Painting molten steel look, how is it done?

[shaun5603]

I want to try and achieve a molten steel look on few swords and other power weapons

the goal is to make it look the steel is harden near the bottom and still burning hot on the top.
What I have though was paint the sword to look like fire, blending layers of red, orange, yellows, and white near the verry tip, than about less than half way up paint a few layers of dark steel color. Adding chipping solution to that layer so the flame colors show up in spots.

Not sure on other ways to achieve this, maybe adding some light sliver tones to red to make it look like more of cooling effect,

Any one have any idears or ways to achieve this look

 

[Wyrmypops]

For the fiery parts, the red and yellows paints have always been the weak ones, makes blending with them slow with the amount of layers needed and to avoid the issue of paint clumping if we're drawn to put enough paint on to cover in one go. I prefer to blend from red to white, then cover that lot with some yellow ink-wash, it tints all the various pinks into the oranges and yellows.
After that any patches or edges of cooler steel could be picked out with black. Though it might be a sound idea to know where those areas will be early on, and ensure a few areas of yellow butt up against the darkness for some dramatic contrast. Or not, that may suit actual moving lava better than a static weapon.

 

[shaun5603]

Thanks for that, I never tried red to stright white. I always assumed it was red orange yellow than white.

Going to test that out, and see where it gets me.

 

[BloodFather of Kharnath]

I think that one of the keys to selling the effect is the amount if real estate used for each tone. I think you actually want quite a bit of white hot, not just a spot highlight. Other than keeping this in mind, your plan sounds very sound to me. Have you seen examples, real or otherwise, on the google machine? Maybe look at blades fresh from the forge. That's the look you want, I think...

 

[Kretcher]

One suggestion might be to go from red to blue to steel at the end. Not really molten steel but might give a good effect. Below is a pic from burning alchole to show the transition that I think might work on a sword, have never tried it out before thou....

View attachment 28305

Pic is from the following page http://www.mchalepacks.com/ultralight/Detail Hi Rez Pages/Alcohol Stove Sigg.htm

 

[shaun5603]

I have been looking at photos for awhile, and studying them just applying them to model is tricky part lol.

the blue flame is nice set up I use on my jet packs, to make look like there always on, never thought about that look on power weapons might look good on lighting claw.

good point on making the steel color on the tip to mimic the rest of the sword melting down. Going to have to partice this a few times before I try it on my units

 

[Stewsayer]

Hi Shaun,

This was my effort at what i think you are going for http://www.coolminiornot.com/pics/pics16/img4f3733ecce021.jpg.

Its been a while and I don't keep notes. I just eyeball the colours generally and mix it to match. I was going for used and abused blacksmith tools, call it dirty or blackened steel. I think I undercoated white. The base colour is a very dark blue grey tending to black, reserve the area you want 'heated' and keep it white. I wanted it to look pock marked so it was dotted with several graduations from the almost black up to a light blue keeping the dots small, I may also have used some dots of brown to give the impression of rust. It looks like I kept clear of the divide between hot and cold with the 'highlights' on the metal. This was in order to have the cold area really set off the hot area with sharp light to very dark transition. For the hot end I left areas white and glazed down yellow, orange, then red. The red layers cross the dividing line slightly to soften the transition to dark cool metal. I went nmm because I don't like metallic pigments much. But it does give the advantage of being able to control where the light is on the surface. You can do the same with glazes over metallics of course. But your bright reflections off the metallic pigments will nearly always appear brighter than your flat white hotspot on the hot area.

Hope that helps.

 

[BloodFather of Kharnath]

Stew that looks great mate. Is that a chaos dwarf? What line is it? Anyway,I'll have to hit you up down the line when my Chaos Dwarfs start rolling in

 

[shaun5603]

@ stew; thanks for that image that captures one of the looks I was going for.

I may shade it more metallic sliver hue to give it the appearance of forming the weapon.

However capturing that look on flamer barrels would look awsome.

 

[BloodFather of Kharnath]

Plz follow up with pics. All too often there are excellent questions on here with even better answers. But without pics to follow up with, it's tough for people using this thread for help later to see if the advice was helpful.

 

[MAXXxxx]

Plz follow up with pics. All too often there are excellent questions on here with even better answers. But without pics to follow up with, it's tough for people using this thread for help later to see if the advice was helpful.

I second that one. I absolutely have no idea about:
- how your painting looks currently
- how that effect looks in other minis.
- how does it look anyway, can't really imagine it. The closest idea I have is this painting from a frind of mine: http://figurafestes.blog.hu/2007/11/11/armourer_kard_penge

 

[shaun5603]

I plan on posting photos in future, as now I am traveling way to much for work to find time to log everything in post photos. I usually take one or two items with me and work on them. Gives me a lot of time to spend on each as a posed to rushing to paint 5 or 6 marines at time. Each one of marines has subtle changes to hue on there armor. After switching to scale 75 paints and relearning to work them, I can see my painting is improving, however it's still way off from outstanding works I have seen on here, and with all you more exspearnice painters offer tips and advice. It's only helping me out further. And I greatly appreciate it.

My next endeavor is mimic the molten look on to amour of librarian, trying to make it appear that energy he is emitting is turning is armor in more of living armor, and able to look more fluid and have a mirror like finish. I clearly setting my standers way outside of painting level however, it's worth a shot to try and get it as close as possible.

Not even sure how I am going to start this tho

 

[BloodFather of Kharnath]

I plan on posting photos in future, as now I am traveling way to much for work to find time to log everything in post photos. I usually take one or two items with me and work on them. Gives me a lot of time to spend on each as a posed to rushing to paint 5 or 6 marines at time. Each one of marines has subtle changes to hue on there armor. After switching to scale 75 paints and relearning to work them, I can see my painting is improving, however it's still way off from outstanding works I have seen on here, and with all you more exspearnice painters offer tips and advice. It's only helping me out further. And I greatly appreciate it.

Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Sometimes it's nice to do things like that. Just set a small goal and focus on perfection. This is how we improve. Oh, and don't give the paint too much credit. I'm sure what is more likely is that your own technical aptitude is increasing.

My next endeavor is mimic the molten look on to amour of librarian, trying to make it appear that energy he is emitting is turning is armor in more of living armor, and able to look more fluid and have a mirror like finish. I clearly setting my standers way outside of painting level however, it's worth a shot to try and get it as close as possible.

Not even sure how I am going to start this tho

i do things the same way. Nothing wrong with setting your standards waaay high. This is the best way to get better. My belief is that once you are no longer a beginner painter, and you have tackled the basic skills, that there is really nothing stopping you from tackling every skill set. Why wouldn't u? I bet that if you truly set your sights on it, you could freehand renaissance art. There is really no limit mate.

 

[safetyhippo]

I love this idea, this could be marvelous for basing in the future at least. Please post pictures if you work it out. I'll try my hand at it some time this week to see what I can come up with.

 

[Dragonsreach]

I do things the same way. Nothing wrong with setting your standards waaay high. This is the best way to get better. My belief is that once you are no longer a beginner painter, and you have tackled the basic skills, that there is really nothing stopping you from tackling every skill set. Why wouldn't u? I bet that if you truly set your sights on it, you could freehand renaissance art. There is really no limit mate.

'Ain't no power in the 'verse can stop you.

 

[shaun5603]

Was able to get a little bit, at first it look like dull rainbow, i think i put the paint on too thick and it didn't blend well. Having to go back on road for work heading to over Europe for few weeks i don't think i will have much time on my hand.

One think i did notice is using different types of glosses does give off more flowing effect, and adding some matt gloss will make some parts look like there "cooling" off.