Best Metallic Paints for Miniatures: Silver, Gold and Beyond
Updated How we research
The Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Metallics Paint Set, 10 x 18 mL Acrylic Metallic Paints
Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Metallics set, 10 bottles of 18ml acrylic metallic paints in the brand's newest formula.
Vallejo Game Color Range Metallic Colors Set | 8 Bottles x 18 ml
Vallejo Game Color Metallic set of 8 bottles in 18ml, core silvers, golds and bronzes for tabletop armor and weapons.
Metallic paints for miniatures use mica or aluminum flakes suspended in acrylic medium to recreate steel, gold, bronze, and copper on swords, armor, and vehicle trim. They are essential for tabletop miniature painters, since almost every fantasy or sci-fi model carries some metal, and cheap metallics with coarse flakes can ruin an otherwise clean paint job. When comparing options, look at flake size first, because finer particles give smoother, more realistic results at small scale. Also check coverage over black and dark primers, how well the paint thins without separating, and the range of tones from bright chrome to warm brass. True metallics differ from colorshift and non-metallic-metal approaches, so match the line to your painting style.
The short version
We compared 7 picks. Our scores range from 7.2 to 8.6 out of 10.
- Best overall:The Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Metallics Paint Set, 10 x 18 mL Acrylic Metallic Paints. Highest overall score in this guide at 8.6/10.
- Also great value:Vallejo Game Color Range Metallic Colors Set | 8 Bottles x 18 ml. Value score of 8/10, overall 8.4/10.
- Solid build:Vallejo Metal Color Steel 32 ml. Build and materials score of 9/10, overall 7.6/10.
- Feature-rich:Vallejo Model Color Effects Metallic Colors Set | 8 Bottles x 18 ml. Features score of 8/10, overall 8.0/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
- 1.The Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Metallics Paint Set, 10 x 18 mL Acrylic Metallic Paints8.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 2.Vallejo Game Color Range Metallic Colors Set | 8 Bottles x 18 ml8.4/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 3.Vallejo Model Color Effects Metallic Colors Set | 8 Bottles x 18 ml8.0/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 4.Games Workshop Citadel Base Retributor Armour Base Paint7.7/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 5.Vallejo Metal Color Steel 32 ml7.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 6.The Army Painter, Speedpaint Metallics Set 2.0, 10 x 18 ml7.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 7.The Army Painter, Air Triads Most-Wanted Metallics, 6 x 18 ml, airbrush7.2/10See on AmazonCheck price
#1Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Metallics set, 10 bottles of 18ml acrylic metallic paints in the brand's newest formula.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + 10 metallic tones cover bright steel, dark iron, gold and bronze
- + Fanatic formula is designed for smoother coverage than older metallics
- + Bottles match other Fanatic sets, keeping a hobby rack consistent
- - Larger metallic range may be more than a casual painter will use
- - Metallics still need shading and highlighting for a finished look
#2Vallejo Game Color Metallic set of 8 bottles in 18ml, core silvers, golds and bronzes for tabletop armor and weapons.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Mix of silver, gold and bronze tones covers most metal details
- + Game Color line is tuned for fantasy and sci-fi miniatures
- + Dropper bottles keep metallic flakes easier to mix and dispense
- - Metallic pigment settles, so bottles need firm shaking each session
- - Not as smooth as dedicated Metal Color for display-level finishes
#3Vallejo Model Color Effects Metallic set, 8 bottles of 18ml metal paints for historical kits, vehicles and minis.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Includes a range of metal tones suited to weathered historical gear
- + Model Color finish mixes well with Vallejo's other acrylic ranges
- + Dropper bottles let you blend custom metals like dark iron
- - Effects colors are more niche than basic silver and gold sets
- - Brushed finish is less bright than lacquer-based metal paints
#4Citadel Base Retributor Armour, a warm opaque gold base paint used for Custodes, Sisters trim and ornate armor.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + Rich warm gold covers well over dark primer in a coat or two
- + Official Citadel color, so many army painting guides call for it
- + Pairs naturally with Reikland Fleshshade or Agrax for shading
- - Single gold only, so bright highlights need a separate layer paint
- - Pot-style lid can dry out faster than a dropper bottle
#5Vallejo Metal Color Steel in a 32ml bottle, an ultra-fine metallic formula mainly meant for airbrushing realistic steel.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 8/10
- + Very fine pigment gives a smooth, realistic polished steel look
- + Larger 32ml bottle covers vehicles and big batches of weapons
- + Ideal when airbrushing tanks, mechs or aircraft parts
- - Formula is thin and delicate, so brushed coats can look patchy
- - Rubs off with handling unless protected by a suitable varnish
#6The Army Painter Speedpaint Metallics Set 2.0 holds ten 18ml one-coat metallic paints in gold, silver, bronze and other metal tones, plus a basecoat brush and a painting guide.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 7/10
- + One-coat formula is designed to lay down metallic color and shine over primer in a single generous layer
- + Ten 18ml bottles cover gold, silver, bronze and more, each with two stainless steel mixing balls inside
- + Includes a basecoat brush and a painting guide, so the set works as a starting point for metals
- - Speedpaint metallics are a one-coat product, a different method from layering regular metallic acrylics
- - Costs more than the smaller metallic sets in this guide, which is a lot if you only need gold and silver
#7The Army Painter Air Triads Most-Wanted Metallics is a set of six 18ml pre-thinned metallic paints for airbrush use, grouped as matched shadow, midtone and highlight colors.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + Six pre-thinned metallics are formulated to spray straight from the bottle with no extra thinning
- + Triad grouping gives matched shadow, midtone and highlight tones for quick metal gradients
- + A low-cost way to add metallics to an airbrush setup compared with the 10-bottle sets in this guide
- - Made for airbrushing, so brush painters are better served by the regular metallic sets listed here
- - Six bottles cover fewer metal tones than an 8 or 10 color metallic set
Before you buy: trade-offs we flagged
No pick is perfect. These are the main compromises we noted for the top products in this guide, so you can check they will not matter for you.
- Larger metallic range may be more than a casual painter will use (The Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Metallics...)
- Metallic pigment settles, so bottles need firm shaking each session (Vallejo Game Color Range Metallic Colors Set...)
- Effects colors are more niche than basic silver and gold sets (Vallejo Model Color Effects Metallic Colors...)
- Single gold only, so bright highlights need a separate layer paint (Games Workshop Citadel Base Retributor Armour...)
- Formula is thin and delicate, so brushed coats can look patchy (Vallejo Metal Color Steel 32 ml)
- Speedpaint metallics are a one-coat product, a different method from layering regular metallic acrylics (The Army Painter, Speedpaint Metallics Set...)
Frequently asked questions
›What is the best choice among metallic paints for miniatures: silver, gold and beyond?
The Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Metallics Paint Set, 10 x 18 mL Acrylic Metallic Paints is our top overall pick. Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Metallics set, 10 bottles of 18ml acrylic metallic paints in the brand's newest formula. It earns our score of 8.6/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.
›What is a good budget option?
Vallejo Game Color Range Metallic Colors Set | 8 Bottles x 18 ml is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. Vallejo Game Color Metallic set of 8 bottles in 18ml, core silvers, golds and bronzes for tabletop armor and weapons.
›How much should I expect to spend?
Picks in this guide span See on Amazon price bands (roughly: $ = under $30, $$ = $30 to $100, $$$ = over $100). We never display exact prices because they change constantly, so the buttons above always show Amazon's current price.
›How were these products chosen?
We shortlist products that fit the job this guide solves and compare their published specifications, such as size, capacity, materials and what is included. Each pick gets an editorial score out of 10 for fit, features, build and value, and we write the pros and cons from those details. Our score is not an Amazon customer rating. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never affects the ranking.
Mini Paint Lab independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.
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