ATOM METALLIC Copper

AMMO ATOM METALLIC Copper — Acrylic Metallic Paint, 20 ml

ATOM is a line of water-thinnable acrylic paints from AMMO of Mig Jimenez, and METALLIC is its metallic sub-line. The chemistry stays the same as the other ATOM shades — a water-thinnable acrylic — what's new is metal particles in the pigment, which give the surface a genuine metallic shine instead of a mere imitation in paint. The bottle holds 20 ml. The paint is self-leveling, dries quickly, covers well and is applied with brush or airbrush; for spraying, the manufacturer recommends thinning it with roughly thirty percent thinner from the ATOM line. The cured coat is durable and takes acrylics, enamels and decal softeners over it.

Copper — and how it differs from brass

Copper is a reddish, darker shade. Its sister shade Brass is noticeably more yellow and lighter in comparison — and these two are what customers confuse most often. A simple rule of thumb: whatever was piped, heated, or clad, tends to be copper — copper pipes and plumbing, boilers and fireboxes, the copper cladding of historical ship hulls, gutters and roof elements, electrical components, wires and contacts, kettles and cookware. Copper also ages beautifully: under a thin green or brown wash it turns into patinated metal, just like what you actually see on museum exhibits.

How to work with metallic paint

• Stir it, and stir it again. Copper particles settle to the bottom faster than you would expect. Shake the bottle thoroughly before work and give it another stir now and then during longer sessions — otherwise you will first get a thin binder and end up with thick sludge.
• A smooth, glossy base. On a smooth surface, copper shines with real depth; on a rough, matte base it loses that depth and starts to look more like plain rusty brown.
• Save it for last. Metallics do not overspray well and dislike masking — apply them after the rest of the painting, not in the middle of it.
• Do not skimp on thin coats. Two light coats give a more even metal than one heavy one, which wrinkles easily.

Who the paint is for

For builders of historical ships, steam equipment, steampunk models and figures, for interior modelers, and for anyone who needs a copper detail that looks like metal, not like brown paint.

Store tightly closed and out of the reach of children. Clean brushes and the airbrush right after use — dried metallic paint is hard to remove.