If your anything like me and this is the first time you've seen these abbreviations you'll probably be wondering what I'm going on about. SENMM and NMM are respectively Sky-Earth Non-Metallic Metal and Non-Metallic Metal. This has probably left you none the wiser if you've not heard of these before, so to explain... I first came across these expressions on a Games Workshop related discussion group, I'll see if I can find some images as examples but basically what it involves is rather than painting something that is supposed to be silver (For example) with a pot of silver paint, the area is painted with a combination of blues, grey, black and white to imitate the reflections that would appear on the metal surface. Different colours obviously for golds and brass, and different colours again for SENMM where it is painted to imitate the reflections of the sky and land on the surface. Obviously this would have little application on most recent period's historical models, perhaps on Medieval or time periods where bare metallic surfaces were more common. Has anyone tried this? Has anyone even heard of it before? To me it seems a very fad-like painting style (It seems popular in GW circles at the moment) and to be honest pretty pointless since the effect is much more easily achieved with much simpler means. I haven't heard of it in any other context other than Games Workshop.
Check out a copy of WHITE DWARF.That is the official GW magazine. There you will find awesome examples of different painting styles and techniques.
I haven't bought White Dwarf in ages (Since shortly after the LOTR game came out). Personally, I am not a fan of SENMM or NMM, it does seem like an overcomplicated way of making work for yourself. Before I am going to be impressed by it and convinced it's worthwhile I'd like to see one of these guys do a 1/72nd or 1/48th B-17 in it... Then I'll take it seriously.
I have heared of it. It was primarily developed by picture painters to show parts that are reflective such as chrome on cars, glass, and water.
Lacking the effects of actual metallic colours and 3D reflections, I always have to apply a kind of "NMM" in my drawings. When drawing black on white, with reflections it is crucial what you don't draw instead of what you draw. It's hard, and you have to realize that certain surfaces and light sources reflect differently than others. Can't say I've gotten very far working that out, either.
