METALLICS: EFFECT SET pencils

Metal wear and polished edges with five pencils

Chips on the edges of hatches, polished patches around grab handles and exposed metal on step plates look convincing only when they are applied very sparingly. A pencil allows that better than a brush, because with the tip you touch exactly the spot where a human hand, a boot or a load would really rub.

The package offers Aluminum, Dark aluminum, Gold, Bronze and Copper. The pair of aluminum tones covers freshly scraped metal as well as older, dulled metal; the gold and bronze tones suit brass fittings, decorative features and cartridge cases, while the copper one suits piping, boilers and older hardware.

How to get the sheen

The pigment is metallic, so the result depends a great deal on pressure. A light pass leaves only a hint, while a firmer stroke creates a continuous mirror-like patch. Once dry the spot can be polished with a cloth or a soft eraser, which brings the highlight out even more.

Sealing is tricky, because a matte varnish suppresses the metallic sheen. So either leave the layer uncovered on models in a display case, or cover it with a gloss or satin layer and flatten only the surroundings. The lead can be dissolved with water, but for crisp bare metal leave it dry and press a little harder instead.

Combining it with oil paint works very well. First mark out with the tip the places where the metal is to show through, and only then darken the surroundings with a thin layer of rust or grease. It is precisely the contrast between dirtied surroundings and a clean patch that the eye reads as wear more strongly than the highlight on its own. On tracked vehicles do not forget the inner side of the fenders and the lower edges of the side skirts.