Short answer: SENMM (Simplified / Speed NMM) is a fast approach that strips the dozens of painstaking transition tones out of full NMM (Non-Metallic Metal — faking metal without using metallic paint) and keeps only the few things that actually sell the illusion: strong contrast, a couple of sharp highlights (your brightest accent points) and one clear shadow. That's exactly why it shines on tabletop armies and quick display pieces; you can finish a sword in minutes.
So why is full NMM so slow? Because it tries to paint every single reflection the metal picks up from its surroundings. SENMM, by contrast, focuses on the two things that do 80 percent of the work: high contrast and putting the highlight in the right place. Everything else gets deliberately cut. The result isn't as deep as full NMM, but on the table and in a phone photo it's more than enough to make people ask whether that's metal or paint.
What is it and what is it for?
In short, SENMM is the practical, fast branch of the NMM family — it creates a metal illusion with flat, non-metallic paints. The name comes from "Simplified / Speed NMM." The idea is simple: instead of painting every environmental reflection and dozens of transition tones, it keeps the handful of cues that make the eye read "metal" (strong dark-to-light contrast, a sharp highlight line, one or two bright sparkle points) and throws the rest away.
The practical payoff is that it hits a sweet spot between speed and visual impact. In fact, pros like Richard Gray use exactly this middle road on models like Custodes or Eldar to get fast but striking results. On top of that, it's the most reliable bridge for learning contrast and highlight placement before you tackle full NMM.
How does it work?
To understand the trick, you only need one fact: almost all of the metal feeling comes from two things — high contrast (a dark shadow plus a bright highlight) and a sharp highlight placed in the right spot. That's because real metal reflects its surroundings hard and crisply, so when you mimic that crispness, the eye automatically reads metal. SENMM invests in those two levers and skips the rest.
- Instead of building the full tonal spectrum from near-black to near-white step by step, it hits similar contrast with far fewer intermediate tones.
- Instead of painting complex multiple reflections from sky, ground and nearby objects, it applies a simple "light on top / dark at the bottom" logic.
- Finally, a sharp one-or-two-line highlight and a few white sparkle points add the touch that completes the metal illusion.
None of this is a new skill; SENMM really just builds on top of Edge Highlighting and Layering. If you're comfortable with those two, SENMM comes quickly.
How do you do it step by step?
Let's walk through the order; the flow below is the backbone of SENMM. The nice part is that the same logic works for both steel and gold — you just swap the colours. Before you start, pick one light direction (usually from above) and stay loyal to it until the final step.
- Mid-tone base: Lay down a mid grey for steel, a mid yellow/brown for gold. You'll build your whole value range around this mid-tone, so this is your foundation.
- Shadow: Once the mid-tone is dry, push a dark tone into the lower and recessed areas — with a wash (a thin shading paint that flows into recesses) or a flat layer. Don't be stingy here; this step is what actually builds the contrast.
- Main highlight: After the shadow has settled, place a light tone on the upper, light-facing edges in a clean area. The goal isn't to blend it soft, it's to choose the right zone.
- Sharp accent: Now comes the step that makes metal look like metal. Draw a thin line of pure white (light gold over gold) on edges and corners, then drop one or two sparkle dots.
- (Optional) Glaze: If you like, soften the transitions at the very end with a light Glazing pass — but never touch the sharp highlights or the sparkle points.
Which paints and brushes?
Good news: SENMM doesn't need any special product. The acrylics you already own plus a good detail brush are more than enough, because the whole game is nailing three values: mid-tone, dark and light. The picks below just make it a little easier.
- For steel: a mid grey base, a bluish-grey or dark grey shadow (Citadel, Vallejo, Army Painter — any brand), and a pure white highlight. Add a touch of blue to the shadow for a cold, steely feel.
- For gold: a mid yellow/brown base, a brown-red shadow, a light yellow highlight and pure white sparkle at the tip. Lean the shadow toward red-brown for a warm gold feel.
- Brush: a good pointed size 0 or 1 detail brush for highlights and sparkle. To pull a crisp line you need a brush that holds its point and has a full belly.
- Wash: if you want to speed up the shadow step, a dark wash (such as Citadel's shade paints or similar) can be worked into the recesses over the base.
There's a principle the NMM world repeats again and again: what makes metal look like metal isn't the type of paint you use, it's the contrast between values. SENMM is the purest form of that idea — the highest contrast with the fewest tones.
The most common mistakes
SENMM tends to go wrong in the same place every time: dialling back contrast under the excuse of "I'm keeping it simple anyway." Here are the three most common traps:
- Keeping contrast too low: If you leave the shadow and highlight weak because you simplified, the metal feeling vanishes completely and you're left with flat, dull grey. So force the dark darker and the light lighter.
- Softening the highlight: Full NMM has soft transitions, but SENMM is built on the opposite — crispness. Blur the highlight and your metal suddenly turns to plastic.
- Inconsistent light direction: Light from above on one surface and from below on another, and the eye reads the illusion as broken. To avoid that, pick one direction and keep it across the whole piece.
Pro tips
Once the basics are solid, a few practical touches make SENMM really shine on tabletop armies.
- Use SENMM as a bridge to NMM: master contrast and highlight placement here first, then move up comfortably to full NMM: Non-Metallic Metal.
- If you're genuinely in a hurry, metallic paint is an option too: TMM: True Metallic Metal is usually even faster, while SENMM looks more "painterly."
- For tabletop armies SENMM is often the sweet spot, meaning the best balance between speed and visual impact.
- If you want the logic to click, watch Richard Gray's fast metal tutorials; seeing a sword come together in minutes makes everything fall into place.
- Finally, don't overdo the sparkle: don't cover the whole surface with hotspots. What actually fools the eye is two or three well-placed strategic points.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between SENMM and NMM?
Both fake metal without metallic paint; the difference is speed and depth. NMM carefully paints every environmental reflection and dozens of transition tones one by one, which is why it takes hours. SENMM captures the same metal feeling with a few critical cues — contrast, a sharp highlight, one shadow — and is many times faster.
Is SENMM suitable for beginners?
Yes; in fact you could call it the best entry bridge to NMM. It sits at a roughly intermediate level. You first learn to build contrast and place the highlight correctly in SENMM, and both skills are the foundation of full NMM too. If you're comfortable with edge highlighting and layering, you're ready.
Which models should I use SENMM on?
It works best on tabletop armies, large units and quick display models. It looks great on swords, armour trim and gold ornaments. But if you're painting a single competition-level showcase piece, full NMM gives a deeper result.
Does SENMM need metallic paint?
No. SENMM is done with flat, non-metallic acrylics; the whole point is the contrast between mid-tone, dark and light values. If you want to use metallic paint, that's already a separate technique called TMM. And that's exactly where SENMM's appeal comes from: building a metal illusion from ordinary colours.
Is steel or gold easier?
The logic is exactly the same for both: mid-tone, shadow, highlight, sparkle. Only the colours change. For steel the shadow is bluish-grey and the highlight is pure white. For gold the base is yellow/brown, the shadow goes red-brown, and the highlight runs from light yellow toward white. If you're just starting out, steel is a bit more forgiving.
Why must I keep the highlight sharp?
Because what makes metal look like metal is the hardness of the reflection. Real metal reflects its surroundings crisply, while matte surfaces reflect softly. So if you blur the highlight, the eye reads plastic or ceramic instead. That's why, in SENMM, crispness is non-negotiable.
Should I varnish after SENMM?
If you'll game with the model, yes — a matte or gloss varnish makes sense for protection. Just be careful: a very matte varnish can dull the metal feel slightly because it reduces the shine. If your sharp highlights matter to you, you can bring the sparkle back on those key spots with a touch of gloss varnish.
Key takeaway and next step
Let's sum it up in one sentence: SENMM is building high contrast with few tones and keeping the highlight sharp. Nail those three rules and you'll get metal that convinces on the table and in photos — in minutes.
If you're ready to try it, the paints, brushes & hobby supplies you need to set up the right mid-tone, dark and light trio are waiting in our shop. Start with a single sword, and don't be afraid to push the contrast.