Hobby Update: Nagash Supreme Lord of the Undead

Nagash Has Arisen!

The centerpiece to my Death army has finally been completed. He was  grind to paint mostly because; he was fully built while I painted him, I wanted to do a higher level than my normal table top standard, and I am on a time crunch to get everything done for Warzone. I put about many hours into him over the last few weeks and all in all I am happy with the results. There are a few spots that could have been done to a higher level, but I just needed to move on. I still have a few endless spells and the display board to complete. Most of the colors and techniques I used came from the How to Paint Nagash Video series from Warhammer TV. I used most of what they did and adjusted/added as needed.

What I like about the model: It is large in imposing on the tabletop, he is light and ethereal as he overs above the enemy. The has some good contrast, the dark armor and robes vs the bone and ghosts. He has great detail and lots of areas to use various painting techniques.

What I dont like about the model: His giant hat vs his little head. The proportions are just a little off. Every time you touch him the ghosts shake like bobble heads. His sword is a bit much, would like to have seen the bone rib cages toned down a bit. All that said I still very much like the model.

What I would do differently next time: Paint him in parts like the WarhammerTV tutorial. I would have saved hours painting if he was in parts. I would like to have done a little more glaze work on some of the parts. especially the robes. They came out ok, but there is not enough contrast for my liking.

What parts came out the best: The books text looks ok and the staff came out very nicely.

I think this may have been the hardest model that I have ever painted, but it is probably my best painted model.

Color Guide:

Key: Lahmian Medium (LM), Agrax Earthshade (AE), Highlight (HL)

• Prime
  • Flat white
• Ghost
  • Bottom
    • Hexwraith flame
  • Mid to Top
    • Nihilake Oxide
      • *blend togeather with a few coats of Nihilake and then add a second coat fo Hexwraith to the bottom to bring out the depth.
  • Dry
    • Ulthuan grey
      • * Use it to Lighten the Ghost and help blend the transition.
• Robe
  • Base
    • Incubi Darkness
  • Bottom
    • Use Coelia Greenshade/Lahmian Medium (LM), 1/3 to blend the cape with Ghosts. *took about 12 coats.
  • Highlight shade
    • Kabalite Green/L, 1/3 mix 8+ coats. Then use Coelia/LM, 1/3 to blend it into the darker parts. 8-10 coats. use Nuln oil/LM, 1/1 to darken the shadows.
  • Edge HL
    • Sybarite Green
• Armour
  • Base
    • Naggaroth Night x2
  • Wash
    • Nuln Oil
  • Glaze
    • Build up from Naggaroth to a 1/1 mix of Naggaroth and Russ Grey. About 5 glazes
  • Edge
    • Russ Grey
  • Rivets
    • Balthasar Gold
• Light Bone
  • Base
    • Ushabti Bone
  • Wash
    • Agrax EarthShade (AE)
  • Layer
    • Ushabti Bone
      • Do not cover the darker parts.
      • You can also glaze on part make a nice blend
  • Spot/Edge
    • Ivory “71.243” Vallejo
      • Can also glaze with this to add even more of a dramatic transition.
  • Dark Tips
    • AE/LM, 1/3, 8+ glazes
• Dark Bone
  • Base
    • Rakarth Flesh
  • Wash
    • AE x2
  • Layer
    • Rakarth Flesh
      • can also glaze Rakarth/LM, 1/3 on larger areas
    • Khemri Brown/LM, 1/2 to smooth areas out or touch up.
  • Spot/HL
    • Pallid Wych Flesh
• Gold
  • Base
    • Averland Sunset
  • Layer
    • Balthasar Gold
  • Wash
    • Nuln Oil
  • Layer
    • Balthasar gold
      • Only on “bright” areas
  • Spot
    • Auric Armour Gold
• Red on Staff
  • Base
    • Mephiston Red
  • Wash
    • Nuln Oil
  • Glaze
    • Mephiston Red/LM, 1/3
      • Build up 3-5 coats then begin to add in Evil Sunz Scarlet 1/3 with LM till desired color is reached.
  • Edge
    • Evil Sunz Scarlet
• Nagash’s Skin
  • Base
    • Rakarth Flesh
  • Wash
    • AE
  • Layer/HL
    • Rakarth Flesh
  • Wash
    • Athonian Camoshade/LM, 1/1 mix
  • Stiching
    • Druchii Violet/LM, 1/1 wash
  • Spot/HL
    • Pallid Wych Flesh, Used to HL the Stitches.
• Skin for Books and Scabard
  • Base
    • Kislev Flesh x2
  • Wash
    • Reikland Fleshshade
  • Layer
    • Kislev Flesh/LM, 1/1 can also glaze areas.
  • HL
    • Pallid Wych Flesh
  • Stitching
    • White
• Dark Leather
  • Base
    • Bugmas Glow
  • Wash
    • Nuln Oil
  • Dry/HL
    • Bugmans Glow
  • Edge
    • Steel Legion
• Green Jewels
  • Base
    • Warpstone
  • Wash
    • Nuln Oil
  • HL
    • Scorpion Green
  • Coat
    • Ard Coat
• Zombie on base
  • Base
    • Rotting Flesh
  • Wash
    • AE
  • Layer
    • Rotting Flesh
  • HL
    • Rotting Flesh/White, 1/1
• Tombstones
  • Base
    • Dawnstone x2
  • Wash
    • Nuln Oil
  • Glaze
    • Dawnstone/LM 1/3, build up to desired color
  • Glaze
    • Dawnstone/Astonomican Grey/LM, 1/1/4
      • Build up to reach desired color
      • wash with Nuln oil once complete to blend it all back together and subdue the color if needed.
  • Edge HL
    • Astonomican Grey
• Basing
  • Waagh Flesh x3
  • Dark rocks
    • From Citadel Basing kit
  • Ballast
    • Fine Dark Brown – Woodland Scenics “B71”
  • Dark Tufts
    • Army Painter Highland Tufts
  • Light Tufts
    • Citadel Middenland Tufts
  • Dark Flock
    • Army Painter Steppe Grass
  • Light Flock
    • Army Painter Field Grass

Learn more about Nagash here: Link