Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hello! my friend hired me to paint his Space Marine Assault squad and wants them to be painted red, black, and gold. my main problem is that the only two gold colored paints i have is Retributor Armor and Belthazar Gold (which i dont consider gold but more of a brass). is there any pants ya'll would recommned?

Vallejo Model Air Gold or if you dont mind alcohol based colors the Vallejo Metal Color Gold

i'll have to look that one up. also i have never used air paints, is there anything specific i'm supposed to do with it? or can i just use a regular brush to apply it?

If you're using Citadel, Retributor Armor is excellent.

I love Vallejo Model Colour Gold. The Air metallics are cool but the separation can drive you nuts. VMC metallics thin easy and have good coverage.

I did a big gold comparison years ago if you're interested: http://atticwars40k.blogspot.com/2011/10/great-gold-rush-quest-for-best-gold.html?m=1

Honestly I prefer the look of Vallejo Old Gold. It's a really pretty colour and you can use their regular gold to do the highlights.

Could use silver and cover it with Tamiya Clear Coat Yellow. Makes for pretty good gold!

 Guildenstern wrote:
Honestly I prefer the look of Vallejo Old Gold. It's a really pretty colour and you can use their regular gold to do the highlights.

I'll second that as well... the Vallejo Model Colour Old Gold is a really nice, old fashion greenish tinge gold. I typically start with VMC Brass and highlight with VMC Gold, but the VMC Old Gold would also be very nice start.

I'll also do a very minimal spot highlight of VMC Gold mixed with VMC Silver.

I love citadel's retributor armor with agrax earthshade or reikland fleshshade wash and highlights of auric armor gold and than a final super fine highlight of stormhost silver

 Maggotcarrier wrote:
Vallejo Model Air Gold or if you dont mind alcohol based colors the Vallejo Metal Color Gold

Vallejo Metal Color aren't alcohol based, you might be thinking of Vallejo Liquid Metal range which are alcohol based.

Vallejo Metal Color are a super thin metallic designed to be airbrushed to give a realistic metallic finish where you can't see the individual flakes. You can and I have hairy brushed it, but it's super thin so you have to apply a few thin coats over an appropriate base colour.

 Guildenstern wrote:
Honestly I prefer the look of Vallejo Old Gold. It's a really pretty colour and you can use their regular gold to do the highlights.

+1 for Vallejo Old Gold

As another poster stated, I would give Vallejo Liquid Gold a try if you don't mind trying out alcohol based paint. I actually really like the way it flows into cracks and it will cover anything in 1 coat once you get the hang of it. I used it for the aquilas on my warhound titan.

You can use washes on it too, just make sure you are cleaning your brush in alcohol and not water.

I would suggest using it on a test model first until you get a feel for it though, as it goes on very differently than water based paint.

All these people suggesting liquid gold need to throw some heavy disclaimers in there. You're gonna need 70%, preferably 90% isopropyl alcohol to thin and rinse your brushes in. You can't put anything with any water in it ANYWHERE near this stuff til it dries, and if it gets in the bottle you're flat boned. It's got actual metal particles instead of the silicates everyone else uses, hence the rich lustrous golds, but that means it will rust, and rust will ruin everything. So no regular paints or washes, no licking the brush (accidentally doing this will make you immediately need to vomit anyway) and keep the water cup away so you don't dip out of habit.

You will need to apply constant agitation and fresh alcohol to your pallette as, due to its metal nature and the rapid evaporation of your alcohol, it will clump fast. Due to this, you also don't want to paint directly from the pot.

Now all this said, everyone is correct. When it comes to smooth even coverage of gold, nothing comes even close to the Vallejo alcohol metal paints. You will want to practice with it a bit before actually putting it on a customers models, but the results will be fantastic.