Red Steel

[redambrosia]

I need to make convincing looking red steel armour on one of my draconians. I would prefer metalic paint, though I am open to using NMM techniques for shading (which is what I'm doing for shading the silver draconians right now). But so far all the red metallic paints I've tried using have just turned out looking pink or copper or just weird.

 

Any advice?

[smokingwreckage]

Hmm. On cars they'd use metallic, then several layers of transparent red paint. So, consider a bronze or other dark orange "gold", then layers of Clear Red mixed into some sort of clear medium, using washes or transparent layers of a deeper red to give shading/depth.

 

Another option might be to wash the metallic with a strong, dark red ink. Coat d'Arms Ink Wash Red?

[smokingwreckage]

Also of interest are these videos.

 

http://wgconsortium.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/badger-minitaire-ghost-tints.html

 

The Ghost Tints are expressly for the "Candy" type approach where a transparent top coat shows the undercoat. I don't know how they go or even whether "candy apple red" can be done at this scale, but it'd be worth experimenting with.

 

I'd try Palomino Gold or similar as the bottom coat to make the metallic gold nice and bright. Then a gold coat. Maybe wash it with brown ink. When dry, carefully glaze over it with a red Tint.

 

DISCLAIMER: just musing, and coincidentally happen to know a bunch of things that might come together to help, or might damn you straight to hell. Test first. I sure as heck haven't tried any of this.

[Sanael]

Hmm. I actually really like Smokingwreckage's plan, there.

 

Sadly I'm on my phone, so making links is currently.beyond my forum-fu, but the Paladin of the Wall I painted some time ago has some very cool (imho) red-orange armor. You can find him in my show-off index from my sig (Privateer Press).

 

His armor is RMS ruby red highlighted and sorta-wet-blended up to a bright gold through an orangey brass, and shaded down to scorched metal and a nonmetallic brown. So almost all metallic paint.

[zemjw]

I did this using FW acrylic artists inks - Silver Pearl and Flame Red to be precise - http://www.daler-rowney.com/content/fw-artists-inks

 

I was quite happy with the result, although they might not be as dark as you want.

 

There are some pictures in one of my blog posts at http://zemjw.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/finished-dwarf-adventurers.html

 

Vallejo (possibly Reaper, not sure) do a metallic medium, although I haven't had much success with it.

[SamuraiJack]

My red metallic auto paint uses a silver/platemail silver color base with a clear red coat that goes over it in light coats when you apply it to non chrome parts..

[redambrosia]

Thanks guys! I'll check out that video when I get home (videos don't work at work) and test some things on spare minis before I do anything with my draconian. I have definately learned my lesson regarding testing

[dispatchdave]

I concur with using a metallic undercoat and transparent colored overcoat. I did this on this ship using GW Mithril Silver and GW Yellow Ink (in my pre-Reaper days).

 

-DD

[ShadowRaven]

I don't have pictures yet, but with my Pathfinder red Dragon, I went straight red ink over bare metal and it looks very bright, though not how I would want armour. That said, a darker metal underneath would probably change that

[Laoke]

Back when I painted my Bloodbowl team (many, many moons ago), I used a base coat of red, washed it and then put a couple of layers of Tamiya clear red over the top. Came out with a really interesting red lacquer look. Using the same clear red over bare metal also worked pretty well, and Tamiya clear smoke worked well over metallic paint or bare metal for a polished metal look.

 

It's quick, it's easy, it's not as high quality as a good NMM job and it'll give the armor a high gloss, but it's an effect I quite like.

[mrbspaintjobs]

I used to do it with just basic silvery metallic colors and then I would just use the red "shade" made by the company who shall not be named...

[Dadcubed]

I've recently done metallic green. I did a blend of the green with mithril silver. I lined dark green. I highlighted up using every increasing amounts of mithril silver. I can find a photo right now. I also haven't quite finished the mini. I'll post in WIP soon.

[redambrosia]

I watched those videos and realized a problem. I don't have an airbrush. Would this technique still work with brushing? I have a good transparent red I'm going to try, I mean, is the airbrush absolutely necessary?

[Argentee]

The airbrush shouldn't be necessary, just makes it easy to get a quick, even, thin coat. I've got the Reaper clear red and should have the rest of the Reaper clear paints Soon . I'll try this weekend to fool around with the red some and post my test.

[Argentee]

Ok. I've started preparing the stick for my test. A disposable chopstick, that has been painted: Pure white, Rainy Grey, Pure Black, & Palomino Gold. Once those base coats dried, I started painting strips of metallic paint on top of them.

White: Pearl White, Polished Silver, True Silver, Ruby Red, Emerald Green, Sparkling Blue, Sparkling Amethyst, Gunmetal Blue (looks a bit teal on white)

Rainy Grey: Honed Steel, Tarnished Steel, Shadowed Steel, Aged Pewter

Black: Blackened Steel, Adamantium Black, Gunmetal Blue (looks much better over Black)

Palomino Gold: Antique Gold, Tarnished Brass, Old Bronze (would look better over dark green, perhaps), Ancient Bronze.

 

Once the metallics are all done, I'll probably have to quit for the evening, spending tonight with Mom.

 

Tomorrow I plan on thinning down the Clear Red to 5 water : 1 Clear Red, perhaps more, then paint a streak of the glaze down the chopstick to see how it layers with the other colors.

 

Edit: Updated as I add colors.

 

Edit Edit: Ok, with all the metallics out. If you want a quick, out of the bottle Red Steel get the Ruby Red. It's a deep garnet red not a bright primary red, with red metallic flake in it. If you want a quick solution, it should be perfectly fine for a red metal. I'll post pictures tomorrow.

Edited April 6, 2013 by Argentee