Painting Metal

[angus147258]

Hi,
I always have trouble painting metallic parts. For smaller minis I usaly use nmm (non metallic metal) so getting that true reflective look is a new concept for me.

For the metallics I have been painting I have been using pebeo fragonard metallic oil paint. It's horrable quality. The chips don't blend with the pigment and it looks entirely fake.

Thank you to everyone,
Jake

 

[petermh]

you could try humbrol metal cote which you paint on and then polish when dry

 

[Sambaman]

A better quality enamel might work. The best thing to use for metalics would be printers inks. They have the smallest pigment when it comes to metalics and they aply fairly easily, and with many of the same techniques you would use for enamels. Michigan Toy Soldier caries two kinds and I think Mike at Michael Roberts caries some as well. Good luck!

Jay H.
OKC

 

[Cicero]

Hi Jake,

I paint my metals always in oils with, I dare to say, nice results. The secret is to mix the metalic oils with the 'plain' ones like yellow ochre, raw umber, Venetian red, titanium white, black, etc. This has several reasons:
1) the particles of the metalic oils are broken up a bit
2) you get a much better opacity
3) you can varie tints endlesly which might come in handy when painting a figure clad in different pieces of armour.

If you want to see my results click on the added link concerning my ongoing project: http://www.planetfigure.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=10325

If you want more information you can mail me direct, or post your question here.
Hope this was helpful.
Best regards

Johan

 

[centurion]

Hi Cicero,

Your painting of the metal part of your figurine is simply AWSOME. I am about to paint a 90mm figurine clad in mail armour. I have undercoated the figurine and wanted to ask how YOU would go about painting chain mail. The figurine I am about to paint is Pegaso's 90mm Templar Sergeant, XIII century. Any help would be very much appreciated.

Kindest regards - have a nice day.

 

[jimias]

Jake ,Donald in my personal opininon when trying to paint metal part as a chainmail the best way is to let the metal of the figure unpainted.What could be more realistic than metal itself.You can then apply washes of oil to get a certain tint of metal and to shade.That s what i did in my Templar Knight.
http://www.planetfigure.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9676

 

[Jon Metters]

I've messed around with lots of different stuff, and all of them have interesting uses:

Games Workshop acryllic metals.
Testors metals.
I even like to apply Testors products that are for "airbrush only" with a regular brush.

I can't say I've come up with a "method," I just keep messing around until I think it looks cool.

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by angus147258+Aug 6 2006, 07:17 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (angus147258 @ Aug 6 2006, 07:17 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>I always have trouble painting metallic parts.[/b]

Don't worry, you're not alone!

<!--QuoteBegin-angus147258@Aug 6 2006, 07:17 PM
For the metallics I have been painting I have been using pebeo fragonard metallic oil paint. It's horrable quality. The chips don't blend with the pigment and it looks entirely fake. [/quote]
There are many many options for depicting different metals in scale but as a rule the 'metallic' paints made for artists are the worst of the lot! There are exceptions but they're rare; as a rule the pigment particles (generally coated mica flakes) are far too large for our purposes, as well as not being nearly reflective enough.

There are a number of prior threads on doing metals you might like to search for, mentioning options as diverse as printers' inks (one of the best, no questions), graphite (paint and powder, as well as using pencil leads) and polishing/treating the metal of a kit.

Einion

 

[angus147258]

Everyone seems to say printers inks. The red lancers carries some. They even have one called "24 ct gold" should I get that one or just plain gold. The also have "old silver" as well as normal silver. Which should I get?

 

[Einion]

Unless you get specific recommendations from someone relating to something you've actually seen - a reply to, "How did you do that?" - then you'll probably have to do what most of us have done, buy stuff and try it for yourself! There is some personal taste here, as well as what's clearly more realistic than something else.

Take the so-called lacquers from Mr. Metal for example, you can undeniably get decent results using them and I bought a few on that basis. But you know what? They're not for me. In the flesh I just don't like quite how they look - in regards to what I was aiming for - and there are superior alternatives (e.g. Alclad II) for depicting plate steel in terms of the ease with which you get to the final effect and one or two other issues. I've even gotten a better effect, IMO, using an automotive chrome spraypaint (with a little alkyd and some Metalcote) although the application method was a right pain. Judge for yourself:

Einion