Need some help with doing NMM Bronze/copper...

[Jonny4square]

So Im trying to figure out how to paint nmm bronze/copper but so far it has alluded me. Im fairly confident in my nmm gold but for some reason I cant get the hang of bronze/copper. So im turning to some of the best painters out there to help me in this, my hour of crisis

Here's been my experimenting so far each wing has had a different set of colors and approach to painting them.

Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[me_in_japan]

It's looking good, I have to say. I'm pretty intimidated by NMM myself, having only ever done it once, and that was a bit mediorce. As for critique on your mini, I'd say the dark bits need to be darker and the light bits need to be white (just on the very tippy tops of them)
Also, both wings are looking a bit reddish. A slightly orangeyer colour might help, but then that might lean too far into yellow and start looking gold. Its hard to say...

still, looking like youre on the right track.

 

[PegaZus]

I was going to argue with MIJ about the dark bits. But, did a Google images search... and I think he's right. The dark bits need to be very dark. Here's what convinced me (via electricalwire.biz):

But, I also I think the problem you've got is that it isn't BRIGHT enough. The flat bits need to be very bright. Shade up the bits quite a bit and it'll look better.

Sky-ward surface on the "feathers" need to be near white. Ground-ward surfaces need to be near black. In the middle should be the color, but I'm thinking no more than a 1/3 of it.

EDIT: and I think I'm done changing things.

 

[skraaal]

Remember that what makes NMM work is contrast. Contrast is Key between the lightest parts and the darkest parts. The other thing that makes it successful is where you place these light and dark areas so as best to contrast them. The second part comes with a lot of practice and the study of real metal objects reflecting light. It looks good so far, but it seems your lacking black as a darkest shadow, white as a pure highlight and atm it seems not to have a definitive mid tone.

I hope that helps. <3

 

[10 ball]

Use some very water down purple for some washes
to contrast in the browns.

 

[Jonny4square]

Thank you guys so much for the advice! Im going to work on the wings today and try and push the contrast a little more. Ill update with some more pictures.

 

[nels0nmac]

Yup def push the contrast more. If you stick to browns and orange colours you should avoid the end result looking like a gold NMM. I would suggest you use a flesh tone - something like Dwarf flesh for the top highlight colour - with pure white for some spots to give that shine effect. Good luck

 

[Dragonsreach]

For Copper I've stuck to the recipei used by one of the Rackham Painters:
Vallejo Model colours althrough:
VMC Red Leather->VMC Sunny Skintone-> VMC White
Start with red leather as your base colour add tiny amounts of Skintone to lighten and eventualy add white into the mix for highlights and Pure White for the Flare.
VMC Chocolate Brown as your shadow, used in a Glaze placed carefully into the creases/folds. Do not use it as a wash allover as it'll stuff up the effect.
VMC BlueGreen is the perfect Verdigris /Oxidation colour to use.

As for Bronze , well most people think of Bronze as being Dark Brown and tarnished with Green, but thanks to Einion I discovered that polished bronze is a whole new kettle of fish.
It can vary between Slightly Orange Yellow, through Greeny Yellow to an almost Golden colour.
I'd suggest astarting point of:
VMC German Camoflage Black Brown then adding a Sunny Skintone for that highlight and adding VMC Ivory Final Highlight /Flare.
I'd also use a differing green as the oxydising colour something like VMC Emerald.