ATOM Gravity Set 4 - Metallic

Six metals in one package

A metal surface cannot be imitated with a single shade in the small scale. A gun barrel, an exhaust pipe and a worn step on armor plate each have a different sheen and a different undertone, and only the contrast between them looks convincing. The set offers a closed range from the lightest silver through aluminum and steel to a dark gun metal, a deep black and a burnt iron in reddish brown.

They work best on a smooth dark base. The smoother the base, the more the metallic particles in the binder stand out and the more the surface stops looking like gray paint. On a rough or dusty coat the sheen is lost and the result stays matte however it is applied.

The choice of tone says a good deal about the age of the part. A new barrel tends to be dark, almost blue-black, but after a few hundred rounds it draws out toward gray at the muzzle, and bare metal shows around the breech where the components fit into one another. An exhaust pipe ages in a similar way and shifts toward reddish brown from the heat.

Mixing and applying

Stir the contents thoroughly before every pour; the metallic powder is heavier than the binder and sinks to the bottom while it stands. A short shake is not enough, and a mixing ball or a stick works better. The shades are compatible with one another and can be toned into intermediate steps with the ordinary acrylics of the same range.

For small areas a dry brush works well: an almost wiped-out brush passes over the edges and picks them out without flooding the surrounding detail. Wipe the loaded paint into paper beforehand so that only a minimum is left on the bristles.