True Metallic Metal is a paint range designed for creating realistic metallic finishes on fantasy, historical, and wargaming miniatures. Developed using Vallejo’s BSL painting system, the range includes 20 color families, each composed of four sub-ranges for specific applications.
Bases — 20 metallic paints that span the full chromatic spectrum. Featuring a new formulation with ultra-fine metallic pigments, these colors deliver a striking finish with a scale-appropriate shine. Their high coverage makes them ideal for basecoating over both black and white primers, with a smooth, even finish and excellent self-leveling properties that minimize brush marks. Colors can be mixed together to create new tones.
Light — 20 metallic highlight colors designed to brighten the Base tones. These are lighter, more luminous versions of the 20 Base colors and can be blended in different ratios to achieve intermediate highlights. Their fine finish allows for seamless transitions and smooth color gradients.
Shade — 20 washes formulated to shade the Base colors. Based on the Xpress Color technology and featuring
a satin finish that preserves the metallic shine, these are darker, non-metallic versions of the Base tones. Their rich pigmentation and controlled flow enable subtle shading in midtones and strong definition in recessed areas, without compromising the intensity of the original color. They can be diluted with water to create gradient effects in the shadows, and the colors are fully mixable. Their fluid consistency also allows airbrush use without the need for thinning. It is important to allow proper drying time before applying subsequent steps.
Airbrush — 20 base colors specifically formulated for airbrush application. Airbrush colors match the Base range chromatically, enabling fast, even basecoats with excellent color intensity. They are ready to use straight from the bottle, though they can be thinned with Airbrush Thinner for more subtle effects. Excessive thinning may lead to uneven finishes. For optimal results, use a 0.3 mm needle and 2 bar (29 psi) pressure to avoid clogging the nozzle.
