Shading metallics

[Hells_Clown]

How would one go about shading bronze with metallics? I want to simulate that light shining effect w/o using nmm.

 

Ideas?

[Enchantra]

OK, first off for the shadows without going NMM.

 

1) Mix a bit of your bronze with a bit of metallic black, and using various shades of this layer in the shadows.  

 

2) For the Highlights.  Use a hint of a very light gold (or Bronze) color (Mix gold or bronze with a bit of white and some pearlescent medium.)  Highlight areas with that.  If need be, lighten the mixture a bit and do a couple layers.  

 

3) Now in places where light is glinting, hit those spots with straight white.

[Whizard Hlavaz]

3) Now in places where light is glinting, hit those spots with straight white.

Or straight pearlescent or bright silver-white...

 

But that's for highlights. I often use a different technique from Enchantra's for shading metallic bronze paint. Here it is:

 

1. Undercoat with black for dark bronze; white for light bronze.

2. Base coat with solid metallic bronze.

3. Wash with one coat of straight, undiluted black ink. Do not recoat. This will leave a shiny black skin like oil across the metal recesses. Recoating will cover too much of your base metal. In fact, I often dab away the ink before it dries to prevent it from being too overpowering.

4. Dry brush or layer mid-points, edges, and high-points with solid metallic bronze, leaving black in the recesses/shaded areas.

5. Highlight as per Enchantra's excellent instructions.