The set contains 6 x 22ml screw-top plastic jars that arrive in a robust carboard carton with a sliding sleeve lid that will serve to store them neatly in your workroom.
The back of the sleeve features generic instructions in Italian and English for using the paints with both an airbrush and a paintbrush. There's also a QR code for a "How To" PDF, but it didn't work for me, only leading to a "Coming soon..." placeholder page.
An interesting point is that LifeColor claim that, unlike many metallic model paints, these water-based acrylics don't require a black undercoat before application, so I've taken them at their word and used white paper for the tests below. Ironically, the photo included with the instructions does show a model with a black undercoat, but maybe that's just for contrast.
The colours provided are:
UA 792 Polished Aluminium
UA 793 White Aluminium
UA 794 Dark Aluminium
UA 795 Steel
UA 796 Exhaust Jet
UA 797 Burnt Iron
The paints had settled from being left standing, so it's important to stir/shake them well before use. For the colour tests, I applied the paints with a paintbrush, with a couple of coats to ensure full coverage.
For the sake of speed, I used the paint undiluted. If I'd added a drop of water as the instructions suggest, it probably would have reduced the brushstrokes evident in the photo below that are due to faint ridges catching the light.
As you'd expect, the three Aluminium shades vary in darkness, with Steel being darker still and Exhaust Jet and Burnt Iron getting progressively warmer in hue.
I also performed an airbrush test and found that the paints performed well with the pressure reduced quite low to avoid the paint drying on the tip. I used LifeColor's own brand of thinners for the tests and tried both my Iwata HP-TR and HP-M1. Of the two, I found that the HP-M1 was ideal for broader coverage with its easy to adjust needle ensuring a good flow.
I was very impressed by how quickly the paint dries, and it's also remarkably robust when cured. This meant that I was able to mask it after just a couple of minutes and apply other Aluminium colours to quickly build up a mock "panelled" impression to get an idea of how the paints would work together on a model. Conventional metallic finishes I've tried are notoriously easy to damage with masking or even general handling, so this is a real plus point for these LifeColor paints.
Note: The photo below doesn't do the paints any favours because it somehow exaggerates how the metallic finish highlights the grain of the paper. It's actually smooth to the naked eye.
A surprise for me was just how glossy the paints dried. Many other metallics require buffing once they're dry, but these dried to a full gloss whether sprayed or brush painted, which means they should work very well as a base to apply decals onto without the need for a gloss coat. Just as an experiment, I did try buffing them to see if it would increase the gloss even further, but I couldn't discern and difference and there was no residue on the buffer - again a sign of how robust the dried finish is.
Apart from the excellent and robust finish they provide, a huge factor in their favour is that they are basically odourless when spraying and are simple to clean up with water instead of harmful chemicals. This makes them much more suitable for using in a domestic environment.
Note, though, I would still recommend wearing a painting mask and ensuring good ventilation when spraying any finish, whether or not you can smell it, because inhaling paint particles is dangerous.
Conclusion
Having always used lacquer-based metallic paints, I have to admit I approached LifeColor's acrylics with a degree of scepticism, but the tests have genuinely impressed and converted me - so much so, I'm going to use these paints for the partial natural metal undersides of my Kotare 1:32 Bf 109K-4 that's nagging at me to be built.
Many thanks to The Airbrush Company for kindly providing the review set.
Item #LC-CS48 - LifeColor Aircraft Perfect Metal - Set 2 is available now from The Airbrush Company - Price: £20.70
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