This article is part of a larger series on how to paint Necrons. To return to that series, click here.
How to Smoosh Necrons, Beanith Style
Here at Goonhammer, the editors have their best ideas at 5am in Downunder time, the perfect time to convince a bleary-eyed Beanith to take on extra hobby work. So when Rob “TheChirurgeon” Jones loudly proclaimed that “It is time for HTPE: NECRONS”. I either said “yes” without giving it much thought (I’m never at my best before my first dose of caffeine), or I got “voluntold” into the content mines so I could submit my quick contrast paint-smooshing technique to this article for our beloved site and its Overlords… also I think Liam mentioned something about there being Punch and Pie as well?
Step 1. Hit them with a coat of metallic grey spray paint and then celebrate a job well done with punch and pie.
Rob: Where are the rest of the steps?
Beanith: Oh you wanted fancy Necrons? Fine.
Step 2. Get the Nuln Oil out from it’s high security shrine and then Smoosh on the magical Nuln Oil and marvel at how much better your model looks. And then celebrate a job well done with punch and pie.
Rob: …and then?
Beanith: There is no “and then!” Hahahaha, oh that was a cinematic masterpiece of a film. …Oh, I see you have your motivational stick with you… fuck.
Rob: Look, the only way this ends is either with a guide to Contrast Painting all five Necron Dynasties or with fresh photos of Spider-Man on my desk tomorrow.
Beanith: Well I did hurt my back recently so web slinging chasing after Spider-Man is out. Time to smoosh me some Necrons!
Rob: He’s a menace, you know.
Beanith: Damn Straight. Ok, 5 Dynasties of Necrons, that’s Sautekh… and the other four which are just as good and competitive? Can do. One of the great things about Necrons is that the rank and file don’t have much colour to worry about – your typical Necron Warrior tends to be mostly grey/silver with the focal point of the model being the stonking great big raygun they carry. The more elite they are, the more colours you’ll want to smoosh on there so to be a bit more comprehensive I’ve gone with some Necron Triach Praetorians.
Rob: Triach Praetorians don’t belong to Dynasties. They protect the dynasties of various tombworlds so that-
Beanith: Look, it’s called ‘artistic licence.’ And to be fair, there is an example of a Sautekh Triach Praetorian in the codex too so QED or whatever the fancy latin term is for “look, there’s a distraction over there!” As stated at the beginning, I’ve undercoated all 5 with a metallic grey undercoat so when I do smoosh the contrast paints, I get some lovely colours and still retain the metallic nature of the Necrons. And of course, you can use this method to smash out the bulk of the force, have something tabletop ready quickly and give you plenty of time to focus on the characters, tanks, punch and pie, etc.
Sautekh – Accurate Pew Pew
I used Contrast Nazdreg Yellow and decided it was too gold for my liking. A quick smoosh of Shade Seraphim Sepia really dulls it down and gives it the bronze colour I was looking for. Smoosh on some Base Wraithbone on the face plate and call it done son.
Mephrit – Bonus AP Pew Pew
I wanted a nice dark green here so I dug out the Contrast Ork Flesh and once again I smooshed on some Base Wraithbone on the face plate.
Novokh – Re-roll melee… wait, really?
I liked how this one turned out, I’ve always been a fan of metallic reds. Ooooh, new project idea, maybe I should do some 30k style Thousand Sons? Anyhow, here I used the Contrast Blood Angels Red and another quick Base Wraithbone job on the face plate.
Nephrekh – A major case of Zoom Zoom
Broke out the Tamiya Gold Leaf here but any metallic gold will do. After that I used the Contrast Iyanden Yellow to give it a more reddish hue of gold.
Nihilakh – Movement is for suckers
Contrast Aethermatic Blue is almost in the Glaze range when it goes over anything other than Greyseer or Wraithbone so here I did a layer of Greyseer first and then two coats of Contrast Aethermatic Blue for a very nice teal.
Weapons, Glowly Chest inserts, pipes, bits and Head Nipple
The weapons were all given a coat of Contrast Black Templar and then some Contrast Warp Lightning on top. I’ve also smooshed in Contrast Warp Lightning inside the grooves in the chest, the pipes in the stomach, the balls on their back and on their power button on their forehead. I also did the recess on the thigh too while I was there.
Finishing touches
Nuln oil… just smoosh Nuln oil on all the grey metal. Go to town with it in the recesses not already claimed by Contrast Warp Lightning. Boom, job done. Five Necrons ready to bring the beep boop. Time for Punch and Pie now Rob? 
Rob: You gonna edge highlight the shoulder armor or just go contrast only on them?
Beanith: Contrast means I don’t have to edge highlight things.
Rob: Go on. maybe just the once. See if you like it, it can’t hurt right?
Beanith: Next you’ll be telling me all the cool kids are doing it. Fiiiiiiine, I’ll grow as an artist and challenge myself with new techniques, yadda yadda yadda. Is he gone? Excellent, okay for this, you’ll want a nice fine brush and a pot of silver paint…
and then listen to the other writers because I’m going to annoy purists by ignoring all that fiddly stuff by going straight to the silver Sharpie marker pen.
I’ve highlighted the backpack ribs and thigh plates and dotted various bolts and the fingers. I will admit it does look better.
After that I’ve done the blades of the weapon and then went back with Contrast Warp Lightning, not super happy with the results, next time I might aim for a wavy pattern and not just a solid silver line… oh boo, I did grow as an artist. And I suppose the punch and pie is an Allegory too.
Rob: The real punch and pie were the techniques we learned along the way.
This article is part of a larger series on how to paint Necrons. To return to that series, click here.
