Burnt metal finish?

TheIrishAvenger · Post by **TheIrishAvenger** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 4:37 pm

Hey all,

Working on a scratchbuilt classic UFO type project, and want to create a metallic finish to it that has a burnt or superheated look to it. I was thinking of overall silvery, with maybe some coppery, bronzed, or brass tones blended in to it to give it a “heated weathered” look, if you will. Would anyone have any ideas as to how to go about it? I’ve never worked with Alclad products, but thought this might be the way to go. Thoughts?

Chris

photoguy · Post by **photoguy** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 5:04 pm

Go take a look at a motorcycle's stainless steel exhaust. When it gets super hot, it turns a blue/purple - especially around the exhaust tips.

Paint the part silver, or aluminum, or whatever your base metal color of choice, and then spray a LIGHT coat of transparent blue followed by an even lighter touch with transparent purple - feathering the color from the tips of your exhaust back toward the root. coat the inside of the exhaust with flat black, and a little black wash on the outside (if you want it to be dirty) and 'Ta-Dah' Burned metal.

Romulan Spy · Post by **Romulan Spy** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 5:51 pm

Tamiya's transparent acrylic colors are excellent for this. They go on clear so that the undercoat shows through, but you can add plenty of clear gloss and thinner to make it real subtle. That way the color builds up nice and slow, making the effect more controllable.

Shinnentai · Post by **Shinnentai** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 9:20 pm

Steel blue Dykem marking fluid, maybe. It's clear blue like the Tamiya paint, but there's something about how it dries that gives it a metallic-looking purple specular effect on top of the blue. IIRC this is what was used to create the purple metallic sheen on the Refit Enterprise's warp grills (when you paint it on a black base, only the purple specularity shows up).

There's also pastel and pigment powders. Tamiya and Mig both make "burnt metal" colors for exactly this IIRC, and Pearl-Ex makes a bunch of different color metallic pigment powders which can be used in similar fashion. The Tamiya ones are carried in the SM store.

TheIrishAvenger · Post by **TheIrishAvenger** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 9:36 pm

Wow, didn't realize Tamiya had expanded their lineup on those weathering kits. I might try those out. That looks intriguing.

I got a spare piece of plastic to do some test runs on also, so we'll see how it goes the next few weeks.

Thanks, guys!

Chris

Mr. Badwrench · Post by **Mr. Badwrench** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 10:02 pm

I recommend Photoguy and Romulan Spy's method for this. I've had very good luck by airbrushing, in this order, gloss black, Alclad chrome, then an uneven coat of Alclad burnt metal, followed by a very light coat of transparent burgundy lacquer, (only around the edges), and transparent blue lacquer, in a soft line right behind the burgundy. Here is an example. I use lacquers, but Tamiya transparent colors will work as well if not better. If you have not used Alclad lacquers, try them at once. Once you do, you'll never go back to anything else for metallic paints.

bluesman · Post by **bluesman** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:56 am

Also look for color pictures of an F100 for reference

The back end of that thing got so hot it would burn off the paint. Even the green and brown Viet Nam F100 had burnt metal back ends.

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 1:04 pm

I've used Alclad & Tamiya weathering sets for this effect in the past. You can't beat Alclad for shine metal look and their Burnt Metal is dead on for burnt metal. Then add in some powder from Tamiya Weathering Set D for that spiff color look and you're done.

TheIrishAvenger · Post by **TheIrishAvenger** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:58 am

Yep, did some reading up on Alclad, and that looks like the way I'm gonna go. That and those weathering powders.

Thanks again,all!

Chris