Painting Mail?

[SJWi]

Good morning fellow LAF-ers. This may appear an odd request as I have been painting ancient and medieval figures for many, many years.  However I'm just about to embark painting come Caballero Miniatures 11th century Spanish and want to finish the mail coats in a "shinier" finish than usual. Normally I use Vallejo "oily steel" drybrushed over gunmetal.  I was rather inspired by some of the pictures in the Midgard rulebook and am wondering what paints people use to get a "brighter" finish on their troops mail coats.

Thanks

[Daeothar]

I still use an old pot of Mithril Silver for extreme highlights on silvery and gold metal surfaces. I also have the Vallejo Game Color variant, which is simply called Silver IIRC.

When I want things overall shinier, I tend to start a step up from Oily Steel; Gunmetal, then on to the one above (the name eludes me right now) and finally the aforementioned silver. All of the above are Vallejo Game Colors btw.

Hope that helps...

[zemjw]

I tend to basecoat with Vallejo gunmetal, then highlight with Vallejo Natural Steel (possibly the one Daeothor was referring to, although I use the model colours rather than the game colours).

I have switched to citadel base Iron Warriors recently for the basecoat, as I find it flows better than my Vallejo gunmetal (although that might just be the age of the bottle).

[JollyBob]

You could try basecoating with your normal mid-tone, shading with a dark blue wash then highlight with pure silver.

[Atheling]

1/ Paint with dark mix of Citadel Leadbelcher and Andrea Matt /Black (the most matt black out there)

2/ Hight light with Citadel Ironbreaker then lightly with Citadel Runefang Steel.

3/ Apply wash of Nuln Oil

4/ Very gently highlight with Citadel Ironbreaker then even more lightly with Citadel Runefang Steel.

Hightlights can be drybrushed or painted on.

Examples below.....

[SJWi]

Chaps, many thanks for the prompt replies.  I should have said that I currently do use a base of Vallejo gunmetal, and then a drybrush of "oily steel".  What I was after are the suggestions for a "lighter/more silver" look which you have given me. I do have Vallejo "natural steel" but have never managed to get it out of the bottle in a fit state to paint with. Maybe I'll give it another go. I will also look at the Citadel suggestions.

   

[Wilgut Spleens]

Chaps, many thanks for the prompt replies.  I should have said that I currently do use a base of Vallejo gunmetal, and then a drybrush of "oily steel".  What I was after are the suggestions for a "lighter/more silver" look which you have given me. I do have Vallejo "natural steel" but have never managed to get it out of the bottle in a fit state to paint with. Maybe I'll give it another go. I will also look at the Citadel suggestions.

   

The brighter and shinier the metal colour the longer and harder you must shake the pot! I like Army Painter Shining Silver as my brightsteel colour ,with a light was of either Nuln Oil mixed with Agrax or for a bright finish a light wash of Tyran Blue

[Atheling]

Chaps, many thanks for the prompt replies.  I should have said that I currently do use a base of Vallejo gunmetal, and then a drybrush of "oily steel".  What I was after are the suggestions for a "lighter/more silver" look which you have given me. I do have Vallejo "natural steel" but have never managed to get it out of the bottle in a fit state to paint with. Maybe I'll give it another go. I will also look at the Citadel suggestions.

   

In that case, Citadel Leadbelcher and a wash of Army Painter Strong Tone mixed with one third Army Painter Warpaints Mixing Medium (this will allow the wash to permeate all the negative spaces in the sculpt and also allow for complete coverage of the mail- where with just the wash it would run off the highest points).

This is the simplest method and the "shiniest".

[Melnibonean]

Gun Metal - Black wash (of you own choosing) - Drybrush with Vallejo, Polished Aluminium.

[Basementboy]

I do a Citadel Leadbelcher base, followed by a brown wash- I quite like the dirty look it gives