"How to achieve good paints of metal?" Topic

I have painted a Deimos Heavy Tank from Strato Minis Studio in a similar way to the metal of the Robocop (2014-movie). I have seen and liked the metal of the Slammer's Tanks done by Legion 4, but how do others of you get a metal color? What interesting twists have you achieved?

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I'm a simple soul. Black prime, paint with bolt gun metal or some equivalent, wash with thinned black ink and dry brush with silver.

Thank you!

Black prime, silver Sharpie gives an interesting result…

Silver Sharpie? I did not know about it. Very interesting idea! Thanks!

In ancient times, TESTOR's silver was the gold standard ( I get it). Problem is, it is an Enamel. Cleanup is poisonous and flamible.

In My recent times, greys and whites works as good if not better. This is much more prevalent in smaller scales. The old master painters used the same techniques in oil paintings. Heavy use of white, in contrast with greys and blacks, can give you welcome and joyfully unexpected results. If you want to 'cool it down', experiment with blue or blue grey washes. Just remember, black can overpower white in the pallate, which is why painters load up the pallate with white.

It ain't work, its fun! In addition, brush cleaning is so much simpler…

Paint the item black. Then take a pencil and grind or sand off a bunch of lead. Rub this lead onto the item you want to look gun metal and the results can be great. Sometimes they vary. Clear (gloss) coat and you are away. I use enamels and gloss black is what works for me.

Vallejo alcohol based silver paint. It goes on very smoothly, unlike some regular metallic paints that can be a bit grainy at times. Then a wash of black wash made from oil paint diluted with white (or mineral) spirits. After it dries, rub highest and most exposed areas of armor with a cotton swab or clean makeup applicator dampened with the white spirits.

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@CAPTAIN BEEFHEART
You said many very interesting stuff. I try to avoid enamel because of the reasons that you said, but will more than happily give it a try and play with white, grey and black, and yes, blue washes, I have seen that they work good. I want to free myself from trying only Gunmetal Grey colors or other equivalents.

@stephen m
I heard about the miracles of the pencil and its lead in trying to have the metal look. I will also give this a try, and after rubbing the lead, I think I have to apply a clear varnish – I hope that the metal shine will remain.

@Condottiere
Thank you for the link and the recommendation. Good to hear about this solution, though I do not like alcohol based paints I will ask a friend to show me how they look.

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts and experience! It helps.

For metals I have a good range of acrylics, most notably Vallejo and Coat d'Arms.

AK interactive produces a range of paint and buff colours. They seem to be wax based and can be cleaned with thinner.

Finally for a chrome finish Molotow produce felt pens that create a mirror finish.

Yes I basically do as Rob does … Here is one of my Slammer M9s ACAVs …

@ Patrick R – I will try Ak Interactive. Very interesting stuff at Molotow, especially the liquid chrome marker. I had somehow a principle that when painting I only have to do it with paints and not using other stuff like lead from pencil or markers or other options to achieve a mettalic look. This will change in the future…

@ Legion 4 – I like it! One of the keys is the thinned black ink and then dry brushed silver?

Yes thinned black ink or paint then dry brush a flat silver and if need be another thin wash of ink black or paint.

I will get an ink black! Thanks!