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I just got into Infinity with Aleph and I've decided that I want to use a gold color scheme. I got some Vallejo Model Air Gold color so that I can still use my airbrush.

I'm hoping I can get some tips from you guys about this project. Airbrushing metallics... is it difficult? Anything I should know before I start?

Also, what about details on gold? If you wanted to use an ink or a shade on gold, which color would you choose? Any other tips as far as highlights?

I think I want a very "clean" effect, but I'm unsure how to get that AND still have shading around the details. I don't think that a preshading of black will really help since the top layer will be metallic. And if you've seen the Aleph models, you'll know that there are lots of "android lines" on the models - extremely shallow straight lines with sharp corners that are supposed to show the separation between the bio-plates or whatever it is that makes the androids look human-like but still obviously robots. In the studio painting of these models, they have a kind of pinkish glow effect emanating from some of these android lines. That type of effect would be cool but I doubt my ability to actually do it, especially if I'm airbrushing (don't know how to airbrush and NOT hit basically everything on the model, yet). Plus, I wouldn't want pink if I was going with a gold color scheme - maybe red instead? To be honest, I would settle with almost any non-black color for those lines that's actually noticeable on the model at a glance.

These two models are good examples of the lines I'm referring to:

http://www.infinitythegame.com/infinity/en/2011/miniatures/devas-2/
http://www.infinitythegame.com/infinity/en/2011/miniatures/devas/

So, any tips?

First, ditch the model air gold. It's not very good IMO.

Get hold of some of the vallejo liquid gold (alcohol based) in an appropriate couple of shades (you'll want a highlight).

That stuff airbrushes wonderfully, thinned with Tamiya X-20A.

Then you're looking at glossing it with Klear / Future and doing an oil wash to shade it nicely.

Another option is to paint it silver and then apply 2-3 layers of sepia shade.

Also note that gold goes on best over brown paint.

winterdyne wrote:
First, ditch the model air gold. It's not very good IMO.

Get hold of some of the vallejo liquid gold (alcohol based) in an appropriate couple of shades (you'll want a highlight).

That stuff airbrushes wonderfully, thinned with Tamiya X-20A.

Then you're looking at glossing it with Klear / Future and doing an oil wash to shade it nicely.

Winterdyne is right... the Air gold is crap and liquid gold is the best. If you only have, or only want to deal with, acrylic thinners the Vallejo Model Color golds are also very nice in an airbrush. Check out my blog about gold: http://atticwars40k.blogspot.com/2011/10/great-gold-rush-quest-for-best-gold.html

Btw, there is little to no gold on either of your examples.

 Gunzhard wrote:

winterdyne wrote:
First, ditch the model air gold. It's not very good IMO.

Get hold of some of the vallejo liquid gold (alcohol based) in an appropriate couple of shades (you'll want a highlight).

That stuff airbrushes wonderfully, thinned with Tamiya X-20A.

Then you're looking at glossing it with Klear / Future and doing an oil wash to shade it nicely.

Winterdyne is right... the Air gold is crap and liquid gold is the best. If you only have, or only want to deal with, acrylic thinners the Vallejo Model Color golds are also very nice in an airbrush. Check out my blog about gold: http://atticwars40k.blogspot.com/2011/10/great-gold-rush-quest-for-best-gold.html

Btw, there is little to no gold on either of your examples.

are you guys saying that Vallejo Air gold is not good for the airbrush, or in general???
it works great with the brush...
it's what i used for my Dante:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/508227-Commander%20Dante.html

the Air metal goes on very smooth by hand, in my experience, but i haven't tried the airbrush yet...

cheers
jah

winterdyne wrote:First, ditch the model air gold. It's not very good IMO.

Get hold of some of the vallejo liquid gold (alcohol based) in an appropriate couple of shades (you'll want a highlight).

That stuff airbrushes wonderfully, thinned with Tamiya X-20A.

Then you're looking at glossing it with Klear / Future and doing an oil wash to shade it nicely.

Sooo... the Klear/Future - what is that? Is that a Tamiya product? And also, oil wash after the gloss?

Kroothawk wrote:Another option is to paint it silver and then apply 2-3 layers of sepia shade.

Not a bad idea - got any picture examples?

More Dakka wrote:Also note that gold goes on best over brown paint.

Oh, thanks. I was just going to prime in grey and then probably base gold, but I guess I should base brown first.

Gunzhard wrote:
Winterdyne is right... the Air gold is crap and liquid gold is the best. If you only have, or only want to deal with, acrylic thinners the Vallejo Model Color golds are also very nice in an airbrush. Check out my blog about gold: http://atticwars40k.blogspot.com/2011/10/great-gold-rush-quest-for-best-gold.html

Btw, there is little to no gold on either of your examples.

Yeah, I was using those examples to show the lighting effect coming from the "android lines."

Speaking of which, any ideas on which colors to use that will pop out from the gold, and how best to paint them?

Klear/Future is an acrylic floor wax made by Johnson & Johnson. It's basically a very thin coating, high gloss varnish. It's urethane based, which means it resists the low odour mineral spirits used for oil washes. See: http://www.swannysmodels.com/TheCompleteFuture.html

The liquid gold will airbrush an opaque coat over pretty much anything. Be warned, the metallic flakes in it are VERY fine (and there's a lot of pigment in it!), and very rigorous cleanup afterward is essential. At least two runs with fresh water each time in an ultrasonic cleaner will be required to get rid of everything after your usual AB cleaner etc (or a lot of work by hand!). If I used it regularly through an AB, I would actually invest in a separate cheap ($30) airbrush for exclusive use.

Have try Vallejo Air Chrome metallic color with airbrush, and works very well for me when sprayed on a black undercoat. For the gold one, have not tested yet

When I have to paint gold on my grey knight, I prime black, then 2 thin layer of Gehenna gold, then a wash of Nuln Oil and finally a drybrushing with Golden Griffon. Work fine with textured parts.

My issue with Vallejo AIR metallics is that they turn to junk in a very short while. Well - actually the silvers/chrome colors are fantastic... but any tinted metallic will eventually end up silver.

All of my gold, bronze, copper AIR colors have separated beyond repair and are all basically silver. The Vallejo Model color or better yet the Liquid range have never given me issues.

And jah-joshua I dig your Dante...

I go with a mix of Rhinox brown with sycorax bronze, then I wash with either nulin oil or devlan mud and then I follow up with old GW burnished gold.