Dark Steel

Dark Steel — a metallic Vallejo pigment

This pigment differs from earth dusts in one fundamental property: its particles reflect light. It is therefore not used to dirty a surface but for the opposite — to polish the places that rub down to bare metal in service. With a dry brush or a finger it is rubbed into edges, into the contact surfaces of tracks, onto the cutting edges of tools, onto leading edges and onto the places the crew regularly climb over. The result is dully metallic, not sparkling silver, which is exactly how worn steel looks.

Use

• Apply the pigment in small amounts with a dry brush and rub and polish it in straight away; only the polishing creates the metallic sheen.
• The best effect comes on a dark matte surface — on a light surface the metallic sheen is barely noticeable.
• It has no covering power of a paint. It is not intended for the model to be coated with it; it serves as a final accent on an already finished surface.
• Apply it at the very end, after the dust and dirt. If you are still going to spray matte varnish over it, the metallic sheen will largely be lost.
• It can be fixed with a pigment binder or with mineral spirits, but many modelers deliberately do not fix it and rely on the polished particles holding in the surface by themselves.

Who the pigment is for

For modelers of armor who need believably polished tracks and scuffed edges, and for builders of dioramas with tools, rails and machinery. It also serves well on figures at the weapons and metal fittings. To a modeler building a clean model without wear it will bring no benefit.

Do not inhale the fine metallic powder, do not blow into the pot and do not work in a draft; for longer work use a respirator and wash your hands afterwards. The volume of the package and the shade are given on the label of the pot.