mwindsorfw | 23 Feb 2015 10:02 a.m. PST |
I'm having trouble painting rifle and machine gun barrels. Any metallic looks too silver and shiny. Plain black or dark grey don't look right. I'm iced in, so I have a whole day to devote to some Bolt Action Waffen SS figures. |
Hlaven | 23 Feb 2015 10:11 a.m. PST |
I am no expert. Maybe black with the slightest lightest dry brushing using a gunmetal color. |
PentexRX8 | 23 Feb 2015 10:14 a.m. PST |
I use a mix of about 3:1 Black: Boltgun Metal for my 28mm figured, and thin it pretty well with water and apply as a wash over a flat black coat. I think the effect is a quick and decent blued steel look. |
79thPA | 23 Feb 2015 10:15 a.m. PST |
I paint them black and then lightly drybrush with a gunmetal. |
Rrobbyrobot | 23 Feb 2015 10:18 a.m. PST |
I just use either Model Master gunmetal or Vallejo gunmetal black over a black undercoat. I've seen some very excellent work where a lighter (shiny) metal color was applied as a highlight. ( hello, bracken.) But I don't bother on mine. |
Yesthatphil | 23 Feb 2015 10:19 a.m. PST |
In 15mm, I use gunmetal with a light drybrush of silver – it's a bit artificial but looks OK … Phil |
MajorB | 23 Feb 2015 10:31 a.m. PST |
Gunmetal. The clue's in the name … |
Los456 | 23 Feb 2015 11:03 a.m. PST |
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FABET01 | 23 Feb 2015 11:05 a.m. PST |
Use a steel colored metallic and then give it was of a flat black craft paint. If you have any of the old Ral Partha black paint, it was great for this kind of wash. Don't use the newer stuff. This cuts down on the shine without removing it completely. |
Sajiro | 23 Feb 2015 11:10 a.m. PST |
I've used a #2 pencil over a black or really dark grey. That sometimes does the trick. |
bracken | 23 Feb 2015 11:18 a.m. PST |
Paint it black, highlight with dark grey and final highlight with gun metal! Simple and it works a treat |
MajorB | 23 Feb 2015 11:22 a.m. PST |
Paint it black, highlight with dark grey and final highlight with gun metal! Simple Painting it straight gunmetal is even simpler. |
Scott MacPhee | 23 Feb 2015 11:24 a.m. PST |
I prime black. I mix my own gunmetal from craft paints. I use Apple Barrel silver, Delta Cermcoat dark burnt umber, and Delta Ceramcoat tangerine in a 5:1:1 ratio. |
Dervel | 23 Feb 2015 11:49 a.m. PST |
I mix a little Vallejo oily steel with black… Works pretty well. |
Jemima Fawr | 23 Feb 2015 11:59 a.m. PST |
As has been said; black then a very light highlight with gunmetal (unless you have a very dark shade of gunmetal – most varieties seem to be very silvery and way too light). That said, changeable barrels (such as on the FN MAG GPMG) tend to burn off their bluing and appear very steely. Similarly, ancient and/or poorly-maintained weapons will also have lost much of their bluing. Some weapons (such as the Bren) may also have chromed parts or wood/Bakelite parts (or various other plastics after WW2), so always check photos first if you're not sure. I've lost count of the number of times that I've seen model .303s or KAR98s painted with a metal barrel running along the spine (they're completely encased in wood). |
Giles the Zog | 23 Feb 2015 1:18 p.m. PST |
For 28mm scale figures I use a black undercoat, with boltgun (or whatever GW call it these days) basecoat. The gun stock gets a Foundry speashaft or similar dark to mid brown. Then the entire thing gets a dark brown wash (GW Devlan Mud or whatever it is these days). I *may* then pick out the metal such a sights and so on with a mid silver colour. HTH |
freerangeegg | 23 Feb 2015 3:17 p.m. PST |
I do like fabet, paint the barrels gunmetal and then give them a black ink wash to increase the contrast. Works ok in 15mm. |
Rebelyell2006 | 23 Feb 2015 4:07 p.m. PST |
I've been using a 15-year-old bottle of Testors acrylic gunmetal and it looks very appropriate. I've lost count of the number of times that I've seen model .303s or KAR98s painted with a metal barrel running along the spine (they're completely encased in wood). I have an entire platoon painted that way. Damnit. |
Jemima Fawr | 23 Feb 2015 10:55 p.m. PST |
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Martin Rapier | 24 Feb 2015 12:17 a.m. PST |
I do mine black with a light drybrush of metallic. As Jemima says, be careful with rifles, they aren't muskets. MP40s also have the lower part of the receiver encased in Bakelite. Which isn't metal. |
Marc33594 | 24 Feb 2015 6:59 a.m. PST |
Vallejo #995 German Grey. Don't be put off by the color name. Works wonders! If you like can do a light dry brush with something like #865 Oily Steel. |
LeavingTMP | 27 Feb 2015 5:34 a.m. PST |
I use dark grey and then light grey highlights (Vallejo German Grey and Basalt grey) on my latest figures, prioer to that used gunmetal. Irrespective it should not be shiny silver metal. However as Jemima says look at photos adn see where the metal is on the actual weapon. This is something I have started doing and the improvement in the way they look, even in the 15mmscale I work is incalcuable. Leigh |
iPaint | 27 Feb 2015 2:40 p.m. PST |
Straight black for the most part, sometimes I'll add a bit of Anita's Black Metallic paint for some variation. German MG's get a light drybrush of a silver metallic then a black wash. These are some 20mm AB US infantry I painted recently with plain black. Works fine for that scale.
~iPaint |
Texas Grognard | 03 Mar 2015 9:37 p.m. PST |
Sorry this is late in coming but you may try painting the barrels black or charcoal gray, let them cure thouroughly, and then rub a number 2 Pencil lead on them. I saw this technique used on a buddy's 15mm tank MG's and it looked very good. Salut mon ami! Bruce the Texas Grognard |
Saber 29 | 14 Mar 2015 10:00 a.m. PST |
IPaint Nice job on the AB 20mm US infantry. What color did you use for their (brown) pants? |
iPaint | 07 Apr 2015 1:22 p.m. PST |
Saber 29: Vallejo Chocolate Brown 872, washed with Citadel Agrax Earthshade, then Vallejo Flat Earth 983 on top. ~iPaint |