Looking for the ultimate chrome gold (mirror gold) effect

[Jinouga]

hello there! Im new to this group and made a account here because i recently started using a airbrush. i plan to use this mostly on armor pieces made from foam and coated with plastidip. i always coated it with spraypaint but recently started using a (failry cheap) airbrush and so far im liking it

now i googled some brands that work well with chrom/Mirror paint and im using Vallejo game air in glorious gold in the picture

the right one is on top of a glossy black
and left one is with a chrom on top.

im loving the black glossy based one i think it looks very pretty.. but i want it even shinier!! (see example picture)
now here i need some advice how can i achieve even more of a mirror effect in my gold?
any tips? wondering is a specific glossy black brand would change the effects? or im missing a few steps in between?

would love to get that ultimate chrome effect so if you have some advice or experience let me know!

 

[JackEb]

Hi, welcome to the forum,

Your first post and very little info about what brush you are using, where you reside..... maybe head across to the intro section http://www.airbrushforum.org/introductions/ and give us a little more info will help us guide you to local suppliers.

As for your question there are several brands of paint that will give you the result you require.
One that has recently hit the market is from AutoAir

This is the Gold, https://autoaircolors.com/custom-automotive-paint/4105.html
This is the Chrome, https://autoaircolors.com/custom-automotive-paint/4104.html - you can also add some of the Candy 2.0 to it to give an anodised look
With either of these two products make sure you are wearing the appropriate respirator, although both are a water based product both the liquid and vapor are highly flammable.

I know there are other products out there but these are the only two that I'm semi familiar with

 

[Robbyrockett2]

Im not familiar with the ones you are using but I know that on many, many types that are meant to go over gloss black you will get the results you have by putting too much on. It has to be put on so thin that it is still transparent.. and sometimes sprayed with water after it flashes off. Also the effect is better if you give the black an extended dry time, like 24 hrs.

Since your post is asking about the ultimate gold chrome effect.... Alsa chrome fx with candy on top would be it. For small amounts of basically the same mirroring solutions look at angelguilding.com

 

[Jinouga]

Im not familiar with the ones you are using but I know that on many, many types that are meant to go over gloss black you will get the results you have by putting too much on. It has to be put on so thin that it is still transparent.. and sometimes sprayed with water after it flashes off. Also the effect is better if you give the black an extended dry time, like 24 hrs.

Since your post is asking about the ultimate gold chrome effect.... Alsa chrome fx with candy on top would be it. For small amounts of basically the same mirroring solutions look at angelguilding.com

i will try to do it again soon but thinner layers. thank you
i know others have turned the paint im using into a chrome effect so it is possible then again im really new to it any trying things out .
was also wondering if a specific glossy paint underneath would also make a difference or if you could just use any glossy black paint.
in the meantime i have found a way to make the already glossy black paint i have a even more reflection. im hoping this in combination with thinner layers would make a difference.

also maybe stupid question but is it then also better to use alot more airbrush thinner with the paint or will that make it too watery and weird?

 

[Jinouga]

Hi, welcome to the forum,

Your first post and very little info about what brush you are using, where you reside..... maybe head across to the intro section http://www.airbrushforum.org/introductions/ and give us a little more info will help us guide you to local suppliers.

As for your question there are several brands of paint that will give you the result you require.
One that has recently hit the market is from AutoAir

This is the Gold, https://autoaircolors.com/custom-automotive-paint/4105.html
This is the Chrome, https://autoaircolors.com/custom-automotive-paint/4104.html - you can also add some of the Candy 2.0 to it to give an anodised look
With either of these two products make sure you are wearing the appropriate respirator, although both are a water based product both the liquid and vapor are highly flammable.

I know there are other products out there but these are the only two that I'm semi familiar with

Hey! i didn't think it would matter as much what brush i was using sorry :O im from the netherlands so i either get stuff abroad but vallejo paint im using happens to be sold here online.
thank you for that paint brand will look into it and research it

 

[Jinouga]

oh and i also heard something about buffing it afterwards? does anyone has experience with that?

 

[Jinouga]

here is the improved glossy black i did (on the left)

 

[HellBird]

here is the improved glossy black i did (on the left)

That looks very nice. Definitely will help achieve a more mirrored effect. What did you do differently, if I may ask, besides thinner layers?

 

[Jinouga]

That looks very nice. Definitely will help achieve a more mirrored effect. What did you do differently, if I may ask, besides thinner layers?

with the black one i didn't do thinner layers yet but i plan to do this with the gold thats gonna be on top of it.
on the right its the glossy black that i had. on the left its the same glossy black but i added a layer of transparent lacquer on top of the glossy black wich made a huge difference so im happy it helped

 

[Malky]

Hey! i didn't think it would matter as much what brush i was using sorry :O im from the netherlands so i either get stuff abroad but vallejo paint im using happens to be sold here online.
thank you for that paint brand will look into it and research it

If you are in the Netherlands, doesn't Lion Art have you need or Airbrush Almera, I know Airbrush Almera sells Vallejo.

Lion Art is a member here and he does automotive and custom work as well as selling Createx products.

 

[Jinouga]

If you are in the Netherlands, doesn't Lion Art have you need or Airbrush Almera, I know Airbrush Almera sells Vallejo.

Lion Art is a member here and he does automotive and custom work as well as selling Createx products.

but i already have vallejo paint :O i have the paints i needed

 

[Malky]

but i already have vallejo paint :O i have the paints i needed

No problem, but both of these guys can give you loads of advice on your original question in case you find it easier in your own language

 

[jord001]

Try getting some Alclad II Chrome over a gloss black base and gold candy or Alclad II mirrored gold for lexan may work.

Lee

 

[erwin de pan]

I know that Lionart has a lot of experience with chrome paint.
He also has examples in the store.
What strikes me is that there is a lot of chrome paint that looks beautiful but after a layer of varnish the effect is a lot less.
He has paint that also has the chrome effect after a few layers of varnish.
I know you want gold, I think you have the best effect with a chrome surface and candy over it.

 

[Robbyrockett2]

i will try to do it again soon but thinner layers. thank you
i know others have turned the paint im using into a chrome effect so it is possible then again im really new to it any trying things out .
was also wondering if a specific glossy paint underneath would also make a difference or if you could just use any glossy black paint.
in the meantime i have found a way to make the already glossy black paint i have a even more reflection. im hoping this in combination with thinner layers would make a difference.

also maybe stupid question but is it then also better to use alot more airbrush thinner with the paint or will that make it too watery and weird?

I don't think you need any specific gloss black, any that is compatible should be fine.
The allclad @jord001 mentioned is good stuff too thats pretty easy to get what your after.
You will probably have to thin it more in order to get the super thin transparent layer you need for a chrome effect....... Too much thinning with a metallic can make it grainy but how much is too much is really specific to your paint. Not having done it with your paint IDK???
In general you thin it down quite a bit and spray from as far as you can without dry spraying, at higher pressure than usual so that you are basically dusting on well atomized overspray. Give it a second or two to lay down after each pass so you can see what youve actually got going on.
You did great achieving a high gloss on the lacquered one, much better flow out there.
With that good of flow out I doubt you will need to buff.
If you want to try it there isnt much to it....wet Sand at 800 then 1200 then 1500 and buff with rubbing compound. (some compounds youll need to go to 2000) Thats pretty much it, the rest is just practice.
Unless you are talking about buffing your metallic layer, In that case its just a quick dry rub with a polishing cloth.
I think youve got the black part well figured out...... Basically all the systems made to do what you want would have an easy time over the finish you have. I dont think its going to take you much more work with the metallic part to be where you want to be. Wish I could help more with the vallejo but ive only used some of the silver colored types that are meant for a mirrored effect and they all work very very similar so far.
Anything I can tell you is based on the assumption that the vallejo gold over gloss black will work the same way.....

 

[Robbyrockett2]

So for fun I experimented a little. I'll get you some pictures tonight or tomorrow
I used a multisurface craft paint in metallic gold over some cheapo gloss black enamel spray paint thats not very glossy at all.
What i found was that you could definitely get more of a chrome effect than what you had, however Not to the point of your example of what you want. I can tell you for certain that example is candy over some mirroring or chrome effect paint, you can see where its pooled up in the spoons crevices.

I made the paint very thin. Basically thinned it to normal for spraying well, then mixed that 1:1.
Sprayed at about 40psi from about 20" away with quick passes....you could barely tell anything went on at all and allowed a minute between passes to flash it off.

The effect is an illusion. If you look very closely youll see the speckles and its only maybe 60-75% covering the black. If your paint is ground finer, which vallejo probably is then you can probably go up to about 80%, You do about 90% with the paints meant for this. This means for good effect that it will look much darker than the gold color you use. This is what makes candy over a silver more effective.

I then lightly polished with a clean loose sisal pad on a dremel with no compound.
When i post pics it may or may not be with clear on it....we'll see, depends if its raining when i get home.

 

[Lion-Art]

We tested a lot of chrome paint and far out the best is the one from Molotow you don't need an black high gloss surface only an smooth surface the smoother the better. The paint itself is quite strong the only problem we have found when we clear it wit an 2k clear. It get also less shiny but some how the chrome paint loose it adhesion and can come of. We never tried it with an water based clear over it. But the mirror effect is the best. To get gold then you can put an Candy2O yellow over it.

 

[Jinouga]

So for fun I experimented a little. I'll get you some pictures tonight or tomorrow
I used a multisurface craft paint in metallic gold over some cheapo gloss black enamel spray paint thats not very glossy at all.
What i found was that you could definitely get more of a chrome effect than what you had, however Not to the point of your example of what you want. I can tell you for certain that example is candy over some mirroring or chrome effect paint, you can see where its pooled up in the spoons crevices.

I made the paint very thin. Basically thinned it to normal for spraying well, then mixed that 1:1.
Sprayed at about 40psi from about 20" away with quick passes....you could barely tell anything went on at all and allowed a minute between passes to flash it off.

The effect is an illusion. If you look very closely youll see the speckles and its only maybe 60-75% covering the black. If your paint is ground finer, which vallejo probably is then you can probably go up to about 80%, You do about 90% with the paints meant for this. This means for good effect that it will look much darker than the gold color you use. This is what makes candy over a silver more effective.

I then lightly polished with a clean loose sisal pad on a dremel with no compound.
When i post pics it may or may not be with clear on it....we'll see, depends if its raining when i get home.

sorry for the late reply but thank you so much for trying out! these tips help alot and i will definetly try them out!

 

[Jinouga]

We tested a lot of chrome paint and far out the best is the one from Molotow you don't need an black high gloss surface only an smooth surface the smoother the better. The paint itself is quite strong the only problem we have found when we clear it wit an 2k clear. It get also less shiny but some how the chrome paint loose it adhesion and can come of. We never tried it with an water based clear over it. But the mirror effect is the best. To get gold then you can put an Candy2O yellow over it.

sorry for the late reply.
thanks ill look into molotow! it should be doable with a glossy black i have seen it done before but ill do some research on Molotow and candy2O yellow!