Metallic green/blue options

[Urauloth]

I'm planning an Alpha Legion kill team, and I want to go with a metallic scheme for them. The usual way of doing this is to start out silver and apply a contrast paint like Akhelian green to tint it, which looks great and also seems like it's pretty fast.

 

I'm wondering if there are other options, though. If I want to layer the armour instead, what do my options look like for painting on metallic greens (or blues, or teals) these days? I haven't used a non-standard metallic colour since the old Citadel amethyst purple, so I've no idea how the modern ones behave. I like the look of the metallic green and blue in the Vallejo Mecha range, but that's not a line I've tried - I've heard these are intended for airbrushing? Will these cover ok if applied by hand?

 

Another possibility would be to pick a colour and mix it with silver, but that ends up rather dull. Metallic medium is probably a better option for this, and I know there are a few on the market. Anyone have experience with this? Any pitfalls I should know about?

[Tyriks]

I've used some of these from TurboDork before and liked them. I have seen some people say they're hard to work with but haven't seen that myself.

 

Using contrast/speedpaint over metallic can be great. All my Necrons are painted that way. Just be careful to avoid pooling as always with those paints.

[Grotsmasha]

Duncan's Two Thin Coats Wave 3 begins shipping soon, and it had a variety of coloured metallics, which should be available in the near future.

 

[Firedrake Cordova]

The last time I used a coloured metallic was Amethyst Purple, so that brings back a few memories.  

 

I've never tried any of these, but my gut reaction(s):

• Take a really bright silver like Vallejo Metal Colour Silver (or Chrome) and an acrylic ink (e.g. Daler-Rowney FW or Liquitex), and mix them together. Hopefully the ink should give a more vibrant colour than regular paint
• Mix a metallic silver and regular paint to get the desired colour, and then glaze an ink over the top ton increase saturation
• Vallejo metallic medium

[Urauloth]

 

Two Thin Coats Wave 3 begins shipping soon, and it had a variety of coloured metallics, which should be available in the near future.

 

Ah, well, there's the answer! I really like TTC metals, and the preview looks like exactly the colour I want (I see it's called "omega blue" so I'm guessing it was made for this purpose..) so I think waiting till wave 3 goes on sale is my best bet.

[sbarnby71]

I did a single Alpha legion a few years back for a duel piece I never finished, but I used Vallejo Chrome Air and then applied a couple of coats of Akhelian Green Contrasts paint.  Gives a nice blue, green look.  My phone has made the paint finish look way brighter than it is, it's a nice deep petrol blue.  You can control that by how much you thin the Contrast paint.

[Xin Ceithan]

I have an unfinished AL on my desk using Greenstuff World Chameleon Colours over a LeadBelcher base:

 

 

I’ve also used Vallejo Reflective Green over a Leadbelcher Base, which is much more vibrant 

(no pics though) 

[sarabando]

you can mix normal paint and metallics however it never looks quite as good as clear over metallics. 

The vallejo shifters have some good AL colours. 

[Bung]

If you are an experienced airbrusher there is Alclad2 Aotake

https://www.hobby-wholesale.com/Alclad-2-Aotake

[LameBeard]

I used Scale 75 Cobalt Alchemy and then wash over it with something dark blue/green - doesn’t have to be Contrast. Yes it’s smoother with the airbrush but you can use a normal brush.

 

I have found contrast over silver to be quite difficult. Tried it for Emperor’s Children and gave up. Mixed purple and silver instead. Results were ok but not as vibrant as Scale 75 with a wash over the top, my solution for epic scale.

[Tyriks]

 

I used Scale 75 Cobalt Alchemy and then wash over it with something dark blue/green - doesn’t have to be Contrast. Yes it’s smoother with the airbrush but you can use a normal brush.

 

I have found contrast over silver to be quite difficult. Tried it for Emperor’s Children and gave up. Mixed purple and silver instead. Results were ok but not as vibrant as Scale 75 with a wash over the top, my solution for epic scale.

That may have just been a problem with the purple. The first contrast purples kind of suck (I use them over metal on my Necrons), and I haven't used the more recent ones. Like Shyish Purple is crazy thick and dark and reads as black unless you thin it a lot. Magos Purple is a rosy, pinkish wine color that goes on very thin and needs 2-3 coats to cover.  Doesn't really read as purple either because its so pinkish.

But I have done other contrast over metallics and not had nearly the problems those two caused.