How to Paint Everything: Bishop & Nightcrawler

In our How to Paint Everything series, we take a look at how to paint well, everything, with a look at different methods from different artists. In this article we’re looking at Bishop and Nightcrawler from Marvel: Crisis Protocol.

Way back in 1993 Sega released X-Men for the Sega Genesis platform. I don't think I played it in '93, probably a few years later, but I did beat my head against this damn game over and over at friends houses. My favorite characters were Nightcrawler and Gambit, and the experiences were formative enough that they've always remained my favorite X-Men

About to die, probably. Credit: Sega and The Cool Kids Blog

Nightcrawler finally enters Marvel Crisis Protocol and boy is his card a doozy. Bishop is here too and is probably good too, I don't know, I'm just here for Nightcrawler.

Nightcrawler

BAMF! Credit: Raf Cordero

Nightcrawler and Bishop are painted almost exclusively with Army Painter Speed Paints, following the same basic steps I outlined in How to Paint Everything: Marvel Crisis Protocol in 60 Minutes. The only difference between those instructions and this model is that I applied the zenithal with an airbrush instead of drybrushing.

1. Skin: Tyrian Blue (even on a wet palette it had dried a little during the session and thus got splotchy. Lesson learned to refresh it.)
2. Costume: Poppy Red, Citadel Soulblight Grey Shade
3. Hair: Grim Black

For the the smoke cloud I once again turned to ProAcryl Transparent colors (Purple and Black) and the Artis Opus wet-drybrushing technique. First lay down a full coat of Citadel Doomfire Magenta. Then begin wetbrushing with Transparent Purple followed by Transparent Black. The wet brush and transparent glazes keep the blends smooth.

Nightcrawler also comes with a BAMF plaque that can be affixed to the model, but as there are no instructions yet I wasn't sure where it went. I will likely return to this model later!

Bishop

Bishop Credit: Raf Cordero

Again, airbrush zenithal and Army Painter Speed Paints unless otherwise noted.

1. Skin: Citadel Guilliman Flesh
2. Costume: Maize Yellow, Beowulf Blue
3. Hair: Grim Black
4. Gun: Grim Black
5. Energy: First paint the energy with plain water, then apply Familiar Pink
6. Sentinel Arm: The arm was basecoated in Scale75 Thrash Metal followed by rough Speed Metal highlights. Then it was painted with Army Painter Speed Paint Purple Swarm, Royal Robes, and Citadel Nuln Oil, in the appropriate places.

Thank you to Atomic Mass Games for providing these models.