Metallic Effects
Introduction
As your airbrush skills develop, you should attempt more difficult effects like
a metallic shine. The harder an effect is to produce, the more essential it is
to have a comprehensive sketch or layout to follow. With metallic effects,
concentrate on defining the contrasts between dark and light tones on
reflective surfaces. Airbrushed metallic effects come very close to visually
portraying mirrors, glass, and chrome.
Metallic effects
Metallic effects are the shine or reflectance from metal objects struck by
intense light. Shiny objects have little or no local color of their own but
reflect the color of the objects that surround them. The sharp contrasts in
dark and light tones are defined by hard-edged lines. Work from dark to
light when creating metallic effects.
To airbrush metallic effects:
Step
1
2
3
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8
9
Action
Place a mask or frisket over your illustration.
Remove the frisket from the areas to be painted in the darkest tone
(black in figure 6-22). Paint and allow to dry.
Remove the frisket from the areas to be painted in grey (figure 6-
23).
Paint and allow to dry.
Remove the remaining frisket and recover the illustration with a
new sheet of frisket.
Cut along the outline of the object and remove the frisket covering
the background.
Spray shadows freehand. Spraying in a shadow area creates depth
and provides a three-dimensional impression (figure 6-24).
Lightly spray over the entire background. Allow to dry.
Remove the frisket (figure 6-25).
Clean and touch up illustrations with highlights.
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