Metallics help

[No Remorse]

Heya

I have just started using metallics again after three years of only painting with NMM and SENMM and I am finding it very hard to get a good metallic effect. I was wondering if someone would be able to analyze what I have done so far and steer me in the right direction.

Here are a couple of quick sister\'s I did up for my latest army, nothing fancy just a quick couple of game pieces.

Thx in advance
Ja

 

[DaN]

Doesn\'t look bad in those pics, but then I can only see metal on the bolters...?
I can\'t really see that well, but it looks as though the metallic is too evenly applied...

Most people (Me included) give a light drybrush of a mid-tone metallic over a black undercoat - leaving some of the undercoat showing.

Then if you want to add highlights, a gentle black wash followed by small reapplication of the original metallic - extreme highlights can be done by a lighter metallic.
(Ie. Shining gold over burnished gold)

If you could provide a bit of a close up I could help more

 

[green stuff]

Over all, the metallics look very good!

You might want to get more contrast in there though by applying controlled washes. Black might be too harsh, so blue or brown might be a solution depending on how clean you want the final result. You might also want to touch up the final highlight with some thin lines of mithril silver (or equivalent) to make the details pop. As is, the highlights on the metal occupy a too large surface which doesn\'t give the crisp effect we are used to on real metals.

 

[Thecadian]

yeah they look good try mixing white with the colour and do a really fine hi-light

james

 

[Avelorn]

What meatllic paints do you use? GW? My basic recipe is boltgun metal, shade with chaos black highlight by adding mithril silver. I often use a number of different glazes to give some life and texture to the metals. Using paints not inks to shade and give hues to the metal will able you to control the light. Therefor paints are best used in the shadows while inks help maintaining the shine of the brightspots. You can try to use the same method of highlighting your metallic metal as you do with NMM.

 

[green stuff]

Message original : Thecadian
yeah they look good try mixing white with the colour and do a really fine hi-light

Or not! No offence Thecadian, but last time I tried that I got a nice dull greyish color that killed the metalic feel of the surface .

Allan sometimes uses Humbrol/Airfix silver to do the final highlights. It\'s brighter than mithril silver.

 

[Thecadian]

it ok please remember that my metallics arwe very poor maybe this is whylol

james

 

[Klute]

Originally posted by Avelorn
My basic recipe is boltgun metal, shade with chaos black highlight by adding mithril silver. I often use a number of different glazes to give some life and texture to the metals.

Same as that for me. Use the fine washes and galzes to control the shading.

 

[No Remorse]

Thx guys I am using glazes and washes for the metallics, I also used inks sparsely to deepen the recesses. btw I am using Vallejo metals and metal medium.

 

[tidoco2222]

Metalics are best when used thin, this will let them flow better in my experience,once you have shaded them with eitherink or paint, I generally use paint for this then you can highlight up to your lightest shade. Then it is all about glazing to get the effect you are after.