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.

Fairly short question really - I'm making some daemon engines, and I want to give the armour plating a shiny metallic look, without making the whole model look like ... well, plastic haha. I figured one option would be to cover the whole model in matte varnish as the basic protective layer, and then use a brush to paint on gloss varnish on the areas that I want to have a shine to them... but would this work? (Haven't actually used varnishes much before, and don't want to ruin my paint job in testing!)

The alternative would be to get both the gloss and matte varnishes in pots, and do some parts in gloss and some parts in matte. Would just take longer.

Any tips/ideas?

If you want to do that, the key is to have one paint on for the easiest way to do things - the important part is identifying which one exactly and normally ends with "which is the bigger part of things?"

Yeah it works, it's fine. Think the recommended way is to spray gloss all over, then paint matte over the bits you don't want shiny.

Did you already paint them?
Otherwise you might want to look into clear paints. Applied over metallics they can give a very nice effect, which I think is similar to what you're going for. There's an example here: http://taleofpainters.blogspot.fr/2016/09/showcase-great-brass-scorpion-by-aurelie.html, which I understand is very similar to what Forgeworld explains in one of their masterclasses.

But overall gloss, followed by matte over the areas you don't want shiny would work too.

fresus wrote:
Did you already paint them?
Otherwise you might want to look into clear paints. Applied over metallics they can give a very nice effect, which I think is similar to what you're going for. There's an example here: http://taleofpainters.blogspot.fr/2016/09/showcase-great-brass-scorpion-by-aurelie.html, which I understand is very similar to what Forgeworld explains in one of their masterclasses.

But overall gloss, followed by matte over the areas you don't want shiny would work too.

Well, yes and no, I'm partway through painting the block-colours of the main armour panels on a maulerfiend at the moment, I'm just planning ahead. I had seen a thing about clear paints, when looking up how forgeworld did their shiny red automata paint jobs, but they use airbrushes on all their works and I only use normal brushes unfortunatly.

Clear paints may still work, but I'm painting white (for the challenge, and because I hate myself) so not sure it would work too well over the top of another colour...

I do have some vallejo "metallic medium" I could try to mix in though, but I figured gloss/matte coats over the top might be the easiest option.

The trouble with metallic medium is adding it to a colour is akin to adding white to a colour, the very bright silver of the medium tends to desaturate the colour, leading to a much paler shade.

If you want vibrant colours the only way really is using clears over a metallic base. They do work with hairy brush, but it is a longer, more challenging process. I've only ever applied it over small areas, larger panels has always been an airbrush job, getting a smooth coat on a large panel with an ordinary brush isn't something I'd want to attempt, even if it's technically possible.

Also, try and apply gloss first and matte the areas as the second stage if you can, gloss is tougher than matte, so using it on the whole model will give it better protection, but on a plastic kit with acrylic paints that's not as important as it would be on a metal mini.

I've done some gloss/matt contrast on a car. I went Matt to Gloss and didn't like the result that much, so I think the people saying to gloss it all and then apply matt are probably right.

 kestral wrote:
I've done some gloss/matt contrast on a car. I went Matt to Gloss and didn't like the result that much, so I think the people saying to gloss it all and then apply matt are probably right.

For something like a car it could matter but on something as small as a mini gloss to matt or matt to gloss doesn't matter much.
I do this with all my minis and I have both brush on and spray versions of both gloss and matt. Best way, is easiest way, spray with whatever is in the majority (or in hard to reach places)
and brush on the remainder.

on the coloured metallics front I've had great success with Tamiya clear paints over metalic paint. (except for purple, grrr Tamiya why you no do clear purple?)
the secret here is to get your shading in the metallics (but go all the way up as bright as you can) then hit it with the Tamiya clear, make sure you do this by section and all in one go if you stop half way you'll get tide lines. once it dries you can do a second or third coat to increase the intensity.
the stuff is a bit goopy and goes on thick and settles in detail like a wash or dip so auto shades to a degree.

Tamiya stuff isn't hard on a model, avoid large flat areas. go for some of their thinners and with a brush expect to use a couple of coats.

this chap



is airbrushed gold all over, then brush painted with Tamiya clear red where I wanted red bits.

Went with clear varnish over the lot (gloss) then a black oil wash - could easily go with matt varnish in the bits you don't want shiny

+lots to spray the gloss varnish over, and brush the matt after though

leopard wrote:
Tamiya stuff isn't hard on a model, avoid large flat areas. go for some of their thinners and with a brush expect to use a couple of coats.

this chap



is airbrushed gold all over, then brush painted with Tamiya clear red where I wanted red bits.

Went with clear varnish over the lot (gloss) then a black oil wash - could easily go with matt varnish in the bits you don't want shiny

+lots to spray the gloss varnish over, and brush the matt after though

Yeh, those paints look cool in red (and I assume other block colours) but I'm not sure how well it'd work using white... and it seems not many people have tried and posted pictures online, as I struggle to find white paint guides to follow!