Tutorial: NMM Steel Painting

For those unfamiliar with the term MNM, we clarify that it stands for “Non-Metallic Metal”, a technique increasingly used in fantasy and historical painting. In this technique, model paints combine different tones and colors, to imitate the shine, textures, and finishes of certain types of metal. In this way, artificially, it is possible to replicate how the light reflected on that part of the miniature would behave.

To achieve a NMM steel painting, different ranges of tones are used, which are usually applied with a brush, and painted based on the ways in which light reflects on the different materials. By using different color combinations, finishes are obtained for different metals. We offer you our specific paint sets for MNM, but if you want to try your own range of colors, we encourage you to get the metals of your miniatures to shine the way you want with the help of our modeling and painting tutorials, and without using a drop of metallic paints.

You can make pieces of all kinds reach the category of metallic with the NMM steel painting technique, impacting on its surface the natural reflections of the environment where the miniature is. Always apply this technique with a selection of high-quality modeling brushes, since the precision of the paint line is essential for the final finish.