Painting Insect Wings?

[cheetor]

I have a few Starship Troopers Hopper bugs that I hope to paint up soon.

The models are supplied in plastic, with grey plastic wings.

Do any of you guys have good recipes for painting insect wings?  Something that isnt too laborious is preferred but any examples or advice will be gladly taken

[fastolfrus]

Perhaps something with a metallic sheen ?
A car spray perhaps, although I've seen some metallic household paint in Poundland this week (but no idea how it works out)

[rob_alderman]

Someone on the MGP forums painted theirs with 2 tone car spray paint. That was cool, but it seems to be quite expensive in the UK and Eire.

[cheetor]

Perhaps something with a metallic sheen ?

It seems to me that there are two different potential looks: the metallic one and that almost rainbow, oil-like coloured effect that I could strive for.  I am just a bit wary that it will just turn out as a big, ugly mess.

Someone on the MGP forums painted theirs with 2 tone car spray paint.

You dont have a link by any chance do you?  Some examples that I may be able to reverse engineer would be great.

Thanks for the feedback guys.

[dijit]

I've seen somewhere some paint Tyranids and some visors with that twotone spray paint. IIRC it was tamiya that produced it.

[Centaur_Seducer]

Ive seen a quick thing that looks nice.
Prime with black, drybrush really hard with mithril silver and than wash with some purple and green.

[cheetor]

Ive seen a quick thing that looks nice.
Prime with black, drybrush really hard with mithril silver and than wash with some purple and green.

That is pretty much exactly the direction that I plan to take.  I will have to try it out on something else first in case I cock up the figures but currently thats the plan

[rob_alderman]

You dont have a link by any chance do you?  Some examples that I may be able to reverse engineer would be great.

Thanks for the feedback guys.

Afraid not, that was about 4 years ago now!!! 

I recall it being in an old Signs and Portents online magazine though. You could email Matt at MGP asking whether I'm right.

Had a look at my Skinnies army today, oh those were the days, Tournaments at Mongoose. Being laughed at for my stupidity and innocence. 

[Centaur_Seducer]

That is pretty much exactly the direction that I plan to take.  I will have to try it out on something else first in case I cock up the figures but currently thats the plan

Great
I wrote the earlier message in a haste, so it should be added that you can experiment with varnishing the surface before you start to add the washes.

By the way, experimenting on other stuff is just plain cheating

[Verderer]

How about replacing the wings with transparent plastic sheet cut in suitable shapes, and then inking them a bit for that oily look?