Pearlized or colored metallics?

[FireImp]

I recently experimented with some Art Deco metallics in green. I like how it looks for armor, and bug carapaces, but didn’t really enjoy the paint itself, having used only hobby paints to this point. I suspect it’s more pearlized than metallic. Are there any hobby paints that give a similar effect in a good range of colors? I’d like to try a red metallic dragon next.

[Glitterwolf]

Scale 75 has some great metallic sets which include green, blue, red and white metallics.

 

 

[FireImp]

Thanks, I’ll check it out. 

[Gadgetman!]

Reaper's 9101 Ruby Red?

And 9103 Emerald Green... 

 

[Rigel]

For reasons I don't pretend to understand, *real* metallic red is difficult to find in craft stores. It always seems too pink or too orange. But you can blend together several metallic shades to create nice gradients if that's a thing you're interested in for the dragon. Here's an example: 

This was GW Screaming Bell-->ArtDeco metallic red-->ArtDeco raspberry-->ArtDeco Amethyst.   

[Gadgetman!]

There's a recent post about blue paint and metallic wash that may be helpful. 

 

Darkstar have several differently coloured metallic washes that may be worth looking at.

[LittleBluberry]

There is also Vallejo's metal medium which you mix with other colors to give them a pearlescent sheen.  It doesn't work for achieving dark colors, but it's pretty useful for lighter colors.  

[Cyradis]

Enamel paints have gorgeous metallic reds, but enamel paints are a pain in the patoot to work with. 

[Harrek]

War colours has a large range of colored metallics also.

[CorallineAlgae]

I typically use Vallejo Metal Medium mixed with inks and paints to make colored metallics. I've also used colored inks over metallics, but that hasn't worked all that well.

 

Shoshie (from the Lanterns Light KD:M facebook group) recommends and uses Jacquard Lumiere metallic and pearlescent paints when she needs colored metallics (search Amazon for Jacquard Lumiere Exciter Pack). You can see them in action here in her stream. She talks about them and other metallic paints at around the 15 minute mark and various points after. I just ordered the Exciter pack, but haven't gotten them yet. That pack has 3 different kinds of paints in the set: metallic, pearlescent & halo. From what I understand, the paints listed as "halo" colors have a slight metallic color shift effect. Could be wrong though. Shoshie mentions it at the 26:28 mark. They're cheap enough at less than $1.50 per bottle in the pack for me to take a chance on. Got them to paint creepy crawlies.

 

The Exciter pack has: Halo Pink Gold; Halo Blue Gold; Halo Violet Gold; Pearlescent Turquoise; Pearlescent Green; Pearlescent Magenta; Metallic Russet; Metallic Pewter; Metallic Sunset Gold

 

Jacquard Lumiere has additional colored metallics & pearls in their Neopaque Pack. They may be worth a look, too.

 

[FireImp]

Some great leads here, thanks everybody. I’m particularly interested in the Vallejo metal medium, as it would give me the greatest flexibility. Has anyone used it as a wash? Will be looking into all these for future reference. 

Edited March 12, 2019 by FireImp

[CorallineAlgae]

Metallic paints and metal medium have generally been unsuitable to use as a wash, at least for me. The metallic flake makes thinning them tricky. A tiny bit of water, gloss sealer, wash medium or thinner medium has worked for me with some metallics, but most work best un-thinned. I don't even put metallic paint on my wet palette. You just don't want to use a matte medium as that can dull the metallic shine. Some painters even use gloss medium or gloss sealer to thin down the normal paints they use for washes or the metal shadows. It keeps the shine going on all the colors used on metal that are not rust or dust effects.

 

Darkstar makes a specific metallic thinner that I have heard can be used to make their Molten Metal paints work a bit like a glaze. I've heard good things about their metallic paint line but haven't tried them.

 

Of course we all know using a wash over metallic paints works beautifully.

[Keianna]

I love Vallejo's metallic medium. It is a lovely bright white metallic. I have not used it as a wash, but usually use it as a highlight for shaded metallics or for painting scratches in metal. It is kind of transparent on it's own, so it picks up some of the color of whatever is underneath.

 

If I was going to do a wash with it, I would thin it to where I want it and use it right away to avoid too much of the metallic flake settling out. If you just want colored metallic paint, I would mix it with something bright and highly pigmented such as inks or reaper's clears. You can also use it straight to paint over a flat colored base coat if you want a tinted silver color. 

 

My new favorite metallics are greenstuff world's color shift paints. One thin layer and you get one shiny color. Multiple layers bring out the color shift qualities. They mix well with each other. You can layer different colors on top of one another to get cool effects. And their ability to remain in suspension, even thinned on a wet pallet, boarders on magical. 

[FireImp]

I think I meant glaze, rather than wash. Mixed up my terms; I was only on my first cuppa.  It sounds like there are several possibilities for a glaze. It’s very difficult for me to do dry brushing with metallics because I live in the desert, and by the time I get the brush wiped off enough and to the mini, it’s dried up. 

[SparrowMarie]

I also recommend the Scale 75 metallics as well as the Vallejo metal medium.