Tutorial: How to paint Nurgle Rotswords with metallic green armour

Basecoat the model with Hyrax Brown Colour Primer from The Colour Forge (you could also use Oak Brown primer from The Army Painter, or airbrush the model with a dark brown of your choice). Then, make sure that all the nooks and crannies are covered, for this I used P3 Umbral Umber (if you used a different brown primer try to match the colour as good as possible).

Apply a zenithal coat of Warpaints Air Gnome Cheeks [or thinned Rakarth Flesh] with an airbrush. Spray at an angle to create natural shadows.

Spray a zenithal highlight of WPA Hobgoblin Hue [or thinned Flayed One Flesh], at an even higher angle to keep some of the brown primer and WPA Gnome Cheeks midtone visible.

Softly drybrush the model with Vallejo Game Color Dead White [or White Scar or the white of your choice] to bring out all of the details.

Give the texture of the base a generous coat of Quick Gen Dark Leather [or Cygor Brown].

Drybrush the sand with Warpaints Fanatic Paratrooper Tan [or Baneblade Brown], then pick out any larger rocks with the same paint.

Mix QG Dark Leather [or Cygor Brown] about 1:1 with the medium of your choice [Contrast Medium Speedpaint Medium, or Scale 75 Dispel Magic medium in my case] and apply this wash over the rocks.

Basecoat the armour with two thin coats of Vallejo True Metallic Metal Amber Green Light thinned with a drop of medium (water works just as well). If the dark brown of the zenithal basecoat shows through a bit that’s fine as it adds to the volume of the model.

Thin WPF Grove Hollow Shade [from the John Blanche set 3, you can also use Kroak Green] about 1:1 with Contrast Medium and apply it all over the armour. Try not to let the wash pool too much, use a clean brush to wick away any excess paint.

Once completely dry, apply a generous wash of AK Wargame Enamel Liquid Pigment Chaos Dirt. Use an old and/or synthetic brush, don’t let the wash pool too much, and keep your window open, as this stuff is a bit smelly.

Apply a selective recess wash of Two Thin Coats Desert Rust. This effect paint has an oxidisation effect built in [if you can’t find this paint, you can apply a coat of thinned Tuskgor Fur first, followed by thinned Deathclaw Brown].

Mix VTMM Amber Green Light about 1:1 with Vallejo Mecha Color Light Steel [or Stormhost Silver/Runefang Steel] and pick out some of the most pronounced edges of the armour, plus all the rivets.

Basecoat all the blades with P3 Umbral Umber [or Rhinox Hide or the brown paint you used in step 1 for priming].

Stipple the blades with two coats of TTC Desert Rust [this effect paint has an oxidisation effect, so if you don’t have this paint and want to replicate the effect, apply a coat of thinned Tuskgor Fur first, followed by thinned Deathclaw Brown].

Repeat this process with a 1:1 mix of TTC Desert Rust and TTC Iron Oxide. Limit this to only the upward-facing surfaces to mimic the light direction created by the zenithal primer.

Finally, stipple/wash the most upward/outward-facing areas with pure TTC Iron Oxide [or thinned Fire Dragon Bright].

Drybrush the blades with Vallejo Mecha Color Steel [or Iron Hands Steel], then basecoat the chainmail with the same colour.

Wash the chainmail with QG Soft Black [or use of 2 parts Nuln Oil and 1 part Agrax Earthshade instead].

Apply an even coat of Speedpaint Gunner Camo [or two layers of Creed Camo] to the pants and undergarments.

Apply a coat of QG Leather [or Wyldwood] to all the leather belts and straps.

Pick out the loincloth with QG Turquoise Green [or Kroxigor Scales].

Give the wooden handle of the axe an even coat of Speedpaint Brownish Decay [or Garaghak’s Sewer].

Give any exposed flesh a coat of Vallejo Xpress Color Zombie Flesh. As this colour has opaque pigments, don’t apply this over the shadowed dark brown areas of the zenithal primer. If any gets onto the dark areas, correct this with thinned P3 Umbral Umber (or the dark brown you used in step 1).

Glaze the knuckles with SP Familiar Pink (you might want to add a drop of water or medium if the colour is too strong). Also give the pustules a coat of SP Familiar Pink [or Volupus Pink].

Basecoat golden details such as the bells and sword handle with VTMM Arcane Gold Base [or Balthasar Gold].

Wash the gold with AK Rotwood Brown [or Agrax Earthshade].

Add a verdigris effect by applying patches of thinned VGC Turquoise [or Sotek Green].

Highlight the gold with VTMM Arcane Gold Light [or Liberator Gold].

Basecoat any laces with TTC Noble Steed Brown [or Mournfang Brown], then highlight with TTC Gyzmo Fur [or XV-88].

Layer the pustules with TTC Mantichore Ochre [or Bestigor Flesh, leaving some of the pink of the Speedpaint visible. Then, highlight with VGC Elf Skin Tone [or Ungor Flesh].

To add some more depth to the chainmail and buckles (see steps 17 and 18), wash selected areas with AK Standard Rust [or Reikland Fleshshade] and highlight with VMeC Light Steel [or Stormhost Silver/Runefang Silver].

Give the horns a coat of VXP Bag of Bones [or Skeleton Horde].

Thin SP Brownish Decay about 1:1 with Contrast Medium, and apply it to about 2/3 of the horns. Apply two more thin coats, reducing the area step by step to create a gradient from light to dark towards the tips.

Give the sand and feet a generous wash of AK Enamel Liquid Pigment Rubbel Dust (shake well and use in a ventilated area). Allow plenty of drying time until all gloss is gone, and apply a second coat if the effect is not strong enough.