Using Lazy Blue for Fantasy Armor Highlights

By SCALE75 - HOBBIES & GAMES – SCALE75 - Hobbies & Games | Published: 2026-10-21

Category: How-to Guides

Learn how to use Lazy Blue for fantasy armor highlights, including glazing and NMM techniques, with step-by-step guidance and common pitfalls.

Quick Answer

Use Lazy Blue to create cool, believable highlights on fantasy armor by layering it over a dark base and glazing it toward the light source, especially for non-metallic metal (NMM) effects.

Why Lazy Blue Works for Armor Highlights

Lazy Blue (SCG-32) is a single blue paint from SCALE75 designed for hobby and gaming use. Its blue tone is versatile for fantasy armor because it reads as a cool highlight on steel or as a tint on darker metals. The paint's consistency suits layering and glazing, which are essential for smooth transitions on armor plates.

When you highlight armor, the goal is to suggest a light source reflecting off curved surfaces. A blue tone like Lazy Blue works because it mimics the cool, desaturated reflections you see on real metal, especially in shadowed areas. This makes it a strong choice for NMM, where you paint reflections instead of using metallic paints.

Lazy Blue vs. Other Highlight Options

You might wonder why not use a pure white or a warm gray for highlights. White can look chalky, and warm grays can shift the armor toward a brown or gold feel. Lazy Blue offers a cool alternative that keeps the armor looking like steel or blue-tinted metal, which is often more natural for fantasy settings.

If you're painting armor with a blue or teal color scheme, Lazy Blue can also serve as a mid-tone or glaze to unify the highlights with the base color.

Step-by-Step: Highlighting Fantasy Armor with Lazy Blue

Prepare the base coat: Paint the armor with a dark base color, such as a dark gray or black, and let it dry completely. This gives you a solid foundation for the highlights. Check that the base coat is smooth and free of pooling before you start.
Mix a mid-tone: Mix Lazy Blue with a small amount of your base color to create a mid-tone. This will be your first highlight layer. Apply it to the raised areas of the armor, keeping the paint thin. If the paint is too thick, it will leave brush strokes; thin it with water or medium until it flows smoothly.
Apply the first highlight: Using the mid-tone, paint the edges and raised surfaces that catch the light. For NMM, imagine a light source from above and to the left; apply the mid-tone on the top-facing edges. Don't cover the entire plate; leave the shadows in the recesses to create contrast.
Glaze with Lazy Blue: Thin Lazy Blue significantly to create a glaze. Apply it over the mid-tone areas to pull the color together and create a smooth transition. This step is crucial for NMM to blend the layers. Build up the glaze in thin coats; rushing this step can result in tide marks.
Add the final highlight: Mix Lazy Blue with a small amount of white or a very light blue to create a final highlight. Apply this only to the sharpest edges and points where the light hits hardest. Less is more; you can always add more, but it's hard to remove excess.
Refine and clean up: Once the highlights are in place, go back with your base color to clean up any mistakes and sharpen the edges. This step ensures crisp, clean lines. Step back and look at the miniature from a normal viewing distance to check the overall effect.

Product Facts

LAZY BLUE: Lazy Blue is a single paint unit from SCALE75, part of the PINTURAS (paints) category, with product code SCG-32. Because it's a dedicated hobby paint, you can rely on its consistency for layering and glazing without needing to thin it excessively.
LAZY BLUE