The Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Metallics Paint Set, 10 x 18 mL Acrylic Metallic Paints Review (2026)

Who benefits from a full metallic paint set

This set suits a painter who wants gold, copper, bronze and silver on hand at once rather than buying single metallic bottles as a project needs them. Armor trim, weapons, jewelry, mechanical parts and vehicle plating on tabletop miniatures all call for slightly different metal tones, and having ten in one box means a painter is not stuck reusing the same silver for everything. A newcomer with only one or two miniatures to finish may not need this much range yet, but anyone building an army, painting Warhammer or Dungeons and Dragons figures across multiple factions, or running a hobby table with mixed projects will get steady use from the spread of tones included.

The Al-crylic formula and bottle design explained

The set uses The Army Painter's Al-crylic formulation, a blend built around aluminium flake and mica pigment rather than the older metallic recipes the brand used previously. That combination is meant to give brighter coverage and a more consistent sheen in fewer coats than standard metallic acrylics, which historically go on patchy or gritty. Each of the ten 18 mL bottles uses the same dropper format as the rest of the Fanatic range, so tones can be mixed on a wet palette to create custom shades, such as blending gold and copper for an aged brass look. A painting guide and a basecoating brush are included, giving a starting point for how the range is meant to be layered.

Applying and caring for metallic paints

Metallics behave differently from flat colors because the flake pigment can settle at the bottom of the bottle between uses, so each bottle needs a light shake before the dropper is used to keep the shine consistent from the first drop to the last. Thin coats work better than one heavy layer, since flake pigments can look gritty if applied too thickly, and a wash or targeted shading afterward brings out the highlights the metallic base creates. Dropper caps should stay closed when not in use to stop the water based acrylic from drying at the tip, and bottles are best stored upright with the other Fanatic paints so the whole range stays organized on a shelf or rack.

Where this set fits against other metallic options

Compared with Vallejo's Game Color and Model Color metallic sets, which rely on a more traditional metallic pigment suspension, the Fanatic Al-crylic formula is a newer approach aimed specifically at smoother single coat coverage, though Vallejo's ranges remain a well established alternative with a long track record among painters. Against Games Workshop's individual Citadel metallics such as Retributor Armour, this set trades buying one color at a time for a broader starter range at once, which suits someone stocking a palette from scratch rather than replacing a single favorite shade. The trade-off is that ten metallics is more than many casual painters will use across a single army, so part of the value depends on painting a variety of factions or subjects rather than one narrow color scheme.

Verdict and who might skip this set

For a painter setting up a metallic palette from nothing, or replacing an older, patchier metallic line, this set is a strong one-purchase option that lines up with our score of 8.6 out of 10 on features and specs. The Fanatic bottle format also keeps it consistent with the rest of the brand's paint line for anyone already using Army Painter Warpaints. A painter who only ever needs one or two metallic tones, such as a single silver for weapons across a small collection, would likely do better buying those specific colors individually rather than the full ten bottle range, since metallics still need separate shading and highlighting work regardless of which brand supplies the base coat.

Frequently asked questions