"Metalic paint in 6mm?" Topic

It's really necessary to paint metal parts in 6mm ancients with metalic paints? Why not just leave the parts (like blades and some armors) in bare metal and varnish?

Thanks!

At that size you need to have some color to make the various elements show up. Even if the the item in question is grey, it is probably not the dull, white/grey color of the the unpainted 6mm model. Unpainted metal is 6mm will either look like a mistake or unfinished paint job (swords, spear points, rifle or cannon barrels, armor) or not highlight the item (buckles, buttons, smaller weapons or blades). You can get away with painting some metal items regular colors and not metallics, a shade of grey instead of metallic gunmetal for example. I prefer the "pop" that metallics give.

I find bare metal shows more scars and scrape lines, but if you take the time to polish or burnish it out, you can get a good result.

You can do a lot with just bare metal and an ink wash to make it pop, no matter what the scale as long as the finish looks good.

You'd probably spend more time painting round it than painting it metal as the last step. Assuming that you prime figures then you'd have to scrape that off and I'd expect that to take longer than a quick dash of metallic paint.

I sometimes use a grey to paint metal especially on spears tips and swords

I always start with an undercoat so it is much easier to paint the metal bits later.

I think that the smaller the model is, the more you need to exagerate the colours.

Phil

this sounds like a NMM debate. I agree with kroesus – you really need to exaggerate colours in 6mm, or they will just blend visually and look like an amorphous dark mass.

this sounds like a NMM debate.

Sorry, but… NMM debate? What is this?

Non Metallic Metal

Using shades of grey (metal) or other colors to represent metal instead of the metallic paints.

For example

blackmoor.ca/articlesnmm.htm

Yep I think it stands out enough :-)

Cheers
Kieran