to my usual moody and dark style. I hope you enjoy following along as much as I enjoyed painting him. Video Part One: How to paint Rodney Roachbait – Base colours, skin, beard and jumper. Although the model is painted to a high standard the techniques can still be used for tabletop gaming. This first part looks at preparing all of the base colours for the model, the skin, beard and jumper. Materials List Brushes:Fine Detail Brush, Standard Brush, Drybrush – I use the Artist Opus range of brushes. Paints:Games Workshop: Rhinox Hide, Mournfang Brown, Bugman’s Glow, Cadian Fleshtone, Morghast Bone, Contrast Dark Oath Flesh, Sotek GreenKimera Colours: Fallen GrassWhite (or P3 Morrow White)Sun Ray (or Vallejo Ice Yellow)Vallejo: Neutral GreyOther Materials: PVA Glue, Gloss Varnish, Magnifying Headset Steps and Tips on How to Paint Rodney Roachbait Preparation and Base Colour: I recommend using a headset to enhance visibility on this model as he is very, VERY small. I’ve based coated him black to begin. Base Colour Application: Begin by applying a base colour to the entire model to avoid the prominence of black from the primer. Use Rhinox Hide to block in areas like the hat and the ball. However, upon closer inspection, I realised he wore waders instead of boots, so I switched to Mournfang Brown as the base colour for the waders to avoid excessive brown tones. Paint the strap holding the fish carcass onto the hat using Mournfang Brown. When painting resin models like this one, you may notice slight lines, but these are easily obscured with paint. Addressing Imperfections: However, there are more pressing imperfections on this model – if you have some, like resin air bubbles, fill them with PVA glue and painting over. For the strap over the hat, use Fallen Grass from Chimera Colors. These paints are single-pigment, avoiding separation issues common with other paints. Mixing them with Games Workshop paints adds a satin finish to maintain colour vibrancy while avoiding using varnish, which can interfere with the model’s look. Painting Specific Areas: For specific areas like the jumper, use Sotek Green for a matte finish, while the leather hat has a satin finish achieved by mixing in Games Workshop paints. Paint the fish head and tail using Sotek Green and Balthasar Gold for the bony parts. Adding Depth: After basic block-ins, apply a thinned-down contrast paint, Dark Oath Flesh, over the model to give it a slight filter effect. This helps tie the colours together and softens harsh lines, especially on resin models with sharp details. Take care when using contrast paint, as it may pool in recesses, requiring careful cleanup. Once dry, it adds depth and subtle shading to the model. Correcting Imperfections: Apply gloss varnish to smooth out any unwanted textures, like creases on the cheeks, providing a polished finish. More tutorials for him to follow! In the mean time, why not explore my other videos? If you don’t have an account here on my website, please sign up here! I have over 350 video tutorials with steps and tips, plus a selection of PDFs. If you are not sure about joining, you can explore my free videos with a free membership, or take the plunge and become a full subscriber for full access. If you’d prefer to support me on Patreon, please visit: https://www.patreon.com/RichardGray [...] Read more...
April 8, 2024My detailed how to paint the Nagash helmet tutorials, with videos plus step by step guide and tips with full paints used. Video – How to Paint the Nagash Helmet Part OnePaints and Materials UsedPaintsBrushesOther MaterialsSteps and Tips on How to Paint the Nagash HelmetVideo – How to Paint the Nagash Helmet Part TwoPaintsSteps and Tips on How to Paint the Nagash Helmet (Part Two)Video – How to Paint the Nagash Freehand Swirls/FiligreePaintsTips for the Freehand FiligreeVideo – How to Paint the Nagash Helmet Leather Strips and RunesPaintsStep and Tips on How to Paint the Nagash Helmet Leather Strips and RunesFor all of my Nagash Tutorials in one place, go hereExplore More Nagash Technique Tutorials Video – How to Paint the Nagash Helmet Part One In this tutorial, we’ll focus on painting the metallic areas of Nagash, specifically the head. The colours used for this tutorial are a bit different from the standard, and in the video I discuss techniques in more detail to achieve a textured, refined finish. Paints and Materials Used Paints Vallejo: English Uniform (VX-88) Golden Olive (Elysian Green mixed with Yriel Yellow) Yellow Green (Dorn Yellow mixed with Moot Green) Ice Yellow (Dorn Yellow) Ivory (Screaming Skull) Games Workshop: Rhinox Hide Abaddon Black Naggaroth Night (for future use) Brushes Fine detail brush (suitable for intricate work and small highlights) Medium-sized brush (for larger areas and base coating) Wet palette (to keep paints fresh and workable) Other Materials Wet palette Green stuff (for sculpting additional details, if desired) Painting lamp (for consistent lighting during the painting process) Miniature holder (for ease of handling and painting) Steps and Tips on How to Paint the Nagash Helmet Prepare the Model: Ensure your miniature is assembled and primed appropriately for painting. I’ve used a black primer for my Nagash. Block in the Base Colour: Start by blocking in the main highlights using Vallejo’s English Uniform (VX-88). Apply this colour where you want the primary light source to hit, focusing on a top-left orientation.Be mindful not to make the colour too opaque; a slight texture is desirable for the metallic effect. Understanding Colour Choices: The choice of metallic colours doesn’t have to be conventional. For this model, I went for a dark and moody theme inspired by the artwork of Nagash.My chosen metallic shades include Golden Olive, Yellow Green, and Ice Yellow from Vallejo, along with Rhinox Hide and Abaddon Black from Games Workshop. Building Layers of Colour: Use Golden Olive to build layers on top of the English Uniform, focusing on areas that require additional depth and shading.The opacity of Vallejo paints allows for strong, defined marks, ideal for creating small details and textures. Creating Texture and Depth: With each layer, gradually introduce lighter shades such as Yellow Green and Ice Yellow to enhance highlights and add dimension to the metallic surfaces.Keep in mind the direction of light and focus on maintaining a balance between light and shadow. Understanding Volume and Light: Highlighting metallic surfaces requires understanding how light interacts with volume. Unlike standard blending techniques, aim for distinct contrasts between light and shadow. Make sure you consider how light reflects off different surfaces, creating highlights and shadows of varying intensities. I like to use lots of real-life references of metal to study as I paint. Achieving a Moody Atmosphere: For an undead character like Nagash, aim for a dark, desaturated overall appearance. Use strong, small highlights strategically to draw attention to focal points. Avoid smooth blending; purposefully textured painting adds depth and character to the model. Experimenting with Glazing TechniquesExperiment with glazing techniques to blend colours seamlessly and soften transitions between different areas of the model.Glazing allows for subtle colour adjustments and can help unify the overall color scheme, creating a harmonious visual effect. Video – How to Paint the Nagash Helmet Part Two In this part, we’ll focus on painting the skull face, hair, and bone structures atop the hat. Paints Vallejo Model Colour: English Uniform (VX-88), Golden Olive (Elysian Green mixed with Yriel Yellow), Yellow Green (Dorn Yellow mixed with Moot Green), Ice Yellow (Dorn Yellow), Ivory (Screaming Skull), Neutral Grey (Mechanicus Standard Grey), Pale Grey Blue (Grey Seer mixed with Blue Horror) Games Workshop: Rhinox Hide, Warpstone Green Contrast, Deathclaw Brown P3: Morrow White Steps and Tips on How to Paint the Nagash Helmet (Part Two) Paint the Bone Structures: Using Vallejo’s English Uniform (VX-88), begin by painting the bone structures on top of the hat. Focus on picking out the highlights, keeping in mind the top-left orientation of the light source. Apply the paint carefully to emphasize the edges and contours of the bones.Enhance the Bone Texture: Utilise Golden Olive (a mix of Elysian Green and Yriel Yellow) to add depth and shading to the bone structures. Concentrate on areas that require additional definition, such as the joints and sockets. Remember to maintain a balance between light and shadow to create a realistic, textured effect.Add Highlights: With Yellow Green (a mix of Dorn Yellow and Moot Green), further highlight the bone structures, focusing on the areas where light would naturally hit. Pay attention to the left-hand side of the model to create a stronger contrast and emphasise the lighting direction.Refine the Highlights: Using Ice Yellow (Dorn Yellow), continue to build up the highlights on the bone structures, especially on the left-hand side. Gradually increase the brightness of the highlights towards the center of the model to draw attention to focal points.Adjusting with Rhinox Hide: If necessary, use Rhinox Hide to refine any areas where you’ve made mistakes or to add depth to the shadows. The translucency of this paint allows for easy blending and adjustment while maintaining a natural look.Painting the Skull Face: For the skull face, start with Deathclaw Brown, focusing on creating a weathered, textured appearance. Apply the paint in a rough, uneven manner to mimic the natural wear and tear of ancient bones.Highlighting the Skull: Gradually add highlights to the skull using Morghast Bone. Concentrate the highlights towards the left-hand side of the face to maintain consistency with the overall lighting scheme. Ensure the highlights stand out against the darker base colour to create depth and dimension.Adding Detail to the Eyes: Use a small amount of Morghast Bone to pick out the details around the eyes, emphasising the cheekbones and brow ridge. Be mindful of the sculpted eye sockets and adjust the highlights accordingly to enhance the overall appearance.Painting the Hair: Begin painting the hair with Neutral Grey, focusing on the large, clumpy strands. Keep the highlights towards the top side of the hair to simulate light hitting the surface. Apply the paint in a rough, textured manner to achieve a realistic look.Adding Texture to the Hair: Continue to build up the texture of the hair using Pale Grey Blue. Emphasize the highlights on the top side of the hair while leaving the underside darker to create depth and volume.Refining the Highlights: Using Morrow White sparingly, refine the highlights on the hair strands to add contrast and dimension. Focus on the areas closest to the face to draw attention to the focal points. Video – How to Paint the Nagash Freehand Swirls/Filigree Paints Vallejo: English Uniform (VX-88), Golden Olive (Elysian Green mixed with Yriel Yellow), Yellow Green (Dorn Yellow mixed with Moot Green), Ivory (Screaming Skull), Neutral Grey (Mechanicus Standard Grey), Pale Grey Blue (Grey Seer mixed with Blue Horror)Games Workshop: Warpstone Green Contrast, Abaddon BlackP3: Morrow White Tips for the Freehand Filigree Base Coat: Apply a base coat of Vallejo English Uniform (VX-88) to start the filigree on the Nagash hat. Ensure even coverage and allow it to dry completely. Highlighting with Yellow-Green: Mix Vallejo Yellow Green (Dorn Yellow mixed with Moot Green) with a small amount of white to increase opacity. Use a fine tip brush to apply highlights to what would be the raised areas of the filigree. Focus on creating sharp lines and highlights to enhance the detail. Adding Ivory Highlight Dots: Using Vallejo Ivory (Screaming Skull), create small highlight dots on the filigree. These dots should be strategically placed on curves and extreme curve points to simulate shine and reflectivity. Ensure consistency in placement for a cohesive look. Enhancing Contrast with Black: With Games Workshop Abaddon Black, carefully outline the filigree details to enhance contrast and definition. Use a fine tip brush and steady hand to create clean lines and borders. Glazing with Warpstone Green Contrast: Thin Games Workshop Warpstone Green Contrast with water (about two parts water to one part paint) to create a glaze. Apply the glaze over the filigree to enhance shading and highlights. Final Touches: Use P3 Morrow White to add final highlights to the filigree, focusing on the most raised and reflective areas. Ensure consistency and restraint with the white highlights to avoid overpowering the overall effect. Video – How to Paint the Nagash Helmet Leather Strips and Runes By following these steps and techniques, you can effectively paint leather strips and runes on your Nagash (or any other model, really!) adding depth, texture, and character. Paints Games Workshop: Rhinox Hide, Mournfang Brown, Cadian Fleshtone, Temple Guard Blue, Barroth Blue. Step and Tips on How to Paint the Nagash Helmet Leather Strips and Runes Base Coat: Ensure that the leather strips on the Nagash helmet are properly primed with black primer. Once primed, apply a base coat of Games Workshop Mournfang Brown to the leather strips. This will serve as the foundation for the leather texture. Highlighting with Mournfang Brown: Using Games Workshop Mournfang Brown, begin highlighting the curves and raised areas of the leather strips. Apply the paint in a textured manner, focusing on creating depth and dimension to simulate the appearance of weathered leather. Don’t worry about perfect blending; imperfections add to the realism. Layering with Cadian Fleshtone: Next, switch to Games Workshop Cadian Fleshtone and continue highlighting the leather strips. Apply this paint more sparingly, focusing on the most raised areas and curves to enhance the texture. The tonal contrast between Mournfang Brown and Cadian Fleshtone will create depth and visual interest. Glazing with Rhinox Hide: Thin Games Workshop Rhinox Hide with water to create a glaze. Apply the glaze over the highlighted areas to tone down the highlights and add depth to the leather texture. Focus on applying the glaze in the shadowed areas and along the edges of the leather strips for a realistic look. Painting Runes: Using Games Workshop Temple Guard Blue and Barroth Blue, paint the runes onto the leather strips. Ensure that the runes are clearly visible and neatly painted. Use a fine tip brush and steady hand to create clean lines and shapes. Less is more; avoid overcrowding the leather strips with too many runes to maintain balance. Touching Up: Review the painted leather strips and runes, making any necessary touch-ups or adjustments. Ensure consistency in highlighting placement and rune design throughout the miniature model. For all of my Nagash Tutorials in one place, go here Nagash, Supreme Lord of the Undead Nagash, Supreme Lord of the Undead is the father of necromancy.  I created a series of detailed tutorials on how I painted him. Watch Now Explore More Nagash Technique Tutorials If you don’t have an account here on my website, please sign up here! I have over 350 video tutorials with steps and tips, plus a selection of PDFs. If you are not sure about joining, you can explore my free videos with a free membership, or take the plunge and become a full subscriber for full access. If you’d prefer to support me on Patreon, please visit: https://www.patreon.com/RichardGray [...] Read more...
April 7, 2024Games Workshop sent me the new gnome special character, Rodney Roachbait, for the gnome Blood Bowl team. I haven’t quite managed to finish him yet, but close enough. The rope is only base coloured, the handle isn’t done and his orange waders need finishing on the back, among other bits and pieces. A Gnome Star Player in Blood Bowl, Rodney Roachbaitis a notorious line-man of the Altdorf Park Anglers. He’s an absolutely tiny model, but so full of character, I couldn’t resist painting him. It was also a nice change of pace from all the mean and moody things I’ve been painting. Tutorials for him to follow very soon – with so many textures to explore that you can recreate on a variety on your models. Who is Rodney Roachbait? Unveiled at the Warhammer World Anniversary Preview, Rodney emerged from the shadows as a seasoned Star Player, bringing with him a legacy of both notoriety and skill from his days as a line-man for the Altdorf Park Anglers. In Blood Bowl, Rodney stands apart as a gnome of unconventional tactics, but with a determination often very present in gnomes! While most gnomes revel in the chaos of the gridiron, Rodney was keen to prove that the boisterous sport of Blood Bowl pales in comparison to the finesse required in the art of fishing. Initially met with defeat, Rodney refused to be deterred. Armed with his trusty fishing rod, he ventured onto the field against the Merry Mootmen Halfling team, weaving his angling expertise into the game and securing a victory for his gnome brethren. His triumph became the stuff of legend, a tale he relishes recounting whenever given the chance (certainly not a “one that got away” story, ha ha). (Sorry) For teams fortunate enough to enlist Rodney Roachbait, his tactical acumen and fisherman’s flair make him a great team member. With his Catch of the Day ability, Rodney can seize control of an unattended ball once per half, leaving opponents in disarray. Combining his Stunty and Sidestep skills, Rodney evades tackles with ease, and his resilience is further bolstered by Jump Up, ensuring he swiftly bounces back from any knockdowns. At a mere 70,000 GP, Rodney is a bargain for Halfling Thimble Cup teams seeking an edge on the field. Available as an expert kit crafted from Forge World resin, Rodney Roachbait promises to elevate any team lucky enough to harness his unparalleled prowess! If you don’t have an account here on my website, please sign up here! I have over 350 video tutorials with steps and tips, plus a selection of PDFs. If you are not sure about joining, you can explore my free videos with a free membership, or take the plunge and become a full subscriber for full access. If you’d prefer to support me on Patreon, please visit: https://www.patreon.com/RichardGray [...] Read more...
March 13, 2024Creating a Non-Metallic Metal (NMM) texture on a sword for a miniature model requires patience, precision, and a good understanding of light and shadow. This guide is designed to walk you through the process of painting the weapon blade of Sekhar The Vampire, focusing on achieving a weathered, high-contrast, NMM effect. Video: Non Metallic Metal Texture Sword Materials Required Paints: Vallejo Neutral Grey, Ice Yellow; Games Workshop Mournfang Brown, Rhinox Hide; P3 Morrow White; Two Thin Coats Dark Sun Yellow. Brushes: Fine detail brushes capable of making very thin lines. Palette: A wet palette to ensure your paints remain workable. Water or Thinner: For diluting your paints to the desired consistency. Step-by-Step Guide to the Non Metallic Metal Texture Sword Preparing the Blade: Begin with a clean, primed miniature. Ensure Sekhar’s blade is smooth and free from any debris or fingerprints. Base Coating: Apply a base coat of Neutral Grey on the blade. This serves as your midpoint for building up highlights and deepening shadows. Establishing Light Points: Identify the main light points on the blade using a lamp. Typically, the flat back section of the blade and the curved edges will catch the most light. Mark these areas mentally as points where the highest highlights will be placed. Initial Highlights and Shadows: Create a gradient on your palette ranging from Neutral Grey to Ice Yellow, progressively adding Ice Yellow to lighten the mixture. Include a separate mix with Mournfang Brown and Neutral Grey for warmer tones, and pure white for the brightest highlights. Begin adding these mixtures to the blade, focusing on the predetermined light points. Use a scratchy, controlled technique with the very tip of your brush for texture. Refining the Texture: As the paint on your palette dries slightly, it will naturally become thicker. Use this to your advantage to add textured highlights and shadows, adjusting the water content as necessary for softer transitions or more pronounced scratches. Correcting and Sharpening Details: Utilise black to correct any oversteps or to sharpen the divisions between different sections of the blade. This step is crucial for defining the shape and enhancing the contrast of your NMM effect. Adding Depth with Glazes: Mix highly diluted glazes of Mournfang Brown (and variations with Neutral Grey) to apply to the lower sections of the blade. This creates a sense of depth and simulates a subtle reflection from the environment. Final Highlights: Use the brightest mixtures, including pure white, to add the final highlights to the top light points. This step might require going back to reinforce the contrast between the brightest highlights and the adjacent shadows. Weathering Effects: To add a weathered look, incorporate fine scratches across the blade’s surface with a very thin brush and lighter paint mixes. These should traverse both the light and dark areas to create a unified texture across the blade. Bounce Light: For a more advanced NMM effect, paint a bounce light on the cutting edge of the blade. This is a subtle highlight that simulates light reflecting off the ground, adding to the realism of your metal effect. Finishing Touches: Reassess the overall effect from multiple angles, ensuring that the blade looks good from all perspectives. Additional Tips Patience is Key: Achieving a convincing NMM effect is time-consuming. Work slowly and carefully. Lighting: Understanding how light interacts with metal is crucial for NMM. Study real-life examples if possible. More Soulblight, Undead and Vampire Tutorials! If you don’t have an account, please sign up here! The website currently has over 350 video tutorials with steps and tips, plus a selection of PDFs. If you are not sure about joining, you can explore my free videos with a free membership, or take the plunge and become a full subscriber for full access. If you’d prefer to support me on Patreon, please visit: https://www.patreon.com/RichardGray [...] Read more...

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