image © Pentacolor
Article updated: 2020.02.28
The Pentart metallic acrylic paints from Pentacolor are acrylic metallic paints that come in multiple colour that can be used to paint miniature models. This is my Pentart review.
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Details - Pentart metallic acrylic paints from Pentacolor
Miniature hobby supply: Pentart metallic acrylic paints
Range: Pentart acrylic paints
Company: Pentacolor, Production: -2015-2020-
Features: Acrylic Paints - Metallic Acrylic Paint
Pentart acrylic paints from Pentacolor
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Review - Pentart metallic acrylic paints from Pentacolor
Pentacolor started to produce new Pentart metallic acrylic paints. They provide a wide range of Pentart paint colours.
Why did I choose Pentart paints?
Before 2015 I had mostly basic colours of acrylics and oil based paints, and I've mixed the hues I wanted to achieve. Then I decided to switch to acrylics only, and because I often had gaps of several weeks between the start and finish of a project, I decided to buy a larger selection of colours so I don't have to spend time mixing and matching colours to previously mixed ones. In Hungary, at that time Pentart was the most easily available choice, unless I wanted to order paints through specialist webshops. When I've found a 50% sale of hobby products, I've bought their whole selection of products to try.
Painting miniature figures with Pentart products
They are not created specifically for painting models but they can be used for them. If you've got used to high quality modeling paints it can be a tiresome and frustrating experience to work with Pentart paints. While they work fine to paint terrain and scenery where the detail is not that important, it's hard to paint details with it. You need to be patient and determined to work out how to handle it.
My original review was a bit more negative before the rewrite, but in the past half year I only used Pentart acrylics for painting and I got used to it, even came up with some solutions for my original problems. By the time you've painted ten different minis with Pentart, I think you will have enough experience to master these paints. Then you can repaint those poor minis you've used for practice.
Painting scenery and terrain pieces with Pentart products
When you can paint large surfaces, using Pentart paints work okay. I've used them for several scenery projects. Any irregularities in the paints even out when you have a large surface to cover, and irregularities usually don't matter as much when you paint scenery or terrain pieces.
When I first started to use Pentart metallics in 2015, I didn't like them as some of the paints were glittering. In 2016 I've found they have a new range of metallic acrylic paints. One line of paints is called "sparkling metallics", I hope only those paints will be glittering. I'm pretty sure that their Antique Gold paint from the old range was glittering.
In 2016 I've only used them for a few models but they are way better then the previous set. Not only does the new range provide a wider range of metallic colours, but it doesn't glitter like the old ones. Beyond the basic gold and silver we get bronze, red, green and probably some other colours too. Between 2016 and 2019 I've used them for a variety of projects, and I'm satisfied with these paints.
In my experience they give a good covering and more uniform in consistency than Pentart's normal range of acrylic colours. I didn't try the whole range of metallics yet, but I like the ones I did.
- For more information about Pentacolor Pentart acrylic paints, read our Games Nexus Pentart review: Pentart acrylic paints - Miniature Supply Review
Packaging
They are sold in a couple of different packages. You can get them in these variants:
- Pot: 50 ml/100 ml/230 ml
- Tube: 60 ml
- Dropper bottle: 20 ml
Most of the metallics (probably those from the older range) are sold in 20 ml dropper bottles. All of them are sold in 50 ml pots. Some of them are sold in 100 ml pots, and the basic metallic colours (silver, golden, brass) are sold in 230 ml pots.
A smaller variety of colours are sold in tubes. In 2020, there's around 25 metallic colours.
The screw tops of the Pentart paint pots get stuck due to the paint that dries into the screw recesses. Because of this, the tops might break because they are rigid. The dropper bottle and the tube is probably a better package due to this, but I've only bought them in 2019, and I don't have much experience using them.
Metallic paints range
In 2015 there was a basic set of gold, silver, bronze and probably some other metallic colours. In 2016, I've found a better and wider range of metallics. In 2020, there are around 40 different metallic colours of Pentart paint.
Pentacolor Pentart acrylic metallic paints range in 2017
Pentart Metallic paints
Pentart Metallic metals
- Antique Brass
- Antique Gold: As it's glittering, it's closer to the Pentart Sparkling range.
- Bronze: Metallic ochre. A good substitute for gold.
- Copper: Metallic red.
- Gold
- Lead: Metallic dark gray.
- Rococo Silver: I didn't try it yet, but in the pot it looks darker than normal Silver.
- Silver
Pentart Metallic colours
- Metallic Blue
- Graphite: It's a metallic black colour.
- Metallic Green
- Metallic Teal (Greenish-Blue): Their Blue is more teal than their Teal, but both are nice of the Pentart paint colours.
- Metallic Magenta
- Metallic Purple
- Metallic Red
Pentart Sparkling Metallic paints: Although they call them "Sparkling Metallics", but I think "glittering" describes some of them better.
Pentart Sparkling Metallic metals
- Sparkling Bronze
- Sparkling Gold
- Sparkling Silver: It's an almost normal metallic silver colour.
Pentart Sparkling Metallic colours
- Sparkling Blue: It's an almost normal metallic blue colour.
- Sparkling Green
- Sparkling Purple
Pentart Metallic Crazy Colours: I haven't tried them yet, I don't know why they are "crazy".
- several basic colours
Painting techniques
Normal paint: It's good for scenery and other hobby projects, but I don't recommend it for miniatures.
- Painting miniature figures: Unless it's so thick, lumps of paint stick to your brush, never ever dilute it. Even when you think that it's really time to thin it - don't. When I gave in and diluted it, most of the time I regretted that decision, so not diluting will save you the regret (and maybe your paintjob).
- Painting scenery: When you dilute the paint, be prepared to use multiple layers to cover the surface. If it looks grainy if you use it undiluted, you can sand it after you finish painting. The paint is cheap, you don't need to ration it.
I've recently seen they have a Pentart Pouring Medium that you can use to dilute their paints instead of distilled water or alcohol. I didn't try it yet, and this pouring medium might solve the problems I've run into.
Wash: The paint can be used for mixing washes. You just need to add a really small amount compared to what you got used to while using other paints. As the density of the paint is already low, just a few drop to thin it will be enough.
Glaze: It is also good for glazing. If a layer of glaze dried up, you can check if there is enough pigment on the surface. In case you need more, you could just get another layer on it.
Drybrush: It’s hard to get a good drybrush done with it. The brush most be totally dry, because if you just try to use up the wetness by brushing strokes, by the time the paint is dry enough on the brush, there’s not much pigment left. Sometimes the paint itself is too thin to use it for drybrushing. These times I usually just put small dots on the areas I want to highlight, then I try to smudge them together with another brush or my finger. If you get the paint out of the pot and wait for that to dry up, it can be used almost normally though. You just need some time before you can start.
Filler: As the paint is pretty cheap, I often use it as a coloured filler. The paint is often thick enough that you can just push it into the recesses.
Airbrush: I didn't try them in an airbrush. I've heard people use Pentart paints in an airbrush for hobby projects, so I suppose it can be done. Ive been told it is recommended to use acrylic thinner and retarder to protect your airbrush.
Mixing Pentart paints
Some model painters told the Pentart acrylic paint mixes well with AK Interactive paints.
Problems with the Pentart acrylic paints
Problem 1: The density of the pigment is low. If you dilute it, the paint can change into a wash-like consistency.
Solution 1: Don't dilute Pentart paints. Dip your brush into water to soften it, then dip it into the paint before painting.
Problem 2: The consistency of the Pentart paint is very random, from normal to thick, creamy. If you dilute the creamy paint, it will become a wash. I’m not sure if it depends on the colour, the date of manufacture, or is it utterly random.
Solution 2: Your painting instincts might tell you that the thick paint will need dilution, but most of the time it really doesn't. Dip your brush into water, dip it into the creamy paint, then smudge it on your palette so the paint spreads over your brush.
Problem 3: The consistency of the paint can vary during brushstrokes because it's so uneven. First you see that it covers evenly, then you pull up the brush, start to paint again, and the paint runs down from your brush, like a wash, and it ruins your previous work.
Solution 3: Just like the previous solution - smudge it a little, so the consistency of the Pentart paint will become even.
Problem 4: The changing consistency of a Pentart paint sometimes tricks you. After you think you have finished painting and let the mini dry, instead of drying normally, it runs down from the painted area like a wash and ruins everything.
Solution 4: This didn't happen recently. I suppose the same uneven consistency was the cause, so smudging the brush to even it solves this too.
Recommendation
Pentart metallics are good enough in my experience, easier to handle than Pentart's regular acrylics. They are just as cheap as the other Pentart paints, so they can be a good choice if you are on a budget. You can read our other Pentart reviews to get a better view of their products.
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Resources - Pentart metallic acrylic paints from Pentacolor
Official
Pentart: Acrylic paints (in Hungarian): Official webpage.
Pentart official YouTube channel: Tutorial videos.
pentartvideo: Krémes akrilfesték // Creamy Acrylic Paint: Review video.
Pentart reviews
Lakbear: Pentart list, part 1 (in Hungarian): Review article about the Pentart acrylic paints, primers, matte varnish, glossy varnish, and several other Pentart products, in Hungarian.
English version via Google Translate
Lakbear: Pentart list new releases of 2017-2018 (in Hungarian): Review article about the Pentart creamy acrylic paints, effect paints, pouring medium, and several other Pentart products, in Hungarian.
English version via Google Translate
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Buying the product - Pentart metallic acrylic paints from Pentacolor
Price
Base price (Pentart acrylic metallic paints in 50ml pot)(2016): ca. 1,5 EUR, Price/litre: ca. 30 EUR
Where can you buy it?
In Hungary: You can find them in hobby shops around the country.
Worldwide: Apart from Hungary, I've seen a distributor in the United Kingdom that carries Pentart supplies. Outside of these two countries the advantage of the low price could be lost due to the shipping cost.
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Uses on the website - Using Pentart paint for miniatures
- Painting Imperial Army soldiers for Imperial Space - Imperial Trenchers for Warzone Resurrection from Prodos Games - Painting log
- Painting Gaunt pirates for Imperial Space - Plague Gen 3 minis for Deadzone from Mantic Games - Painting log
- Painting Ancient factory for Imperial Space - Bulkheads for Necromunda from Games Workshop - Painting log
- Painting a juvenile Rock Churn for Imperial Space - Rahdox for Project: ELITE from Drawlab Entertainment - Painting log
- Painting Horde mutants for Imperial Space - Plague Gen1 & Gen2 minis for Deadzone from Mantic Games - Painting log
- While the painting articles are not online yet, I've painted the following projects with Pentart paints:
- Terrains4Games gothic buildings
- Terrains4Games village buildings
- Games Workshop Warhammer 40,000 Dark Millenium miniatures (Space Marines, Cultists, Traitor Space Marines)
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Have you tried Pentart metallic acrylic paints from Pentacolor? What are your experiences? Do you have any questions about Pentart paints? Tell us in the comments!
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