Painting Chrome

The place for straight-talking on painting techniques, supplies, and other mini-painting topics. Link to your paintjobs here, if you want to know what we *really* think!

Moderator: FU!UK Committee

Painting Chrome

Postby SteveI42 » Tue Apr 22, 2014 8:39 am

I'm thinking of painting a couple of walkers and fancy doing them in a high shine chrome finish. Has anyone got suggestions for paint combinations and styles that would work for this idea? Would need to be easy to do and easily replicated as I'm a cack handed numpty when it comes to painting :D
SteveI42
 
Posts: 93
Joined: Sun Jan 05, 2014 8:44 am

Re: Painting Chrome

Postby OrlandotheTechnicoloured » Tue Apr 22, 2014 8:56 am

Alclad Chrome if you've got an airbrush (nasty toxic stuff though)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AKxXZXTcY4

not my video but give a good example of how to use.
User avatar
OrlandotheTechnicoloured
 
Posts: 659
Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2012 9:56 pm
Location: UK

Re: Painting Chrome

Postby Big Jim » Tue Apr 22, 2014 11:48 am

Humbrol used to do an enamel chrome, might be easier than Alclad.
User avatar
Big Jim
 
Posts: 523
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 5:00 pm
Location: Bristol

Re: Painting Chrome

Postby Duff » Tue Apr 22, 2014 11:57 am

The stuff you will be painting is too small for chrome to work, it will just make it look toy like. The only effective way to do chrome on a miniature is SENMM but that is notoriously difficult to get right and only really works in photos or on very small areas.
broney wrote:You weren't there man! How many stiles are there on the Offa's Dyke Walk? You don't know Man!


Image
User avatar
Duff
Associate Member
 
Posts: 5568
Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2004 12:08 am
Location: Nr Brizel

Re: Painting Chrome

Postby Klingsor » Tue Apr 22, 2014 1:18 pm

Some of the model aircraft crowd use foil, rubbing it down over the aircraft. Probably not shiny enough and a bit too bonkers though.
User avatar
Klingsor
 
Posts: 290
Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2007 4:02 pm

Re: Painting Chrome

Postby SteveI42 » Tue Apr 22, 2014 4:20 pm

Thanks for the replies chaps.
Assuming they are too small for chrome to work properly what would be a good way to do a shinyish metal finish?
SteveI42
 
Posts: 93
Joined: Sun Jan 05, 2014 8:44 am

Re: Painting Chrome

Postby KingSkin » Tue Apr 22, 2014 4:22 pm

You could try using NMM techniques but with metallic paints. Can look really good but I doubt I could pull it off myself (I'm also in the "cack-handed numpty" painter category).
"Not gods, but Englishmen. The next best thing."

Profanity is the crutch of inarticulate motherfuckers.

Image
User avatar
KingSkin
 
Posts: 883
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2009 6:59 pm
Location: Southampton

Re: Painting Chrome

Postby Duff » Tue Apr 22, 2014 4:41 pm

KingSkin wrote:You could try using NMM techniques but with metallic paints. Can look really good but I doubt I could pull it off myself (I'm also in the "cack-handed numpty" painter category).


I'd go with that. Adding some top highlight to the underside of any metallic areas should give you the effect you are after.
broney wrote:You weren't there man! How many stiles are there on the Offa's Dyke Walk? You don't know Man!


Image
User avatar
Duff
Associate Member
 
Posts: 5568
Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2004 12:08 am
Location: Nr Brizel

Re: Painting Chrome

Postby The Masked Frother » Tue Apr 22, 2014 5:42 pm

The thing with chrome is shouldn't it show reflections?

I'm pretty sure that in Poser the file that is sometimes used to render chrome surfaces is an image of some fancy sportscar with all it's reflections. And when that is mapped onto a surface it gives it a reflective look b/c only a small part of the image is used in any one spot.
User avatar
The Masked Frother
 
Posts: 1359
Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2004 10:01 pm

Re: Painting Chrome

Postby andrewb » Tue Apr 22, 2014 7:19 pm

Klingsor wrote:Some of the model aircraft crowd use foil, rubbing it down over the aircraft. Probably not shiny enough and a bit too bonkers though.


The stuff you are talking about is shiny - have a look at http://www.bare-metal.com/Using-Bare-Metal-Foil.html or the Hasegawa Mirror finish range - both like flat surfaces though and silver is the closest to chrome from Hasegawa

If you want a small area try the model master range - can be hard to find but works well for RC cars

Tamiya do a pen - looks neat but they can rub off and I have never tried coating them with varnish...
andrewb
 
Posts: 788
Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2010 11:52 am
Location: South of the North Pole

Next

Return to Painters Unite! UK Forum

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 23 guests