The leak around Vallejoâs True Metallic Metal line has the hobby buzzing: Juan Hidalgo published a sponsored firstâlook video which, while not a full review, hints at a system built to achieve colorful metallics fast and to keep a seamless bridge between airbrush and brush.
Keep in mind the author took part in the rangeâs development, so he speaks from inside the process; nonetheless, the information shown is partial and framed as early impressions.
Vallejo True Metallic Metal: what it is and what it promises
According to the video, TMM is a new metallic paint family designed to deliver real metal shine without sacrificing color saturation or contrast; the goal is to give beginners a quick path to attractive results while offering headroom for layering and glazing to intermediate and advanced painters.
This is not an exhaustive test, yet the pitch clearly targets both ends of the learning curve with a guided workflow, avoiding obscure mixes or niche mediums.
In parallel, the creator underlines continuity: every tone used with a brush should be replicated through the airbrush with the same name and behavior, preserving both shine and color identity.
Color families and structure
The transcript points to a broad range of roughly 80 paints arranged into 20 hue families (or colors); within each family you get a Base, a Light for highlights, a transparent Shade to unify and deepen, and an Airbrush Base to apply with the airbrush, all with matching tones.
This familyâbased structure is meant to let you build coherent lights and shadows quickly without leaving the same âcolor line,â reducing hue jumps and metamerism issues between techniques.
The promise of brushâairbrush matching also suggests that early airbrushed gradients will blend with brush work without losing the metallic identity you chose.
Vallejo TMM uses the BSL system
The video outlines a BSL flow: start with the Base, then drybrush or layer with the Light, and finish with the Shade to unify, restore saturation and add definition in the shadows without killing the metallic shine.
For painters pushing further, the same flow accepts thin glazes over the Light, pinpoint edge highlights and progressive modulations, taking advantage of the paintsâ selfâlevelling nature and their friendliness with a wet palette.
The rangeâs Shade is described as an evolution of the makerâs washes/contrasts, transparent and stable, able to reinforce volumes without turning the finish into a dull satin.
Handling, thinning and examples
The demo stresses that paints handle well with little thinning, accept water if needed, and selfâlevel enough to avoid unwanted texture when working fast or on broad panels.
Practical examples include Sapphire Blue for armor plates, Ruby Red for gauntlets, Imperial Gold for details and Aged Metal for darker zones; the final result evokes a metallic Crimson Fistsâstyle scheme.
In terms of target users, the line looks especially appealing for metalâforward armies (e.g., Alpha Legion or certain Horus Heresy forces) while opening creative options for blue chapters in the Ultramarines vein.
Whatâs still unknown
The video itself notes this is a first look, with no complete color list, no official launch date and no final reference material; therefore, treat this as a statement of intent rather than a definitive product spec.
As official data drops, weâll expand this article with the full color chart, bottle pricing and starter sets, together with practical tests over popular miniatures.
Support the creator
If you like this approach, you can support Juan Hidalgo on his Patreon channel. In addition to previews and exclusive content, itâs a good benchmark for this type of painting innovation. Look for Juan Hidalgo Miniatures: undoubtedly one of the best Warhammer painters, from whom I have personally learned a lot.
