Necron metallics

[Ghaffasa]

Hey.

It's been quite a while since I posted anything on these forums, so here goes! This is my latest project; a necron warrior. So far, I've painted the legs (not the vertebra or the pelvis). Shading has been done while aiming for a purplish tint.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated. Metallics is one of my weaker points as a painter so any advice or contructive critisism is most welcome!

Thank you in advance.

 

[Zab]

It's a good start. TMM is similar to NMM. Just keep that contrast up and go back and forth with shades and highlights until you are happy.

 

[moetle]

I think you are off to a good start. I really like the purple metallic you have going on.

 

[Ghaffasa]

Thanks for the replies!

I will try to enhance the contrast a bit, but I'm glad you like the results

 

[Sigmar3]

Definitely a good start, really like the purple tint. I have to admit metals were (are) my weak point. I'm impressed. I think you could bring the contrast up a bit more but then the thing to consider is how you want your Necrons to look or feel. Giving them a lot of bright highlights would look great but would you want them a bit darker and threatening. However, the purple tint does give that impression, so you should be fine

 

[me_in_japan]

Something you can do to make a model look darker is, oddly, to make sure the highlights are as bright as possible. The small hot-spots of light make the dark bits look darker. Take a look at SkelettetS's work for examples of minis which look dark but actually have very bright spots. I believe he achieves this by starting from a white undercoat, then airbrushing Vallejo Model Air silver on all metallic parts. Thereafter it's a whole lot of washes and shading all the way down to very deep colours, but not quite black. Obviously, the best person to ask about this is Skel, and he's a very helpful chap, so it'd be worth your while to shoot him a PM.

 

[Broke n English]

Looks great G, agree with what MiJ said, blink points in really light silver at the end ^^

 

[Ghaffasa]

Thanks for the feedback!

I will do some additional highlighting. I'm thinking about using a white/mithril silver mix for the extreme points, since pure mithril silver already has been applied.
I looked at skel's WIP log, really impressive stuff! I'm not a big fan of airbrushing though and I've never used the technique! But i suppose a similar effect can be achieved with just painting metallics followed by extensive shading..

 

[me_in_japan]

If you're looking for a bright metallic silver, the Vallejo Model Air Metallic Aluminium is definitely your best bet. It makes mithril silver look like gun metal in comparison, and there's nothing to stop you applying it using a regular brush. You'll find it to be very thin (texture) compared to GW paints, but it's very densely pigmented.

 

[SkelettetS]

not forget vallejo metal medium for extreme highlight, it will make your mini explode in poppyness its as bright as metal can be, get a bottle!
i am actually not a fan of airbrush myself, even if i got the equipment its mostly collecting dust atm. have to train a bit more there, but oh well. point is, i dont use airbrush either. i basecoat vallejo model air silver most of the times, then lots of glazing with different colours (blue, brown & red mostly) but you seems to got the hang of that already. keep it up!

 

[me_in_japan]

No airbrush, Skel? Well, I'll be jiggered. Just goes to show you should go straight to the source for info, and never mind what MiJ says

ill have to try some of that Vallejo metal medium myself. Always on the lookout for new metallic toys, me...

 

[Ghaffasa]

Thanks for the advice guys!

I've never worked with vallejo colors before, but I know they are quite widely utilized.. I'll check out the tones you both suggested! I think it's mainly the final highlights that are missing at the moment.
I really admire your work Skel, thanks for sharing some insight. I have one more question for you - what is the most common ratio of glazes/highlights you use when you want to perform a decent blend with metallics? Sometimes i catch myself glazing and glazing until the highlight looks to sharp and the smooth transition is lost. I realize that there isn't any golden recipe, but is there any useful rule of thumb?

 

[SkelettetS]

well GW's metal colors is not bad either, at least not their old range (havent tested the new). but vallejo metal medium is a lot brighter than mithril silver.

about the ratio glazes highlights, for me it is very much back and forth. i begun basecoat, then shading. then glaze highlight with the metal color same as basecoat, really thin glazes here to get some metal flakes back on the object, except the most shaded area. then some glazes metal medium at the brightest point, then edge highlightning with the same color. i tend to repeat those steps over and over until happiness arrives

 

[Battlegrounds Wargaming]

You should try some Gloss black enamel base and Alclad 2 Chrome. Create the most unreal finish you have ever seen on a miniature.

 

[Ghaffasa]

Ok, thanks

Which color brand do those belong to? Vallejo?

 

[Battlegrounds Wargaming]

No, Its Alclad 2 - Chrome. http://alclad2.com/