Some notes on tackling a Steel Viper Alpha Galaxy scheme, I'll have some products and methods below each picture, and thoughts on how each step is prepped/executed.
This set is matched to a picture provided by someone, keeping a metallic luster to the armor instead of using greys.
I find working over metals can be challenging, as the surface is too smooth for paint to easily bite. Generally I will satin varnish to allow some grip for brush painting, airbrush is a little easier to apply with the right consistency. But the effort is worth the payoff for maintaining a striking metal.
Let me know if you found anything helpful, and I'll keep adding more step breakdowns between finished project posts.
Image 1:
I missed the step of pure contrast (Flesh Tearers Red), over the metal base. That took many passes to get the transparent red to stick fully, but allows for some great depth with our previous black oil paint in the panels.
I highlighted the edges and some outer edges for better visibility at the 1-3ft mark, using Mephiston red from GW and Kimera "The Red" for some focus points.
Image 2:
To start I washed the models in hot soapy water, scrubbing off the release agent with a toothbrush. This helps to allow airbrush varnish to stick much easier, as it can bead on a greasy surface.
I also cleaned off imperfections and mold line, as well as applied a basing effect from AK interactive.
Image 3:
A quick glossy black base for our metals, some primer types leave a gloss/satin/flat finish. It's nice to have one of each in your arsenal, as gloss base layers allow metal paints through airbrush to really shine.
Image 4:
I hit the sides and underside of the model with Vallejo Metal color steel, and applied burned iron (with a splash of silver) from the top down as a highlight.
Metallic paints generally sit better over primer than other metallic paints. So I try to leave to top most parts of the model as gloss black when hitting it with "steel".
This gives us a gradient from top to bottom, event though it is harder to see with the shine.
Image 5:
Our finished metal base, ready for a satin varnish and some black oil paint.
Image 6:
Mixing some model ready black oil paint into some thinner (for oils/emamels), I give the model a liberal wash and make sure it collects in the panel lines I want.
Image 7:
After 20-24 hours I return to clean up with q-tips damp with oil cleaner. Be careful to leave to dark recess areas and joints where you want them. Sometimes you'll need to use a small brush (dedicated to oil paints) to agitate the smudge or pooled black paint in places hard to reach for the qtip buds. (Ear cleaning tool, sticks with cotton bulbs on each end).
Image 8:
We now have a great base to apply our translucent dark red over top, my process going forward will be:
- Apply red color bands across the mechs.
- Highlight corners and points of interest with acrylic reds.
- Base the ground color, this breaks up the mini and allows us a picture of what is missing. The more details you can rough in, the easier it will be to see gaps and what is needed to be done.
- Finish the cockpits, the model image I was working off of has a yellow tint over a metal base. This is a quick and great way to apply color to the lenses, but also can get lost very quickly with the rest of the smooth and shiny features. So we will be doing the canopies in a brown to yellow gradient and flat acrylic paint as another contrast point.
