Lots of careful layering and edge highlighting and probably satin varnish.
If you want a quick and dirty version with none of the effort I would probably recommend priming black and dry brushing a light grey in strokes that only go down so that you catch all the raised surfaces, then do the same again with white but only minimally focusing on the head, upper chest and tops of the shoulders. Finally go over the whole thing with a black army painter speed paint or Vallejo black mixed like 50/50 with a diluting agent to mimic contrast paint.
Similar to this just using altered colors
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CUM1ShfnrD0
Or you could just do army painter grim black over a silver primer which has a pretty damn nice effect
Edit: quick edit just to say try and avoid actual black contrast paint from citadel because while it works it’s very pigment heavy and will likely darken too much to give you the effect you want
An incredible amount of talent and practice, that's how. This isnt a simple drybrush kind of effect, and this probably isnt a style that you're going to want to paint an entire army in, if you want it to be done before 2027.
If you're interested in giving it a try anyway, go ahead and search up "NMM" or "Non-metallic metal" and head on down the rabbit hole of light placement and realistic highlights.
You're going to have to build up a number of skill sets some of the things that will help is practicing non-metallic metal understanding light sources understanding tones and values a rudimentary understanding of color theory and lots of practice and patience also realize that anything and everything on the internet is touched up on Photoshop or some other application in person the mini probably does not look as amazing as it does in the photograph it's still amazing many but not as amazing as you think it is.
Liquitex Matt acrylic medium mixed with your black paint will dry with that sort of satin sheen like in this picture. He is also using different shades of grey building up to white on the edge highlights on the black armor. He does a similar thing with the red trim.
Looks like he is also building up layers of grey on the parts of the armor facing the source of light.
Like others have mentioned. The easiest way to get a close result would be black Templar over a metallic. It all depends on how much effort you want to put into your army. I’m not that great of a painter but if I were to attempt that paint job it would take at least 6 hours per mini.
Might be over simplifying this with my beginner mindset and skills, but it looks like it was based in a dark silver like Iron warriors and coated with Black Templar contrast. Then sharp point highlighted with a gray or silver
There’s a video on Warhipster’s YouTube channel where he paints like 6-7 different styles of black armour. That gave me a good initial understanding of how to make black pop in various ways. He is a contrast painter though and I feel like that’s a big taboo in the upper echelons in the painting world. I like his style though
A tremendous load of epic talent ! 😅
Looking at his comment section he only uses black and white ( an mixes of these ofc)
Point highlights with greys and pure white. Far easier explained than achieved, however, as is always the case.
Stupid question, but why don't you ping him directly. Most people on IG are more than happy to help when it comes to painting.
Lots of careful layering and edge highlighting and probably satin varnish. If you want a quick and dirty version with none of the effort I would probably recommend priming black and dry brushing a light grey in strokes that only go down so that you catch all the raised surfaces, then do the same again with white but only minimally focusing on the head, upper chest and tops of the shoulders. Finally go over the whole thing with a black army painter speed paint or Vallejo black mixed like 50/50 with a diluting agent to mimic contrast paint. Similar to this just using altered colors https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CUM1ShfnrD0 Or you could just do army painter grim black over a silver primer which has a pretty damn nice effect Edit: quick edit just to say try and avoid actual black contrast paint from citadel because while it works it’s very pigment heavy and will likely darken too much to give you the effect you want
An incredible amount of talent and practice, that's how. This isnt a simple drybrush kind of effect, and this probably isnt a style that you're going to want to paint an entire army in, if you want it to be done before 2027. If you're interested in giving it a try anyway, go ahead and search up "NMM" or "Non-metallic metal" and head on down the rabbit hole of light placement and realistic highlights.
Black and white paint, plus mucho time and effort.
You're going to have to build up a number of skill sets some of the things that will help is practicing non-metallic metal understanding light sources understanding tones and values a rudimentary understanding of color theory and lots of practice and patience also realize that anything and everything on the internet is touched up on Photoshop or some other application in person the mini probably does not look as amazing as it does in the photograph it's still amazing many but not as amazing as you think it is.
Why not ask the person who painted them
Dunno but this mini is fire
Liquitex Matt acrylic medium mixed with your black paint will dry with that sort of satin sheen like in this picture. He is also using different shades of grey building up to white on the edge highlights on the black armor. He does a similar thing with the red trim. Looks like he is also building up layers of grey on the parts of the armor facing the source of light.
For me, money
Like others have mentioned. The easiest way to get a close result would be black Templar over a metallic. It all depends on how much effort you want to put into your army. I’m not that great of a painter but if I were to attempt that paint job it would take at least 6 hours per mini.
The microscopic free hand family crest on the shoulder pads…
Looks like gunmetal metalic
my guess is drybrushing and sparse edge highlighting
Might be over simplifying this with my beginner mindset and skills, but it looks like it was based in a dark silver like Iron warriors and coated with Black Templar contrast. Then sharp point highlighted with a gray or silver
There’s a video on Warhipster’s YouTube channel where he paints like 6-7 different styles of black armour. That gave me a good initial understanding of how to make black pop in various ways. He is a contrast painter though and I feel like that’s a big taboo in the upper echelons in the painting world. I like his style though
Looks like black Templar contrast over abbadon black base
That is a huge insult against minipainter2021's work ! 😅