Guide to Mr. Hobby's Metallic Paints
Text: Josef Blažek
Achieving a metallic look on plastic model parts is one of the biggest challenges for any plastic modeler. No matter what kind of plastic models we’re building, plain silver paint is rarely enough. The Japanese manufacturer Mr. Hobby offers several specific lines of metallic paints designed to create an authentic metallic finish; however, each product line is based on a different technology, requiring a distinct approach, and each is also suited for a different type of surface. In this part of our article series on Mr.Hobby products, we’ll take a detailed look at them, including all the application tips, so that everyone always knows exactly which product to reach for – not just for the upcoming new MiG – 15 kit.
Mr.Metal Color – Polishable Paints
This line of metallic paints stands out significantly among Mr. Hobby’s products. After applying these paints – whether you spray them or brush them on – they’ll surprise you with their mostly matte and subdued appearance. At first glance, you might be disappointed and expect more. However, the magic of Mr.Metal Color paints only becomes apparent when you use a soft cloth or a regular cotton swab to gently rub or polish the surface. Suddenly, a realistic, high – gloss metallic finish begins to emerge. These paints are ideal, i.e., for engines, exhaust pipes, or gun barrels – in other words, for areas where we want to depict varying degrees of wear and polish on the metal depending on its use. For thinning, I recommend using the original standard Mr.Color Thinner. As a useful application tip, I suggest applying the paint with a semidry brush directly onto intricate details. Here, the paint polishes only on the raised edges, thereby enhancing the overall three – dimensionality of the surface. A downside of Mr.Metal Color paints is their lower mechanical resistance. Even after curing and drying, the surface remains somewhat sensitive to abrasion. One solution is to seal it with a glossy varnish, but a layer of varnish will always dampen the metallic effect. It is essential not to use lacquer – based varnishes (C, GX, and GGX series), as they activate the metallic pigment and thus negate the polished metallic effect. If we need to apply a protective varnish to the surface, a reliable solution is to use a varnish from the H series, specifically Mr.Hobby Aqueous H20 Clear (thinned with Aqueous Hobby Color Thinner T110 / T111), which is water-based and therefore does not activate the metallic pigment in Mr.Metal Color paints; however, we will still lose some of the metallic effect. It is therefore ideal not to apply a clear coat over surfaces painted with Mr.Metal Color and to use these paints only in areas that will not be subject to mechanical wear.
Mr.Color Super Metallic (Original SM01–SM06 Series)
Before the current generation of paints was introduced, the Mr.Color Super Metallic line was available on the market, featuring shades ranging from SM01 to SM08. The older line offered an excellent solution for depicting metallic surfaces and earned a good reputation among modelers for its mechanical durability and fine metallic pigment. Over time, however, the manufacturer, GSI Creos, replaced it - as part of technological development - with the newer, now commonly available Super Metallic 2 generation (SM201–SM212), which features an improved formula. When diluting these paints, we follow a similar procedure as with Mr.Color Super Metallic 2, which we’ll discuss in detail in the following paragraph. Thanks to their specific chemical composition, the original shades provide a very hard and durable finish that easily withstands masking and subsequent weathering techniques. Be prepared for a slightly stronger odor during application.
Mr.Color Super Metallic 2
The Super Metallic 2 series is the ideal choice for creating a surface that faithfully create a metallic appearance in areas where we will continue to work on the model (touching it and applying weathering). These are lacquer paints, similar to those we are accustomed to using with the C, GX, and GGX series. The paints contain an extremely fine metallic pigment, which is why they produce such a realistic metallic effect. After spraying, they create a smooth and glossy surface without visible graininess—an undesirable effect seen in many competing paints where the pigments aren’t fine enough. The ideal base for spraying is a super – smooth and glossy black surface. I recommend using the new Mr.Hobby GGX LG002 paint, which will create a suitable base. The key point is then diluting the paints. For the Mr.Color Super Metallic 2 series, in my experience, the best choice is Mr.Color Rapid Thinner (T117). The reason is simple: it evaporates from the surface extremely quickly. As soon as the paint hits the model, the thinner evaporates instantly, locking the microscopic metallic pigment particles into a single, flat layer side by side. Light is then reflected evenly off the cured paint on the surface, creating a realistic metal effect. In contrast to this thinning method is the popular Mr.Color Leveling Thinner, which contains a drying retarder, resulting in slow paint drying. These additives in the thinner cause the metallic pigments to have too much time to move around in this “wet layer”. They can rotate, clump together, or “sink” to the bottom of the paint layer. All of this detracts from the resulting metallic appearance of the surface. The resulting effect is then a rather dull, grayish surface with a coarse shimmer. I recommend a dilution ratio with Mr.Color Rapid Thinner (T117) of 1:1.5 to 1:2 in favor of the thinner. Once cured, the resulting surface is durable, withstands the use of masking tape without any issues, and - unlike Mr.Metal Color polishable paints - can be handled or treated with weathering products without concern, which is an essential requirement for working on models with an all – metal surface.
Mr.Color Ultra Metallic
This mini – series within the classic Mr.Color line (Series C) has brought an interesting technological innovation to the modeling world, as it uses special aluminum flakes coated with a colored transparent resin instead of conventional metallic powder. The result is a deep, brilliant sheen. For optimal pigment distribution and a high shimmer effect, I recommend thinning these paints with Mr.Color Leveling Thinner. The standard thinner for Mr.Color Series C paints is Mr.Color Thinner. If you use Mr.Color Rapid Thinner, the paints will still work, but they will lose their luster and shimmer. Compared to classic paints, there is one specific characteristic to note. Due to the larger pigment flakes, they cannot be applied with a brush, and the manufacturer recommends using a universal spray tip with a diameter of 0.3 mm or larger; otherwise, you risk the paint clogging the tip. I tested spraying the paint with a 0.2 mm tip, but I had to adjust the paint consistency to achieve proper spray application. The key to success is greater dilution at a ratio of 1:3 to 1:4 and increasing the compressor pressure to 20 to 25 PSI. At the same time, I found it helpful to occasionally “agitate” the paint, because the metallic particles settle relatively quickly, and if there’s too much paint in the cup, you risk uneven color distribution during spraying. Because these paints are naturally semi – transparent, the color of the base coat influences the final appearance more than with any other type of paint. They are therefore ideal for builders of Sci-Fi models and kits such as Bandai Gundam. Modelers specializing in auto and motorcycle tuning and supercars will also appreciate the resulting effect. This specific semi – transparency allows you to achieve the so – called deep “Candy effect” in a single step, without the need to spray a silver base coat and then laboriously layer clear coat over it. The resulting paint then behaves like a classic C – series paint in every respect, including durability.
Aqueous Hobby Color – Super Metallic (HSM Series)
For many years, there was a widely held belief among modelers that if you wanted to achieve a perfect mirror – like metal finish on a model, you had to use lacquer paints with a stronger odor, because water – based paints do not have sufficiently fine pigments. Mr. Hobby is seeking to challenge this dogma by launching a new line of paints in 2024: Aqueous Hobby Color – Super Metallic (HSM). These are water-based hybrid acrylic metallic paints that combine the extremely fine and dense metallic flakes known from the Super Metallic 2 line. Once dry, the paints do not lose their luster but leave a true – to – life metallic finish that is also highly abrasion – resistant. When working with these paints, they must be thinned with the original Aqueous Hobby Color Thinner (T110 / T111), or distilled water to preserve the low – odor properties typical of the H series. While Mr.Color Rapid Thinner is the ideal choice for the SM lacquer paint series - as it keeps the pigment flakes suspended and prevents them from settling to the bottom - it is too aggressive for the HSM series. As a result, although the paint can be sprayed (unlike the H series, the HSM series contains a slightly different acrylic binder that can withstand even a more aggressive thinner such as Mr.Color Rapid Thinner), the resulting surface is rougher and more matte than it should be for the intended metallic effect. On the other hand, just as with other paints in the H series, I achieved even better results and paint properties by using Mr.Color Leveling Thinner. I did this by layering up the surface in thin layers and avoiding applying too much paint, to prevent the metallic pigment from running or clumping. I have to say that this relatively new line pleasantly surprised me with its quality and the resulting surface finish.
Metallic Paints from the C and H Series
In our overview and introduction to Mr. Hobby’s metallic paints, we shouldn’t forget the basic metallic shades found directly in the main paint product lines. These include both the water – based acrylic paints of the Aqueous series (H series) and the classic lacquer paints of the C series. These paints are not intended for creating realistic metallic surfaces, but they are suitable shades for spraying silver paint (for example, the MiG-15 mentioned at the beginning of the article had many parts of its surface filled with putty and subsequently sprayed with silver paint). For the C series, thin the paint with the classic Mr.Color Thinner and, if desired, other Mr.Color thinners; for the H series, use the original Aqueous Color Thinner or, ideally, Mr.Color Leveling Thinner, which further enhances the paint’s properties. The C008 silver paint is the ideal solution for aircraft parts that have been originally filled and then sprayed with silver paint (such as the MiG-15 or wings of the P-51 Mustang). Shade H008 offers a brighter silver color than the C series. I was surprised by the difference in the final shades of the two silver paints, which are supposed to differ only by product series—this opens up greater creative possibilities for working with shades on our models.
The key to success is preparing the surface for metallic paints
Metallic paints have one well-known and specific characteristic: they act like a magnifying glass, highlighting any flaws on the model’s surface. Every poorly sanded seam, scratch from sandpaper, or speck of dust - which would remain hidden under a matte paint - will stand out under a metallic paint. Therefore, the model’s surface preparation must be flawless. Once the model’s surface has been refined, the first step toward success is applying a glossy black primer. I particularly recommend the glossy black paint from the GX (GX02) or GGX (LG002) series. It’s important to keep in mind that the final metallic finish will only be as glossy as the primer underneath it, which is a crucial factor for accurately recreating a metallic surface.
Conclusion
Navigating Mr. Hobby’s wide range of metallic paints may seem like alchemy at first glance, but once you understand their different chemical compositions and purposes, you’ll have paints at your disposal that allow you to faithfully reproduce metallic surfaces. For example, if you’re building an all – metal aircraft and your goal is the most realistic rendering of a metal surface with high mechanical resistance, reach for the Mr.Color Super Metallic 2 series diluted with Mr.Color Rapid Thinner (T117). If you’re spraying in confined or poorly ventilated spaces and your priority is low – odor operation, choose the new Aqueous Super Metallic (HSM) hybrid series, thinned with T110 thinner (or, even better, Mr.Color Leveling Thinner). For putty – filled and spray- painted aircraft parts, such as those on the MiG-15 or P-51 Mustang, use the standard silver from the classic C series (C008) or an alternative from the H series (H008). In my test, I did not focus on the GX series metallic paints due to their unavailability on the European market, and I avoided other specialty shades such as SMS01 Mirror Silver, which has a narrow and specific application.