Game Color - Non Metallic Metal Set

Metal painted with color

A set from the Game Color acrylic line by Vallejo, intended for imitating metal without the use of metallic pigments. The glint of armor or of a blade does not arise from the reflection of particles in the paint but from the layout of light and dark areas. The advantage is that the surface behaves the same under any lighting, photographs well and can be controlled exactly; the disadvantage is that the modeler has to work out in advance where the light falls from.

Steel and gold differ

Steel has a cool underlying tone and runs from a dark gray-blue to an almost white glint. Gold is warm: it goes from brown through ocher to a light yellow, and its glint never reaches pure white. It is exactly the underlying tone that decides which metal the viewer will see, so choose it before you start layering the highlights.

Procedure and tips

It is sensible to paint the metal parts before you finish the figure, because you need free access to them from the side. Lay the middle tone, draw the shadow toward the lower edges and into the hollows, and take the highlights out toward the edge above. Place the brightest glint on a small area only, as white across an area destroys the impression of metal. Apply the paints in thin coats, mix the transitions on a wet palette and protect finished work with a matte varnish.

• A set of acrylic paints from the Game Color line
• Metal is painted without metallic pigments
• The glint arises from the layout of highlights and shadows
• Shades of one line can be mixed freely with one another
• Suitable for figures for tabletop games and for competition pieces

Who it is for

For painters of figures who want a metal surface fully under control and do not want to rely on the reflection of pigment. Figures, brushes and varnish are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.