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Hey all, it has been awhile since I have needed to ask a question. I have finally become comfortable enough to try try out some Vallejo alcohol metallics (gold, silver, copper). I am planning on base coating with gray or brown depending on the color. Does anyone have any tips or tricks to using these. I have already bought dedicated synthetic brushes and 90%+ isopropanol. My biggest question is after I am done painting them on should I gloss over them prior to using an oil wash? And could they be sprayed through an airbrush? Are they going to make other metal colored paints look dumb next to them on the same model? Any inputs would be appreciated as I am always willing to learn how to better push my painting to new levels.

My biggest question is after I am done painting them on should I gloss over them prior to using an oil wash?

Yes, but you should do this for all paints. The thinner in the oil wash is definitely not good for the paint job.

As far as general tips:

- Shake shake shake. Shake 5x more than you've ever shaked paint before using it. Seriously, keep shaking it.
- Wet / clean your brush in alcohol only when working with it. And do it far more frequently. Like every 30 seconds?
- I've had different bottles of the liquid gold behave differently in terms of needing thinning. For example, I have a bottle of Red Gold that is perfect on it's own. But I have a bottle of rich gold that needs to be thinned like 1.5:1 before it's thin enough. It should be very liquidy looking. No thickness to it at all.
- Re-thin the paint on the palette frequently and mix thoroughly. The alcohol evaporates fast. Let's say I've started out by thinning my paint 1:1, with maybe 2 drops of alcohol to start. I will add a new drop every 3-4 minutes to keep it consistent. That's how quick it evaporates.

So you do need to work a little quickly to get optimal results. But, the amount of paint you get in the bottles is truly massive. It's practically a lifetime supply. So don't feel bad about wasting a little by having to abandon a measure and start with a fresh one from time to time.

Oh also IIRC it ruins natural hair brushes. Synthetics were advised.

Good to know! Yeah, I really hate wasting paint, but I think it is inevitable sometimes...


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Cowbellicus wrote:

My biggest question is after I am done painting them on should I gloss over them prior to using an oil wash?

Yes, but you should do this for all paints. The thinner in the oil wash is definitely not good for the paint job.

As far as general tips:

- Shake shake shake. Shake 5x more than you've ever shaked paint before using it. Seriously, keep shaking it.
- Wet / clean your brush in alcohol only when working with it. And do it far more frequently. Like every 30 seconds?
- I've had different bottles of the liquid gold behave differently in terms of needing thinning. For example, I have a bottle of Red Gold that is perfect on it's own. But I have a bottle of rich gold that needs to be thinned like 1.5:1 before it's thin enough. It should be very liquidy looking. No thickness to it at all.
- Re-thin the paint on the palette frequently and mix thoroughly. The alcohol evaporates fast. Let's say I've started out by thinning my paint 1:1, with maybe 2 drops of alcohol to start. I will add a new drop every 3-4 minutes to keep it consistent. That's how quick it evaporates.

So you do need to work a little quickly to get optimal results. But, the amount of paint you get in the bottles is truly massive. It's practically a lifetime supply. So don't feel bad about wasting a little by having to abandon a measure and start with a fresh one from time to time.

Yeah, right after you posted this I was like "Duh". Sorry to ask a dumb question...

Only use them in moderation...