Anyone know of pearlescent effect paint?

[6milPhil]

I was reading about an pearlescent effect paint on a blog somewhere and now I can't find it, and googling has just brought me to various pages of little use, including a Martha Stewart one...  

I'm wanting to replicate the kind of petrol tint which dragon fly wings have, and the original blog mentioned it for exactly that... does it ring any bells with anyone?

Thanks in anticipation.

[Vermis]

I know Daler-Rowney does a pearlescent acrylic medium, as well as a small range of something else... I'll take a look.

Edit: Here you go.  Pearlescent tinting medium and 'shimmering' interference colours.  No pics* but it shouldn't be difficult to google up a few; although it's debateable if the full effect would show up in them anyway.

*Edit edit: apart from the colour chart download on the page. 

Thought of using some of them on some Starship Troopers bugs yonks ago... never got the opportunity.  I'm still interested in how it turns out - post up a few pics sometime?  And can you remember which blog that was?

[Skyven]

I've used Golden Interference paints before. Great for bird wings and oil puddles

http://www.goldenpaints.com/technicaldata/faq/viii_char.php

http://www.goldenpaints.com/products/color/fluid/fldinter1.php

Note that these effects are produced by tiny pieces of mica in the paint which reflect light back in different directions and cause interference patterns in the light. The effect can be ruined by applying too thick a coat of varnish over the top.

[Svennn]

Yes there are some available.  I have used coloured inks and tube acrylics in the past, pretty sure they were Daler Rowney ones too.

I have sent you a pm

Svennn

[FramFramson]

Jimbibbly had a good recipe for pearly paint here: http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=52073.msg612155#msg612155

[tanktastic43]

For what it's worth, in the early 90's, when I used to manage a model shop, Revell had a 'pearlescent' varnish.
I don't know if they still do, but it may be worth a looksee.

tt43.

[6milPhil]

Thanks everyone much appreciated. 

Thought of using some of them on some Starship Troopers bugs yonks ago... never got the opportunity.  I'm still interested in how it turns out - post up a few pics sometime?  And can you remember which blog that was?

Ah funny you should mention that because with me being constantly on the cutting edge of modern gaming it was for some OOP mongoose Hopper Bugs, on the wings. Yep I will be posting bug photos.

[Brandlin]

I never had good experience with these paints.

The paints themselves are fine for what they're designed for... Cars bikes, large scale art. But, the pigment size is quite large and the surfaces you're likely to use them on painting figures are very small. This combines to mean the paint can be very grainy and the area not big enough to create the desired effect.

My results tended to be grainy and a mishmash of the two colours rather than the colour change effect.

Good luck though.

[Col. Aubrey Bagshot]

I bought some a few years ago in a craft shop, and then later on ebay.
They come in little round pots and are designed for stamping and scrapbooking...
And are called cosmic shimmer

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cosmic-Shimmer-Stackable-Watercolour-Paint-Pastel-Pink-/290666259620?pt=UK_Crafts_DrawingSupplies_EH&hash=item43ad0f24a4

They are solid and need to be made into paint with water... like old school watercolour paints...

They actually work VERY well indeed and come in many colours...
I used them on my nids and on some Infinity Combined Army...

[6milPhil]

Thanks everyone.

I never had good experience with these paints.

... This combines to mean the paint can be very grainy and the area not big enough to create the desired effect.

Thanks for the warning, Svenn is generously sending me some powder which I shall pestle and mortar before mixing.

[Cherno]

By the way, there has definitely been a thread about this kind of paint here on LAF, I know it because I posted it or even created it with the picture of some sc-fi hover vehicle painted with it.