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Hey guys. I keep running into an issue when trying to paint gold. It just... covers like complete gak. No matter what I try, it always takes 3-5 layers to fully cover, and then everything looks too thick and chunky. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. My current process is...

base coat with Balthasar Gold. this covers fairly well. might take two coats.
layer with Gehenna's Gold. this is abysmal, and looks like ass. it takes 3-5 coats to cover anything. lots of streaks.
highlight with Auric Armor Gold, and extreme highlight with Runefang Steel. usually not a problem because im not trying to cover anything completely, but this gold is still a disaster.

I have no problems when painting with silver metallics. Lead Belcher, Ironbreaker, and Runefang Steel all work just fine. I've tried P3 golds and I have the same problems. I feel like I have brain damage, or that I'm going insane. Any tips?

Heres a couple of pics of my most recent project. I have been struggling with this a lot.
https://twitter.com/RatCasket/status/759958011230113797

Base coating with silver is a great way to get good coverage.

If you have an airbrush (or not, colours are the same) give this video a look: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jEWF3hw8djs

Kenny knows his stuff!

I did a huge Gold experiment trying various brands a few years back: http://atticwars40k.blogspot.com/2011/10/great-gold-rush-quest-for-best-gold.html

The newest GW golds aren't bad, but still the Vallejo Model Colour Brass, then Gold, then Gold mixed with Silver combo is my goto and it works great and thins well with water.

I've recently given the Liquid Golds another go, but like others have said, they are great until they turn on you and get clumpy, and having to keep an entire separate Alcohol cleaning pot is already too much for me - I'm lazy hah.

Thanks dude! This post is awesome. I appreciate it.

I paint golds in a few way, the easyest way to get a very traditional and as a i call it gaudy gold.

Base it retributor armor, then wash in argrax earth shade.

A nice light gold,

Base in Retributor armor, highlight/ layer in liberator gold, wash in argrax

To get a very tranish, and dirty looking gold, base in retributor, slather a lot of bloodletter glaze on it, then heavy wash of argrax.

The best and easiest way to paint gold to a tabletop standard is starting from a white undercoat, despite all of the painting tips that I heard 25 years ago!

1) Prime white
2) Basecoat Burnished Gold (or whatever the modern equivalent is), two coats should give a nice even cover.
3) Wash with Army Painter Soft Tone Ink

It's so easy, but it looks sooo effective, a real warm, solid gold.

Reibtuiter gold base by gw is pretty brilliant gold.

Army painter soft tone is brilliant.

Red ink.. That makes a good rose gold.

I've found retributor gold (the new one from GW to be brilliant, in both the pot version and the spray can. Spray can needs REALLY good shaking though or it won't have a good sparkle at first.

Goddin wrote:
I've found retributor gold (the new one from GW to be brilliant, in both the pot version and the spray can. Spray can needs REALLY good shaking though or it won't have a good sparkle at first.

Same with pot. The heavy pigment settles, its a very good gold when shaken properly.
If used right its a one to two coat bright, strong gold.

I use either Vallejo Model color Bronze, with brass highlights, or the Reaper Master Series Antique Gold with New Gold highlights. I base with a warm brown, than the first layer, a flesh wash, then highlights. Some pics:

Retributer gold, wash with seraphim sepia, VERY light drybrush of that new silver they just put out. It looks awesome. I'm very happy with it, and it looks like a very nice gold. Not super bold and bright, but a mellow gold.

Doubt my painting is up to any sort of high standard, but I do like the results I get from base coating with P3 Sanguine Base (or another red-brown), then going over it with the gold color, then washing with a brown wash. Gives a kinda reddish gold though.