Heated Metal paint job

[Cieszlak]

I'm working on a jetpack exhaust and was wanting to add a heated metal paint job. I think it would be cool to add the neat color variations.
Something like this...

I was wondering though if I could accomplish that sort of look, or something similar, using a "color shift" paint.

 

[division 6]

Testors put's out a metallic paint called Jet Exhaust.

 

[Empiricus]

Alclad has you covered How To | Alclad2.com

 

[Cieszlak]

Testors put's out a metallic paint called Jet Exhaust.

Not what I'm looking for.

 

[Cieszlak]

Do you think using a "color shift" paint could work?

 

[Empiricus]

ALC-121 BURNT IRON
ALC-123 EXHUAST MANIFOLD
ALC-113 JET EXHAUST
ALC-104 PALE BURNT METAL

 

[Win7ermute]

Do you think using a "color shift" paint could work?

I think colour-shift would look gimmicky. The look you want is from a heat effect on paint that doesn't change in the light like that stuff does.

 

[brandomack]

Clear blue then clear purple nearest the heat source.

 

[FreddySchramm]

Dykem Red and blue Layout fluid are great for this if your base is already metallic. Its already thinned to perfection. It 's lacquer-based though so just a heads up. I used it to get this exhaust effect.

Also, a friend of mine told me about this ink legacy effects uses to get this sort of finish, Copic ink. Apparently, they use it there all the time. I haven't had a chance to use it yet but I'm told its already thinned for airbrush use and comes in every color you need.

 

[JOATRASH FX]

Also, a friend of mine told me about this ink legacy effects uses to get this sort of finish, Copic ink. Apparently, they use it there all the time. I haven't had a chance to use it yet but I'm told its already thinned for airbrush use and comes in every color you need.

One thing to keep in mind is that inks like Copic, used a lot by artists in advertising media, is almost never color-fast. They fade VERY quickly. (A lot of inks made for airbrushes fall into this category too, unless you get the kind specifically made for model making like Vallejo, MIG, Tamiya and so on!) This isn't an issue for a movie prop that will be used under during a short time of course, but very different if you want to display your prop.

From Copic's own website:
"Dyes are artificial material made through chemical processes and are not usually as archival as pigment products.
In general, dyes are susceptible to ultraviolet rays. Copic inks are a dye and Copic-colored images will fade under direct sunlight or fluorescent light. If your artwork with Copic will be put up in well-lighted area, it is better to seal it with a UV blocking seal. "

After reading that, I'd never risk using them on a model I want to keep and display. (My experience is that these types of ink will fade even under indirect sunlight.)

I would also suggest Alclad's purpose-made paints for simulating heat on metal. They are fantastic and what I use in my own builds. (In a pinch, Tamiya's clear acrylics are my second choice.)

Here's another tutorial: http://www.scaleautomag.com/how-to-models/how-to/2010/10/how-to-simulate-metal-using-alclad-paints

 

[DiggsBarklightr]

Do you think using a "color shift" paint could work?

Take a piece of scrap plastic or metal (whichever you are using) and try it. Sounds like you already have the paint on hand. Just remember that it will only shift colors when turned against light so it will most likely look as if one color was used.

 

[a438980]

Take a piece of scrap plastic or metal (whichever you are using) and try it. Sounds like you already have the paint on hand. Just remember that it will only shift colors when turned against light so it will most likely look as if one color was used.

That’s exactly what it will look like. I worked at a craft store that sold this kind of paint and I can safely say it just changes what color you see based on the angle. I compare it to a mallard duck’s feathers.

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

I thought Alclad was more for models or things you won't handle? I've used it once or twice and it doesn't seem like it would hold up well to wear.

 

[JOATRASH FX]

I thought Alclad was more for models or things you won't handle? I've used it once or twice and it doesn't seem like it would hold up well to wear.

You need to clear coat it with either a URETHANE-BASED clear OR use Alclad's special "Aqua Gloss Clear".

Urethane clears are available either as a 2-part automotive paint (REALLY durable, I use one from "House of Kolor") or as a water-based acrylic (Vallejo makes a great one). Note that Alclad's "Aqua" will go a little tacky with heavy handling of a prop. This tackiness doesn't seem to affect the finish, and it seems to subside after a while, but I always kinda get bugged by it so prefer to use a urethane clear over it instead. I think Future Floor Wax MAY be urethane-based but I've never tried it because they don't have it over here.

Also nóte that these clears also work great over other ultra-metallics, like Molotow chrome. The only thing you have to keep in mind is that if you lay on too-thin a coat, it may be impossible to mask off the surface if you need to, because the clear can peel. (Part of why it works is that the molecules don't bond or interact as strongly with the metallic.) So if you need to mask off areas, try to do the chrome last, or plan for some 'smart' masking.