Difference between Interference & Irridescent

interference had colored metallic flakes in a clear base so that the color you paint it over shows through.

iridescent is like metallic, having a solid color and colored metallic flakes but the metallic flakes are very very fine grain.(some one can correct me if i’m wrong)
it tends to really shimmer in the light.

if you want a base color to show up and have a different metallic sheen, go with interference..

but if you want a slight change in color and metallic sheen, use iridescent.

I think Koishii’s right. I’ve only used iridescence so far, so I can’t correct her.

iridescent is like metallic, having a solid color and colored metallic flakes but the metallic flakes are very very fine grain.(some one can correct me if i’m wrong)
it tends to really shimmer in the light.

if you want a base color to show up and have a different metallic sheen, go with interference..

but if you want a slight change in color and metallic sheen, use iridescent.

Hey, that interference paint….where do you get it at?? I tried finding some at Hobby Lobby. Does it come in those paint-bottle-tubes that other paints come in or something..cause i couldn’t find it.

golden paints is one brand that makes them,they come in a tube,i had a tough time finding any,i could not find any in my local art or craft stores,but you can get them online or as i did on e-bay 🙂

I was going to add this earlier but I ran out of time…

The more geeky explination!

This applies to both interference and iridescent paints…
They are not pigmented (except for ‘oxide’ interference paints, which have a subtle tint to them, and some metallic or iridescent paint have a small amount of pigment). Pigmented meaning that the paint has an actual pigment color like most paint. What you see as the sparkly is not pigment though. They instead have tiny metallic flakes (actually mica and sometimes Chromium and Zinc Oxides) suspended in an acrylic polymer binder.

Interference paint is much how it sounds. Interference paints tend to be translucent instead of opaque. They ‘interfere’ with the color below to create a shimmer or flash of color over the top. Think of these (for you girls that use it) like the top clear coat of fingernail polish. You know how you can get the clear coats with just a little shimmer to them, that ‘flash’ a certain color? That’s like what interference paints should do. They need to be painted on with care though or that binder that holds the metallic flakes in suspension can get a milky look to it. Your best bet is to thin them and apply several thin coats, rather than one thick coat.

I like the Golden interference paints.

http://www.goldenpaints.com/products/color/fluid/fldinter1.php
You can visit that page to see how the colors look vastly different on different colored backgrounds. They are translucent to semi-translucent.

Iridescent, or metallic, paints tend to be semi-opaque to completely opaque. These also have the tiny metallic flakes in suspension… however, they are in a much thicker suspension and sometimes have pigment added to make them much more opaque and ‘solid’ looking. These are the ones to use if you want a solid looking metallic.

http://www.goldenpaints.com/products/color/fluid/fldirid1.php
See how most are opaque?
As an aside, you can get very interesting and pretty effects by painting something a metallic color (say a nice solid silver) and then glazing a color over top. This means taking a color thinned with a thinner or acrylic medium (not water… water will make it bead on the smooth metallic paint) and paint several thin coats over top. The glimmer will show though, but it will be tinted with your paint color. This looks really cool on scales!

I used a “bright gold” iridescence paint on my poor Muse (which never unfogged) because I was wondering the exact same question, and I have to say, it’s a rather pretty effect. It’s extremely glittery, and under natural sunlight, as you turn it just what shade of (in this case) gold an area of the sculpt is changes as you rotate it. Very pretty. The more curves and areas of depth there are in the places you paint with iridescent paint, the better. 😀