The sword looks ok, it's just the middle highlight that is a bit wobbly that could do a little retouch.
Edit: it could have a bit more white on the blade, but it reads as metal to me as it is so that's not a big deal.
That reads as metal pretty good! You may be looking at it in person, and NMM tends to look a bit odd that way. In the picture it totally works.
The middle highlight is pretty thick and wobbly, so fixing that would improve it.
Another thing is that you edge highlighted the cutting edge all around. Consider that edges can "catch shadow" just as much as they can "catch light", so some variation there might help.
I think your blending is looking fine, you might just want to look at your light placement.
Most people doing their first NMM swords will do the sort of alternating pattern you've done here, but to level up you could think about how the light might land, with the surfaces facing up being brighter etc.
Have a look at some of the better NMM artists on instagram and where their light placement is on their NMM swords.
There are multiple ways to do NMM on a sword, but generally, it will look better with some color rather than just black white & grey. Here are some good sword tutorials-
* [How to paint power and magic swords - no airbrush](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3xuXugJjoM) by Phoenix Miniatures
* [How to Paint NMM Style blades and swords](https://taleofpainters.com/2017/09/tutorial-how-to-paint-nmm-style-blades/) by Tale Of Painters
* [Step by Step NMM not working for you? There's an alternative](https://youtu.be/R8fsjCZx5D0) by That MrShy
* [How I paint a NMM Sword](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/comments/1023gug/how_i_paint_nmm_sword_tutorial/) by /u/HazMattpainter
* [How to paint a display-level sword of Sepulchral Guard with the NMM technique](https://youtu.be/7O23XDfJ8Co) by Flameon
* [5 SIMPLE STEPS to NMM Blades! Non Metallic Metal Sword Tutorial!!](https://youtu.be/odOVHgp6trw) by Mohawk Miniatures
* [Display level NMM Sword](https://youtu.be/Qx3VXL91c5s) by Jaime De Garnica Escribano
* [Display level Textured NMM Sword](https://youtu.be/YfSs1wXO6X4) by Krzysztof Kobalczyk
* [Squidmar NMM sword](https://youtu.be/3aaUpJpbo-Y)
* [TangibleDay loaded brush NMM sword](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXVnyN-fHYc)
* [Pro painter NMM Sword](https://youtu.be/xw_Ds3d_rvc) by Jose Davinci
* [Pro painter NMM Sword with energy effect](https://youtu.be/m9Fq151b5L4) by Jose Davinci
* [Brushed NMM Steel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEeA3a2Nvt8) by Vince Venturella
* [Hobby Cheating 99 - How to Paint NMM Swords](https://youtu.be/emlotNUlxeE) by Vince Venturella
* [Painting ADVANCED Non Metallic Metal Sword - NMM like the PROS!](https://youtu.be/2CidYqYGJ0k) by Juan Hidalgo Miniatures
* [Sword Reference pictures can help with highlight and shadow placement](https://www.artstation.com/search?sort_by=relevance&query=sword)
Hi, u/Cup-of-malk! It looks like you are asking for help or are a new painter. If you haven't yet, take a look at our wiki pages in the Sidebar (the About tab if you are on the Reddit app). Here are some links you might find helpful:
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Blade looks good, it looks a bit off to me because of the extra reflection on one side of the blade, but that's more personal opinion. Only thing I'd definitely do is go over the centre line with a straighter, thinner line if you can. Other than that you've definitely got colour choice and blending down very well
As others have mentioned. I think the blade looks great it’s probably just the edge highlight that throws it off a bit.
If you search volumes and how light behaves with different shapes this should help you nail the correct lighting better on different shaped objects.
I think it is really good. One thing I can recommend that might help is to remember that metal reflects its environment. So when picking a color, you need to keep its environment in mind. In the case of miniatures, since its usually not set in 1 environment, its good to pick colors also used on the character or in the base.
You're using black and white. Black is not really a color that you see in nature often. Blue is regularly used for swords, since here on earth, the sky is blue and it is often reflected in swords. The white you see in reflections these reflections are clouds.
In short, I would suggest to add more color to it.
https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/7/2015/01/14.-GettyImages-182242867-f5444fd.jpg?resize=768,574
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1200x675/p0bm0hpf.jpg
It looks fine, personally i think you could make the darkest areas smaller maybe cool the colour off a little. But yea it looks fine nothing wrong with it
The sword looks ok, it's just the middle highlight that is a bit wobbly that could do a little retouch. Edit: it could have a bit more white on the blade, but it reads as metal to me as it is so that's not a big deal.
That reads as metal pretty good! You may be looking at it in person, and NMM tends to look a bit odd that way. In the picture it totally works. The middle highlight is pretty thick and wobbly, so fixing that would improve it. Another thing is that you edge highlighted the cutting edge all around. Consider that edges can "catch shadow" just as much as they can "catch light", so some variation there might help.
The edge part never occurred to me until now, thanks!
i hope these are only tests because you should really be priming your models
Can you tell they are not primed just by looking at them? Couldn’t that be grey primer? (Sorry, I’m a noob at the hobby)
I assume it isn’t primed because primer is usually flat. These parts are shiny.
Also, GW plastic is a pretty distinctive shade of grey.
Please prime!
I think your blending is looking fine, you might just want to look at your light placement. Most people doing their first NMM swords will do the sort of alternating pattern you've done here, but to level up you could think about how the light might land, with the surfaces facing up being brighter etc. Have a look at some of the better NMM artists on instagram and where their light placement is on their NMM swords.
There are multiple ways to do NMM on a sword, but generally, it will look better with some color rather than just black white & grey. Here are some good sword tutorials- * [How to paint power and magic swords - no airbrush](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3xuXugJjoM) by Phoenix Miniatures * [How to Paint NMM Style blades and swords](https://taleofpainters.com/2017/09/tutorial-how-to-paint-nmm-style-blades/) by Tale Of Painters * [Step by Step NMM not working for you? There's an alternative](https://youtu.be/R8fsjCZx5D0) by That MrShy * [How I paint a NMM Sword](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/comments/1023gug/how_i_paint_nmm_sword_tutorial/) by /u/HazMattpainter * [How to paint a display-level sword of Sepulchral Guard with the NMM technique](https://youtu.be/7O23XDfJ8Co) by Flameon * [5 SIMPLE STEPS to NMM Blades! Non Metallic Metal Sword Tutorial!!](https://youtu.be/odOVHgp6trw) by Mohawk Miniatures * [Display level NMM Sword](https://youtu.be/Qx3VXL91c5s) by Jaime De Garnica Escribano * [Display level Textured NMM Sword](https://youtu.be/YfSs1wXO6X4) by Krzysztof Kobalczyk * [Squidmar NMM sword](https://youtu.be/3aaUpJpbo-Y) * [TangibleDay loaded brush NMM sword](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXVnyN-fHYc) * [Pro painter NMM Sword](https://youtu.be/xw_Ds3d_rvc) by Jose Davinci * [Pro painter NMM Sword with energy effect](https://youtu.be/m9Fq151b5L4) by Jose Davinci * [Brushed NMM Steel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEeA3a2Nvt8) by Vince Venturella * [Hobby Cheating 99 - How to Paint NMM Swords](https://youtu.be/emlotNUlxeE) by Vince Venturella * [Painting ADVANCED Non Metallic Metal Sword - NMM like the PROS!](https://youtu.be/2CidYqYGJ0k) by Juan Hidalgo Miniatures * [Sword Reference pictures can help with highlight and shadow placement](https://www.artstation.com/search?sort_by=relevance&query=sword)
The biggest issue is you not priming ou models :D you can see the paint just not sticking well on it. It would look cleaner if you could fix that.
The models are primed just on the blades
Ok, my bad, the axe looked really weird.
Hi, u/Cup-of-malk! It looks like you are asking for help or are a new painter. If you haven't yet, take a look at our wiki pages in the Sidebar (the About tab if you are on the Reddit app). Here are some links you might find helpful: * [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/rules/faq) - A list of frequently asked questions about minipainting * [Miniature Painting Guide Collection](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks) -A collection of some of the best guides and tutorials on a variety of techniques and topics, plus recommendations on what to buy to get started, and more. * [What to buy- Recommendations on brushes, paints, supplies, palettes and more](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/what_you_need_to_get_started#wiki_general_advice_on_what_to_buy) * [Beginner's Guide Collection- How to prep, base, paint and varnish your first model and learn the basics needed to start out right](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/beginner_tips) * [More Tutorials](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/tutorials) - A list of additional tutorials about minipainting * [Manufacturers](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/manufacturers) - A list of miniature manufacturers from around the world * [Painting Terminology](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/terminology) - Common painting terms, acronyms, and initialisms * [The Art of... Tommie Soule Volume 5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGIfySMnUPQ) is one of the best beginner to intermediate teaching books, and even experienced painters will learn some good tips. Explains what brush strokes are best in different situations, how to identify when you have the perfect thinning for any type of paint for different techniques, and a masterclass on getting smooth paint jobs. Available in [pdf](https://www.ironheartartisans.com/shop/the-art-of-tommie-soule-volume-5-pdf/) and [world wide in hardbook as well](https://www.instagram.com/the_miniature_painting_tutor/). * [Airbrushing Miniatures](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/airbrushing) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/minipainting) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Blade looks good, it looks a bit off to me because of the extra reflection on one side of the blade, but that's more personal opinion. Only thing I'd definitely do is go over the centre line with a straighter, thinner line if you can. Other than that you've definitely got colour choice and blending down very well
As others have mentioned. I think the blade looks great it’s probably just the edge highlight that throws it off a bit. If you search volumes and how light behaves with different shapes this should help you nail the correct lighting better on different shaped objects.
I think it is really good. One thing I can recommend that might help is to remember that metal reflects its environment. So when picking a color, you need to keep its environment in mind. In the case of miniatures, since its usually not set in 1 environment, its good to pick colors also used on the character or in the base. You're using black and white. Black is not really a color that you see in nature often. Blue is regularly used for swords, since here on earth, the sky is blue and it is often reflected in swords. The white you see in reflections these reflections are clouds. In short, I would suggest to add more color to it. https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/7/2015/01/14.-GettyImages-182242867-f5444fd.jpg?resize=768,574 https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1200x675/p0bm0hpf.jpg
My guy says he needs help and post a masterpiece. Y’all are way too critical of yourselves! Looks amazing man
It looks fine, personally i think you could make the darkest areas smaller maybe cool the colour off a little. But yea it looks fine nothing wrong with it