A Beginner's Guide to Non-Metallic Metal (NMM) with Limited Paints
A Beginner's Guide to Non-Metallic Metal (NMM) with Limited Paints
Meta Description: Intimidated by Non-Metallic Metal? Learn how to paint stunning NMM effects using just black, white, and one color. This beginner-friendly guide breaks it down into simple steps.
https://i.imgur.com/placeholder.png You don't need a rainbow of paints to create metal that shines. All you need is understanding, and this guide provides it.
Non-Metallic Metal (NMM) is the holy grail of miniature painting. It’s the technique of using standard, non-metallic paints to create the illusion of reflective metal. It looks incredibly complex, with its wild contrasts and smooth blends.
But what if I told you that the core principle is simple, and you can practice it with a severely limited palette? You don't need 10 shades of grey and 5 tones of gold. You need black, white, and one color.
Let’s demystify NMM together.
The One Secret to NMM: It's Not About Color, It's About Contrast
Forget the idea of "painting metal." You are painting light and reflection.
A shiny metal object acts like a mirror. It doesn't have a single color. Instead, it shows you stark contrasts: bright, almost white highlights right next to deep, near-black shadows. Our brain reads this extreme contrast as "shiny."
The Limited Palette Promise
For this guide, you only need four paints:
Black
White
A Mid-Tone Color (This defines your "metal". Yellow = Gold, Grey = Steel, Brown = Copper)
Your Model's Base Color (e.g., Blue for armor)
The 5-Step NMM Process (Gold Example)
Let's paint a simple gold sword. We'll use Black, White, and a Mid-Tone Yellow.
Step 1: Map Your Light Source
Decide where your light is coming from. For simplicity, let's say it's from the top-left.
The surfaces facing that direction will be highlights. The surfaces facing away will be shadows.
Step 2: Basecoat with Your Mid-Tone
Paint the entire sword your mid-tone yellow. This is your neutral, "middle" value.
Step 3: Paint the Shadows (The Brave Step)
This feels wrong, but do it: mix a small amount of black into your yellow to create a dark, murky brown.
Paint this into the areas that would be darkest based on your light source. For a sword blade, this is often the recesses and the bottom-right edges.
Don't be shy. Make these shadows much darker than you think you should.
Step 4: Paint the Highlights (The Bold Step)
Mix a small amount of white into your yellow to create a bright, pale yellow.
Paint this onto the areas that would catch the most light: the top-left edges and any raised details.
Now, take it further. Use almost pure white to place tiny "specular highlights" on the very sharpest corners and edges. This is what sells the shine.
Step 5: Blend and Refine
If your paints are thin enough, the transitions between your dark brown, mid yellow, and light yellow might already be decent.
To smooth them further, create intermediary mixes. Make a shade between your mid-yellow and dark brown, and glaze it over the border between the two. Repeat between mid-yellow and light yellow.
The NMM Cheat Sheet for Other Metals
Steel/Silver: Your mid-tone is a neutral grey. Shadows are grey + black. Highlights are grey + white. Final specular highlights are pure white.
Copper: Your mid-tone is a rich, earthy brown (like Rhinox Hide). Shadows are brown + black. Highlights are brown + a bright orange, then orange + white. Specular highlights are pure white.
Why Practice NMM with a Limited Palette?
Focus on Value: It forces you to focus on light and shadow (value) instead of getting distracted by complex color mixing.
Builds Foundation: The skills you learn translating shapes into light are fundamental to all advanced painting.
It's Cheap! You can practice with the paints you already own.
The Thrifty Painter's Final Verdict
NMM isn't a magic trick; it's a learnable observation skill. Your first attempt might not be perfect, but it will teach you more about light than any other technique.
Don't aim for a masterpiece on your first try. Grab an old spare weapon or a piece of sprue, and just practice placing the pure white and near-black contrasts. Once that "clicks," your entire approach to painting will change.
Will you try NMM with this limited palette? Share your progress pictures in the comments below!
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