Metals

Oil Painting 101: W. David Price

How to mix metallic colors.

Silver: Mix white with touches of Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Umber.
All-metal base color — this color mix is the base for all other metals: Mix Burnt Umber and Cadium Yellow Deep with touches of either Rose Madder or Alizarin Crimson.
Brass: Mix and apply the all-metal base color. On the top of that, highlight with a choice of Cadium Yellow Deep, Cadium Yellow Light and/or Cadium Yellow Orange. Final highlights are done with a mixture of Vermillion (Cadium Red) and Cadium Yellow Light.
Copper: Mix and apply the all-metal base color. Highlight a few areas with violet, made by mixing Ultramarine Blue and Rose Madder. Violet highlights will yield a dull appearance. Create additional highlights using red/orange colors, Vermillion and white.
Gold:Mix and apply the all-metal base color. Highlight with Cadium Yellow Deep and Cadium Yellow Light.